When Ociel Aramíz H. Almanza started first grade last year at Bella Romero Elementary School, her parents were the same nervous parents any first-grader has.

Will Ociel make friends? Will she understand what is expected? Will she be OK away from her mom and dad all day?

But for Janett Huicochea, the worries were much deeper than that. When Huicochea worried about her daughter understanding, she really worried because Ociel was starting first grade classified as an NEP student, or non-English proficient.

click here for article