ABSTRACT
On May 18, 2000, teachers, parents, principals, bilingual administrators, and community members were called to make a two-way bilingual immersion program presentation to a committee of the San Antonio Independent School District school board. The two-way bilingual immersion presentation was particularly crucial because the new superintendent announced that the review was made necessary by a budget shortfall and all programs considered enrichment programs were under scrutiny. Throughout the spring, the superintendent visited district schools and, while at the twoway bilingual immersion schools, the principals and teachers reported:
The differences in interpretation of the two-way bilingual immersion program as enrichment, especially for a predominantly Hispanic population, became a key point for reflection and redefinition of the program. Thus, the presentation before the school board committee was viewed by the two-way bilingual immersion group as crucial to the continuation of the program. In preparation for the presentation, the principals, parents, teachers, and university faculty clarified and redefined the purpose and goals of the two-way program. The discussions that preceded and followed
the presentation again raised the level of political consciousness and commitment to the program. The prior work that the staff and parent leaders had done with the program parents and the community played a pivotal role. The participation of parents at this meeting demonstrated how knowledgeable they had become about the program and how satisfied they were with their children’s progress.
