SB 750, as introduced, Mendoza. English language education: English learners: State Seal of Biliteracy.
(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 include an English learner 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 years as determined by the specified English language development test, or any successor test, or has regressed to a lower English language proficiency level, and scores far below basic or below basic on the specified English language arts standards-based achievement test, or an equivalent score on any 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 fourth 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 include 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, scores at the intermediate level or below on the specified English language development test, or any successor test, and scores in the fourth or fifth year at the below basic or far below basic level on the specified English language arts standards-based achievement test administered, or an equivalent score on any 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 the number of long-term English learners and English learners at risk of becoming long-term English learners in the state.
(4) Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to award a State Seal of Biliteracy. Existing law provides that the State Seal of Biliteracy certifies attainment of a high level of proficiency by a graduating high school pupil in one or more languages, in addition to English, and certifies that the graduate meets specified criteria, including, but not limited to, passing the California Standards Test in English language arts administered in grade 11 at the proficient level or above.
This bill would require the Superintendent, in the event that scores of the California Standards Test in English language arts or any successor test are not made available, to designate alternate equivalent criteria for eligibility for the State Seal of Biliteracy, as specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 313.1 of the Education Code is amended
2to read:
For purposes of this article, the following terms have
4the following meanings:
5(a) “Long-term English learner” means an English learner who
6is enrolled in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive, has been enrolled
7in schools in the United States forbegin delete more than six years,end deletebegin insert six years
8or more,end insert has remained at the same English language proficiency
9level for two or more consecutive years as determined by the
10English language development test identified or developed pursuant
11to Section 60810, or any successor test,begin insert or has regressed
to a lower
12English language proficiency level,end insert and scores far below basic or
13below basic on the English language arts standards-based
14achievement test administered pursuant to Section 60640, orbegin insert an
15equivalent score onend insert any successor test.
16(b) “English learner at risk of becoming a long-term English
17learner” means an English learner who is enrolled in any of grades
18begin delete 5 to 11,end deletebegin insert 3 to 12,end insert inclusive, in schools in the United States for four
19begin insert to fiveend insert
years, scores at the intermediate level or below on the
20English language development test identified or developed pursuant
21to Section 60810, or any successor test, and scores in the fourth
22begin insert or fifthend insert year at the below basic or far below basic level on the
23English language arts standards-based achievement test
24administered pursuant to Section 60640, orbegin insert an equivalent score
25onend insert any successor test.
Section 313.2 of the Education Code is amended to
27read:
(a) The department shall annually ascertain the number
29of pupils in each school district and school, including a school that
30is within the jurisdiction of a county office of education and a
31charter school, who are, or are at risk of becoming, long-term
32English learners, as those terms are defined in Section 313.1.
33(b) The department shall annually provide the information
34described in subdivision (a) to school districts andbegin delete schools.end deletebegin insert schools
35and post the number of long-term English learners and English
P4 1learners at risk of becoming long-term English learners in the
2state.end insert
Section 51461 of the Education Code is amended to
4read:
(a) The State Seal of Biliteracy certifies attainment of
6a high level of proficiency by a graduating high school pupil in
7one or more languages, in addition to English, and certifies that
8the graduate meets all of the following criteria:
9(1) Completion of all English language arts requirements for
10graduation with an overall grade point average of 2.0 or above in
11those classes.
12(2) begin insert(A)end insertbegin insert end insertPassing the California Standards Test in English
13language arts administered in grade 11 at the proficient level or
14above.
15(B) In the event that scores of the California Standards Test in
16English language arts or any successor test are not made available,
17the Superintendent shall designate alternate equivalent criteria
18for eligibility for the State Seal of Biliteracy. This criteria shall be
19used only for the duration of the unavailability of these assessment
20scores.
21(3) Proficiency in one or more languages other than English,
22demonstrated through one of the following methods:
23(A) Passing a foreign language Advanced Placement
24examination with a score of 3 or higher or an International
25Baccalaureate examination with a score of 4 or higher.
26(B) Successful completion of a four-year high school course of
27study in a foreign language, and attaining an overall
grade point
28average of 3.0 or above in that course of study.
29(C) If no Advanced Placement examination or off-the-shelf
30language test exists and the school district can certify to the
31Superintendent that the test meets the rigor of a four-year high
32school course of study in that foreign language, passing a school
33district language examination that, at a minimum, assesses
34speaking, reading, and writing in a language other than English at
35the proficient level or higher. If a school district offers a language
36examination in a language in which an Advanced Placement
37examination or off-the-shelf language test exists, the school district
38language examination shall be approved by the Superintendent for
39the purpose of determining proficiency in a language other than
40English.
P5 1(D) Passing the SAT II foreign language examination with a
2score of 600 or higher.
3(b) If the primary language of a pupil in any of grades 9 to 12,
4inclusive, is other than English, he or she shall do both of the
5following in order to qualify for the State Seal of Biliteracy:
6(1) Attain the early advanced proficiency level on the English
7language development test. For purposes of this paragraph, a
8participating school district may administer the English language
9development test an additional time as necessary.
10(2) Meet the requirements of subdivision (a).
11(c) For languages in which an Advanced Placement test is not
12available, the Superintendent may provide a listing of equivalent
13summative tests that school districts may use in place of an
14Advanced Placement test for purposes of subparagraph (A) of
15paragraph (3) of subdivision (a). A
school district may provide the
16Superintendent with a list of equivalent summative tests that the
17district uses in place of an Advanced Placement test for purposes
18of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a). The
19Superintendent may use lists received from school districts in
20developing his or her list of equivalent summative tests.
21(d) For purposes of this article, “foreign language” means a
22language other than English, and includes American Sign
23Language.
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