Title: English Language Instruction

Summary: Providing that a student's parent has the right to request that the student be exempted from instruction in English language proficiency; requiring the school district to exempt a student from participating in instruction in English language proficiency if the student's parent requests the exemption in writing, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to English language instruction; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.; providing that a student s parent has the right to request that the student be exempted from instruction in English language proficiency; amending s. 1003.56, F.S.; requiring the school district to exempt a student from participating in instruction in English language proficiency if the student s parent requests the exemption in writing; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Subsection (10) of section 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights. Parents of public school students must receive accurate and timely information regarding their child s academic progress and must be informed of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory rights including, but not limited to, the following: (10) LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS. In accordance with the provisions of s. 1003.56, a limited English proficient student has students have the right to receive ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) instruction designed to develop the student s mastery of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English as rapidly as possible., and The student s students  parents have the right to be involved of parental involvement in the ESOL program,and a right to request that their child be exempted from participating in the ESOL program.Section 2. Present subsection (5) of section 1003.56, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (6) and a new subsection (5) is added to that section, to read: 1003.56 English language instruction for limited English proficient students.  (5)  A school district shall exempt a student who is assessed as a limited English proficient student from participating in ESOL instruction if the student s parent requests the exemption in writing. Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.