DOCUMENT RESUME 
ED 253 100 
FL 014 842 
AUTHOR 
Padgett, Carmen H. A. 
TITLE 
Parent-Client Participation 
in the Bilingual 
Education Program in St. Croix, United States Virgin 
Islands. 
PUB DATE 
83 
NOTE 
50p. 
PUB TYPE 
Reports 
- Research/Technical 
(143) 
EDRS PRICE 
MFO1/PCO2 Plus Postage. 
DESCRIPTORS 
*Bilingual Education Programs; English; Parent 
Attitudes; 
*Parent Participation; 
*Parent School 
Relationship; 
*Program Development; 
Spanish; 
*Student 
Participation 
IPN ENTIFIERS 
*Virgin Islands 
(Saint Croix) 
ABSTRACT 
A study of a St. Croix bilingual education program 
looked at parent involvement from the program's beginning to the 
present and at parent recommendations for more meaningful 
involvement. 
A random sample of parents representing students at all 
grade levels was drawn from school records. The parents were surveyed 
by questionnaire, 
and interviewed. 
The questionnaire asked about 
parent participation 
in the original needs analysis, knowledge of 
definite program aims, help in developing and setting up the program, 
participation 
in activities 
(trips, meetings, movies, workshops, 
and 
courses), 
input in the form of advice or opinion about the program, 
willingness to help further with the progrem, 
and comments. 
The scale 
provided for responses included these options: very much, much, 
some, 
a little, 
not at all, don't know, and no response. 
It was found that 
parents were not participating fully in the program; 
that a majority 
of parents had no involvement 
in the program's needs assessment or 
original planning; 
and that although parents had made an important 
contribution 
in other program areas, 
less than half of the total 
group had participated. 
It was also found that participation 
developed favorable attitudes toward the program and toward education 
in general. 
Increased efforts toward parent involvement are 
recommended, 
including a parent training component, 
home visits, 
a 
bilingual parent handbook, 
information dissemination through the 
media, and a variety of parent-oriented activities. 
(MSE) 
REKREREEKEKRAKEREKERREREREKEEKRKREEREEKKRAKEEKREKEREKKERKEERERKEKEKEKARRERRER 
bd 
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made 
bd 
* 
from the original document. 
ba 
RAAAKAAAKKEERERKAKKRKEEEEERRKREAARKKAERKEKAAAEERAERKRRKRARREKEKEEKRKKRKKRKAKRARRER 
Parent-Client Participation in the 
Ep253100 
Bilingual Education Program in St. Croix, 
United States Virgin Islands 
By 
Carmen H. A. Padgett 
1983 
“PERMISSION 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 
TO REPRODUCE THIS 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION 
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION 
CENTEF: (ERIC) 
A This document 
has been 
reproduced 
as 
received 
from 
the 
person 
or 
organization 
A 
onginating it 
Minor changes have been made to improve 
reproduction quality 
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 
Points of wew or opiuons stated in this docu 
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).” 
ment do not necessary represent official NIE 
position or policy 
Frolt 
349. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
LIST OF TROLS 6 
Se 
ee ee 
RIAN UOMO 
a 
ae 
Ne 
eg 
ee 
ee 
Chapter 
Ea Se 
ER 
6 
se 
Se 
OR 
we 
ce 
Bilingual Education 
in St. Croix 
Statement 
of the Problem 
Purpose of the Study 
Need and Significance of the Study 
Delimitations 
Limitations 
Assumptions 
Hypotheses 
Detinition 
of Terms 
Abbreviations 
II. 
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ..... 
.- 
Parent 
Involvement 
The Legal Mandate 
Parent-Client Participation 
in St. Croix 
Eki. 
Pee. 
Ss 
ee 
ke eae 
A 
ee 
Population 
Sample Selection 
Sources of Data 
The Questionnaire 
LY. 
PRBS 
ee ee 
a 
we 
ee 
Information Gathered 
Analysis of Data 
V. 
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS... 
. 
Summary 
Conciusions 
Implications and Recommendations 
APPENDICES 
. 
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7 
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> 
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7 
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a 
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NOTES 
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© 
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e 
e 
° 
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e 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
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. 
° 
. 
- 
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om 
. 
11 
16 
20 
27 
34 
41 
44 
TABLE 
1 
. 
TABLE 
II 
TABLE 
III 
LIST OF TABLES 
CHAPTER 
I 
Introduction 
Bilingual education has a long history in the United 
States. 
It has been said that the heyday of public bilingual 
education was before the Civil War. 
1 
In the private sector, 
bilingualism was also popular. 
German schools flourished 
around the country; 
French schools were common 
in Louisiana 
and later 
in New England; 
there were Spanish schools 
in New 
Mexico and many Scandinavian and Dutch schools 
in the Midwest 
(Cordasco, 
pp. 
2-3). 
Modern bilingual education, however, 
has its beginnings 
in the civil rights movement of the nine- 
teen sixties and the increasing search for identity and self 
assertion on the part of ethnic groups and low income ciasses 
(Cordasco, 
p. 7). 
Some ethnic groups 
found 
it necessary 
to 
form organizations where they could make their strength felt, 
and they have played a very active role in advocating legis- 
lation. 
The enactment of the Elementary and Secondary Educa- 
tion Act 
(ESEA) 
of 1965, which marked 
a major breakthrough 
in the history of Federal aid to education, 
was 
a response 
to the civil rights movement. 
2 
Another element that contributed 
to the rebirth of bi- 
lingual education was the influx of Cubans 
to Miami 
in the 
late fifties and early sixties as a result of the Cuban Revo- 
lution. 
As opposed to Chicanos, 
Puerto Ricans, Native 
Americans 
and Orientals, 
Cuban refugees succeeded against 
the intransigent monolingualism of American schools. 
Thus, 
the first bilingual 
program 
in the United States was born 
in 
Dade County, 
Florida 
in 1963. 
In the next 
seven years, 
several 
programs were born 
in Texas, California, 
Arizona, 
New Mexico, 
New Jersey and St. Croix, Virgin Islands 
(Cordasco, 
p. 
7). 
Bilingual 
Education 
in St. 
Croix 
The need for bilingual 
education 
in St. 
Croix arose 
in 
1927 when Puerto Ricans began emigrating 
to the island 
as 
a result of the decaying economies 
in Vieques and Culebra. 
A recruiting campaign undertaken by the Crucian cane growers 
soon increased the number of Hispanics 
on this island. 
3 
It is difficult 
to estimate 
the numerical 
strength of Puerto 
Ricans 
in the Virgin Islands, 
but 
it is generally agreed that 
"something like 15 percent of the St. Thomas population and 
35 percent 
of the St. Croix population are Puerto Ricans" 
(Lewis, 
p.. 200). 
In spite of such 
a large Spanish-speaking 
population, 
no provisions were made 
for bilingual 
education 
until 
1969, when the first program wis established 
in the 
Charles 
H. Emanuel 
School. 
"Bilingual 
instruction was 
of- 
fered 
to help the Spanish-speaking children, 
and Spanish 
aS 
a second language was provided 
to the English-speaking 
Children. 
This locally-funded program merged with the 
Federal 
Bilingual 
Program 
in 1975," 
. 
6 
Early in the seventies 
the neec 
for bilingual 
education 
in St. 
Croix was 
formally investigated 
and 
in March 
1972 
the 
Department 
of Education of the Government 
of the Virgin 
Is- 
lands submitted 
a "Preliminary Proposal 
for a Planning Grant 
5 
for Bilingual 
Education" 
for the 
St. 
Croix 
Public 
Schools. 
Later on, 
the same year, 
an initial 
plan for implementing 
a 
bilingual/bicultural program under 
the provisions of Title 
VII of the ESEA was also submitted. 
© 
As a result of these 
initiatives, 
a Federal 
grant was approved 
to establish 
a bi- 
lingual/bicultural 
education program in the island. 
The 
schools benefited from this program were The Alfredo Andrews 
School, 
the Alexander Henderson School 
and the Charles 
H. 
Emanuel 
School. 
In 1978 the program was institutionalized 
in 
the public schools 
system of the territory. 
