The agency also proposes that Idaho expand Head Start programs for Hispanic students and eliminate ineffective bilingual and English as a Second Language classes found in some school districts.
``There are some that are just not working at all, “Saldana said. “The students are still scoring really low.''
The state Department of Education has developed a program to recognize Limited English Proficiency, or LEP, classes where students are thriving and use them as a model for schools across the state, said spokeswoman Melissa McGrath.
The department is reviewing the recommendations by the state Commission on Hispanic Affairs, proposals which have also been submitted to state lawmakers for consideration.
``This is something we feel strongly about,'' McGrath said. ``We saw the gap get a little bit more narrow in the past yea, and we're excited about that, but we still have a long ways to go.''
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