Manual addresses engagement of parents of English Language Learner (ELL) students.

To be eligible for financial support, each program shall:

• A. provide for the educational needs of linguistically and culturally different students, including Native American children and other students who may wish to participate, in grades kindergarten through 12, with priority to be given to programs in grades kindergarten through three, in any public school or any combination of public schools in a district;
• B. fund programs for culturally and linguistically different students in the state in grades kindergarten through three, for which there is an identifiable need to improve the language capabilities of both English and the home language of these students, before funding programs at higher grade levels;
• C. use two languages as mediums of instruction for any part or all of the curriculum of the grade levels within the program;
• D. establish a parent advisory committee, representative of the languages and cultures of all the students in the program, to assist and advise in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program;
• E. provide procedures to ensure that parental notification is given annually prior to program placement; and
• F. provide personnel endorsed in bilingual education, modern classical and native languages, TESOL, or certified in Native American language and culture. The secretary of education may authorize other personnel to implement programs if qualified personnel are not available by the submission of an approved program design that addresses recruitment, professional development, and staffing patterns.

A.  A school board or, for charter schools, a governing body of a charter school may prepare and submit to the department a bilingual multicultural education program plan in accordance with rules issued by the department.

B.  At regular intervals, the school board or governing body of a charter school and a parent advisory committee from the district or charter school shall review the goals and priorities of the plan and make appropriate recommendations to the department.

C.  Bilingual multicultural education programs shall be delivered as part of the regular academic program. Involvement of students in a bilingual multicultural education program shall not have the effect of segregating students by ethnic group, color or national origin.

D.  Each district or charter school shall maintain academic achievement and language proficiency data and update the data annually to evaluate bilingual multicultural education program effectiveness and use of funds. The department shall annually compile and report these data to the appropriate interim legislative committee.

E.  Districts and charter schools shall provide professional development to employees, including teachers, teacher assistants, principals, bilingual directors or coordinators, associate superintendents, superintendents and financial officers in the areas of:

• (1)  research-based bilingual multicultural education programs and implications for instruction;
• (2)  best practices of English as a second language, English language development and bilingual multicultural education programs; and
• (3)  classroom assessments that support academic and language development.

F.  Bilingual multicultural education programs shall be part of the district’s or charter school’s professional development plan. Bilingual educators, including teachers, teacher assistants, instructional support personnel, principals and program administrators, shall participate in professional development and training.