At the present 
time this program continues 
to be part of the regular educa- 
tional 
framework 
at the local 
level. 
Statement 
of the Problem 
Parental 
involvement 
is basic 
in the process of educa- 
tion. 
It is important 
in the regular setting of private or 
public schools; 
it becomes crucial 
in the case of children 
involved 
in bilingual education. 
The parents of these chil- 
dren, or "parent-clients," as Rodriguez calls them 
(p. 3), 
€an and should make 
a meaningful 
contribution 
to their 
chi 
' 
: 
. 
‘ 
é 
hildren's education. 
Marfa Torres says 
it 
succinctly: 
The state and federal 
regulations governing 
bilingual 
programs 
stipulate that parents of 
students 
in those programs 
should take part 
in making school decisions 
and should compose 
the majority of the bilingual advisory committee 
members. 
The focus on parents of students 
in bi- 
lingual programs rather than parents or citi- 
zens 
in general 
is an important 
one as 
it 
in- 
cludes parents not usually involved...?7 
In the same article quoted above, Marfa Torres states 
that 
"despite traditional 
and deep roots 
for citizen participation 
in American education, 
groups making decisions 
in schools 
are 
not representative of the minority populations served by the 
school" 
(IFG, 
7). 
The researcher believes 
that parent-client participation 
is indispensable 
if a bilingual program 
is to be successful. 
The United States Congress recognized this 
fact when they 
passed Public Law 93-380 
(93rd Congress, 
2nd Session, August 
21, 1974),.which made parent-client participation 
a legal 
mandate through the establishment 
of parent advisory councils. 
Although 
school 
districts are no longer f>~ced 
to establish 
parent advisory councils, 
they will 
continue 
to be required 
to consult with parents and teachers 
(Education Daily, Febru- 
ary 16, 1982, 
Os. €}: 
This study 
is designed 
to provide data on parent-client 
participation 
in the different areas of the bilingual 
educa- 
tion program 
in St. 
Croix. 
Purpose of the Study 
This study will elicit concrete recommendations 
regarding parent-client participation 
in St. 
Croix after 
in- 
terviews with parents and personnel 
involved within the pro- 
gram, 
careful 
consideration of related literature 
and thorough 
analysis and interpretation of collected data. 
Need and Significance of the Study 
In recent years "formal collaboration between school 
authorities and parent-clients has attracted the attention 
of students. 
. 
. 
.and inspired inquiry into the nature and 
impact of the relationship" (Rodriguez, p. 3). 
This study, 
which 
is exploratory, will provide data for locally-based 
accountability, 
not only to insure school aistrict compliance 
with government policies, 
but for the strengthening of the 
program itself. 
It has been suggested that 
"'the extent 
to 
which meaningful community participation 
is realized 
in a 
program 
is a gauge of how accountable administrators 
are 
to 
the community." 
8 
Delimitations 
This study 
is confined 
to the bilingual education pro- 
gram in St. Croix. 
It focuses 
its attention on parent-client 
involvement 
in different areas. 
Aspects to be studied 
in- 
Clude assessment 
of needs before the program was established; 
definition of goals; participation 
in the establishment 
and 
development of the program; participation 
in activities such 
trips, meetings, movies, workshops 
or courses; 
evaluation 
of 
the program; parent-client's 
feelings regarding the program 
and their recommendations 
for more meaningful 
involvement. 
\ 
Limitations 
Although there 
is an abundance of literature regarding 
norms established by different bilingual programs 
in the 
United States, 
there 
is a scarcity of related literature 
re- 
garding data of actual parent-client 
involvement. 
The re- 
searcher refers specifically 
to involvement 
in compensatory 
education. 
''Previous research on citizen participation pro- 
vides evidence 
that people of high socio-economic 
status 
en- 
gage 
in more participatory activities 
than those of low socio- 
economic 
status" 
(IFG, p. 
7). 
Assumptions 
Although federal 
legislation mandates parent-clie: - 
participation 
in bilingual programs, 
little has been recorded 
about what percentage ot parents actually participates 
in the 
programs 
in St. 
Croix or elsewhere. 
At the present 
time the 
IFG is conducting 
a study on parent participation, 
but 
it will 
be sometime before 
it is finished. 
9 
Although 
some research 
has been done 
in St. Croix, 
a‘ it was assumed 
that there has 
not been direct collection and analysis of data 
in terms 
of 
Parental 
involvement 
taking 
into consideration 
all] 
the areas 
10 
included 
in this study. 
It was also assumed that parent-clients would be willing 
to participate 
in the study 
if it was done 
in a proper 
(sci- 
entific) 
manner. 
Hypotheses 
1. 
Parent-clients are not participating fully 
in the 
bilingual program 
in St. Croix 
(See p. 9, #12). 
2. 
Parental 
involvement 
in the bilingual program devei- 
ops favorable attitudes towards the program among parents and 
this change 
in attitude reflects 
in their attitudes towards 
education 
in general. 
Definition 
of Terms 
1. 
Accountability refers 
to the professional 
reporting 
and evaluating regarding the success 
or failure of a 
ll 
program. 
2. 
Bilingual Education Program as commonly accepted 
in 
the Virgin Islands 
is 
the teaching of two languages and using them as 
mediums of instruction 
in all or all parts of 
the curriculum. 
Since language 
is inextricably 
bound to culture, 
the study of cultures 
is inte- 
gral 
to bilingual education. 
Bilingual educa- 
tion 
is applicable 
to all children, 
regardless 
of native language; 
it 
is found worldwide aid 
has been practiced 
for centuries. 
It recognizes 
the linguisitic rationale underlying specialized 
techniques 
for teaching 
a second language and 
incorporates these 
into the programs. 
It also 
11 
encourages 
and develops 
the native languages of 
the children and at the same time introduces 
a 
second language which 
is given equal 
importance. 
It recognizes the inherent 
inseparability of 
cultures 
and language, 
and thus, 
in dealing 
with two languages, 
is essentially multicultural 
in nature. 
A biiingual education program 
is specifically 
concerned with the creation and/or strengthen- 
ing of a child's positive feelings about him- 
self. 
It attempts 
to achieve this goal through 
the development 
in the child of a sense of ap- 
preciation of his language and culture and 
through improvement of his academic proficiency. 
12 
3. 
Curriculum refers 
to the educational 
plan for teach- 
ing certain skills and topics. 
4. 
Data refers 
to all information collected 
in order 
to 
evaluate parent-client participation 
in the program. 
5. 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
is a federal 
act 
passed hy Congress 
in 1965 
to provide help for educa- 
tionally deprived children, expanding school 
library services, 
and establishing innovative programs. 
Later amendments pro- 
vided 
for bilingual education. 
6. 
Evaluation 
is a measure 
of the effectiveness 
of a 
program. 
Usually the impact that the program has on the 
children's learning is reported 
as well 
as the success 
of the 
process of program implementation. 
7. 
Goals refer 
to the object or end that the bilingual 
education program strives 
to attain. 
8. 
Institutionalization 
is a process by which demon- 
Stration, experimental 
or pilot programs become integrated 
‘into an established educational 
system while maintaining 
their quality and productivity. 
12 
9. 
Needs Assessment 
is a method of deciding what 
is 
needed 
in a project. 
Each school operating, 
or planning to 
operate, 
a bilingual education program must conduct 
a needs 
assessment 
to determine who the program should serve and what 
services are most important 
for them, 
10. Parent Advisory Council 
(PAC) refers 
to the official 
committee or group of parents which up to now had been 
re- 
quired by law to advise every school district 
in the planning, 
conduct and evaluation of its Title VII program. 
ll. 
Parent-client refers to parents whose children are 
involved 
in the bilingual education program. 
12. Parent-client Participation 
is involvement 
on the 
part of parents when they work closely with the teachers to 
attain 
the educational 
goals. 
Full participation 
(Hypothe- 
sis 
1) is participation 
of the maximum or highest degree, 
of at least 80% of parent-clients. 
