SECTIONS 30-30.5 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 30-30.5

30. English shall be the basic language of instruction in all
schools.
The governing board of any school district, or community college
district, and any private school may determine when and under what
circumstances instruction may be given bilingually.
It is the policy of the state to insure the mastery of English by
all pupils in the schools; provided that bilingual instruction may be
offered in those situations when such instruction is educationally
advantageous to the pupils. Bilingual instruction is authorized to
the extent that it does not interfere with the systematic,
sequential, and regular instruction of all pupils in the English
language.
Pupils who are proficient in English and who, by successful
completion of advanced courses in a foreign language or by other
means, have become fluent in that language may be instructed in
classes conducted in that foreign language.

30.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, bilingual
education shall be defined as a system of instruction which builds
upon the language skills of a pupil whose primary language is neither
English nor derived from English. For purposes of this paragraph:
(1) "Primary language" is a language, other than English or a
language derived from English, which is the language the pupil first
learned.
(2) "Derived from English" means any dialect, idiom, or language
derived from English. Both of the following shall be construed as
being derived from English:
(A) Any dialect, idiom, or language that has linguistic roots
connected to English.
(B) Any dialect, idiom, or language that has a syntax distinct
from English, yet can be traced linguistically as derived from
English.
(b) A school district shall not utilize, as part of a bilingual
education program, state funds or resources for the purpose of
recognition of, or instruction in, any dialect, idiom, or language
derived from English, as defined in paragraph (1).