House Study Bill 576 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON DOLECHECK) A BILL FOR An Act relating to supplementary weighting for 1 limited-English-proficient students and including effective 2 date and applicability provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5796YC (8) 88 md/jh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 280.4, subsection 1, Code 2020, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. a. The medium of instruction in all secular subjects 3 taught in both public and nonpublic schools shall be the 4 English language, except when the use of a world language is 5 deemed appropriate in the teaching of any subject or when the 6 student is limited English proficient. When the student is 7 limited English proficient, both public and nonpublic schools 8 shall provide special instruction, which shall include but 9 need not be limited to either instruction in English as a 10 second language or transitional bilingual instruction until 11 the student is fully English proficient or demonstrates a 12 functional ability to speak, read, write, and understand the 13 English language. 14 b. As used in this section , “limited English proficient” 15 means a student’s language background is in a language other 16 than English, and the student’s proficiency in English is 17 such that the probability of the student’s academic success 18 in an English-only classroom is below that of an academically 19 successful peer with an English language background. : 20 (1) “Emerging student” means a limited-English-proficient 21 student that has not yet attained a level of English-language 22 skill necessary to produce, interpret, and collaborate on 23 grade-level content-related academic tasks in English. 24 (2) “Fully English proficient” means a student who is able 25 to read, understand, write, and speak the English language 26 and to use English to ask questions, to understand teachers 27 and reading materials, to test ideas, and to challenge what 28 is being asked in the classroom has attained a level of 29 English-language skill necessary to independently produce, 30 interpret, collaborate on, and succeed in grade-level 31 content-related academic tasks in English . 32 (3) “Limited English proficient” means a student’s language 33 background is in a language other than English, and the 34 student’s proficiency in English is such that the probability 35 -1- LSB 5796YC (8) 88 md/jh 1/ 3

H.F. _____ of the student’s academic success in an English-only classroom 1 is below that of an academically successful peer with an 2 English language background. 3 (a) “Progressing student” means a limited-English-proficient 4 student that, with support, approaches a level of 5 English-language skill necessary to produce, interpret, and 6 collaborate on grade-level content-related academic tasks in 7 English. 8 Sec. 2. Section 280.4, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 2020, 9 is amended to read as follows: 10 a. In order to provide funds for the excess costs of 11 instruction of limited English proficient students specified 12 in paragraph “b” above the costs of instruction of pupils in a 13 regular curriculum, students each limited-English-proficient 14 student identified as limited English proficient an emerging 15 student shall be assigned an additional weighting of twenty-two 16 hundredths three-tenths , each limited-English-proficient 17 student identified as a progressing student shall be assigned 18 an additional weighting of twenty-five hundredths, and that 19 the applicable weighting shall be included in the weighted 20 enrollment of the school district of residence for a period not 21 exceeding five years as provided in paragraph “b” . However, the 22 school budget review committee may grant supplemental aid or a 23 modified supplemental amount to a school district to continue 24 funding a program for students after the expiration of the 25 five-year period. 26 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 27 years beginning on or after July 1, 2020. 28 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 29 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 30 EXPLANATION 31 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 32 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 33 In order to provide funds for the excess costs of instruction 34 of limited-English-proficient students above the costs of 35 -2- LSB 5796YC (8) 88 md/jh 2/ 3

H.F. _____ instruction of pupils in a regular curriculum, Code section 1 280.4 assigns students identified as limited-English-proficient 2 an additional weighting of 0.22 for up to five years. 3 This bill divides limited-English-proficient students 4 into two categories based on proficiency: emerging students 5 and progressing students. “Emerging student” means a 6 limited-English-proficient student that has not yet attained 7 a level of English-language skill necessary to produce, 8 interpret, and collaborate on grade-level content-related 9 academic tasks in English. “Progressing student” means 10 a limited-English-proficient student that, with support, 11 approaches a level of English-language skill necessary 12 to produce, interpret, and collaborate on grade-level 13 content-related academic tasks in English. Under the bill, 14 each emerging student shall be assigned an additional weighting 15 of 0.3 and each progressing student shall be assigned an 16 additional weighting of 0.25. The bill also modifies the 17 definition of “fully English proficient” to correlate with the 18 terminology used to define “emerging student” and “progressing 19 student”. 20 The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies to school 21 budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2020. 22 -3- LSB 5796YC (8) 88 md/jh 3/ 3