(a) (1) As part of the parent and community engagement process required for the development of a local control and accountability plan pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 52060) of Chapter 6.1 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2, school districts and county offices of education shall solicit input on, and shall provide to pupils, effective and appropriate instructional methods, including, but not limited to, establishing language acquisition programs, as defined in Section 306. This requirement is intended to ensure that all pupils, including English learners and native speakers of English, have access to the core academic content standards, including the English language development standards, as applicable, and become proficient in English pursuant to the state priorities identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 52060 and of Section 52066.
(2) School districts and county offices of education shall, at a minimum, provide English learners with a structured English immersion program, as specified in Section 306, for purposes of ensuring that English learners have access to the core academic content standards, including the English language development standards, and become proficient in English pursuant to the state priorities identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 52060 and of Section 52066.
(b) When a school district or a county office of education establishes a language acquisition program pursuant to this section, the school district or county office of education shall consult with the proper school personnel, including, but not limited to, administrators and certificated teachers with the appropriate authorizations and experience.
(c) School districts and county offices of education are also encouraged to provide opportunities to pupils who are native speakers of English to be instructed in another language to a degree sufficient to produce proficiency in that language. The non-English language should be at the discretion of the parents, community, and school, depending upon the linguistic and financial resources of the school community and other local considerations.
(d) A language acquisition program established pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements of Section 310.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 753, Sec. 3. (SB 1174) Approved in Proposition 58 at the November 8, 2016, election. Operative July 1, 2017, by Sec. 9 of Proposition 58.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018