The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
What happens when academic achievement is used to determine English proficiency?
English Summary
The use of academic achievement criteria alongside language proficiency tests to reclassify Multilingual/English Learners (ML-ELs) presents a mixed policy outcome. Evidence from Texas suggests that while these criteria can increase access to advanced coursework for some students, they simultaneously lead to poorer academic outcomes, including higher failure rates in core high school classes and lower graduation rates for others. Policymakers should therefore avoid the binary 'English learner' status system. Instead, the strategy must involve continuous and adaptable language and academic supports that persist beyond the point of reclassification to ensure long-term student success.
中文摘要
將學術成就標準與語言能力測驗結合，用以重新分類多語/英語學習者（ML-ELs），其政策結果呈現複雜性。德州（Texas）的證據顯示，雖然這些標準能提高部分學生進入進階課程的機會，但同時也導致了較差的學業成效，包括核心高中課程的輟學率提高，以及部分學生的畢業率下降。因此，政策制定者應避免採用二元的「英語學習者」身份制度。相反地，策略必須是提供持續且可調整的語言與學術支持，確保這些支持能延續至重新分類點之後，從而保障學生的長期成功。
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