California Senate Bill SB754 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 754AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 19, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY FEBRUARY 21, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 13, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 6, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Senator Padilla FEBRUARY 18, 2011  An act to amend Section 435 of the Education Code, relating to pupils.   An act to add Section 54029 to the Education Code, relating to school funding.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 754, as amended, Padilla.  Pupils: English learners.   School funding: economic impact aid.   Existing law provides economic impact aid funding to school districts based on the number of economically disadvantaged pupils and English learners enrolled in the school district. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to perform specified calculations to determine the amount of economic impact aid a school district receives for a fiscal year and further requires each school district to expend these funds for specified programs and activities.   This bill would require a school district, as a condition upon the receipt of economic impact aid funds, to post online and in an easily accessible location, its economic impact aid budget, as specified. The bill also would require the State Department of Education to determine, by July 1, 2017, whether each school district receiving economic impact aid funds is using proven methods of teaching English learners.   The English Learner and Immigrant Pupil Federal Conformity Act requires a local educational agency to provide instructional services to limited-English-proficient pupils and immigrant pupils in conformity with specified provisions of federal law. Existing law defines the term "English learner" for purposes of these provisions.   This bill would additionally define the terms "long-term English learner" and "reclassified English proficient" and would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the State Department of Education to provide information regarding long-term English learners and reclassified-English-proficient pupils.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 54029 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   54029. (a) As a condition upon the receipt of economic impact aid funds, a school district shall post online and in an easily accessible location the economic impact aid budget for the school district and each school within the school district. (b) By July 1, 2017, the department shall determine whether each school district receiving economic impact aid funds is using proven methods of teaching English learners.   SECTION 1.   Section 435 of the Education Code is amended to read: 435. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) "English learner" or "pupil of limited English proficiency" means a pupil who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English or who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual the ability to meet the state's proficient level of achievement on state assessments, the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English, or the opportunity to participate fully in society. (b) "Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" means Public Law 107-110 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6801 et seq.). (c) "Immigrant pupil" means a pupil who was born in a country other than the United States and who has attended a kindergarten class or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the United States for three or fewer years. (d) "Long-term English learner" means a pupil in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive, who has been an English learner for five or more years. (e) "Reclassified English proficient" means an English learner who has been redesignated as English proficient pursuant to Section 313.   SEC. 2.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the State Department of Education to provide information regarding long-term English learners and reclassified-English-proficient pupils.