Research has shown that campuses with such bilingual education programs are successful for all students. Research has also identified characteristics that appear to be present in the majority of successful campuses. The purpose of this article is to briefly describe the lessons IDRA has learned from the research and in working with numerous bilingual education programs for many years. Only action in relation to that vision can create the reality of successful bilingual education programs within all schools. This second area refers to the priority and importance that bilingualism is given at all levels of the school organization.
Leadership occurs at all levels.
Students provide leadership by aspiring to become bilingual. Parents become community voices and create a support network that sustains and nurtures the valuable role schools play in promoting bilingualism. Teachers create learning opportunities for children to experience the benefits of bilingualism. Administrators are the pro-active and informed voices in the community responsible for orchestrating the resources that make bilingualism a reality on a school campus. The absence of leadership on a campus dooms the bilingual program to distress and, ultimately, to failure.