Bill Text: VA SB1109 | 2023 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund; established.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-02-13 - Failed to report (defeated) in Education (10-Y 12-N) [SB1109 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2023-SB1109-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-206.3 as follows:
§22.1-206.3. College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund.
A. The College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund is established for the purpose of supporting English language learner students in preparing for postsecondary opportunities by awarding reimbursement grants to eligible school divisions for providing and expanding access to career and technical education programs, apprenticeship programs, dual enrollment courses, Advanced Placement courses, and International Baccalaureate Programs for high school students identified as having limited English proficiency.
B. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of providing grants to eligible school divisions to provide access to certain college and career readiness programs and courses for students identified as having limited English proficiency. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Superintendent.
C. With such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, the College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program (the Program) is established to provide grants to eligible school divisions for the reimbursement of documented costs associated with preparing English language learner students for postsecondary opportunities. Costs eligible for reimbursement under the Program include costs related to (i) including English language learner students in career and technical education programs, apprenticeship programs, dual enrollment courses, Advanced Placement courses, and International Baccalaureate Programs; (ii) providing professional development in effective education of English language learners for instructors of such courses and programs; and (iii) hiring additional staff or contracted services to support English language learner students in such courses and programs. The total value of reimbursement grants awarded annually to any school division shall not exceed an amount equal to $500 times the number of identified English language learner students in grades nine through 12 enrolled in such school division.
D. The Program shall be administered by the Board. The Board may issue guidelines for the administration of the Program as it deems appropriate. The Board shall establish procedures for determining amounts and prioritizing the award of such reimbursement grants if the moneys in the Fund are not sufficient to provide each school division the full grant amount for which they are qualified. Such procedures shall require the Board to prioritize grants to school divisions with less than 3,000 students and school divisions with poverty rates above 20 percent for children between the ages of five and 17, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau's Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates Program.
2. That school divisions shall be eligible for reimbursement grants awarded pursuant to the College and Career Readiness for English as a Second Language Grant Program and Fund with such funds as are appropriated for this purpose beginning with the 2023–2024 school year.