13. Proposal refers to a document submitted to a federal 
or private agency which asks for money 
in order to start or 
maintain 
a program and explains the need for this program, 
its goals and evaluation procedures. 
14. Territory refers to the American Virgin Islands which 
are an unincorporated territory of the United States. 
15. Title VII refers to money 
from Washington 
to use 
for 
resource teachers, aides and for other activities aimed at 
bringing bilingual education 
to a district. 
79 
Abbreviations 
1. 
BEP refers to the Bilingual Education Program in St. 
Croix. 
2. 
DEGVI refers to the Department 
of Education of the 
Government 
of the Virgin 
Islands. 
3. 
ESEA refers to the Elementary and Secondary Act of 
1965. 
14 
CHAPTER 
II 
Review of Related Literature 
Parent 
Involvement 
Responsibility 
for the educational development of the 
child begins with the parent. 
Each child 
is a unique human 
13 
r 
being who refiects parental attitudes toward learning. 
According to Collins and Pagan, 
a child begins to learn at 
14 
By their example, parents are auto- 
the moment of birth. 
matically teaching the child about himself and his environ- 
ment. 
These authors believe that children are eager 
to learn 
and that those years before 
the child goes to school 
should 
not be wasted. 
Many of the skills which 
a child 
is taught 
in school 
are first learned 
in the home. 
Through language 
a child learns concepts, 
thinking skills, self-understanding, 
self-expression, 
and how to communicate with others. 
Parents 
should help the child develop his oral language which will 
contribute significantly 
to his success 
in school. 
Collins and Pagan further state that another important 
area of pre-school 
learning where parents can have major in- 
fluence 
is the child's social 
and cultural 
customs 
from his 
family's lifestyle and example; 
he learns how to relate 
to 
Cther people; 
he develops 
a self-concept and learns how to 
deal with his environment. 
These factors contribute 
to the 
child's character and to his attitude about learning. 
Parents have an obligation 
to continue their 
involve- 
ment with the child's education when he enters school. 
They 
should become familiar with the teacher and the school 
envi- 
ronment, 
with what he is learning and how he behaves 
in class 
(Collins and Pagan, p. 
i). 
Parents should also be aware 
that 
what goes on 
in the home accounts 
for more variation 
ina 
student's ability to learn than any other factor 
(Ramos, 
pp. 
24-25). 
The National 
Institute 
for Multicultural 
Education 
(NIME), 
an organization dedicated 
to promote equal quality 
education opportunity 
for all children, 
is a firm believer and 
promoter of parent and community participation 
in the educa- 
tional process. 
15 
In its publication Parental 
Involvement 
and Participation in Bilingual Education 
(Chavez, 
1980), 
parental 
involvement 
is divided into two kinds of activities: 
traditional 
and non-traditional. 
Among the traditional 
ac- 
tivities 
the author defines 
four categories: 
use of community 
expertise and resources; parents as assistants, participating 
in field trips; parents 
as supporters 
in clerical duties, 
booster clubs and fund drives; 
and parents 
as teacher-aides 
and tutors. 
Among the non-traditional activities 
the author 
mentions 
are development of a school 
council which could 
set 
School budget priorities, investigate student 
or parent com- 
plaints, participate 
in selection and evaluation of the prin- 
Cipal, teachers 
and other staff, review new school programs, 
Curricula 
and student activities, 
and evaluate 
Ic 
extra-curricular activities 
(Chavez, p. lla). 
Regarding levels of citizen-participation, 
Chavez 
mentions 
the following categories: window-dressing 
activi- 
ties, designed to provide the appearance of an open and 
responsive school system with ample citizen participation 
but without real substance; 
soothing dissatisfied parents 
(e.g., hiring 
a complaining mother 
as 
a teacher aide); 
col- 
laboration 
in decision making and two-way communication; 
and 
delegating authority or transferring control 
(p. 12a). 
Waetjen stated that evidence has appeared 
in research 
literature 
to indicate that the more active parents become 
in 
school educational 
programs, 
the greater the positive 
in- 
fluence 
on the learning behavior of the chilcren 
(Ramos, 
Sb. 
£5). 
The Legal Mandate 
With the implementation of federally subsidized pro- 
grams 
in the 1960's, 
the minority parent had the opportunity | 
to become involved 
in public education 
for the first time 
in 
the history of the United States. 
However, citizen partici- 
pation was seen 
"as merely one aspect of the broader need 
for improving the livelihood. 
. 
. 
of the poor, 
the less 
educated, 
and racial 
and ethnic minorities." 
16 
Until 
1974, 
requirements 
for community involvement 
were not officially 
mandated. 
In the April 
1971 guidelines 
for Title VII, school 
authorities were required to consult with parents and other 
17 
community members 
in planning the bilingual 
program 
(Rodriquez, 
p. 8). 
The yuidelines read 
in part: 
Needs cannot 
be adequately assessed without con- 
sultation with the parents and community repre- 
sentatives, 
the people who have "'been there" and 
who live with the first-hand knowledge of their 
children's problems 
in an English-speaking envi- 
ronment. 
Nor can long range goals be postulated 
without 
the knowledge of parents' 
aspirations 
for 
their children. 
Without 
the active support of the 
parents and the community,_the goals will 
be in- 
adequately achieved. 
. 
. 
17 
In 1974, the U.S. 
Congress recognized the indispensabil- 
ity of parental involvement when 
it passed Public Law 93-380 
(93rd Congress, 
2nd Session, 
August 
21, 1976) which made 
parent-client participation 
a legal mandate. 
Later on, 
in 
1978, 
the ESEA was amended 
to require local education agencies 
to comply with provisions 
for involvement 
and participation of 
parents and community members. 
It partly read: 
An application 
for a program of bilingual education 
shall. 
. 
. 
contain assurances 
that, after the appli- 
cation has been approved the applicant will provide 
for the continuing consultation with, and partici- 
pation by, the committee of parents. 
.. 
. 
Parents 
of children participating 
in a program of bilingual 
education 
shall 
be informed of the instructional 
goals of the program and the progress of their 
children. 
18 
Parent-Client Participation 
in St. 
Croix 
In "A Parent Advisory Council 
Design 
for the United 
States Virgin Islands," Cora Ramos 
states 
the following: 
The degree of parental 
involvement 
in the Virgin 
Islands has been confined 
for the most 
part to the 
Parent Teachers Association, 
and the employment 
18 
15 
of a limited number of parents 
as teacher aides. 
Other involvement 
has been dependent upon the at- 
titudes 
of administrators 
and teachers, 
who have 
encouraged parent invoivement 
on an individual 
basis. 
Until now, 
the parents' 
role 
in the educational 
pro- 
cess has not been a part of the ordinary educational 
process. 
Richardson 
(1972), 
also mentioned 
that 
the degree of parental 
involvement was dependent 
upon the encouragement 
of teachers and administra- 
tors 
tp. 2). 
According to reccrds of final evaluation reports and personal 
interviews, 
19 the administrators of the bilingual program 
have complied with the legal provisions 
for involvement 
and 
participation of parents. 
I. James, who has done 
a descrip- 
tive analysis of the St. Croix program, 
states 
that by 1973 
"a citizen's committee 
for bilingual education was organized, 
neighborhood meetings for parents and other citizens were 
held; and parents were involved 
in school-related activities" 
(p. 46). 
<A summary of activities through the years 1973 to 
1978, when the BEP was 
institutionalized 
(See n. 
12), 
in- 
cludes the organization of advisory groups, classes 
for par- 
ents 
in English and Spanish as second languages, 
field trips 
for the children 
in the program with the participation of 
parents, parents' 
advisory meetings, 
and home school activities. 
Since February 2, 1982, the Bowdoin Method Manual 
has been 
introduced 
to guide 
parents 
in a more effective involvement 
in their children's education. 
20 
19 
16 
CHAPTER 
III 
Procedures 
Population 
The United States Virgin Islands are 
a territory of the 
United States. 
They are part of a chain of islands 
that 
separate the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean 
Sea. 
There 
are three of these islands: 
St. Thomas, 
St. 
Croix and St. 
John 
(See map, Appendix A). 
