Natural State News

An Arkansas state representative who helped pass a bill in the House of Representatives allowing public school districts “to adopt an approved bilingual or dual-immersion program” is touting the measure as one that makes the state “more inclusive.”

State Rep. Megan Godfrey (D-Springdale), who according to the Arkansas State Legislature website has been co-director of English language learning for Fayetteville Public Schools, had House Bill 1451 filed on Feb. 8. The bill, which would “allow a public school district to adopt an approved bilingual program or dual-immersion program” garnered a vote on March 16 in the House of 63 “yeas,” 20 “nays,” eight “non voting” and nine “present,” the Arkansas State Legislature website said.

“HB1451 for bilingual and dual immersion programs passed with *no objection* out of Senate education,” Godfrey said in a March 22 Facebook post. "A special ‘gracias’ to Chairwoman (Missy) Irvin (R-Mountain View) for requesting bilingual testimony. It will be on the Senate floor for a full vote next week.”

In a March 12 Facebook post, Godfrey reported on HB1451 passing the House Education Committee.

“It was truly a team effort. Lots of great bipartisan co-sponsors joined Sen. (Clarke) Tucker (D-Little Rock) and me on HB1451,” Godfrey said in the March 12 Facebook post. “There’s been a lot of discussion lately about how this has been a hard and sometimes hurtful session. And that’s true. But sometimes, against the odds, the process works, and these bills are a good example of why we can never give up hope.”

HB1451 and House Bill 1594, which “would allow DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients to be licensed as teachers,” are bills that passed the House Education Committee “that will help empower Arkansans, meet critical needs and make the state a more inclusive and welcoming place,” Godfrey said in the March 12 Facebook post.

Julia Anna asked on Godfrey’s March 22 Facebook post if any school districts planned to introduce the programs after passage.

“As a bilingual family (German/English) this is something so important for us,” Julia Anna said. 

A bilingual program uses the English language and the student’s primary language during instruction so that the student is proficient in both languages, House Bill 1451 said.

“‘Dual-immersion program’ means a program that develops dual language proficiency in two languages by offering a student instruction in English and instruction in another language in a classroom that is usually comprised of half native English speakers and half native speakers of the other language,” HB1451 said.