Dual language immersion: Dual Language Immersion Coordinator., the official text

An act to add Article 6 (commencing with Section 52205) to Chapter 7 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law appropriates $10,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2021–22 fiscal year to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer the Dual Language Immersion Grant Program for the purpose of expanding access to quality dual language learning and fostering languages that English learners bring to California’s education system. Under that program, the State Department of Education is required to award a minimum of 25 one-time Dual Language Immersion Grants over a period of 3 fiscal years of up to $380,000 per grant to an eligible entity to expand or establish dual language immersion programs.
This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, to designate a Dual Language Immersion Coordinator to provide coordination between local educational agencies, as defined, to share resources and knowledge on dual language immersion programs, as defined. The bill would require the Dual Language Immersion Coordinator to (1) act as the point of contact within the department for local educational agencies seeking to, among other things, establish new or expand existing dual language immersion programs, and (2) establish, publish, and maintain on the department’s internet website, on or before January 1, 2028, a directory of operative dual language immersion programs, as specified. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on local educational agencies relating to the establishment and maintenance of the directory, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Article 6 (commencing with Section 52205) is added to Chapter 7 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
6.
Dual Language Immersion Coordinator52205.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Dual language immersion program” means a program that enrolls both English learners and native speakers of English and provides integrated language learning and academic instruction for native speakers of English and native speakers of another language, with the goals of high academic achievement, first and second language proficiency, and cross-cultural understanding.
(b) “Local educational agency” means a school district, charter school, county office of education, or regional occupational center or program operated by a joint powers authority or county office of education.
(c) “Partner language” means a language other than English that is used to provide instruction to pupils in a dual language immersion program.

52206.
The department, on or before July 1, 2027, shall designate a Dual Language Immersion Coordinator to provide coordination between local educational agencies to share resources and knowledge on dual language immersion programs.

52207.
The Dual Language Immersion Coordinator shall do all of the following:
(a) Act as the point of contact within the department for local educational agencies seeking to establish new or expand existing dual language immersion programs.
(b) Facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration between local educational agencies to share resources and best practices on dual language immersion programs.
(c) Establish, publish, and maintain on the department’s internet website, on or before January 1, 2028, a directory of operative dual language immersion programs, which shall include all of the following:
(1) The local educational agency and schoolsites that have operative dual language immersion programs.
(2) The partner languages offered at each schoolsite, the program model, and a point of contact for the program.

SEC. 2.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.