Legislation to Aid English Learners Approved by State Senate

June 2, 2011, Sacramento –Senate Bill 753, authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), was unanimously approved by the California State Senate today. The bill addresses a significant barrier to students becoming proficient in English.  The bill will next be heard in the Assembly.

 

“California’s future workforce is in our classrooms today and a full quarter of them, 1.4 million students – are not English Proficient.  Eighty-nine percent of students who are designated English Learners are never reclassified Fluent–English Proficient.  We need to do a far better job of helping students become proficient in English.  That begins with removing unnecessary barriers,” said Senator Padilla.  “This bill will allow teachers more time to work with a student before the student takes the required assessment tests,” he added.

 

Currently, the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) is administered to all English Learner students in the fall.  SB 753 would move the CELDT to the spring semester to provide teachers adequate time to work with students and help them reach English proficiency for their grade level.  Most other required exams such as the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) are administered towards the end of the academic year. 

 

“California is one of only two states that do not administer English Learner assessments in the spring,” said Senator Padilla.  “Changing the time of year this exam is administered could increase the number of students who are successfully reclassified and afford these students the opportunity to take A-G courses that are necessary to be admitted to college,” he added.

 

An English Learner is a K-12 student, who based on their CELDT scores, is deemed not proficient in English. Passing the CELDT is the first critical step to becoming classified as Fluent-English Proficient. Reclassification for English Learners is vital to career and college readiness.  Once classified as Fluent-English Proficient, students are able to participate in courses which are required for admission to both the California State University and the University of California systems. 

 

A Tomas Rivera Policy Institute study found that reclassification at any point during the middle school years was associated with improved likelihood that students would stay in the 9th grade, pass the California exit exam, take an Advanced Placement course in high school, or stay in high school.  The findings suggest that furthering English-language learning has considerable potential to keep students in high school through graduation.