BILL NUMBER: SB 409	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator De León

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2015

   An act to amend Section 313.5 of the Education Code, relating to
English learners.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 409, as introduced, De León. English learners:
reclassification.
   (1) Existing law required the State Department of Education, by
January 1, 2014, to review and analyze the criteria, policies, and
practices that a sampling of school districts that represent the
geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of school
districts in the state use to reclassify English learners and
recommend to the Legislature and the State Board of Education any
guideline, regulatory, or statutory changes that the department
determines are necessary to identify when English learners are
prepared for the successful transition to classrooms and curricula
that require English proficiency.
   This bill would instead require the department, by January 1,
2017, to contract with an outside research organization to perform
the above-mentioned review and analysis. The bill would require the
department to examine, as part of this review and analysis,
information on English learner achievement as described in local
control and accountability plans.
   (2) Existing law required the department, by January 1, 2014, to
issue a report on its findings, research, analysis, recommendations,
and best practices, and requires the department, by January 1, 2017,
to issue an updated report that reflects any changes in analysis and
recommendations as a result of the adoption by the state board of the
common core standards and related English language development
standards.
   This bill would change the issue date of this report to January 1,
2017, and would change the issue date of the updated report to
January 1, 2018.
   This bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to these
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 313.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   313.5.  (a) By January 1,  2014,   2017,
 the department shall  contract with an outside research
organization to  review and analyze the criteria, policies, and
practices that a sampling of school districts that represent the
geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of school
districts in the state use to reclassify English learners, and
recommend to the Legislature and state board any guideline,
regulatory, or statutory changes that the department determines are
necessary to identify when English learners are prepared for the
successful transition to classrooms and curricula that require
English proficiency.
   (b) For purposes of completing the review and analysis required
pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall consult with
parents of English learners, experts with demonstrated experience in
developing and administering assessments for English learners,
classroom or resource teachers, or both, school district
administrators with expertise in curriculum, instruction, assessment,
and accountability, and researchers possessing expertise in the
education of English learners.
   (c) The group of experts described in subdivision (b) shall
develop a study design that may include a sampling methodology for
purposes of selecting the school districts that will be part of the
review and analysis to identify best practices pursuant to
subdivision (a).
   (d) For purposes of completing the review and analysis required
pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall examine and report
on the following:
   (1) The practices and standards used by a sampling of school
districts that represent the geographic, socioeconomic, and
demographic diversity of school districts in the state to meet the
four reclassification criteria specified in subdivision (f) of
Section 313.
   (2) The extent to which school districts are following the
guidelines established by the state board.
   (3) The range of reclassification criteria developed by school
districts.
   (e) As part of the examination required pursuant to subdivision
(d), the department shall analyze the following:
   (1) English language proficiency and academic performance data.
   (2) The relationship of the reclassification criteria to
reclassification rates.
   (3) The academic performance of pupils after reclassification as
English proficient.
   (4) The relationship of the reclassification criteria to the
academic performance of pupils after reclassification. 
   (5) Information on English learner achievement as described in the
local control and accountability plans developed by school districts
pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 52060) of Chapter
6.1 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2. 
   (f) In its report, the department also shall identify any other
pupil outcome measures that indicate an English learner is prepared
to successfully transition to a classroom and curricula that require
English proficiency.
   (g) By January 1,  2014,   2017,  the
department shall issue a report that includes the department's
findings, research, analysis, recommendations, and best practices
pursuant to subdivisions (a), (d),  (e,)   (e),
 and (f).
   (h) By January 1,  2017,   2018,  the
department shall issue an updated report that reflects any changes in
analysis and recommendations as a result of the adoption by the
state board of the common core standards pursuant to Section 60605.8
and the English language development standards adopted pursuant to
 former  Section  60811.3.   60811.3,
as that section read on June 30, 2013. 
   (i) This section shall be implemented only if state or federal
funds are appropriated as necessary to fully fund this purpose or if
private funds are made available as necessary to fully fund this
purpose.