Each pupil of limited English proficiency enrolled in the California public school system in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, shall receive instruction in a language understandable to the pupil that recognizes the pupil’s primary language and teaches the pupil English.

(a) In kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, the following shall apply:

(1) If the language census indicates that any school of a school district has 10 or more pupils of limited English proficiency with the same primary language in the same grade level or 10 or more pupils of limited English proficiency with the same primary language, in the same age group, and in a multigrade or ungraded instructional environment, the school district shall offer instruction pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 52163 for those pupils at the school. If there are pupils of limited English proficiency with different primary languages who do not otherwise satisfy the program requirements of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 52163 or of this subdivision, a language development specialist defined in subdivision (b) may be used.

(2) To the extent state or federal categorical funds are available, the services, as described in this paragraph, are required for pupils of limited English proficiency in concentrations of fewer than 10 per grade level. If there are fewer than 10 pupils of limited English proficiency in the same grade, but at least 20 pupils of limited English proficiency in the school with the same primary language, the school district shall provide at least one certified bilingual-crosscultural teacher or teachers on waiver as defined in Section 52178 and an elementary level individual learning program as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 52163 for those pupils at the school. If the number of pupils of limited English proficiency in the school exceeds 45, the district shall provide two of those teachers. These teachers may be used as resource teachers or team teachers or to provide any other services to pupils of limited English proficiency as the district deems appropriate. These teachers shall be different teachers than those required pursuant to paragraph (1).

(b) The Legislature recognizes that in the past equal educational opportunities have not been fully available to secondary pupils of limited English proficiency. It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage school districts to offer a language learning program pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 52163. Certified bilingual-crosscultural teachers or, if those teachers are not available, language development specialists assisted by a bilingual aide shall be qualified to provide instruction for those programs. Language development specialists shall be formally trained and competent in the field of English language learning, including second language acquisition and development, structure of modern English, and basic principles of linguistics, and shall meet the culture and methodology competencies established by subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 44253.5. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall provide for the assessment of language competencies specified in this section and shall modify existing culture and methodology competency for language development specialist to ensure that they meet the crosscultural and instructional methodologies for pupils being served by those teachers. A teacher of English to speakers of other languages certificate from a commission-approved teacher training institution of higher education that meets the criteria established by the commission pursuant to Section 44253.5 shall be accepted instead of the methodology requirement.

(c) In kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, pupils of limited English proficiency who are not enrolled in a program described in subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) of Section 52163 shall be individually evaluated and shall receive educational services defined in subdivision (e) or (f), as appropriate, of Section 52163. These services shall be provided in consultation with the pupil and the parent, parents, or guardian of the pupil.

(d) As a part of its consolidated application for categorical program funds, each district receiving those funds shall include a specific plan indicating the ways in which the individual learning plans will meet the needs of pupils of limited English proficiency. The plan shall describe all of the following:

(1) Procedures used in making the individual evaluation.

(2) The pupils’ levels of English and primary language proficiency and levels of educational performance.

(3) Instructional objectives and scope of educational services to be provided.

(4) Periodic evaluation procedures, using objective criteria, to determine whether the instructional objectives are being met.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 328, Sec. 47. (SB 1330) Effective January 1, 2011.)