This handbook provides guidance to districts on providing services to English learners and addresses parental engagement and support.

(1) Each school district establishing a bilingual-bicultural education program shall provide to the department a written description of the program that addresses the requirements under this subchapter. The description shall include information on all of the following:

• (a) The program design, objectives, staffing, and evaluation procedures.
• (b) Staff certification, professional development activities, parent involvement activities and instructional materials to be used in the program.

In each school district which establishes a bilingual-bicultural education program under this subchapter, the school board may appoint a bilingual-bicultural advisory committee to afford parents and educators of limited-English proficient pupils the opportunity to advise the school board of their views and to ensure that a program is planned, operated and evaluated with their involvement and consultation. The committee shall assist the school board in informing educators, parents and legal custodians of limited-English proficient pupils that a program exists. The committee shall be composed of parents of limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the bilingual-bicultural education program, bilingual and other teachers, bilingual teacher’s aides, bilingual and other counselors and bilingual counselor’s aides in the district, at least one representative from the community and a representative of the school district administration.