By PETER APPLEBOME

        In a decision that touches on explosive educational and racial issues,
        the Oakland, Calif., school board officially declared Wednesday
        that many of its 28,000 black students did not speak standard English, but a
        distinctive language spoken by American blacks.

        The decision, in effect, describes black English as not merely a dialect of
        standard English, but a separate language with roots in Africa, which the
        district and some linguists call Ebonics, from the combination of the words
        "ebony" and "phonics."

        The school system says its goal is to better teach standard English and other
        academic subjects to black students by acknowledging the language spoken
        by many inner-city blacks. Although there is an intense debate at many
        urban school systems over how to treat black English, no other school
        system has adopted such a measure.

        "The goal is to give African-American students the ability to have standard
        English proficiency in reading, writing and speaking," said Sherri Willis, a
        spokeswoman for the district. "To do that, we are recognizing that many
        students bring to the classroom a different language, Ebonics."

        But some critics described the policy as a cynical ploy to get federal funds
        through bilingual programs rather than a valid educational approach and
        said it would have the result of further stigmatizing inner-city blacks and
        reinforcing speech patterns that leave them outside the national mainstream.

        "They see it as a case where Latinos can get funds, but not black children,"
        said John H. McWhorter, a professor of linguistic and African-American
        studies at the University of California at Berkeley, who is black. "But I
        know that Latinos speak a different language. I know my cousins don't speak
        a different language. It's an insult to the cognitive abilities of black
        children."

        Oakland officials say the purpose of the decision is purely educational,
        although they acknowledge the policy could also allow the financially
        troubled district to apply for the same federal funds available for bilingual
        programs for Hispanic and Asian students.

        Details of the new policy are still being worked out, and no cost figures
        have been developed. But teachers could receive merit pay for studying
        black English and using their knowledge of it in their lessons through better
        communication and showing respect for the students' cultural
        distinctiveness. Unlike standard bilingual programs, courses would not be
        taught in black English.

        The resolution passed unanimously by the school board of the
        52,000-student district declares that all teachers should be trained to
        respect the Ebonics language spoken by many of their black students. Some
        scholars say Ebonics reflects the West African and Niger-Congo linguistic
        elements shared by many blacks, characterized by distinct grammar and
        syntax patterns like the absence of forms of the verb "to be."

        Blacks make up 53 percent of the district's enrollment. But they make up 71
        percent of special education students and only 37 percent of students in
        gifted and talented classes. Blacks' 1.8 grade point average on a 4.0 scale is
        the lowest in the district.

        The racial breakdown of other students in the district is 7 percent white, 1
        percent native American, 20 percent Hispanic, 20 percent Asian and 2
        percent other.

        Asian and Hispanic students are eligible for $262 million in Department of
        Education Title 7 funds that will provide bilingual education for 700,000
        children under the fiscal 1997 budget. Some blacks educators have argued
        similar funds should be eligible for blacks.

        Oakland officials said they expected most of the cost of the new policy to
        come from reallocating existing financing, but they left open the possibility
        of applying for Title 7 funds. However, Rick Miller, a spokesman for the
        Department of Education in Washington, said federal law specifically says
        the Department of Education views black English as a form of English, not
        a separate language eligible for Title 7 funds.

        John Baugh, a professor of education and linguistics at Stanford University,
        who is teaching this year at Swarthmore College, said the board was
        addressing a valid issue. Baugh, who is black, said that whatever one
        thought of the board's action, there were enduring linguistic legacies from
        slavery, segregation and the continuing isolation of inner-cities blacks that
        affect black academic achievement.

        He said he had reservations about viewing Ebonics as a separate language.
        But he said there should be resources to deal with black linguistic
        distinctiveness.

        "It would be misleading for the public to equate the language of the
        descendants of slaves with the linguistic problems of new immigrants from
        Russia," he said.

        "But having said that, there are very few instances where school districts
        have adequately tried to address the linguistic consequences of slavery. The
        people involved here have the best interests of the students at heart, so I
        think it's unfair to be exceedingly critical on linguistic grounds when they're
        trying to help."