What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to establishing fair, equitable and appropriate English language testing requirements for certain students with limited English proficiency
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Carmen E. Arroyo
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S8322
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing fair, equitable and appropriate English language testing requirements for certain students
Purpose
To establish procedures that will allow limited English proficient English language learners who enroll in a New York State school after grade eight (8) and who meet all other high school graduation requirements except the English Regents Test, to meet that requirement as follows:
- Pass a native language arts test. - Demonstrate English language acquisition at levels commensurate with the number of years of English language instruction as measured by English language achievement test.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 305 of the education law by adding new subdivision 42.
Section 2 provides for an immediate effective date applicable to the 2010-2011 school year.
Justification
New York State requires that starting with the 2009 ninth grade class all students must earn a Regents diploma to graduate from high school. While English language learners have the option of taking four of the five high stakes Regents tests required for graduation (science, social studies, and mathematics) in their native language, they must also pass an English language arts test, i.e. the English Regents Examination. Research shows that it takes approximately four to six years to acquire English proficiency. Youngsters enrolling in school in the United States after the middle grades will not have the time or the level of instruction needed to acquire the English language proficiency needed to pass the Comprehensive English Regents. Examination. Many of these youngsters have high levels of literacy in their native language. Given the strong correlation between native language literacy and acquiring English language literacy, students with strong literacy skills in the first language do become strong readers of English. As a consequence of the new requirements these youngsters are forced to remain in high school until they pass the English Regents test or drop out of school. They must put off and delay moving on to higher education although they may have already been admitted into a college or university.
New York State data shows that approximately 90 percent of English language learners do not earn a Regents diploma in four years. For those youngsters who can read the most rigorous and challenging literature in their native language, i.e. Cervantes' Don Quixote de La Mancha, and who are rapidly acquiring English proficiency, there must be a more fair, appropriate, and equitable road to acquiring a high school diploma in New York State.
Legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and be applied at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.