St. Croix 
is the largest of the 
three islands with 
84 square miles. 
It has 
a population of 
48,918. 
Parents 
in the Virgin 
Islands are 
a multi-ethnic, multi- 
cultural 
group who are the descendants of various migrant 
peoples such as the Africans, 
the Spanish, 
the French, 
the 
Dutch, 
the Danes, 
the Puerto Ricans, 
and other West 
Indians 
and Americans. 
Because of such a diverse background and 
interaction, 
the educational 
needs are different 
from those 
of the Continental United States 
(Ramos, 
p. 5). 
The island of St. Croix has the only bilingual 
educa- 
tion program 
in the Virgin Islands. 
Since the researcher 
lives 
in this territory, 
St. Croix was the logical 
setting 
for her study. 
At the present time, 
close to nine 
hundred 
20 
Eg ee 
17 
students are registered 
in the program, 
which involves seven 
schools. 
The schools served by the program are the Evelyn 
Williams Elementary School, the Alfredo Andrews, 
the Charles 
H. Emanuel 
and the Alexander Henderson elementary schools, 
the Elena Christian 
and the Arthur A. Richards junior high 
schools; 
and the St. Croix Central 
High School. 
The number 
of parent-clients 
is unknown since many families have several 
children participating 
in the program. 
Except 
for the 
Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, whose bilingual 
en- 
rollment 
is negligible (1.5%), parent-clients from all of the 
schools represented 
in the program were included 
in the study. 
Sample Selection 
The selection 
of the sample was defined as a representa- 
tion of the total number of parent-clients. 
The sample group 
was selected 
at random from the school 
records. 
All grades 
represented 
in the BEP were 
included. 
One hundred parent-clients were selected. 
But only 
eighty-seven whose questionnaires were 
fully answered were 
utilized. 
Sources 
of Data 
The researcher received authorization 
from the Commis- 
Sioner of Education, 
Dr. Charles Tirnbull, 
to review records 
in the Department 
of Education 
and thus obtain 
the addresses 
Of parent-clients 
(Appendix B). 
: 
: 
: 
4 
Other personnel 
interviewed included Mrs. 
Maria Sanes, 
Ql 
18 
Bilingual Education Specialist, Mrs. 
Eleanor Bennewith, 
Foreign Language Supervisor, 
and Mr. Harry Munoz, Supervisor 
of Secondary Education. 
Ms. Isabel 
James and Dr. 
Cora Ramos, 
authors 
of unpublished dissertations related 
to the subject 
of this study, were contacted 
for authorization 
to use their 
work. 
A survey of parent-clients through personal 
interviews 
following 
a questionnaire was also undertaken. 
The Questionnaire 
The exploratory nature of the investigation necessitated 
a Cata collection instrument which would be flexible enough 
to collect 
the data necessary 
to prove or disprove 
the hypo- 
theses and to allow for the collection of other pertinent 
data 
for future analysis and recommendations. 
The language 
used 
in the questionnaire had to be simple enough to be under- 
stood at any level by the educated parent-client 
as well 
as 
by the uneducated one. 
Dr. 
Frank Mills, Statistician 
at the 
College of the Virgin Islands, served as a consultant 
during 
the preparation of the questionnaire 
(For questionnaire, 
see 
Appendix C). 
The questionnaire was constructed both 
in English and 
Spanish 
so that the investigator could use the dominant 
language of the parent-clients 
in the interview, 
thus facili- 
tating their contributions. 
The questionnaire included 
the following areas of 
aa 
possible parent-client participatior 
for analysis: need 
assessment, knowledge of definite aims, help in setting up 
the purpose of BEP and the program itself, development, 
ac- 
tivities 
such as trips, meetings, movies, workshops/seminars/ 
courses, 
and other activities 
not mentioned; 
input 
in che 
form of advice or opinion about the program; willingness 
to 
help further with the program, 
and comments. 
The last category provided for questions that parents 
might wish to raise regarding the BEP and which were not 
in- 
cluded 
in the questionnaire. 
It also gave parents 
an oppor- 
tunity to make recommendations which might prove valuable 
in 
the future and made allowances 
for unexpected reactions 
in 
relation 
to the program. 
A scale was prepared 
to cover almost every possible 
answer 
to the questionnaire. 
The seven 
items which were 
in- 
cluded were: 
very much, much, 
some, 
a little, 
not at all, 
don't know and no response. 
23 
CHAPTER 
IV 
Presentation 
of Data 
Information Gathered 
At the present 
time the BEP employs ninety-seven 
teachers 
to serve 
a student population of eight hundred and 
seventy-five. 
(For total enrollment, 
total number of teach- 
ing personnel, 
and total number of personnel 
involved 
in BEP, 
see Appendix D). 
The bilingual teachers 
are generally 
inex- 
perienced when they start teaching 
in St. Croix; however, 
they are trained through worksnops. 
The majority of the 
teachers 
are very conscientious about their work and are 
sincerely interested 
in establishing contacts ana offering 
guidance 
to parent-clients. 
They recognize 
that parent- 
client participation 
is essential 
for the success of the BEP. 
Apparently, 
their philosophy 
is that every childhas 
the right 
to quality education, 
their main goal being to improve edu- 
cation 
in the island 
for every child. 
Teachers 
feel that 
though they may not have achieved 
a high degree of parent- 
Client participation, 
parental 
involvement 
seems 
to be in- 
creasing due to new approaches on the part of educators, 
new materials being used, 
and the basic training of parents 
who serve 
as promoters 
to other 
‘rents 
to join 
in their 
activities 
(see 
n. 
19). 
24 
Inspection of the questionnaires reveal that eishty-seven 
percent 
(87%) of the forms were completed 
in terms of ques- 
tions asked, 
giving the researcher 
the opportunity 
to work 
with 
a sample of ten percent of the students involved 
in. 
22 
the BEP. 
A brief evaluation 
of data gathered shows 
that 
most parent-clients interviewed 
did not participate 
at all 
in the assessment 
for the need of the BEP in St. Croix (90% 
so informed), 
or in setting up its purpose 
(as reported by 
93.1%). 
In areas more relevant 
at the present 
time, how-ver, 
parent-clients seem to have made 
an important contribution 
to the program. 
Forty-eight percent 
(48%) reported having 
participated 
in setting up the BEP and forty-six percent 
(46%) reported that they had contributed 
to its development 
almost exclusively through meetings. 
A large number 
of par- 
ent-clients consider 
the program successful 
(Table 
I), 
and 
even 
a larger number 
(84%) 
are willing to help further with 
the program 
(see Table 
II). 
A total 
of sixty-six percent 
(66%) 
of the parent-clients volunteered comments regszrding 
the BEP. 
25 
22 
TABLE 
I 
Question: 
Do you think this program has been successful 
or not successful?* 
Scale Level 
fe 
Very Much 
(4) 
10.3 
Much 
(3) 
52.9 
Some 
17.4 
A Little 
(1) 
3.4 
Not At All 
(0) 
3.4 
Don't Know (DK) 
13.5. - 
No Response (NR) 
1.2 
*This question 
(No. 
9 on the questionnaire) 
was posed 
in this manner 
to provide interviewees with the two alter- 
natives 
in an effort 
to avoid guiding them towards one of 
the replies. 
However, 
it was understood beforehand that 
the 
answer 
"not successful" would be annotated 
as "not 
at all". 
TABLE 
II 
Question: 
Are yau willing to help further with the program? 
Scale Level 
Very Much (4) 
19.5 
Much 
(3) 
52.9 
Some 
(2) 
11.5 
A Little 
(1) 
1.4 
Not At All 
(0) 
2.9 
Don't Know (DK) 
11.5 
No Response 
(NR) 
0.0 
Analysis of Data 
Analysis of data indicates that most parent-clients are 
not 
indifferent 
to the BEP 2nd that they are willing to get 
more 
involved 
if given the opportunity and training to do 
so. 
Apparently, parent-clients who are most familiar with 
the program (through participation 
as shown 
in the question- 
naires), 
are most positive about 
its possibilities and are 
willing to contribute towards its success. 
