BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2303
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2303 (Bloom)
As Amended May 23, 2014
Majority vote
EDUCATION 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 13-0
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|Ayes:|Buchanan, Olsen, Ch�vez, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, |
| |Gonzalez, Nazarian, | |Bradford, |
| |Weber, Williams | |Ian Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Eggman, Gomez, Holden, |
| | | |Linder, Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Establishes the State Recognition Program of Multiple
Pathways to Biliteracy to be administered by the California
Department of Education (CDE) to recognize those school
districts and county offices of education (COEs) that provide
multiple programs through which pupils move through a language
learning curriculum that is well articulated and comprehensive
with the purpose of achieving biliteracy. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Makes findings and declarations related to the significance
and success of the State Seal of Biliteracy Program; the
benefits of biliteracy and multilingual proficiency; the need
for a workforce with biliteracy skills and cross-cultural
competencies; and the need to establish comprehensive,
articulated, and powerful pathways for students to achieve
biliteracy.
2)Identifies the recognition of school districts and COEs that
establish pathways to biliteracy as a powerful first step in
establishing a comprehensive pathway for biliteracy.
3)Expresses the intent of the Legislature to establish a program
of state recognition and awards to school districts and COEs
that provide multiple programs through which pupils move
through a language learning curriculum that is well
articulated and comprehensive with the purpose of achieving
biliteracy.
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4)Expresses the intent of the Legislature to identify multiple
pathways to biliteracy that a school district and a COE may
utilize in developing its comprehensive biliteracy program.
5)Defines "biliteracy" as the ability to express oneself with
clarity and cogency, to read and write cogently, and to
compute and think critically in two or more languages,
including the ability to function in and across language
communities. The definition specifies that for English
learners, this includes the development of academic
proficiency in the pupil's primary language as well as in
English.
6)Requires the CDE to use state and federal funds to implement
this measure.
7)Establishes the State Recognition Program of Multiple Pathways
to Biliteracy and requires the CDE, beginning January 1, 2016,
to recognize and award the governing board of a school
district under this program if the school district meets any
of the specified criteria.
8)Requires, on or before December 31, 2015, the CDE to plan and
design the program; requires beginning January 1, 2016, and
each year thereafter, the CDE to disseminate and review
applications for recognition under the program; and, requires
beginning November 1, 2016, and each year thereafter, the CDE
to provide recognition to approved school districts and COEs.
9)Establishes the criteria a school district or COE must meet
for recognition under this program as follows:
a) Establishes and maintains, for pupils in grades 9-12,
for at least two years, a well-articulated State Seal of
Biliteracy program and maintains multiple pathways to
biliteracy, as described, or establishes and maintains for
pupils in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1-8, a
system of benchmarking progress and recognition of pupil
participation in and progress along a continuum toward
high-level proficiency in two or more languages;
b) Maintains a well-articulated plan for pupils in
prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1-12, inclusive,
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that describes the language programs that comprise a
coherent set of language development opportunities;
c) Specifies that a school district's plan consider all of
the following:
i) Integrating of English learner services with world
language programs;
ii) Allotting time to language study, sequencing, and
articulation;
iii) Including multiple entry points into language
learning;
iv) Providing equitable access to language learning;
v) Including a developmental window, specified as ages
4-8, where native-like proficiency is developed in
multiple languages; and,
vi) Considering the need to balance the desire to offer
multiple languages with the realities of accommodating
numerous course offerings.
d) Supports quality implementation including high quality
teachers through a retention, recruitment, and professional
development system, collaboration and planning time for
teachers, and professional development opportunities; and
e) Creates a districtwide, community wide, and school-wide
culture that celebrates language and cultural diversity in
the pursuit of biliteracy as a needed 21st century skill.
10)Specifies that a school district or COE may implement any
comprehensive program for the study of world languages and
identifies a number of program models a school district may
wish to consider, including Foreign Language Experience,
Exposure, Enrichment, or Exploratory (FLEX), Foreign Language
in Elementary Schools (FLES), Transitional Bilingual,
Developmental Bilingual, Immersion, Two-Way Immersion, Native
Speakers Courses, Heritage Language, World Language Classes,
or the Study Abroad International Student Exchange Program.
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11)Specifies the State Recognition Program of Multiple Pathways
to Biliteracy shall be implemented only to the extent moneys
are available to the State Department of Education for
purposes of the program from any source, including, but not
limited to, state moneys, federal moneys, and other nonstate
funding sources.
EXISTING LAW establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to
recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level
of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more
languages in addition to English.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, General Fund administrative costs to CDE of
approximately $300,000 to establish the program and award state
recognition to school districts and county offices of education.
Unknown General Fund and Proposition 98 (1988) cost pressure to
school districts, in the low thousands, to support the
development of model programs for achievement of state
recognition, as specified.
COMMENTS : When the State Seal of Biliteracy was established in
2011, the goal was to encourage pupils to acquire other
languages which would, in turn, provide pupils a competitive
edge to contribute and participate in expanding global markets,
communications, and security needs. In its first year, more
than 10,000 graduating high school students across California
earned recognition for achieving proficiency in multiple
languages; this represents 195 school districts and charter
schools in 41 counties.
According to a California State Board of Equalization report,
teaching the benefits of multiculturalism and providing students
with world languages and cultural competencies will allow them
to participate in their communities and to live harmoniously
with their neighbors. A wide range of languages are spoken in
California, indicating the diverse population of students across
the state. This bill encourages school districts to offer a
program that allows and inspires pupils to obtain the State Seal
of Biliteracy. In so doing, school districts will be
encouraging their pupils to learn and acquire other languages
with the hope of creating school environments that welcome,
accept, and value the cultural and linguistic diversity of
California's pupils.
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Previous Legislation: AB 815 (Brownley), Chapter 618, Statutes
of 2011, establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize
high school graduates who have attained a high level of
proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more
languages in addition to English.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley and Jill Rice / ED. /
(916) 319-2087
FN: 0003779