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Keystone Crossroads: Rust or Revival? explores the urgent challenges pressing upon Pennsylvania's cities. Four public media newsrooms are collaborating to report in depth on the root causes of our state's urban crisis -- and on possible solutions. Keystone Crossroads offers reports on radio, web, social media, television and newspapers, and through public events.Our partner stations are WHYY in Philadelphia, WPSU in State College and witf in Harrisburg. Read all of the partner stories here.Pittsburgh’s WQED joins the collaboration as an associate partner. Support for this project comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Decision Days Away In Lancaster Refugee Case

Emily Previti
/
WITF

 

Five full days of testimony wrapped up Monday in the lawsuit against the School District of Lancaster.

The case claims six student refugees were denied enrollment altogether or placed at Phoenix Academy, a magnet school with an accelerated credit program where they allegedly didn't get adequate support learning English.

They’re seeking admission to Lancaster’s mainstream McCaskey High School.

McCaskey’s year-long International School program gives two hours of direct English language instruction every day to the least proficient students. They stay together as one class for other subjects taught in English.

Students suing the district went to Phoenix Academy, where they got just 80 minutes of direct English instruction and were immersed with native speakers for other subjects.

A bilingual expert testified Phoenix’s program is detrimental to students, like refugees, with limited English proficiency and an interrupted or nonexistent formal education history.

Read more of this report on the site of our partner, Keystone Crossroads