Those who are 
less familiar with the program show less concern and are not 
as optimistic 
in terms of results. 
It is remarkable that 
only less than 4% believe that the program has not been suc- 
cessful 
at all, even though 11.5% answered that they did nct 
know (Table 
I). 
Many of the parent-clients interviewed 
seem to have the idea that the only purpose of the program 
is for Hispanic children 
to learn English, 
as expressed 
in 
their observations. 
In reference 
to past participation 
of parent-clients, 
the researcher 
is of the opinion that answers 
to Questions 
23 
To the first question (Has 
7 and 8 are very significant. 
anyone 
in the program ever 
asked you for your advice or 
opinion about the program?), 
61% of parent-clients' 
replies 
were positive and 39% negative. 
Answers 
to the second 
question mentionedare 
best illustrated through the following 
table 
(Table 
III). 
27 
TABLE III 
Question: 
How often have you been asked about how success- 
ful the program has been? 
Scale Level 
& 
Very Much 
(4) 
0.0 
Much 
(3) 
6.9 
Some 
(2) 
16.1 
A Little 
(1) 
27.6 
Not At All 
(0) 
41.4 
Don't Know (DK) 
8.0 
No Response 
(NR) 
0.0 
Comments of parent-clients, 
as shown 
in the question- 
naires, 
are quite revealing and useful 
for future planning. 
There are 
a few parents who are utterly negative regarding 
the BEP. 
These parents believe 
that their children should 
only learn English since 
it is the "official" language 
in 
the islands. 
They also tend to think that learning 
in a 
bilingual 
situation 
is confusing to the children. 
Some of 
these parents feel somewhat ashamed that their 
chiidren 
should need bilingual education; 
they seem to believe that 
lack of knowledge of the English language 
is a sign of ig- 
norance which affects their social 
status. 
Therefore, 
not 
knowing English 
is a situation 
to be concealed. 
Besides, 
as they see 
it, 
if a child knows Spanish already, 
why should 
he/she keep on learning 
it in school? 
One mother went 
as 
28 
far as to deny that her child 
is enrolled 
in the BEP since, 
in her opinion, 
he can speak English and has no need for 
| 
any kind of "special program". 
Another mother seemed sin- 
cerely ignorant of the fact that her child was attending 
the BEP. 
A number of parents feel that they are not sufficiently 
informed about 
the program to be able to heip their children, 
but the majority of them showed willingness to learn and 
interest 
in contributing to the program, 
thus helping in the 
educaticn of their children. 
Other parents justified their 
lack of knowledge about their children's school activities 
by reporting that they work and have no time available 
to 
share 
in their children's education. 
In one case, a mother 
stated that 
she had received 
many notices from school 
but 
had never had time 
to attend anything. 
In another case, 
the 
justification was sickness. 
Some parents pointed out the lack of communication be- 
tween parents and teachers. 
Two parents went 
as far as to 
say that teachers do not send home any information whatso- 
ever regarding the educational process of their children. 
A slight majority of parent-clients' 
comments are posi- 
tive (53%). 
These parents feel that their children are pro- 
gressing 
in school 
at 
a faster pace due to the BEP and some 
of them Sei ieve that the program should be extended 
to the 
whole 
island. 
Some parents expressed their feelings 
that 
the BEP will bring Puerto Ricans and native Virgin 
Islanders 
29 
closer together. 
A few stated that English-speaking stu- 
dents should also participate 
in the program. 
Although, 
as indicated above, 
only 
a slight majority 
of comments are positive, 
this by no means indicates that 
a majority of interviewees has a negative attitude towards 
the BEP, since from 
a total of 58 comments, 
merely 10, or 
17%, could be considered negative. 
The rest of the com- 
ments, 
or 30%, expressed lack of information regarding the 
program or justification 
for lack of participation 
in it. 
A very distressing observation came from a mother who, 
in expressing her belief that bilingual schooling was the 
only positive means of educating children who were not 
fa- 
miliar with the language used in school, reported that her 
child had become temporarily mute when he first started 
attending kindergarten 
in St. Croix. 
This condition, 
she 
said, persisted 
for about 
a year, when the child could ex- 
press himself both 
in Spanish and English.7* 
30 
27 
CHAPTER V 
Summary and Conclusions 
Summary 
Parents have 
a responsibility 
for the educational 
de- 
velopment 
of their children. 
The learning process begins 
when 
a child 
is born. 
It is up to the parents to help a 
child develop his oral language, 
his self-concept 
and ways 
to deal with his environment. 
The family's lifestyle and 
example contribute 
to a child's character and to his atti- 
tude towards learning. 
When the child enters school, 
par- 
ents have the obligation 
to continue their involvement 
in 
his education. 
Family attitudes and their social 
and cul- 
tural customs affect 
the child's learning process. 
Parental 
involvement 
is very important 
in the regular 
setting of private or public schools; 
it is crucial when 
children 
are involved 
in bilingual education. 
Congress 
recognized the indispensability 
of parental 
involvement 
when 
it passed Public Law 93-380, which made parent-client 
participation 
a legal mandate. 
The ESEA was later amended 
to require local education agencies 
to comply with provi- 
Sions 
for involvement 
and participation 
of parents 
and 
31 
community members. 
This study was designed 
to provide data on parent-cli- 
tal 
ent participation 
in different areas of the BEP in St. Croix.| 
The study also provided data for locally based accountabil- 
ity. 
Two hypotheses were presented. 
The first one, 
that 
parents are not participating fully 
in the BEP, was proved 
through 
the survey, 
which showed that 
a majority of parents 
did not participate 
at all 
in the assessment 
for the need 
of the BEP 
in the island, 
or 
in setting up its purpose. 
Although parent-clients seem to have made 
an important con- 
tribution 
in other areas of the BEP, participation has not 
involved half of the total number of parent-clients. 
The second hypothesis, 
that parental 
involvement 
in 
the bilingual program develops favorable attitudes toward 
the program among parents and this change of attitude 
re- 
flects 
in their attitude towards education 
in general, 
was 
also proved true, 
not only through the data provided by the 
questionnaires, 
but through the study of related literature. 
Parent-clients who are most 
familiar with 
the BEP are most 
positive about 
its possibilities and are willing to contrib- 
ute towards 
its success 
and to participate 
in the education 
of their children. 
This information 
is derived specifically 
from parental comments which showed that parents who had 
participated the most were also the most positive about 
the 
BEP and the ones wanting to assist 
further. 
Literature 
studied reveals 
that 
"the most 
common 
32 
t 
rationale advanced 
for parental 
involvement 
in bilingual 
education 
is the effect that this 
is believed to have on 
| 
improving student achievement ."'-> 
Although little has heen 
written 
on the subject, 
studies "support 
the view that the 
success of bilingual education programs 
is related to par- 
2 
ental 
involvement." 
. 
Conclusions 
The main purpose of this study was to elicit concrete 
recommendations regarding parent-client participation 
in 
St. Croix. 
After interviews with personnel 
involved 
in the 
BEP, careful consideration of related literature, 
tabulation 
of questionnaires, 
and analysis of all data available, 
the 
researcher 
is ready to conclude that 
the St. Croix district 
has complied with government policies, 
and, that according 
to the opinion of a majority of parent-clients, 
the BEP has 
been successful. 
However, 
there 
is much left 
to be done re- 
garding full participation of parent-clients which could 
make the program more effective. 
Data compiled should be useful 
to teachers 
and other 
personnel 
involved 
in the BEP to improve methods 
of communi- 
cation with and participation 
of parent-clients. 
It should 
serve 
to evaluate past performance and to guide future planning. 
According to the results of the questionnaires, 
only 
61% of parent-clients have been asked 
for advice or 
an opin- 
ion about 
the program and less than 25% have been asked about 
33 
et 
A ee 
ee 
the success of the program on a regular basis. 
These find- 
ings, together with parent's comments, 
are quite revealing. 
: 
‘They point out the need for more involvement, 
from a basic 
level 
of information 
to the more sophisticated 
level of 
participation. 
not so much for the benefit of 
the benefit 
of parent-clients, 
the necessity of the BE?, what 
and how 
it can transform their 
They call 
for a new assessment 
of the BEP, 
the personnel 
involved as for 
who need to be made aware of 
it can do for their children, 
future through education. 
