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Congress Passes Bilingual Education Act

1968

Passed in response to growing immigration and an energized civil rights movement, the Bilingual Education Act provides federal funding to encourage local school districts to incorporate native-language instruction. English as a Second Language courses, English immersion courses and bilingual programs emerge. Most states follow the federal model and enact bilingual education laws, providing state funding for these programs or at least decriminalizing the use of other languages in the classroom.