What's happening
This bill requires certain New York public school districts to provide language assistance programs for limited English proficient parents.
Why it matters
The bill targets inclusivity for parents who are limited English proficient (LEP), ensuring they can fully participate in their children’s education by requiring key school communications and events to be accessible in their primary language. This includes written materials, parent-teacher conferences, and other school-based events.
It mandates accountability and oversight by requiring school districts to keep detailed records and submit annual reports on language assistance activities, participation, and complaints. This could help identify gaps and improve the effectiveness of services for LEP families.
The bill defines “primary language” as one of the five most common non-English languages in each district and only applies to school districts where LEP parents or non-English speakers make up more than 5% of residents, based on recent Census data. This targets resources to areas with significant language diversity without overburdening districts with very small LEP populations.
There is flexibility for districts to collaborate with each other in providing language programs, and the State Education Commissioner is empowered to set rules—potentially allowing for tailored, practical solutions and a formal complaint process for parents. This could lead to more consistent enforcement and innovation in language access across districts.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Help for Non-English Parents
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 32
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1697
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public school districts to provide language assistance to limited English proficient parents of students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 57 to read as follows:
57. a. All school districts shall establish a language assistance program where limited English proficient parents would have effective access to communicate with teachers and school personnel. This comprehensive program shall include, but is not limited to:
(1) Providing that all frequently used forms and other written materials that are sent home to limited English proficient parents are in their primary language;
(2) Providing language assistance to limited English proficient parents in their primary language who call or come into school with concerns related to their child's schooling;
(3) Providing language assistance services to limited English proficient parents in their primary language to facilitate parent attendance at school-sponsored programs designed for communication with parents including, but not limited to, parent-teacher conferences, workshops and school fairs.
b. A notice of the availability of the language assistance programs for limited English proficient parents established pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision shall be mailed to the homes of such limited English proficient parents in a notice written in their primary language.
c. Each school district shall keep a record documenting its language assistance program and shall submit a summary report annually to the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01437-01-9
S. 1697 2
commissioner. Such record and report shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) The number of limited English proficient parents who receive such assistance;
(2) The number of limited English proficient households where one parent is English language proficient; and
(3) The number of complaints filed by limited English proficient parents; and
(4) The number of bilingual personnel used to assist in the language assistance and translation services.
d. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to implement the provisions of this subdivision, including but not limited to, the methodology to be used by each school district to determine or assess the primary languages, the number of limited English proficient parents, the percentage of limited English proficient parents to students and the native language of such limited English proficient parents, and a complaint procedure for any parent who alleges a school's non-compliance with the provisions of this subdivision.
e. For purposes of this subdivision:
(1) "Primary language" means one of the five most common languages in a school district, other than English, spoken and used to communicate, by limited English proficient parents.
(2) "Limited English proficient parents" means parents or parent of a minor child who attends public school and such parents or parent is unable to communicate effectively in English with teachers and school personnel at the school attended by his or her child.
f. Nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit a school district from entering into a cooperative agreement with other school districts to jointly establish such a language assistance program.
g. This subdivision shall only apply to school districts where non- English speaking residents or limited English proficient parents constitute more than five percent of the residents of such school district, as determined by data from the two most recent federal decennial censuses.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public school districts to provide language assistance to limited English proficient parents of students
Purpose
To ensure that parents who cannot speak English proficiently have adequate access to education related documents and procedures.
Summary of provisions
Section I amends section 305 the education law by adding new section 44 to require all public school districts to establish a language assist- ance program where a limited English proficient parents would have effective access to communicate with school regarding their children's education.
Section II sets forth the effective date.
Justification
The bill is necessary to better serve those parents in the state of New York who cannot understand the English language. Many parents are immi- grants who come to this country seeking educational opportunities for their children. Studies have shown that parental involvement is impor- tant to a student's success in school. However, parents with limited English proficiency cannot be involved in their children's education. In order to better facilitate communication between children and their parents, it is imperative to implement language assistance programs that will enable parents to full participant in their children's education.
Legislative history
S.8634 of 2018, referred to education
Fiscal impact on the state
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.