103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3533

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Tom Bennett

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/14C-3  from Ch. 122, par. 14C-3

    Amends the Transitional Bilingual Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a program in transitional bilingual education shall include a unit of instruction that teaches English learners about American civics and culture. Provides that the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Advisory Council on Bilingual Education, shall establish and publish learning standards for a school district to utilize for this unit of instruction. Effective immediately.


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STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3533LRB103 38924 RJT 69061 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
514C-3 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14C-3)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-3)
7    Sec. 14C-3. Language classification of children;
8establishment of program; period of participation;
9examination.
10    (a) Each school district shall ascertain, not later than
11the first day of March, under regulations prescribed by the
12State Board, the number of English learners within the school
13district, and shall classify them according to the language of
14which they possess a primary speaking ability, and their grade
15level, age or achievement level.
16    (b) When, at the beginning of any school year, there is
17within an attendance center of a school district, not
18including children who are enrolled in existing private school
19systems, 20 or more English learners in any such language
20classification, the school district shall establish, for each
21classification, a program in transitional bilingual education
22for the children therein. A school district may establish a
23program in transitional bilingual education with respect to

 

 

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1any classification with less than 20 children therein, but
2should a school district decide not to establish such a
3program, the school district shall provide a locally
4determined transitional program of instruction which, based
5upon an individual student language assessment, provides
6content area instruction in a language other than English to
7the extent necessary to ensure that each student can benefit
8from educational instruction and achieve an early and
9effective transition into the regular school curriculum.
10    (c) Every school-age English learner not enrolled in
11existing private school systems shall be enrolled and
12participate in the program in transitional bilingual education
13established for the classification to which he belongs by the
14school district in which he resides for a period of 3 years or
15until such time as he achieves a level of English language
16skills which will enable him to perform successfully in
17classes in which instruction is given only in English,
18whichever shall first occur.
19    An English learner enrolled in a program in transitional
20bilingual education may, in the discretion of the school
21district and subject to the approval of the child's parent or
22legal guardian, continue in that program for a period longer
23than 3 years.
24    (d) An examination in the oral language (listening and
25speaking), reading, and writing of English, as prescribed by
26the State Board, shall be administered annually to all English

 

 

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1learners enrolled and participating in a program in
2transitional bilingual education. No school district shall
3transfer an English learner out of a program in transitional
4bilingual education prior to his third year of enrollment
5therein unless the parents of the child approve the transfer
6in writing, and unless the child has received a score on said
7examination which, in the determination of the State Board,
8reflects a level of English language skills appropriate to his
9or her grade level.
10    If later evidence suggests that a child so transferred is
11still disabled by an inadequate command of English, he may be
12re-enrolled in the program for a length of time equal to that
13which remained at the time he was transferred.
14    (e) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a program in
15transitional bilingual education shall include a unit of
16instruction that teaches English learners about American
17civics and culture. The State Board of Education, in
18consultation with the Advisory Council on Bilingual Education
19created under Section 14C-13, shall establish and publish
20learning standards for a school district to utilize for this
21unit of instruction.
22(Source: P.A. 98-972, eff. 8-15-14; 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
24becoming law.