Castillo Calls for Expanding, Improving Early Childhood Education for Hispanics

The report says the state needs to increase Hispanic access to quality early childhood education programs.

(SALEM) - State Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo today urged that Hispanic children be enrolled in high quality early childhood education programs as early as possible in order to make more rapid progress in closing achievement gap.

Castillo held a news conference today with Eugene Garcia, Chair of the National Task Force on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics.

The Task Force released a national report, Para Nuestros Niños: Expanding and Improving Early Education for Hispanics, earlier this year.

“Hispanic children, especially those from disadvantaged homes, continue to lag behind their white counterparts on school readiness and achievement in reading and mathematics,” Castillo said. “There is growing evidence that pre-K programs can produce gains for Hispanic students who have the opportunity to attend them, so the earlier Hispanic children have access to high quality early childhood educational programs, the better.”

The Task Force recommends that the federal government undertake a substantial expansion of Early Head Start and Head Start that will help to ensure that disadvantaged Hispanic children have greater access to high quality infant/toddler and pre-K programs.

Similarly, states governments should expand and increase infant/toddler and pre-K programs in their states.

Although providing universal pre-K should be the ultimate goal for states, priority should be given to expanding access for disadvantaged children, including disadvantaged Hispanics.

States also should provide information to Hispanic parents on the availability of pre-K programs in their communities.

- Increase the Number of Spanish-Speaking Teachers and Second Language Acquisition Specialists

The Task Force recommends that states establish programs to increase both the number of pre-K and K-3 teachers who are proficient in Spanish and English and the number of pre-K and K-3 teaching specialists in second language acquisition.

The federal government should underwrite tests of programs for these purposes to help identify approaches that are most effective.

- Increase Efforts to Design, Test and Evaluate Language and Literacy Development Strategies

The federal government is the major source of funds for education research and development.

Consequently, the Task Force recommends that the federal government underwrite extensive experimentation with early education strategies concerned with determining how best to promote language development among disadvantaged children, including Hispanics.

This work should include testing various English-plus-Spanish approaches for infant/toddler programs, pre-K, and K-3 education that serve disadvantaged Hispanic ELLs.

Infant/toddler and pre-K experiments should include an assessment of different combinations of full-day, year-around, and multi-year programs.

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RC April 26, 2007 8:56 am (Pacific time)

The Walnut is where it should be Lamarche.

S.LaMarche; April 25, 2007 6:13 pm (Pacific time)

out with it R.C., where's the walnut?

RC April 25, 2007 2:15 pm (Pacific time)

HR you certainly have what I would describe as an over-rated opinion of yourself. You simply do not operate on the level my associates do, and probably never did. Oh by the way, since you have this high opinion of Castillo and LaRaza, ask them if they would have a problem with teacher's within the public sysytem taking criminal data from the U.S. Justice Department and providing their students with a racial breakdown of that data? We know their response don't we HR, as do I also know, your response...

Hank Ruark April 21, 2007 4:13 pm (Pacific time)

RC: IF you now name editor or publisher or print-side outlet or tv-news to which you state you took the Goldwater expose, I'll be glad to interview you here with guarantee of open, fair, clear treatment and all the space the story is worth. You accuse Oregon media now openly --and state officials too-- but with nothing but your word, co vring what would be suppresion of justice or similar. Since we do NOT KNOW you, why should we now believe ? There ARE still distorted, perverted persons who get kick out of such open statements --but they always back away rapidly when given full and clear shot for this kind of exposure. What say, RC ? When do we meet ? Shall I now bring TV-camera from KVAL ? OR do you prefer full radio cover from Bend ? Would love shot at this story, which you claim to have with proof --one of top in state for some years, and should be great fun and games with you, too... So speak up and we can set meeting place, date, and full coverage for public. Will be great for S-N and for my rep, too, albeit hardly needed after more than 60 working years "in the media" AND simultaneously most of the time also in education.

Hank Ruark April 21, 2007 1:24 pm (Pacific time)

RC: If so "accomplished" and well-based, why so reluctant to put on line who you are and details, dates, other proofs of what you claim ? ID-self and you can provide via email in confidence, if that lets you off-hook you sharpened for yourself. ANYone can claim and boast, but solid citizen with record can prove it by documenting what he states. We await your documentation, so now, again "put up or..."

RC April 21, 2007 12:44 pm (Pacific time)

HR you are a newbie! I have traveled the planet for decades taking care of business, but always return home to large extended family. Oregon has been the family state since 1840, two years before Willamette University established. Pedophile Goldschmidt's behavior was reported to publisher and ex. editor, tape-recording made. They chose to ignore it. Current ed. editor admitted in paper that they knew of his violent criminal behavior some 20 years ago (Note: we informed 37 years ago!) One should ask one simple question: Who wanted to suppress the story about Goldschmidt. Hell even George Pasero knew and Baker of "Bakers Dozen", and on and on. Ask current governor if he will go under oath, and say he didn't know about this felon! He's still an officer of the court, what would his problem be answering that question. Ask Ron Wyden or Gordon Smith to look at the raw FBI files during the investigation before this felon became Sec. of Transportation. Did Jimmy Carter know? If many people who knew, did they use that as leverage? Answer: They sure did! You are way out of your league HR, as usual. You should know by now HR that their are people out there who keep a lid on any news that reflects badly on some types. If you don't know that, well, I imagine your favorite character is Mr. Magoo...

