PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2976 PRINTER'S NO. 4076
No. 2188 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY NICKOL, BROWNE, CRAHALLA, CRUZ, CURRY, DENLINGER,
GINGRICH, JOSEPHS, LAUGHLIN, MANN, S. MILLER, ROSS, RUBLEY,
SCAVELLO, STURLA, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TURZAI, WASHINGTON,
YOUNGBLOOD, STETLER, SAYLOR AND MELIO, NOVEMBER 24, 2003
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 15, 2004
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," providing payments to school
6 districts for Limited English Proficiency programs; AND <--
7 ADDING A DEFINITION FOR LIMITED ENGLISH-PROFICIENT STUDENT.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
11 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
12 section to read:
13 Section 2504.4. Payments on Account of Limited English
14 Proficiency Programs.--(A) Every school district which enrolls <--
15 students in a program or programs for students with Limited
16 English Proficiency (LEP) shall be reimbursed for each student
17 enrolled in 2002-2003, and each school year thereafter, payable
18 in the succeeding school year, an amount equal to one thousand
19 dollars ($1,000) per student multiplied by the market value
1 personal income aid ratio of the school district.
2 (B) A LIMITED ENGLISH-PROFICIENT STUDENT IS ONE WHO: <--
3 (1) (I) WAS NOT BORN IN THE UNITED STATES OR WHOSE NATIVE
4 LANGUAGE IS OTHER THAN ENGLISH AND COMES FROM AN ENVIRONMENT
5 WHERE A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IS DOMINANT;
6 (II) IS A NATIVE AMERICAN OR ALASKA NATIVE WHO IS A NATIVE
7 RESIDENT OF THE OUTLYING AREAS AND COMES FROM AN ENVIRONMENT
8 WHERE A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
9 ON SUCH INDIVIDUAL'S LEVEL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY; OR
10 (III) IS MIGRATORY AND WHOSE NATIVE LANGUAGE IS OTHER THAN
11 ENGLISH AND COMES FROM AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE A LANGUAGE OTHER
12 THAN ENGLISH IS DOMINANT; AND
13 (2) HAS SUFFICIENT DIFFICULTY SPEAKING, READING, WRITING OR
14 UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND WHOSE DIFFICULTIES IN ONE
15 OR MORE OF THESE AREAS MAY DENY SUCH INDIVIDUAL THE OPPORTUNITY
16 TO LEARN SUCCESSFULLY IN CLASSROOMS WHERE THE LANGUAGE OF
17 INSTRUCTION IS ENGLISH OR TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN OUR SOCIETY.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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