Long-Term Effects of Bilingual Education on a National Sample of Mexican-American Sophomores: A Component Analysis

Abstract

A study assessed the impact of elementary-level bilingual programs on the academic achievement of 1,200 Mexican-American high school sophomores. Language and educational background factors, such as participation in various types of bilingual education programs, were analyzed and correlated with later educational achievement, while controlling for socioeconomic status, home language, type of bilingual education program, sex of respondent, and other variables. Hierarchical component analysis was developed to assess the long-term impact of various components of bilingual education programs: (1) English as a Second Language (ESL); (2) the teaching of reading and writing in Spanish; (3) other subjects taught in Spanish; and (4) the teaching of ancestral/cultural history. Results indicate that the addition of an ESL component to a bilingual program was associated with mixed effects on long-term achievement. Instruction in reading and writing in Spanish had a positive effect on achievement while the teaching of other subjects in Spanish was clearly associated with a lowering of test scores. The teaching of ancestral/cultural history yielded a positive impact when added to bilingual education programs. (DJD)