Hank Ruark April 21, 2007 9:25 am (Pacific time)

To all: Please note that Castillo's suggestion is based on very realistic national study from authoritative source, used in many other states, too. Will RC perhaps prefer we ship all Hispanic kids to concentration camp, where they can be properly inoculated via usual methods in such camps ? Does he propose we kill off any dissidents, then shipping bodies to Mexico somehow ? First, of course, we treat all arrivals here now via same methods, creating worldrecord removal by whatever means it takes --with whatever damage it does to American tradition and our place in world history, too. Like it or not we gotta contend with realities, not prejudice and passion-driven inanities.

Hank Ruark April 21, 2007 9:15 am (Pacific time)

To all: Forgot to ask RC why -- if they had "the stuff" in time for Ptlnd election-- they did not then use it publicly, with documentation and via signed statement ID-ing themselves ? Sounds kinda fishy, don't you think ? Or is there something they don't want to reveal by simple ID ? Don't mind inquiry-steps; that's simple Jrnlsm 101.

Hank Ruark April 21, 2007 9:12 am (Pacific time)

RC: First: Been Oregonian ever since early '50s, in-out of state ever since for grad school, publication, other-cit and national jobs, own business in Chicago, etc. You ever been further than Oregon Coast ? If so, put yr experience on record here, best way simply to ID-self to Editor, so we can continue off-channel sparing others. Second: Note you still hide behind mask - why is that ? Third: If you have it, why not share it NOW ? That is yr ostensible unmasking of Goldie which you claim so stoutly. IF you "did it", prove it by publication documentation. All too easy to dissemble via "will be upcoming at proper time". WHO picks "proper time" or is that election-threat, early-on ? Re Castillo, yr unsupported and blatant, "undocumented" personal-professional attack does nothing but smear...but why am I surprised at that Re "personal assessment", I am completely willing to leave that to readers, who can judge who "puts up OR shuts up" best of all...

RC April 21, 2007 7:29 am (Pacific time)

We documented Goldschmidt back in 1970 before he was elected Mayor of Portland. As a newbie in Oregon, I don't expect you to have that background information. As far as Castillo, documentation is winding around in the appropriate channels. Once again, the people of Oregon will receive the information at the appropriate time. I am simply providing a preview of coming events. You Mr. Ruark may have a personal assessment of yourself beyond reality. Ms. Castillo is nothing more than a shill for those who want to diminish this country's sovereignty. This goes far beyond her blatant incompetency in her current position.

Hsnk Ruark April 21, 2007 6:10 am (Pacific time)

To all: Please note "no response" to mine-above, overnight. IF RC has "prediction" he cites, in published form or otherwise shared with ANY group of witnesses, invite him to share-here or cite where we can check his reference. Otherwise he proves up my ongoing point on irresponsible statement easily made behind mask. Normal reaction to mask is to rip it off, for sensible people seeking fact, not fancy without foundation. S-N policy easy to find: See STAFF-bubble for full public disclosure AND our HOW/WHY on S-N Op Ed production.

Hank Ruark April 20, 2007 7:54 pm (Pacific time)

RC: See mine to you on Op Ed; it covers situation here for irresponsibilities from "anon"-statement. IF you "predicted", why not document when, where, what, why, and how published ? IF you continue as "anon"m even via rapid-change masks, most here will recognize the reason...you have something to hide. IF you DID predict, why not show it ? Can do with what I claim, usually via copy in hand, sometimes by library-shelved stuff as in most magazine-materials. Can you do likewise ? IF SO, send to Editor - S/N, and we have real story re Neil G. and his predicted fate...!!

RC April 20, 2007 5:53 pm (Pacific time)

In the fullness of time Castillo will be properly acknowldged for what she is. I predicted Neil Goldschmidt, and I predict Castillo will be proven to be far more harmful to our children than that pedophile and former governor Goldschmidt.

Hank Ruark April 20, 2007 10:18 am (Pacific time)

RC: Dee response to yours re Op Ed...fits beautifully here too since you fail to give us any reason why your statement is even slightly credible. Castillo's legislative and record in demanding and responsible communications job is all the credibility-builder she needs...while yours hands in shreds via irresponsible public comment while hidden by anon-mask... IF you so well-qualified, why not establish that fact for us by open evidence ? To speak-so publicly with nothing as foundation is to sacrifice any foundation you may have for us to listen.

RC April 20, 2007 8:59 am (Pacific time)

Maybe those countries south of the border will kick in some money? Castillo and LaRaza, joined at the hip...

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