Bill Text: CA SB750 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: English language education: English learners.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-10-08 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 660, Statutes of 2015. [SB750 Detail]
Download: California-2015-SB750-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 750 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 660
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 8, 2015
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 8, 2015
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 1, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 12, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 15, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senator Mendoza
FEBRUARY 27, 2015
An act to amend Sections 313.1 and 313.2 of the Education Code,
relating to English language education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 750, Mendoza. English language education: English learners.
(1) Existing law requires each school district that has one or
more pupils who are English learners, and, to the extent required by
federal law, a county office of education and a charter school, to
assess the English language development of each of those pupils in
order to determine the pupil's level of proficiency. Existing law
requires the State Department of Education, with the approval of the
State Board of Education, to establish procedures for conducting the
assessment and for the reclassification of a pupil from English
learner to English proficient.
Existing law defines "long-term English learner" as an English
learner who is enrolled in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive, has been
enrolled in schools in the United States for more than 6 years, has
remained at the same English language proficiency level for 2 or more
consecutive years as determined by a specified English language
development test, or any successor test, and scores far below basic
or below basic on a certain English language arts standards-based
achievement test, or any successor test.
This bill would revise that definition to instead mean, except as
specified, an English learner who is enrolled in any of grades 6 to
12, inclusive, who has been enrolled in schools in the United States
for 6 years or more, has remained at the same English language
proficiency level for 2 or more consecutive prior years, or has
regressed to a lower English language proficiency level, as
determined by the specified English language development test, or a
score determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction on any
successor test, and, for a pupil in any of grades 6 to 9, inclusive,
scored far below basic or below basic on the specified English
language arts standards-based achievement test, or a score determined
by the Superintendent on any successor test. The bill would
encourage the Superintendent to revisit the score determined for any
successor test after 3 years of assessment data on the successor
test.
(2) Existing law defines an "English learner at risk of becoming a
long-term English learner" as an English learner who is enrolled in
any of grades 5 to 11, inclusive, in schools in the United States for
4 years, scores at the intermediate level or below on the specified
English language development test, or any successor test, and scores
in the 4th year at the below basic or far below basic level on a
certain English language arts standards-based achievement test, or
any successor test.
This bill would revise that definition to instead mean, except as
specified, an English learner who is enrolled in any of grades 3 to
12, inclusive, in schools in the United States for 4 to 5 years,
scored at the intermediate level or below on the specified English
language development test, or a score determined by the
Superintendent on any successor test, and, for a pupil in any of
grades 3 to 9, inclusive, scored in the 4th or 5th year at the below
basic or far below basic level on the specified English language arts
standards-based achievement test, or a score determined by the
Superintendent on any successor test. The bill would encourage the
Superintendent to revisit the score determined for any successor test
after 3 years of assessment data on the successor test.
(3) Existing law requires the department to annually ascertain and
provide to school districts and schools the number of pupils in each
school district and school, as specified, who are, or are at risk of
becoming, long-term English learners.
This bill would also require the department to post on the
department's Internet Web site the number of long-term English
learners and English learners at risk of becoming long-term English
learners in the state.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 313.1 of the Education Code is amended to read:
313.1. For purposes of this article, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(a) (1) "Long-term English learner" means an English learner to
which all of the following apply:
(A) Is enrolled in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive.
(B) Has been enrolled in schools in the United States for six
years or more.
(C) Has remained at the same English language proficiency level
for two or more consecutive prior years, or has regressed to a lower
English language proficiency level, as determined by the English
language development test identified or developed pursuant to Section
60810, or a score determined by the Superintendent on any successor
test.
(D) For a pupil in any of grades 6 to 9, inclusive, has scored far
below basic or below basic on the prior year's English language arts
standards-based achievement test administered pursuant to Section
60640, or a score determined by the Superintendent on any successor
test.
(2) A pupil for which the required testing results are not
available for either subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (1) shall
not have that criteria applied and such pupil shall not be excluded
based on that criteria.
(b) (1) "English learner at risk of becoming a long-term English
learner" means an English learner to which all of the following
apply:
(A) Is enrolled in any of grades 3 to 12, inclusive.
(B) Has been enrolled in schools in the United States for four to
five years.
(C) Has scored at the intermediate level or below on the prior
year's English language development test identified or developed
pursuant to Section 60810, or a score determined by the
Superintendent on any successor test.
(D) For a pupil in any of grades 3 to 9, inclusive, has scored in
the fourth or fifth year at the below basic or far below basic level
on the prior year's English language arts standards-based achievement
test administered pursuant to Section 60640, or a score determined
by the Superintendent on any successor test.
(2) A pupil for which the required testing results are not
available for either subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (1) shall
not have that criteria applied and such pupil shall not be excluded
based on that criteria.
(3) The Superintendent is encouraged to revisit a score determined
for any successor test pursuant to subparagraphs (C) and (D) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) and subparagraphs (C) and (D) of
paragraph (1) of this subdivision after three years of assessment
data on the successor test.
SEC. 2. Section 313.2 of the Education Code is amended to read:
313.2. (a) The department shall annually ascertain the number of
pupils in each school district and school, including a school that is
within the jurisdiction of a county office of education and a
charter school, who are, or are at risk of becoming, long-term
English learners, as those terms are defined in Section 313.1.
(b) The department shall annually provide the information
described in subdivision (a) to school districts and schools and post
on the department's Internet Web site the number of long-term
English learners and English learners at risk of becoming long-term
English learners in the state.
