SACRAMENTO, FEB. 9 (UPI) _ THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS HEARD WIDELY DIFFERING ASSESSMENTS OF THE BILINGUAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE ON CALIFORNIA'S JUNE 2 BALLOT.

KEY SPONSOR RON UNZ, A SILICON VALLEY BUSINESSMAN, TOLD A BOARD OF EDUCATION FORUM TODAY THAT STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE BEFORE THEY MOVE ON TO REGULAR CLASSES DON'T E#VER LEARN ENGLISH WELL.

BUT JOSEPH JARAMILLO OF THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND SAID FORCING CALIFORNIA'S 1.38 MILLION LIMITED-ENGLISH- SPEAKING STUDENTS INTO THE INITIATIVE'S ONE-YEAR ``ENGLISH IMMERSION'' CLASS IS A ``ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL'' APPROACH THAT WILL SLOW THEIR PROGRESS EVEN MORE.

OPPONENTS ALSO SAID THE INITIATIVE WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MODIFY IF APPROVED BY THE VOTERS SINCE IT REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE _ OR ANOTHER INITIATIVE _ TO CHANGE IT.

UNZ SAID SINCE THEY DON'T WORK, THE ONLY REASON PRESENT PROGRAMS EXIST IS TO KEEP ``HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS'' FLOWING INTO BILINGUAL EDUCATION INDUSTRY ACCOUNTS.

UNDER THE MEASURE, UNZ SAYS PARENTS WHO WANT TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS COULD ATTEMPT TO DO SO BY SEEKING A WAIVER. OPPONENTS SAY THOSE WAIVERS WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN.