H.B. 46

1

ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE SERVICES
2 PROGRAMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
3 2001 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Michael R. Styler
6 This act modifies provisions related to the State System of Public Education by requiring
7 local school boards to implement an Alternative Language Services Program for students
8 who do not speak, read, and write the English language. This act takes effect July 1, 2001.
9 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
10 ENACTS:
11 53A-13-108, Utah Code Annotated 1953
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
13 Section 1. Section 53A-13-108 is enacted to read:
14 53A-13-108. Alternative Language Services Program.
15 (1) Each local school board shall implement or demonstrate to the satisfaction of the State
16 Board of Education the existence of an Alternative Language Services Program for students
17 enrolled in its public schools who do not speak, read, and write the English language.
18 (2) The program:
19 (a) shall include at least three classes per school day of English language instruction for
20 each student;
21 (b) should have content area classes taught by instructors who are trained to provide
22 comprehensible input; and
23 (c) shall have a component to encourage and facilitate parental involvement.
24 (3) A student shall spend at least one full school year in the program, unless the director
25 of the program or the director's designee, in consultation with the student and the student's parent,
26 determines that the student has sufficiently mastered the skills of speaking, reading, and writing
27 English fluently enough to learn in English prior to the year's end.

28 (4) (a) The State Board of Education shall:
29 (i) provide a model Alternative Language Services Program, which a local board may use
30 to satisfy the requirement established in Subsection (1); and
31 (ii) monitor each school district's program.
32 (b) The state superintendent of public instruction shall include in the annual report
33 required under Subsection 53A-1-301 (2)(d) information on the status and progress of each school
34 district's program.
35 (5) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
36 State Board of Education may make rules that would allow a school district to combine appropriate
37 grade levels in implementing its Alternative Language Services Program, most particularly in the
38 rural areas of the state.
39 (6) The program shall be funded under Section 53A-17a-131.4 .
40 Section 2. Effective date.
41 This act takes effect on July 1, 2001.




Legislative Review Note
as of 12-6-00 9:58 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel