BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 750 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 750 (Mendoza) As Amended September 1, 2015 Majority vote SENATE VOTE: 36-0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- |Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------| |Education |7-0 |O'Donnell, Chávez, | | | | |Kim, McCarty, | | | | |Santiago, Thurmond, | | | | |Weber | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------| |Appropriations |14-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, Bloom, | | | | |Bonta, Calderon, | | | | |Chang, Eggman, | | | | |Gallagher, Eduardo | | | | |Garcia, Jones, Quirk, | | | | |Rendon, Weber, Wood | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- SB 750 Page 2 SUMMARY: Modifies the definitions of a "long-term English learner" (LTEL) and "an English learner at risk of becoming a long-term English learner" (ARLTEL), and expands state reporting requirements regarding these students. Specifically, this bill: 1)Changes the definition of a "long term English learner" by: a) Including students who have been enrolled in school for six years or more (rather than more than six years) b) Including students who have regressed to a lower English language proficiency level (in addition to scoring at the same level for two or more consecutive years) c) Limiting the grades in which a student must score at below basic or far below basic on the English language arts assessment to grades 6-9 (instead of 6-12) d) Stating that, if the assessment data above is not available for a student, that student shall not have that criteria applied and shall not be excluded based on those criteria. 1)Changes the definition of "an English learner at risk of becoming a long-term English learner" by: a) Expanding the grade level of students who could be so classified from grades 5-11 to grades 3-12 b) Expanding the number of years of United States school SB 750 Page 3 enrollment from 4 to 5 years c) Expanding the California Department of Education (CDE) notice requirements to include the posting of the statewide number of LTELs and ARLTELs 1)Provides authority to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to determine proficiency levels on new state assessments of English language development and English language arts for the purpose of identifying LTELs and ARLTELs. 2)Encourages the SPI to revisit these proficiency levels after three years of data is available from new state assessments of English language development and English language arts. 3)Specifies that data on LTELs and ARLTELs is to be posted on the CDE's Web site. 4)Makes no changes to the statutes governing the State Seal of Biliteracy. FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, minor/absorbable costs to the CDE to modify and expand data collection and reporting relative to LTELs and at-risk LTELs. COMMENTS: Need for this bill. According to the author, this bill is intended to addresses several technical issues identified by the CDE upon their implementation of the Long Term English Learner SB 750 Page 4 (LTEL) statute by adding the new California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress in English language arts. Changes to the LTEL and ARLTEL code include provisions which align the code with the state's assessment program (allowing for identification of LTELs when assessment data is not produced for a given grade level, and eliminating the use of the English language arts assessment in grades 10-12 because only 11th graders are tested), provide authority for the CDE to consider instances when a student's English proficiency scores regress (rather than just stay the same), and expanding the definition of ARLTEL to include students in their 5th year of school so that they may be identified the year before they can become identified as LTEL. First state data on LTELs now available. The first data available identifying the number and percentage of LTELs was produced by the CDE in draft form in December, 2014 and provided to school districts and county offices of education. The data on ARLTELs was not informative due to limitations in current law (including provisions which would be revised by this bill). 1)Of the approximately 471,000 English learners in grades 6-12 (who were not previously reclassified), approximately 339,000 have been in a United States school for more than six years. 2)Of the approximately 339,000 English learners who have been in United States schools for more than six years (and who have not been reclassified), approximately 90,000 are LTELs. This represents 26.5% of population which can be identified under current law (this percentage applies to the group of English learners who were not previously reclassified). Analysis Prepared by: SB 750 Page 5 Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0001882