Latino Groups Ask Biden To Postpone in-Person Testing for English Language Learners

By Neil P. First Posted: Jan 14, 2021 05:37 AM EST

Several Latino education and civil rights groups are asking President-elect Joe Biden to push back in-person English-language testing to protect the students from COVID-19.

(Photo : Jean Chung/Getty Images)

Latino Groups Ask to Push Back English-Language Test

Latino is the largest minority group in the country, and most of them play essential roles in the country.

The Latino community is also the most vulnerable and exposed group for COVID-19. In fact, the community is disproportionately affected by the global pandemic.

According to an NBC News report, the groups are asking President-elect Joe Biden to push back for the meantime the in-person English proficiency tests for students learning English as a second language due to the global pandemic.

On Monday, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), TESOL International Association, National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA), and others sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden's education transition team.

The groups asserted that the in-person assessment could impose health risks for English-language learners. This concern came after more than 30 states across the country set windows to test such students' English proficiency that started Jan. 4.

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the Latino community is three times more likely to become infected with the virus.

Content of the Letter

David Hinojosa, director of the Educational Opportunities Project at the Lawyers' Committee, wrote that no student should be forced to choose between their health and taking a test that will determine their proficiency in learning the English language, most especially in this time of the pandemic.

The groups also requested state and local education agencies to provide an op-out protocol for English-language learners (ELLS) who cannot safely take the WIDA test.

The test is given annually to track students' progress in learning the English language. If necessary, they asked for the examinations to be postponed to the 2021-22 school year.

Miguel Cardona To Oversee the Re-Opening of Public Schools

President-elect Joe Biden appointed Latino Miguel Cardona to lead the Education Department under his administration. If the Senate confirmed his nomination, he would oversee the nation's public schools' re-opening, which is part of Biden's plan for his first 100 days in office.

Miguel Cardona has promised to tackle the transition amid the pandemic. Cardona admitted that he only spoke Spanish when they first arrived in the U.S. and first attended public schools in Connecticut. Cardona's origin is in Puerto Rico.

Latinos Disproportionately Impacted by the Pandemic

Latinos' health and welfare are the top priorities of various Latino and Hispanic groups across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 54,000 Latinos died due to COVID-19.

With this data, the group raised their concern because there are five million English-language learners across the country, and approximately 94 percent of them are students of color.

They noted in the letter that "students and their families should not be forced into schools and expose themselves to unnecessary risks during these unprecedented times."