A New York Times article presents the challenges that immigrant students face as they try to overcome the language barrier and the challenges that their teachers face as they try to prepare them for rigorous standardized tests that are administered in English.  The diverse student population at Hylton High School in Northern Virginia is actually divided into those students who are fluent English speakers and those who have not reached fluency.  The two factions are barely civil to one another and rarely interact in a positive light. How are schools supposed to serve populations like these?  I think cultural diversity is great in the academic setting.  In more rural areas, immigrant students prove to be an asset in the classroom.  They bring a unique perspective and rich history that our students benefit from and enjoy hearing about.  But in the suburban areas, like Northern Virigina, where the number of immigrant students equals or exceeds the number of native students, how can teachers teach grade-appropriate material without leaving a large portion of their class struggling to understand the language?  Language research proves again and again that immersion is the best way for students "catch-up".  The school in the article virtually segregates the students, which probably slows their language acquisition, not to mention contributes to their feelings of isolation and rejection in this new culture.  I think an intensive six-eight week English language immersion program that gives students the confidence to enter the mainstream classroom would be more beneficial.  Students can learn a lot from their peers, including language.