Parents Choose Dual Language Programs in Colorado: A Survey

Abstract

In this article the authors present the results of a survey conducted with parents whose children are enrolled in dual language programs in Colorado. Furthermore, they describe why these parents were motivated to participate in a survey. Colorado is one of the states in which Ron Unz, a politician from California, is attempting to get voters to amend their state constitution to eliminate bilingual education as he did in both California and Arizona. Despite Unz's ignorance about what constitutes a bilingual program and his dismissal of dual language programs as too few in number, the results of the survey clearly indicate that both English- and Spanish-speaking parents freely choose these bilingual programs for their children, understand the model of dual language, and believe them to be effective. Although there were some differences between the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking parents' responses, particularly to open-ended questions, overall the survey findings dramatically counter bilingual opponents' claims that parents, particularly immigrant parents, do not want bilingual education for their children or that bilingual programs are forced upon them.