97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3109

 

Introduced 2/23/2011___________, by

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/14C-1  from Ch. 122, par. 14C-1
105 ILCS 5/14C-2  from Ch. 122, par. 14C-2

    Amends the Transitional Bilingual Education Article of the School Code. Adds as a purpose of the Article the establishment of approved alternative programs in public schools. Provides that an approved alternative program means a full-time program of instruction (1) in all of those courses or subjects that a child is required by law to receive and that are required by the child's school district; (2) that consists of a structured English immersion program in which school districts may immerse qualified children into regular education courses of mathematics, English, and science if it is determined through proficiency assessments that the children have achieved sufficient English proficiency; and (3) that does not require children in the immersion program to be taught by teachers with a Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language endorsement. Makes other changes.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3109LRB097 09337 RPM 51330 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
514C-1 and 14C-2 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14C-1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-1)
7    Sec. 14C-1. The General Assembly finds that there are large
8numbers of children in this State who come from environments
9where the primary language is other than English. Experience
10has shown that public school classes in which instruction is
11given only in English are often inadequate for the education of
12children whose native tongue is another language. The General
13Assembly believes that a program of transitional bilingual
14education can meet the needs of these children and facilitate
15their integration into the regular public school curriculum.
16Therefore, pursuant to the policy of this State to insure equal
17educational opportunity to every child, and in recognition of
18the educational needs of children of limited English-speaking
19ability, it is the purpose of this Act to provide for the
20establishment of transitional bilingual education or approved
21alternative programs in the public schools, to provide
22supplemental financial assistance to help local school
23districts meet the extra costs of such programs, and to allow

 

 

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1this State to directly or indirectly provide technical
2assistance and professional development to support
3transitional bilingual education programs statewide.
4(Source: P.A. 96-1423, eff. 8-3-10.)
 
5    (105 ILCS 5/14C-2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-2)
6    Sec. 14C-2. Definitions. Unless the context indicates
7otherwise, the terms used in this Article have the following
8meanings:
9    (a) "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
10    (b) "Certification Board" means the State Teacher
11Certification Board.
12    (c) "School District" means any school district
13established under this Code.
14    (d) "Children of limited English-speaking ability" means
15(1) all children in grades pre-K through 12 who were not born
16in the United States, whose native tongue is a language other
17than English, and who are incapable of performing ordinary
18classwork in English; and (2) all children in grades pre-K
19through 12 who were born in the United States of parents
20possessing no or limited English-speaking ability and who are
21incapable of performing ordinary classwork in English.
22    (e) "Teacher of transitional bilingual education" means a
23teacher with a speaking and reading ability in a language other
24than English in which transitional bilingual education is
25offered and with communicative skills in English.

 

 

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1    (f) "Program in transitional bilingual education" means a
2full-time program of instruction (1) in all those courses or
3subjects which a child is required by law to receive and which
4are required by the child's school district which shall be
5given in the native language of the children of limited
6English-speaking ability who are enrolled in the program and
7also in English, (2) in the reading and writing of the native
8language of the children of limited English-speaking ability
9who are enrolled in the program and in the oral comprehension,
10speaking, reading and writing of English, and (3) in the
11history and culture of the country, territory or geographic
12area which is the native land of the parents of children of
13limited English-speaking ability who are enrolled in the
14program and in the history and culture of the United States; or
15a part-time program of instruction based on the educational
16needs of those children of limited English-speaking ability who
17do not need a full-time program of instruction.
18    (g) "Approved alternative program" means a full-time
19program of instruction:
20        (1) in all of those courses or subjects that a child is
21    required by law to receive and that are required by the
22    child's school district;
23        (2) that consists of a structured English immersion
24    program in which school districts may immerse qualified
25    children into regular education courses of mathematics,
26    English, and science if it is determined through

 

 

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1    proficiency assessments that the children have achieved
2    sufficient English proficiency; and
3        (3) that does not require children in the immersion
4    program to be taught by teachers with a Bilingual Education
5    and English as a Second Language endorsement.
6    The transfer of children to regular school classes must not
7be done without the consent of parents or legal guardians.
8Teachers providing instruction to English as a Second Language
9children in regular school classes and who do not have a
10Bilingual and English as a Second Language endorsement shall
11receive training by the school district on how to accommodate
12the needs of bilingual children being immersed into regular
13school classes.
14(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)