Parent-clients must 
be helped to come 
to terms with the 
fact that their children cannot handle 
an all-English curri- 
culum, 
tion. 
Parent-clients 
should 
and that denying the problem will 
not provide 
a solu- 
also be taught 
to be proud of 
their heritage 
so that they will be able to transmit 
this 
pride to their children. 
According to the definition generally accepted 
in the 
Virgin Islands, 
a bilingual education program 
is specifically 
concerned with the creation and/or strengthening of a child's 
positive feelings about himself; 
goal through the development 
appreciation of his language 
Spanish-speaking children of 
be proud of who they are, 
of 
At 
tions 
and their culture. 
enjoy the availability of the 
it attempts 
to achieve this 
in the child of a sense of 
12). 
and culture 
(n. 
The 
St. Croix need to learn 
to 
their language, 
their tradi- 
the present 
time Crucians can 
best role model, 
for the pre- 
sent governor 
of the Virgin Islands 
is a Puerto Rican by 
birth.7! 
Those 
involved 
in bilingual education 
in the island 
34 
ee 
ee 
ent 
can 
use this opportunity 
to their advantage by stressing the 
fact 
that 
a member of a minority group can achieve 
a high 
position 
if he/she 
is ready for the task. 
There are other 
Spanish-speaking members of the community who could similarly 
be used as examples of success, 
among them lawyers, 
doctors, 
teachers and other professionals and businessmen. 
These 
community leaders have trarscended the language barrier and 
gone beyond many obstacles 
to become outstanding Virgin 
Islanders. 
Implications 
and Recommendations 
To achieve effective parental involvement, 
schools and 
parent-clients need to develop 
a partnership 
to improve the 
learning process by complemerting each other 
in their effort 
to provide 
for the needs of the child. 
Learning 
is a contin- 
uous process which does not stop when the child leaves the 
classroom. 
If teachers 
are aware of this fact, 
they will 
recognize 
that the parent-client 
is a valuable source of in- 
formation 
and advice, 
that he/she, better than anybody else, 
knows his child's strengths and weaknesses and can be a valu- 
able partner 
in his/her child's education. 
The development 
of 
a partnership 
in education 
should then be the goal to be 
achieved by both teachers and parent-clients 
if every caild 
is to be guaranteed quality education. 
It 
is up to school 
personnel 
(teachers, 
principals, 
supervisors, 
etc.) 
to educate 
Parent-clients 
and to provide them with 
the necessary 
tools 
35 
32 
1o share 
in their children's education; 
it 
is up to parent- 
clients 
to take advantage of the opportunity 
and respond to 
the needs of their children by making every effort 
to par- 
ticipate 
in the educational process. 
Some recommendations regarding attitudes and activities 
may be useful 
toward the achievement 
of effective partner- 
ship. 
The researcher will suggest 
that: 7° 
1. 
Schools take the initiative infostering parental 
involvement 
and every effort be made 
to implement 
a parent 
training component 
in the BEP. 
2. 
Schools make use of the materials available through 
National Clearinghouse 
for Bilingual Education 
(see n. 
28). 
There are excellent materials which have already proven ef- 
fective; 
teachers will 
not have to create as much as to adapt 
programs and activities 
to the local setting. 
3. 
School personnel 
visit 
the home briefly before 
a 
child 
is enrolled 
in the BEP and 
a line of communication 
be 
established and maintained throughout 
the school 
year. 
4. 
A handbook written 
in both Spanish and English be 
used 
for parent-clients 
to learn 
as much 
as possible about 
the BEP, individually 
or 
in groups. 
5. 
Parents share this understanding of BEP with other 
families who may not know about 
the program. 
6. 
Media resources 
(T.V., 
radio, newspapers) 
be used 
to divulge and enhance attitudes towards the BEP. 
7. 
Parent-clients be informed and consulted regularly 
through circulars, 
meetings, 
and other activities provided 
by the school. 
8. 
Schools celebrate open houses once or twice 
a year 
in days of special 
importance 
to the Puerto Rican community 
(e.g. Puerto Rico-Virgin 
Islands Friendship Week). 
9. 
Parent-clients be encouraged 
to attend training 
courses and even 
to enroll 
in high school equivalency pro- 
grams when adequate. 
10. Parent-clients 
be encouraged 
to promote bilingual - 
ism/biculturalism among their children 
through workshops 
led 
36 
———————— 
by teachers and minority community leaders and other profes- 
sionals 
to develop 
a sense of pride and improve self-concept. 
ll. Parent-clients 
be hired 
as classroom aides whenever 
possible. 
12. Parental 
training through the Bowdoin Method be con- 
tinued and extended 
to all schools since 
it has been proven 
successful. 
13. BEP teachers work together 
as 
a group and serve 
as 
trainers 
for parents as 
a service 
to the community. 
14. Assistance 
for parental training be requested from 
regional resource centers. 
One of the major purposes of bilingual education 
is to 
bridge the gap between the home and school experience cf a 
child to establish 
a healthy 
balance between 
the child's 
private world and the larger one outside 
the home. 
Teachers 
and parents can bridge the gap and establish 
the balance 
if 
they work as partners 
in tne educational process of their 
thildren. 
37 
APPENDICES 
38 
. 
34 
APPENDIX A 
U.S. VERGIN ISLANDS 
ST. JOHN 
ST. THOMAS 
CARIBBEAN 
ST. CROIX Sa 
APPENDIX C 
PARENT-CLIENT PARTICIPATION 
IN HE BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM | 
(BEP) 
IN ST. CROIX, U.S.V.1I. 
QUESTIONNAIRE: 
Your views are very important 
in the prepara- | 
tion of this study. 
Your answers 
to the following questions 
will help in our common effort 
for better education 
in the 
Virgin Islands. 
Your answers will 
serve 
as 
a guide in the 
revision of an important aspect of the Bilingual Education 
Program (BEP): parental 
involvement. 
Your name will not ap- 
pear 
in this questionnaire and all your answers will be kept 
. 
strictly confidential. 
Thank you very much for your valuable 
cooperation. 
BEP School 
Date 
Circle one rating number, or the letters 
to the right, or Yes 
or No, as needed for each of the following questions: 
Very Much 
Much 
Some 
A Little 
Not At All 
Don't Know 
No Response 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
1. 
How much did you participate in the asse: tent for the need of the 
BEP ‘in St. Croix? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
2. 
Do you know if the program has definite aims? 
Yes 
No 
3. 
Did you give any help in setting up the purpose of the BFP? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
Dk 
NR 
4. 
Did you give any help in setting up the BEP (through meetings, talks 
w/personnel, etc.)? 
4 
3 
2 
] 
0 
DK 
NR 
5. 
Have you participated in the development of the BEP (through mectings, 
talks, etc.)? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
6. 
Have you attended activities such as trips, 
4 
3 
2 
1 
ore 
DK 
NR 
meetings, 
4 
3 
2 
] 
ee 
DK 
NR 
movies 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
workshops, 
seminars, courses, 
4 
we 
1 
omega saan 
NR 
other activities 
not mentioned? 
4 
3 
2 
] 
0 
DK 
NR 
46 
7. 
Has anyone in the program ever asked you for your advice or opinion 
about the program? 
Yes 
No 
8. 
How often have you been asked about how successful or unsuccessful the 
program has been? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
9. 
Do you think the program has been successful or not successful? 
4d 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
10. Are you willing to help further with the program? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
DK 
NR 
COMMENTS : 
41 
Parties 
cion en el rogram de Educacion Bilingue (PEB) de los Padres 
ifios 
Matriculados en el Programa 
QGuestionario: Su opinion es muy importante en la preparacion de este 
estud30. 
Sus respuestas nos ayudardn en el esfuerzo de lograr una edu- 
cacién mejor en las Islas Virgenes, y nos servirdn de guia en la aig 
de un aspecto importante del Programa de Educacidn Bilingue (PEB) : 
participacion de los padres. 
