Bill Text: NY S03641 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs the commissioner of education to establish an incentive program for school districts wishing to implement programs of foreign language in the elementary schools; further directs the commissioner of education to establish an incentive program for college students wishing to become foreign language teachers and makes an appropriation therefor.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S03641 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S03641-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3641 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 25, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PARKER, AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to directing the commis- sioner of education to establish an incentive program for school districts wishing to implement programs of foreign language in the elementary schools and directing the commissioner of education to establish an incentive program for college students wishing to become foreign language teachers; and making an appropriation therefor The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 817. Foreign language in the elementary school program. 1. Legisla- 4 tive intent. The students of New York state need to have skills in at 5 least one language other than English (LOTE) and understanding of anoth- 6 er culture in order to successfully confront the challenges of the world 7 of today and tomorrow. They will have to compete in the global economy; 8 work with people of diverse cultures abroad and at home, and ensure our 9 national security. 10 One goal of this section is to provide funding to start foreign 11 language in the elementary school (FLES) programs for a limited number 12 of schools in high-need districts. Participation in this program is 13 voluntary. Relatively few school districts offer FLES Nation-wide, only 14 six percent of students study foreign language in elementary school. 15 These districts tend to be among the more affluent. By choosing five 16 schools in high-need districts, we hope to demonstrate that those 17 schools who cannot otherwise afford to have FLES programs can succeed. 18 Children of low-income districts deserve to have the skills to succeed 19 in the global world as well as those of more affluent areas. 20 According to research and the guidelines of the American Council on 21 the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), students who begin study of EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01137-01-7S. 3641 2 1 LOTE at an early age and who continue that study for a long sequence of 2 years have the best chances of attaining intermediate proficiency in 3 that language. 4 It is hoped that the success of these programs, which will be careful- 5 ly monitored by the New York State Association of Foreign Language 6 Teachers (NYSAFLT), will not only encourage the districts to find the 7 funds to continue offering the FLES programs once funding from the bill 8 has ended, but also will generate interest in the neighboring districts 9 which will inspire them to implement FLES programs, thus creating a 10 grassroots movement in favor of FLES. 11 The second goal of this section is to provide funding to encourage 12 college students wishing to become LOTE teachers. There is a current 13 severe shortage of LOTE teachers in New York state. This shortage can 14 prevent school districts from offering a variety of languages as well as 15 from adding classes with the purpose of increasing LOTE study. The fund- 16 ing provided would cover the cost of tuition for education courses lead- 17 ing to certification for teaching LOTE in New York state. 18 2. Foreign language elementary school (FLES) pilot program. Partic- 19 ipation in this program is voluntary. Notwithstanding any provision of 20 law to the contrary, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by 21 the commissioner, the commissioner shall establish a two year foreign 22 language elementary school (FLES) pilot program in five elementary 23 schools located in high-need districts that are consistent with models 24 provided by the Elementary Foreign Language Education Committee of the 25 New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers. 26 (a) The language elementary school program shall: 27 (1) consist of at least three to five sessions per week; 28 (2) be in duration of at least twenty minutes per session for grades 29 kindergarten through second and thirty minutes in duration for grades 30 three through six; and 31 (3) attempt to utilize foreign language elementary school certified 32 teachers and to require ongoing and age-appropriate assessments. 33 (b) The curriculum should be content coordinated with overall coordi- 34 nation with the school district's foreign language program. 35 (c) Funding for this program shall be provided to: 36 (1) hire foreign language elementary certified teachers; 37 (2) purchase instructional materials; and 38 (3) incorporate other forms of support to ensure that the program is 39 sustainable and successful. 40 3. Student incentive award for certification in languages other than 41 English (LOTE) teaching. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 42 contrary, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the commissioner, the 43 commissioner shall establish a student incentive award for attracting 44 and retaining college students wishing to become teachers of languages 45 other than English. 46 (a) These incentives should be used to pay for tuition in education 47 courses, undergraduate or graduate, leading to certification in New York 48 state. 49 (b) A provision of such tuition scholarships would be a commitment on 50 the part of the prospective teacher to teach foreign languages in New 51 York state for a minimum of three years after graduation. Such program 52 shall include an incentive award of ten thousand dollars per student 53 upon the completion of courses fulfilling the requirement for certif- 54 ication in languages other than English (LOTE) teaching in New York 55 state.S. 3641 3 1 § 2. The sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000), or so much thereof 2 as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of educa- 3 tion out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the 4 credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and 5 made immediately available, for the purpose of carrying out the 6 provisions of this act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and 7 warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the 8 commissioner of education in the manner prescribed by law. Such sum 9 shall be distributed as follows: 10 1. One million dollars ($1,000,000) for the foreign language elementa- 11 ry school (FLES) pilot program, or so much thereof as may be necessary, 12 is hereby appropriated to the department of education from any moneys in 13 the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state 14 purposes account not otherwise appropriated for services and expenses of 15 the department of education for the purposes of carrying out the 16 provisions of this act. 17 Five elementary schools will receive one hundred thousand dollars 18 ($100,000) per year, for each year of the two year program. 19 2. One million dollars ($1,000,000) for student incentives, or so much 20 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of 21 education from any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to 22 the credit of the state purposes account not otherwise appropriated for 23 services and expenses of the department of education for the purposes of 24 carrying out the provisions of this act. 25 One hundred individual student incentive awards will be issued at ten 26 thousand dollars ($10,000) each. Such sum shall be payable on the audit 27 and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified or approved 28 by the commissioner of education, or his or her duly designated repre- 29 sentative in the manner provided by law. 30 3. No expenditure shall be made from this appropriation until a 31 certificate of approval of availability shall have been issued by the 32 director of the budget and filed with the state comptroller and a copy 33 filed with the chair of the senate finance committee and the chair of 34 the assembly ways and means committee. 35 4. Such certificate may be amended from time to time by the director 36 of the budget and a copy of each such amendment shall be filed with the 37 state comptroller, the chair of the senate finance committee and the 38 chair of the assembly ways and means committee. 39 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of September next 40 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
