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Babylon Superintendent of Schools looks to clarify two major issues Dear Editor: In the April 5, 2007 edition of the Babylon Beacon, it was reported that Babylon School District will "receive approximately a 6.99 percent increase in aid, excluding building and transportation aid." This statement does not present the entire financial picture with regard to state aid in Babylon Schools. The total projected state educational aid for Babylon, compared to last year, is approximately 3.17 percent or $224,850. This figure includes all categories of aid. I would also like to clarify the quote [from a school board member] that the FLES program "was not meeting its goals." The decision to eliminate the elementary foreign language program was a difficult one that was not based on the quality of instruction being provided by teachers of our Foreign Language Department. Rather, the decision was made based on the district's inability to provide the program to our students in the manner necessary to maximize its potential. We know that a sequence of instruction that includes sufficient instructional time is needed for students to achieve proficiency in another language. We were not meeting those standards set forth by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in its Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners. Although we recognize that our FLES teachers are doing an exceptional job with the time they are given to teach, we do not currently have the resources to increase instructional time. We hope the time will come in the future when we can responsibly implement it in a more effective and efficient manner. I realize the difficult task of educating the public is our collective responsibility and appreciate the opportunity to present accurate information. Ellen Best-Laimit Superintendent of Schools,
Babylon School District
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