Su nombre no aparecera en este pied 
nario y todas sus re a seran confidenciales. 
Muchas gracias por 
su valiosa cooperacio 
Escuela (PEB) 
Fecha 
| 
Haga un circulo alrededor del numero, las letras a la derecha, o Si o No, 
segun sea necesario en cada una de las siguientes preguntas: 
Muchisimo 
Mucho 
Bastante 
Un Poco 
En lo 
absolute 
No Sé Sin Responder 
4 
3 
2 
] 
0 
NS 
SR 
1. éParticipd Ud. en el proceso de decidir si hacfa falta un PEB en 
Santa Cruz? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
2. éSabe Ud. si el programa tiene metas o propdsitos especificos? 
Si 
No 
3. zAyudo Ud. a determinar esas metas o propositos del PEB? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
4.3 zAyudo Ud. el el establecimiento del BEP (a través de reuniones, cartas, 
conversaciones, etc.)? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
5. gHa participado Ud. en el desarrollo del PEB (a través de reuniones, 
conversaciones, etc.)? 
) 
Si 
No 
6. é¢Ha participado Ud. en actividades tales como viajes, 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
reuniones, 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
lfculas, 
SR 
: 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
| 
talleres, seminarios, 
cursos, 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
aaa 
SR 
otras actividades? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
42 
' 
~~ 
7. 
@&Alguien del PEB le ha pedido su opinion © consejo acerca del programa? 
Si 
No 
[ 
| 
| 
| 
8. zSe le ha preguntado con frecuencia si el programa es efectivo 0 no? 
| 
4 
3 
2 
] 
0 
NS 
SR 
i 
i 
9.% Cree Ud. que el programa ha sido efectivo o no? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
10.2Estd 
Ud. interesado en cooperar con el programa en el future? 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 
NS 
SR 
Comentarios : 
43 
ee 
ee 
APPENDIX D 
SCHOOLS OPERATING BILINGUAL 
P, 
ST- 
TOTAL 
TOTAL 
LING- 
NO. OF 
SCHOOL 
ENROLL- UAL 
TEACHING 
. 
MENT ' ENROLL- PERSON- 
B 
MENT 
NEL 
EL 
ALEXANDER 
=— 
HENDERSON 
ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOL 
756 
355 
62 
20 
EVELYN 
WILLIAMS 
ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOL 
076 
118 
70 
7 
CHARLES 
EMANUEL 
ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOL 
698 
139 
48 
9 
ALFREDO 
ANDREWS 
ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOL 
766 
114 
. 
60 
9 
ST. CROIX 
CENTRAL 
HIGH 
SCHOOL 
2,471 
94 
92 
44 
ELENA 
CHRISTIAN 
JUNIOR HIGH 1,448 
40 
87 
8 
ARTHUR 
RICHARDS 
1,304 
15 
66 
2 
7,519 
875 
485 
59 
Provided by Mrs. Maria Sanes, Bilingual Education 
Specialist 
St. Croix, Virgin Islands. 
44 
NOTES 
Francesco Cordasco, Bilingual Schooling in the United 
States: A Sourcebook 
for Educational Personnel 
(McGraw Hill, 
1976), p. 2. 
AII further references 
to this work appear 
in 
the text. 
Rodolfo Rodriquez, "Citizen Participation 
in Selected 
Bilingual Education Advisory Committees 
,'' NABE Journal, V, 
No. 
2 (Winter 1980-81), 
p. 
2. 
All further references 
to this 
work appear in the text. 
3Gordon K. Lewis, The Virgin Islands 
(Evanston, 
Illinois: 
Northwestern University Press, 1972), pp. 199-200, 
207. 
All 
further references 
to this work appear 
in the text. 
4Isabel 
B. James, 
"A Descriptive Analysis of the St. 
Croix Title VII Bilingual Education Program," Diss. College 
of the Virgin Islands, 
1980, p. 
3. 
All further references 
to this work appear 
in the text. 
Virgin Islands Department of Education, Proposal for a 
Federally Funded Bilingual Program, 1973, p. 4. 
On we kine ence . Initial Plan for the Implementation 
fa 
Bilingual Education Program, 1973, p. 1. 
a 
Maria Torres, "Current Research on Parents and Schools," 
Policy Notes, 
Institute 
for Research on Educational 
Finance 
and Governance 
(IFG), Vol. 
2, No. 
4 (Stanford U., Autumn 1981), 
p. 
7. All further references 
to this work will appear abbre- 
viated 
(IFG) 
in the text. 
8 james 
C. Cibulka, “Administrators 
as Representatives: 
The Role of Local Communities 
in an Urban School] 
System," 
Diss. Univ. 
of Chicago, 1973, as quoted by Rodriquez, p. 6. 
9sandra Kirkpatrick, Assistant Director of Dissemination, 
IFG. 
Letter 
to researcher, 
19 May 1982. 
See n. 
7. 
19cora M. Ramos, 
"A Model 
Parent Advisory Council 
Designed 
for the United States Virgin 
Islands," Diss. University of 
Sarasota, Florida, 
1981 
and 
Isabel 
B. James 
(See no. 
4). 
45 
42 
*pevnard Cohen et al., Project P.I.E. 
Parent 
Involvement 
in Evaluation 
(New York: 
Impact Institute, Inc., I981), 
p. 
44. For definitions 
3, 5, 6, 10, 13 and 15, see pp. 44-48. 
All 
further references 
to this work will appear abbreviated 
(P.1.B.) 
in the text. 
1 evi rgin Islands Department of Education, Institutionali- 
zation of Bilingual Education 
in the Public School System 
7 the Virgin Islands: A Position Paper, 1978. 
Definition 
» Daca 
13Ec1ix Mario Valbuena 
and Others, 
The Parents' 
Guide 
to 
Bilingual/Bicultural 
Education. 
Home, Child, School. 
sie 
(Detroit Public Schools, Michigan Department of Bilingual Edu- 
cation, 
1978), pp. 
15, 22 (ERIC ED 210 384). 
All further 
references 
to this work appear 
in the text. 
14) auren 
P. Collins and Margarita Obregon Pagan, La 
Participacion de los Padres 
en 
la Educacion 
de los Hijos: 
un Manual. 
(Parent Involvement 
in Education: 
A Plannin 
Manual) (Mesa Community Collegé, Arizona 1980), 
i TERIC 
353). 
All further references 
to this work 
appear 
in the text. 
ISeiverio Chavez, Parental 
Involvement and Participation 
in Bilingual 
Education: 
A Guide. 
(EI Involucramiento 
y la 
Participacion de los Padres en la Educacidn Bilingtie; Una 
GuTa) 
Chat ionel 3aati tate for Multicultural Education, Albur- 
querque, 
New Mexico, 1980), 
p. ia (ERIC ED 206 787). 
All fur- 
ther references 
to this work will appear in the text. 
6 Robert 
K. Yin, Citizen Organizations: 
Increasing 
Client- 
Control 
Over Services (Santa Monica, Calif.: 
Rand 
Corp., 
LYS) 
Bs 
Ae 
= 
Ee 
: 
, United States Department of Health, Education, and 
Welfare, Programs Under Bilingual 
Education Act 
(Title VII, 
ESEA: Manual 
for Project Applicants and Grantees 
(Washington, 
D.C.: 
Gey. 
89743. 
if 
18The Bilingual Education Act, Public Law 95-561, Educa- 
tion Amendments of 1978-Title VII (National Clearinghouse 
for Bilingual Education, January 1979), pp. 
3-4. 
1 Virgin Island Department of Education, Final Evaluation 
Report, August 
1974 
to August, 
1978. 
Interview with Mrs. 
E. 
Bennewith, 
Foreign Language Supervisor 
(April 
29, 1982), and 
Mrs. 
Maria Sanes, Bilingual 
Education Specialist 
(April 
29 
46 
43 
and June 18, 1982). 
20nuth S. Bowdoin, The Bowdoin Method Manual (U.S.A.: 
Webster International, 
Inc., 
1978). 
