In theory, students transition out of these programs within a few years. But advocates say it is not fair to blame bilingual education for the slow progress some students are making. They cite research that indicates that instruction in the native language concurrent with English instruction actually enhances the acquisition of English. The problem is not bilingual education, they say, it's that becoming proficient in any second language takes longer than just one or two years. The idea that English should be the only language taught and spoken in the United States has become an election-year staple.
Opponents call the movement unnecessary, and perhaps xenophobic.
But the issue is emotionally charged, and pedagogical concerns often become secondary to political ones.