Source: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2003/2003-04-53
Timestamp: 2020-01-23 08:38:00
Document Index: 98055598

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 154', 'art 154', 'art 154', 'art 154', 'ART 154', 'art 154', 'art 154', 'art 154', 'art 154', 'art 200']

Emergency Adoption of Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner Relating to the Education of Students with Limited English Proficiency
Attached is a proposed amendment to Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education for adoption as an emergency measure. Supporting materials for the proposed amendment are available upon request from the Secretary to the Board of Regents.
The proposed amendment of Part 154 is necessary to conform the Regulations of the Commissioner to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which requires that the English proficiency of all students with limited English proficiency be measured annually as part of the school accountability provisions of the Act. The purposes of the proposed amendment are to (1) establish criteria for the identification and assessment of students with limited English proficiency through use of, respectively, the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R) test and the New York State English as a Second Language Test (NYSESLAT); (2) establish curriculum and reporting requirements for such students; and (3) update provisions in the regulations concerning such students. With the adoption of the LAB-R and the NYSESLAT, local educational agencies will be required to assess a student�s English language proficiency level for purposes of initial identification and continued eligibility for services. The results of these tests will be reported in terms of designated levels of proficiency, not percentile scores. The first administration of the NYSESLAT is scheduled in May 2003 and the results of this test will be the only data the schools will have available to make decisions as to which students are limited English proficient and entitled to services during the upcoming school year.
A Notice of Proposed Rule Making will be published in the State Register no later than May 21, 2003. A Statement of Facts and Circumstances Which Necessitate Emergency Action is attached. It is anticipated that the proposed rule will be submitted for adoption as a permanent rule at the July 17-18, 2003 meeting of the Board of Regents.
VOTED: That Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be amended as submitted, effective May 2, 2003, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare in order to conform Part 154 of the Commissioner's Regulations, relating to students with limited English proficiency (LEP), to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, by immediately establishing provisions consistent with the required new assessments (LAB-R and the NYSESLAT) for determining which pupils are limited English proficient and for assessing their level of English language proficiency, so that the English proficiency of all LEP students may be timely assessed in accordance with federal and State requirements.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF PART 154 OF THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION PURSUANT TO EDUCATION LAW SECTIONS 207, 215, 2117, 3204 AND 3602, RELATING TO THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
The proposed rule is necessary to conform the Commissioner's Regulations, relating to students with limited English proficiency, to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which requires that the English proficiency of all students with limited English proficiency (LEP) be measured annually as part of the school accountability provisions of the Act. The U.S. Department of Education has approved the use of the new New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) as the required measure for LEP students. In addition to amending the Commissioner's regulations to reflect use of the NYSESLAT, the proposed rule is also necessary to amend the Commissioner's regulations to reflect use of the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R) for purposes of initial identification of LEP students.
The first administration of the NYSESLAT is scheduled for May 14-30, 2003. The results of this test will be the only data the schools will have available to make decisions as to which students are LEP and entitled to services during the upcoming school year. This determination, based on the results of the NYSESLAT, is not reflected in the current Part 154 Regulations. School districts are required to comply with Part 154 requirements as a condition to their receipt of State Limited English Proficiency Aid and, for a large number of districts, as a condition to their receipt of other State Categorical funds and Title III, Part A LEP and Immigrant funds under The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. As a result, it is critically important to expedite the submission and approval of the proposed rule.
Emergency action to adopt the proposed rule is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare in order to conform Part 154 of the Commissioner's Regulations, relating to students with limited English proficiency (LEP), to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, by immediately establishing provisions consistent with the required new assessments (LAB-R and the NYSESLAT) for determining which pupils are limited English proficient and for assessing their level of English language proficiency, so that the English proficiency of all LEP students may be timely assessed in accordance with federal and State requirements.
It is anticipated that the proposed rule will be presented to the Board of Regents for adoption at their July 17-18, 2003 meeting, which is the first meeting scheduled after expiration of the 45-day period for public comment established in State Administrative Procedure Act section 202(1).
Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective May 2, 2003, as follows:
(e) pupils in grades [9 through 12] nine through twelve at an advanced [and transitional levels] level of English language proficiency for a minimum of one unit of study or its equivalent.
[(a) In order to qualify for State aid for instruction provided to pupils with limited English proficiency in grades kindergarten through 12, a school district shall develop a plan that describes how it will implement the additional requirements for its free-standing English as a second language program and bilingual education program, as prescribed in section 154.2(f) and (g) of this Part. Such plan shall be submitted to the department by September 1, 1999, along with the district's comprehensive plan for the education of pupils with limited English proficiency required under this section.]
(1) submit to the department a district comprehensive plan to meet the educational needs of pupils with limited English proficiency. Such plan shall be submitted no later than September first of each year, and, in addition to the reporting requirements of section 154.3(b) of this Part, shall include a report of the number of limited English proficient pupils served, and a proposed budget for the operation of a State aided program. The plan shall:
[(c)] (b) Types of programs. (1) Bilingual Education Program. Each school district which has an enrollment of 20 or more pupils with limited English proficiency of the same grade level assigned to a building, all of whom have the same native language which is other than English, shall provide such pupils with bilingual education programs.
[(d)] (c) Support services. Each school district with limited English proficient pupils participating in bilingual or free-standing English as a second language programs shall provide appropriate support services needed by such pupils to achieve and maintain a satisfactory level of academic performance. Such services may include, but need not be limited to, individual counseling, group counseling, home visits, and parental counseling. Where appropriate, such services shall be provided in the first language of the pupil and the pupil's parents or other persons in parental relation to the pupil.
[(e)] (d) Transitional services. Each school district shall ensure a transition for former limited English proficient pupils transferring from a bilingual or free-standing English as a second language program into an English mainstream program. Transitional services shall be provided for the first year after the pupil is placed in the English mainstream instructional program. Such pupils shall not be counted for purposes of limited English proficiency aid.
[(f)] (e) In-service training. Each school district with limited English proficient pupils shall provide in-service training to all personnel providing instruction or other services to such pupils in order to enhance their appreciation for the pupils' native languages and cultures and their ability to provide appropriate instructional and support services.
[(g)] (f) Parental notification. (1) The parents or other persons in a parental relation to a pupil designated as limited English proficient shall be notified, in English and the language they understand, of their child's placement in an instructional bilingual or free-standing English as a second language program and their options as set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subdivision. School districts offering programs to limited English proficient pupils shall make an effort to meet with the parents or other persons in parental relation to such pupils, at least twice a year, to help them understand the goals of the program and how they might help their children.
[(h)] (g) No later than September 1st of each year, each school district eligible for State aid for services provided to pupils with limited English proficiency in the preceding school year shall submit, in addition to the data required pursuant to [section] sections 154.3 and 154.4 of this Part, a fiscal report containing such information as the commissioner may prescribe, including but not limited to:
[(i)] (h) The commissioner shall provide an annual report to the Board of Regents.
[(j)] (i) A pupil whose score on [an English language assessment instrument] the LAB-R or the NYSESLAT,as specified in section 154.2(a),(b) and (c) of this Part, is a result of a [handicapping condition] disability shall be provided special education programs and services in accordance with the individualized education program (IEP) developed for such pupil pursuant to Part 200 of this Title, and shall also be eligible for services pursuant to this Part when such services are recommended in the IEP. A pupil with a [handicapping condition] disability receiving services in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be counted as a pupil served for the purposes of computing limited English proficiency aid as well as being counted for public excess cost aid for children with [handicapping conditions] disabilities.
(a) School districts operating programs under this Part for pupils with limited English proficiency in grades seven through 12 may apply for a one-year extension of time, for the 1999-2000 school year, to comply with the requirements established in section 154.2(f) and (g) of this Part. A request for an extension shall be in writing and shall be filed with the commissioner no later than September 1, 1999.