BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 1109
AUTHOR: Padilla
AMENDED: March 26, 2012
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: April 11, 2012
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Kathleen Chavira
SUBJECT : English Learner Master Plan.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to develop an English Learner Master Plan, to include
specified elements, before January 1, 2014, and requires
the SPI to report on the status of, and recommendations
for, the plan to the Legislature and the State Board of
Education.
BACKGROUND
Current law, the English Learner and Immigrant Pupil
Federal Conformity Act, consistent with the requirements
of Title III of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of
2001, requires an eligible local educational agency
desiring a subgrant under Title III to submit a plan around
English learners to the State Department of Education
outlining programs, activity, accountability measures,
parental engagement and participation, assurances of
consultation with specified entities, and a description of
how language instruction education programs ensure that
English learners served by the programs will develop
English proficiency. (Education Code � 443)
Current law also requires the establishment of a
District-Level English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)
on bilingual education, as specified, for any school
district with 51 or more English learners, as a condition
of receiving Economic Impact Aid funding. (EC � 62002.5)
Among other things, the DELAC is responsible for the
development or revision of a district master plan of
education programs and services for English learners.
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Schools with more than 20 English learners are required to
establish a school level advisory committee, as specified,
which is responsible for advising the principal and staff
on the development of a detailed master plan for bilingual
education for the school and submitting the plan to the
governing board for consideration for inclusion in the
district master plan. (EC � 52176)
ANALYSIS
This bill :
1) Requires the SPI to:
a) Develop an English Learner Master
Plan before January 1, 2014, to expand support
services provided by the department to assist
local educational agencies in establishing,
implementing, and sustaining, language
instruction and English language development for
English learners.
b) Consider, at a minimum, education
research and processes, practices of local
educational agencies (LEAs) in other states, best
practices of LEAs within California, and the
alignment of the department's resources with the
needs of LEAs and their English learners, in
developing the plan.
c) Report to the Legislature and
State Board of Education on the status of
completing the plan and to provide
recommendations for the plan and sunsets these
reporting requirements on January 1, 2017.
2) Requires the English Learner Master Plan to include,
but not be limited to, all of the following:
a) The efficient use of federal
funding.
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b) Consistent, reliable, and valid
methods for identifying, classifying and
reclassifying English learners.
c) Best practices in instruction that
support differentiated instruction and English
language development, for specified purposes.
d) Programs that facilitate effective
transition to common core academic content
standards and state-adopted curriculum and
assessments.
e) Programs that address the needs of
long-term English learners, as defined.
f) Preparation for college and career
readiness, as specified.
g) Professional development programs
and continuing education strengthen and improve
training of school employees who work with
English learners.
h) An effective means of informing
parents and legal guardians how to become
involved in, and assist, their children's
education to meet state required academic and
achievement standards.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . While current law requires the
adoption of district master plans for meeting the
needs of English learners, there is no such
requirement for the California Department of Education
(CDE). According to the author, numerous reports call
into question the entire English learner system and
how these students are identified, tested, taught, and
how and when they achieve English language
proficiency. According to the author, California needs
a coordinated statewide plan to implement reforms and
solutions to the myriad of problems and deficiencies
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it faces in educating its English learners.
2) Parallels current department activity . According to
the CDE, the department is currently in the process of
developing the master plan proposed by this bill. It
is the intent of the author to ensure that the
Legislature's interests and priorities are reflected
in the department's work.
3) English learners . The CDE provides the following
information on English learners in California's public
schools:
a) In the 2010-11 school year, there were
approximately 1.4 million
English learners in California public schools,
constituting 23.2 percent of the total
enrollment.
b) Seventy one percent of English learners are
enrolled in the
elementary grades (K-6) with the remaining 29
percent enrolled in grades 7-12.
c) Although English learner data are collected
for 59 language groups,
94 percent speak one of the top ten languages in
the state, which include Spanish (82.7 percent),
Vietnamese, Cantonese, Pilipino (Filipino or
Tagalog), Hmong, Mandarin, Korean, Arabic,
Punjabi, and Russian.
d) During 2010-2011 the CDE administered the
California English
Language Development Test (CELDT) to 1.57 million
students, 1.25 million of whom were tested under
the annual assessment window.
e) Since 2008-09, approximately 11% of English
learners have
annually been reclassified as English
proficient.
4) Inclusive process necessary . While the bill currently
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requires that the SPI consider research on the
education of English learners and practices at the
local level in developing the master plan, the bill
does not explicitly require consultation with
individuals who have expertise and direct experience
working with English learners.
Staff recommends the bill be amended on page 2, line
13, after "shall" to insert "consult with experts in
the field of English learners, teachers of English
learners, school and district administrators with
expertise in curriculum, instruction, assessment and
accountability, parents of English learners, and local
governing board members, and shall"
5) Report and recommend on what and by when ? This bill
requires development of an English Learner Master Plan
by January 1, 2014, and then requires a report to the
Legislature and State Board of Education on the status
of the plan and recommendations for the plan. It
appears to be the intent that the completed Master
Plan be delivered to the Legislature and the State
Board and that the report include CDE recommendations
on any statutory, regulatory, or administrative
changes necessary for its implementation. Staff
recommends the bill be amended to require that the SPI
report to the Legislature and SBE by July 1, 2014, and
that the CDE report include recommendations for
statutory, regulatory, or administrative changes
necessary to implement the Masterplan.
SUPPORT
California Association of Latino Superintendents and
Administrators (CALSA)
California Teachers Association (CTA)
California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages (CATESOL)
San Francisco Unified School District
School Board Member for District 6, Los Angeles Unified
School District
Youth Policy Institute
OPPOSITION
None received.
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