1

A bill to be entitled

2

An act relating to language instruction for limited

3

English proficient students; amending s. 1003.433, F.S.;

4

providing for immersion English language instruction

5

during the summer following the senior year for certain

6

students who have been enrolled in an ESOL program for

7

less than 2 full school years; amending s. 1003.56, F.S.;

8

requiring that for purposes of education accountability,

9

the FCAT scores for ESOL students do not count for at

10

least 2 full years following the date of initial

11

enrollment in a Florida public school; providing an

12

effective date.

13

14

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

15

16

     Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 1003.433, Florida

17

Statutes, is amended to read:

18

     1003.433  Learning opportunities for out-of-state and out-

19

of-country transfer students and students needing additional

20

instruction to meet high school graduation requirements.--

21

     (3)  Students who have been enrolled in an ESOL program for

22

less than 2 full school years and have met all requirements for

23

the standard high school diploma except for passage of the grade

24

10 FCAT or alternate assessment may receive immersion English

25

language instruction during the summer following their senior

26

year. Students receiving such instruction are eligible to take

27

the FCAT or alternate assessment and receive a standard high

28

school diploma upon passage of the grade 10 FCAT or the alternate

29

assessment. This subsection shall be implemented to the extent

30

funding is provided in the General Appropriations Act.

31

     Section 2.  Subsection (5) of section 1003.56, Florida

32

Statutes, is amended to read:

33

     1003.56  English language instruction for limited English

34

proficient students.--

35

     (5)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the

36

purpose of implementing this section. For purposes of education

37

accountability as provided in ss. 1008.22 and 1008.345 and for

38

the measurement of annual yearly progress under federal law, the

39

FCAT scores for an ESOL student shall not count for at least 2

40

full calendar years following the date of initial enrollment in a

41

Florida public school.

42

     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.