S182-2013 Actions

• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO EDUCATION

S182-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S182

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the administration
of the GED examination in the Chinese and Korean languages for pupils
who are proficient in such languages and of limited English proficiency

PURPOSE:
To allow students who are proficient in the Chinese or Korean language
and of limited English proficiency the option to receive instruction
in preparation for the GED examination and the administration of such
examination in the Chinese or Korean language.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The Commissioner of Education shall require each board of education,
including the board of each community school district of the city of
New York, to make available to all pupils proficient in the Chinese
or Korean language, and of limited proficiency in English, the
official GED examination written in such native language, and make
available any instructional courses or programs for the preparation
of such examination.

JUSTIFICATION:
While learning to read, write and speak English is a common and worthy
goal of any student in the United States, test-taking may be
unnecessarily challenging for those who are still growing in their
use of the English language. This legislation provides the
opportunity for students to show their proficiency in subjects like
math, science, history and music while not being handicapped by their
still developing grasp of the English language. Currently the GED and
study materials for the GED are available in Spanish and French, and
as the Asian American population is growing by leaps and bounds, it
would make sense to also make them available in Chinese and Korean.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2008: A.10763 (Young) - Education
2010: S.4107/A.475 (Kavanagh) - Education
2011: Referred to Elections
2012: Referred to Elections

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

LOCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.

S182-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                          182
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 (PREFILED)
 January 9, 2013
 
 Introduced  by Sen. SQUADRON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the adminis
 tration of the GED examination in the Chinese and Korean languages for
 pupils who are proficient in such languages  and  of  limited  English
 proficiency
 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a
 to read as follows:

 

S 3204-A. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GED EXAMINATION  IN  THE  CHINESE  AND
 KOREAN LANGUAGES. 1. STUDENTS WHO ARE PROFICIENT IN THE CHINESE OR KORE
 AN  LANGUAGE  AND  OF  LIMITED  ENGLISH PROFICIENCY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO
 RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN PREPARATION  FOR  THE  GED  EXAMINATION  AND  THE
 ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH EXAMINATION IN THE CHINESE OR KOREAN LANGUAGE.
 2.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL REQUIRE EACH BOARD OF EDUCATION, INCLUDING
 THE BOARD OF EACH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK,
 MAKE  AVAILABLE  TO  ALL  PUPILS  PROFICIENT  IN  THE  CHINESE OR KOREAN
 LANGUAGE, AND OF LIMITED PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH, THE OFFICIAL GED  EXAM
 INATION WRITTEN IN SUCH NATIVE LANGUAGE, AND MAKE AVAILABLE ANY INSTRUC
 TIONAL  COURSES  OR  PROGRAMS  FOR  THE PREPARATION OF SUCH EXAMINATION,
 WHICH ARE OFFERED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, INCLUDING COURSE MATERIALS, IN
 SUCH NATIVE LANGUAGE. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  FURTHER  DIRECT  THAT  ANY
 NOTIFICATION OR CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GED
 EXAMINATION SHALL BE WRITTEN IN THE CHINESE OR KOREAN LANGUAGE.
 3.  EACH  SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN A RECORD OF PUPILS
 WHO HAVE THE GED EXAMINATION  ADMINISTERED  IN  THE  CHINESE  OR  KOREAN
 LANGUAGE AND SHALL REPORT SUCH INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT ON AN ANNU
 AL BASIS.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00205-01-3
 
       S. 182                              2
 

S  2. The commissioner of education is hereby authorized to promulgate
 any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of  this  act,
 including,  but  not  limited  to,  rules  or  regulations directing the
 department to enter into a contract with the American Council on  Educa
 tion to develop and provide appropriate testing materials.
 

S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law.

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