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The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not second grade students in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana changed differentially in reading and language achievement from regular classroom students as a result of participation in the French-English Bilingual Program. A second purpose was to ascertain whether students in the bilingual program achieved significantly in developing French language ability. Data was coded for the 278 students in the study.
The statistical findings (tested at the .05 level) are summarized as follows: (1) Bilingual students did not change differentially in reading achievement from regular classroom students. (2) Females in the bilingual program did not change differentially in reading achievement from females in the regular English program. (3) Males in the bilingual program did not change differentially in reading achievement from males in the regular English program. (4) Black children in the bilingual program did not change differentially in reading achievement from black children in the regular English program. (5) White students in the bilingual program did not change differentially in reading achievement from white students in the regular English program. (6) Francos in the bilingual program did not achieve differentially in reading achievement from Francos in the regular English program. (7) Anglos in the bilingual program did not change differentially in reading achievement from Anglos in the regular English program. (8) Bilingual program students did not change differentially in language achievement from regular classroom students. (9) Females in the bilingual program did not change differentially in language achievement from females in the regular English program. (10) Males in the bilingual program did not change differentially in language achievement from males in the regular English program. (11) Black children in the bilingual program did not change differentially in language achievement from black children in the regular English program. (12) White students in the bilingual program did not change differentially in language achievement from white students in the regular English program. (13) Francos in the bilingual program did not change differentially in language achievement from Francos in the regular English program. (14) Anglos in the bilingual program did not change differentially in language achievement from Anglos in the regular English program. (15) Among students of high educational ability, no significant differential change in language achievement existed between bilingual education students and regular English students. However, group ability interaction made a significant difference for the other two levels. The change in language achievement for low ability students in the experimental and control groups was significantly different from pretest to posttest in favor of the low ability students in the control group. Also, the change in language achievement for average ability students in the experimental and control groups was significantly different from pretest to posttest in favor of the average ability students in the experimental group. (16) A significant change in educational ability occurred from pretest to posttest for students in the total population depending on the ability level. This may represent regression toward the mean. Low ability students in the total population gained in educational ability, average ability students remained the same in educational ability, and high ability students lost in educational ability from pretest to posttest. Also, the mean difference in educational ability score for average ability students from pretest to posttest was significant in favor of students in the control group. (17) Students in the bilingual education classes made a significant gain in French language ability from pretest to posttest. This difference was significant at the .01 level.