AN ACT Relating to
students whose primary language is other than English; amending RCW 28A.180.030
and 28A.180.040; adding a new section to chapter 28A.180 RCW; and creating new
sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec.
1. (1) The superintendent of
public instruction shall review:
(a) The criteria used
to determine the point at which limited English proficient students are
required to take the Washington assessment of student learning. The review
shall be used to determine if the criteria are developmentally appropriate and
in the best interest of the students.
(b) The criteria used
to determine the point at which the results of the Washington assessment of
student learning for students receiving instructional services in the state
transitional bilingual instruction program should be included in a school
district's and school's assessment results.
(2) In conducting the
review, the superintendent shall consult with parents, teachers, principals,
classroom instructional staff, recognized experts in second-language
instruction, and statewide ethnic organizations that represent second-language
learners.
(3) Preliminary results
of the review shall be reported to the education and fiscal committees of the
legislature by December 1, 2001. Final results of the review shall be reported
to the education and fiscal committees of the legislature by December 1, 2002.
NEW SECTION. Sec.
2. A new section is added
to chapter 28A.180 RCW to read as follows:
The superintendent of
public instruction shall develop an evaluation system designed to measure
increases in the English and academic proficiency of eligible pupils. When
developing the system, the superintendent shall:
(1) Require school
districts to assess potentially eligible pupils within ten days of registration
using an English proficiency assessment or assessments as specified by the
superintendent of public instruction. Results of these assessments shall be
made available to both the superintendent of public instruction and the school
district;
(2) Require school
districts to annually assess all eligible pupils at the end of the school year
using an English proficiency assessment or assessments as specified by the
superintendent of public instruction. Results of these assessments shall be
made available to both the superintendent of public instruction and the school
district;
(3) Develop a system to
evaluate increases in the English and academic proficiency of students who are,
or were, eligible pupils. This evaluation shall include students when they are
in the program and after they exit the program until they finish their K-12
career or transfer from the school district. The purpose of the evaluation
system is to inform schools, school districts, parents, and the state of the
effectiveness of the transitional bilingual programs in school and school
districts in teaching these students English and other content areas, such as
mathematics and writing; and
(4) Report to the
education and fiscal committees of the legislature by November 1, 2002,
regarding the development of the systems described in this section and a
timeline for the full implementation of those systems. The legislature shall
approve and provide funding for the evaluation system in subsection (3) of this
section before any implementation of the system developed under subsection (3)
of this section may occur.
Sec. 3. RCW 28A.180.030 and 1990
c 33 s 164 are each amended to read as follows:
As used ((in RCW
28A.180.010 through 28A.180.080)) throughout this chapter, unless
the context ((thereof)) clearly indicates ((to the contrary))
otherwise:
(1) "Transitional
bilingual instruction" means:
(a) A system of
instruction which uses two languages, one of which is English, as a means of
instruction to build upon and expand language skills to enable the pupil to
achieve competency in English. Concepts and information are introduced in the
primary language and reinforced in the second language: PROVIDED, That the
program shall include testing in the subject matter in English; or
(b) In those cases in
which the use of two languages is not practicable as established by the
superintendent of public instruction and unless otherwise prohibited by law, an
alternative system of instruction which may include English as a second
language and is designed to enable the pupil to achieve competency in English.
(2) "Primary
language" means the language most often used by the student for
communication in his/her home.
(3) "Eligible
pupil" means any enrollee of the school district whose primary language is
other than English and whose English language skills are sufficiently deficient
or absent to impair learning.
Sec. 4. RCW 28A.180.040 and 1984
c 124 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
Every school district
board of directors shall:
(1) Make available to
each eligible pupil transitional bilingual instruction to achieve competency in
English, in accord with rules of the superintendent of public instruction.
(2) Wherever feasible,
ensure that communications to parents emanating from the schools shall be
appropriately bilingual for those parents of pupils in the bilingual
instruction program.
(3) Determine, by
administration of an English test approved by the superintendent of public
instruction the number of eligible pupils enrolled in the school district at
the beginning of a school year and thereafter during the year as necessary in
individual cases. ((If, however, a preliminary interview indicates little
or no English speaking ability, eligibility testing shall not be necessary.))
(4) Before the
conclusion of each school year, measure each eligible pupil's improvement in
learning the English language by means of a test approved by the superintendent
of public instruction.
(5) Provide in-service
training for teachers, counselors, and other staff, who are involved in the
district's transitional bilingual program. Such training shall include
appropriate instructional strategies for children of culturally different
backgrounds, use of curriculum materials, and program models.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 5. If specific funding for
the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is
not provided by June 30, 2001, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is
null and void.
