Relative to language opportunity for our kids

What it means

This bill changes the state's English learner education law to let school districts use other instructional programs approved by the state education department for English learners, including bilingual education. It lets schools, on a teacher's or counselor's advice, request a waiver for a child, with notice to parents, and requires districts to tell parents each year, in a language they understand, about their right to choose or withdraw from a program. Districts with more than 100 English learners, or where English learners are more than 5 per cent of students (whichever is less), must set up an English learner parent advisory council. It adds district reporting on English learner progress, state on-site reviews of district programs at least every 3 or 5 years depending on the district, and a task force to study a State Seal of Biliteracy.

Source: official text and history of H.3740 on malegislature.gov. This describes the bill text posted there; amendments may have changed the version that was voted on.