Chicago Public Schools' refusal to act expeditiously and openly to correct systemic problems faced by as many as 3,000 English Language Learners (students who are not English proficient) "demands immediate attention." The assertion, which appears in a court filing today by a coalition of civil rights groups, was made in support of the Federal Government's latest effort to force the CPS to fulfill its commitment to make appropriate educational opportunities available for African American and Latino students, including ELL students in the Chicago public school system.

A recent review of CPS's programs for ELLs revealed a pattern of failing to provide ELL services, insufficient resources and lack of attention that dates back as far as 2002. ELL students, according to the report filed in court recently by the Department of Justice, are being taught in common school hallways or on auditorium stages, students in ELL programs are not provided with sufficient reading materials and many students are not provided with appropriate textbooks.

Civil rights groups estimate that CPS may have failed to provide or otherwise provided untimely or inadequate ELL services to as many as 3,000 students.

"Chicago Public Schools cannot ignore its obligation to provide adequate educational opportunities to students learning English," said Ricardo Meza, Midwest Regional Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "CPS committed to providing equal educational opportunities to ELL students as part of a consent decree in 1983, a commitment that was included in 2004 and 2006 amendments to the decree." "The time for promises has passed; we need action," added Meza.

The civil rights activists, who have monitored CPS's desegregation decree since 1983, emphasized the significance of effective ELL programs today.

"Given how critical it is for students to possess a high school diploma, CPS must act immediately to address the urgent problems in this area and provide meaningful educational opportunities for Spanish-speaking students," added Harvey Grossman, Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois. "The failure to remedy long-term, sustained problems in the ELL program and the lack of real resources being devoted to the programs will not improve dropout rates."

The U.S. Department of Justice recently filed a motion in court asking U.S. District Court Judge Charles Kocoras to require CPS to address its failure to adhere to the consent decree by requiring certain principals to provide affidavits addressing the provision of services to ELL students and by making available during forthcoming site visits. CPS has resisted these requests in the past. MALDEF, the ACLU of Illinois and the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed an amicus brief supporting the government's reasonable request. The groups called upon CPS to not only to meet its reporting requirements, but also to provide adequate ELL programs to the public school students of Chicago.

"ELL students suffer when CPS fails to meet its obligations," added Meza of MALDEF. "The obstacles our students face in the classroom have an impact far beyond their school-aged years; if they do not receive an adequate education they cannot fully participate in our society."

You can find a copy of the brief filed by the civil rights organizations by clicking http://www.aclu-il.org/news/archives/usavboard.pdf.

You can find the government's report on deficiencies in CPS's ELL programs by clicking http://www.aclu-il.org/news/archives/bilingual1.pdf and http://www.aclu-il.org/news/archives/bilingual2.pdf.