Official Summary
Preserves requirement that public schools ensure students obtain English language proficiency. Requires school districts to solicit parent/community input in developing language acquisition programs. Requires instruction to ensure English acquisition as rapidly and effectively as possible. Authorizes school districts to establish dual–language immersion programs for both native and non–native English speakers.
Fiscal Impact: No notable fiscal effect on school districts or state government.
- Official CA Voter Guide Summary
- Legislative Analyst Office Analysis
- Show Me The Money (as of Oct 22)
- support: $4,200,000
- oppose: $0
- Ballotpedia Summary
Notes
- requires that school districts provide English learner students the option to be taught nearly all in English
- schools would no longer be required to teach English learners in English-only programs
- schools would be required to offer intensive English instruction to English learners if parents of 20 or more students in a grade requested it, or 30 or more overall ask for a specific kind of English learner program
- school districts and county offices are required to ask parents andf community members how English should be taught in annual planning process
- makes starting or expanding a bilingual program easier
- changes to Education Code can be made by simple majority instead of 2/3 vote
- about 22% of California students is an English learner (2.7 million) - speak a language other than English at home
- 1998's Prop 227 restricts bilingual programs, requires English learners be taught in English - 1 yr of intensive English instruction and bilingual classes before transitioning to English only classes
- bilingual classes can only happen if 20 students in a grade get waivers, received by fulfilling one of the 3:
- students have attended an English-only classroom for 30+ days and school admin decide bilingual would be better for them
- at least 10 yrs old
- fluent English speakers
- before Prop 227, 30% of English learners were in bilingual programs, 2008 was at 5%