The Bowdoin Method 
intertwines both the cognitive and the affective areas 
in a 
pros 
a for effective parenting. 
Information regarding its 
use 
s obtained from Mrs. Maria Sanes. 
21 Interview with Mrs. Bennewith 
and Mrs. 
Sanes 
(See n. 
19). 
22one hundred families were interviewed but only eighty 
seven 
fully completed questionnaires were used. 
The researcher 
had the help of Mr. Osvaldo Parrilla, 
a bilingual 
student 
at 
the College of the Virgin Islands 
(St. Thomas campus) who 
lives 
in St. Croix. 
Mr. Parrilla assisted with the interviews 
after being trained by the researcher. 
23rhe Significance of the findings 
is discussed on con- 
clusions and recommendations, 
Chapter V. 
24uy, Parrilla, 
the investigator, 
could not provide any 
other data, except that this woman's child attended Henderson 
School. 
At the time of the interview, 
he cou!d not conceive 
her story possible and did not pursue 
it. 
2Suermes T. Cervantes and Others, 
"Community Involvement 
in Bilingual Education: 
The Bilingual Educator 
as Parent 
Trainer," NABE Journal, 
III, 
No. 
2 (Winter 1969), 
p. 
73 (As 
reprinted by National Clearinghouse 
for Bilingual Education). 
---------- » "Community Involvement 
in Bilingual Educa- 
tion," 
p. 
74. 
The authors mention 
four sources of reference: 
Gore, 
1974; Ksoljeth, 
1972; Kraft, 
1972; 
and Moreno, 
1974. 
27 The Honorable Juan Luis became governor of the Virgin 
Islands after Governor King's death 
in January 1977. 
He be- 
came governor 
in his own right when he was elected 
to the 
positicn 
in November 
1978. 
He has been reelected 
(November, 
1982) 
to serve another term. 
28uany of the recommendations were adapted from materials 
provided by National Clearinghouse 
for Bilingual Education, 
1300 Wilson Boulevard, 
Suite B2-11, Rosslyn, 
Virginia 
22209. 
47 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
The Bilingual Education Act, Public Law 95-561, Education 
Amendments of 1978 
- Title VII. 
National Clearing- 
house for Bilingual Education, 
1979. 
Bowdoin, 
Ruth 
S. 
The Bowdoin Method Manual. 
U.S.A.: 
Webster International, 
Inc., 
1978. 
Cervantes, 
Hermes T., et al. 
"Community Involvement 
in Bi- 
lingual Education: 
The Bilingual Educator 
as Parent 
Trainer." NABE Journal, 
III, No. 
2 (Winter 1969), 
pp. 
73-82. 
Cibulka, 
James C. 
"Administrators 
as Representatives: 
The 
Role of Local Communities 
in an Urban School System." 
Diss. University of Chicago, 
1973. 
Cohen, Bernard, 
et al. 
Project P.I.E. Parent Involvement in 
Evaluation. 
New York: 
Impact 
Institute, 
Inc., 
1981. 
Collins, Lauren P. and Margarita Obregon Pagan. 
La Partici- 
pacion de las Padres en la Educacion de los Hijos: Un 
Manual). Arizona: 
Mesa Community College, 
1980. 
ERIC 
ED 206 353. 
Cordasco, Francesco. 
Bilingual Schooling in the United 
States: A Sourcebook for Educational Personnel. 
New 
York: 
McGraw Hill, 
1976. 
Chavez, Eliverio. 
Parental 
Involvement 
and Participation in 
Bilingual Education. A Guide. 
(El Involucramiento 
y Tyee 
Participacion de los Padres en 
la Educacion Bilingue: 
Una Guia.) New Mexico: National 
Institute 
for Multi- 
cultural Education, 
1980. 
ERIC ED 206 787. 
Gore, 
J. "Parental 
Involvement 
in the Boulder Schools." 
Diss. 
Juarez Lincoln College, Denver, Colorado, 
1974. 
James, 
Isabel 
B. 
"A Descriptive Analysis of the St. 
Croix 
Title VII Bilingual 
Education Program." 
Diss. 
College 
of the Virgin 
Islands, 
1980. 
Ksoljeth, 
R. "Bilingual 
Education Programs aa the United 
States: 
For Assimilation 
or Pluralism. 
In The Lan- 
guage Education of Minority Children: hance 
ed Readings 
Mass: 
Newburry House Publishers, 
1972. 
48 
Kraft, 
R. 
"Title 
I Evaluation Report 
for Boulder Schools." 
Boulder Public Schools, Boulder, Colorado. 
Lewis, Gordon K. 
The Virgin Islands. 
Illinois: 
North- 
western University Press, 
1972. 
Moreno, 
S. 
Parents-Padres, Parents 
- Teach Your Children 
to Learn. 
Padres 
- Ensehen a sus Hijos Como Aprender. 
San Diego: Moreno Educational 
Co. 
Ramos, Cora M. 
"A Model Parent Advisory Council Designed 
for the United States Virgin 
Islands." 
Diss. University 
of Sarasota, 
Florida, 
1981. 
Rodriguez, Rodolfo. 
"Citizen Participation 
in Selected Bi- 
lingual Education Advisory Committees."' 
NABE Journal, 
Torres, Maria. 
"Current Research 
on Parents and Schools," 
In Policy Notes, 
Institute for Research on Educational 
Finance and Governance, 
Vol. 
2, No. 
4, (Autumn 1981), 
pp. 
7-8. 
United States Department 
of Health, Education 
and Welfare. 
Programs Under Bilingual Education Act (Title VII, ESEA: 
Manual 
for Project Applicants and Grantees. 
Washington, 
Bt 
Gro, 
teres 
Valbuena, Felix Mario, 
et al. 
The Parent's Guide to Bi- 
lingual/Bicultural 
Education. 
Home, Child, School. 
Detroit Public Schools, Michigan Department 
of Bilin- 
gual Education, 
1978. 
ERIC ED 2i0 384. 
Virgin 
Islands Department 
of Education: 
Proposal 
for a 
Federally Funded Bilingual Program, 
1973. 
 aslealentesteatestentententesteteteteseteen - 
Initial Plan for the Implementation of 
a Bilingual Education Program, 
1973. 
as estsietertententeatastaesteeetesetan - 
Institutionalization of Bilingual Edu- 
cation 
in the Public School System of the Virgin 
Islands: A Position Paper, 
1978. 
—---------------- - 
Final Evaluation Report, 
1978. 
Yin, Robert 
K. 
Citizen Organizations: 
Increasing Client- 
Control Over Services. 
Santa Monica, California: Rand 
Corporation, 
1973. 
a 
49 
APPENDIX B 
COLLEGE of the VIRGIN ISLANDS 
13 May 1982 
.t 
Qo 
-_. 
om 
at 
- 
Pe 
— 
ad 
SAS 
— 
oe 
ha 
es 
Dr. Charles Turnbull - 
eo: 
fF 
Commissioner of Education 
es FZ, 
Department of Education 
St. Thomas, USVI 
00802 
Dear Commissioner Turnbull; 
I am hereby requesting your authorization to obtain names 
and addresses of parents with children enrolled in the Bi- 
lingual Program in St. Croix (both two-way and limited programs). 
I am working on a study on parent-client participation 
in 
the Bilingual Education Program in St. Croix. 
The study will 
be exploratory and will reveal areas where parent-client 
involvement 
is lacking, 
The ultimate goal of the study is 
to make the Bilingual Program more effective by strengthening 
the role of parents. 
Although the study will be limited 
to the area of bilingual education, 
the findings will be 
useful 
to other areas of education. 
Thank you very much for your consideration on this matter. 
Respectfully yours, 
| 
CH4A/) Aagca- 
Carmen H.A, Padgett 
Chairperson 
Humanities 
Division 
*, 
APPROVED 
(Sad ph 
— 
& 
Charles W. Turabull Ph.D. 
Commissiones of Education 
COLLEGE of the VIAGIN ISLANDS 
CHARLOTTE AMALIE 
+ ST. THOMAS 
+ US. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00522. 
TEL. /809) 774.9200 
Piease Reply Via Air Mail 
50