SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

The New York State public school system has a very diverse student enrollment with English Language Learners/Limited English Proficient (ELL/LEP) students significantly represented. Much work and resources have been devoted to assist ELL/LEP students at the State and local level. Most recently, the enacted 2007-2008 State budget included a provision that required school districts receiving Total Foundation Aid to develop a comprehensive plan to meet the educational needs of ELL/LEP students as a way to better coordinate local efforts and State oversight. In addition to this requirement to guarantee educational services and support, there have been federal policy changes regarding the assessments utilized to evaluate the performance of ELL/LEP students and the potential for further changes as Congress moves to reauthorize the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The Committee on Education seeks testimony on the implementation of the required comprehensive education plans and an update on the ELL/LEP assessment policy changes since last year's Committee hearing on this issue. The Committee also requests testimony regarding the makeup and other relevant information of the ELL/LEP student community, the experiences of educators and administrators in providing educational services to these students and other information that may be used by the Committee as it prepares for a new legislative session and budget cycle to better understand the needs of these students and those charged with educating them.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on educational needs of English Language Learners/Limited English Proficient students and State and federal policies affecting this student population are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Giovanni Warren
Assembly Committee on Education
Room 542 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: warreng@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4881
Fax: (518) 455-4128

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