SF 266 (LSB 2235XS (3) 85)

SENATE FILE 266

BY  PETERSEN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to supplementary weighting for limited English proficient students and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 257.31, subsection 5, paragraph j, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   j.  Unusual need to continue providing a program or other special assistance to non-English speaking pupils after the expiration of the four-year
 
applicable period
 
of years specified in section 280.4.
    Sec. 2.  Section 280.4, subsection 3, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   3.
  a.  In order to provide funds for the excess costs of instruction of limited English proficient students above the costs of instruction of pupils in a regular curriculum, students identified as limited English proficient shall be assigned an additional weighting of twenty-two hundredths, and that weighting shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding four
 
the number of years
 
specified in paragraph “b”. However, the school budget review committee may grant supplemental aid or modified allowable growth to a school district to continue funding a program for students after the expiration of the four-year
 
specified period
 
of years in paragraph “b”.
   b.
  (1)  For students first determined to be limited English proficient for a budget year beginning before July 1, 2013, the additional weighting provided under paragraph “a” shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding four years.
   (2)  For students first determined to be limited English proficient for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, the additional weighting provided under paragraph “a” shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding five years.
   (3)  For students first determined to be limited English proficient for the budget year beginning July 1, 2014, the additional weighting provided under paragraph “a” shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding six years.

   (4)  For students first determined to be limited English proficient for a budget year beginning on or after July 1, 2015, the additional weighting provided under paragraph “a” shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding seven years.
    Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
   Current Code section 280.4 provides funds for the excess costs of instruction of limited English proficient students above the costs of instruction of pupils in a regular curriculum. This funding is provided for a period not to exceed four years through assignment of an additional weighting of 22 hundredths to each student identified as limited English proficient.
   This bill increases the number of years for which a school district of residence may include the additional weighting for a student determined to be limited English proficient. Under the bill, for students first determined to be limited English proficient for a budget year beginning before July 1, 2013, the additional weighting shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding four years. For students first determined to be limited English proficient for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, the additional weighting shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding five years. For students first determined to be limited English proficient for the budget year beginning July 1, 2014, the additional weighting shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding six years. For students first determined to be limited English proficient for a budget year beginning on or after July 1, 2015, the additional weighting shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not exceeding seven years.
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.