English learners: reclassification: English language proficiency assessment.

Existing law requires each school district that has one or more pupils who are English learners, and, to the extent required by federal law, each county office of education and each charter school, to assess the English language development of each pupil in order to determine the pupil's level of proficiency, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, to establish procedures for conducting the assessment and for the reclassification of a pupil from English learner to English proficient. Existing law requires those reclassification procedures to use multiple criteria in determining whether to reclassify a pupil as proficient in English, including, among other things, an assessment of language proficiency using the English language development test that is developed or acquired by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, as provided. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2026, require the reclassification procedures developed by the department to authorize an English learner to be reclassified if the English learner achieves an English Learner Progress Indicator score of 3H or above on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California and the English learner also satisfies the other multiple measures criteria developed by the department, as specified. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.