Section 10-17o - Bill of rights for parents or guardians of students who are multilingual leaners(a) The State Board of Education shall draft a written bill of rights for parents or guardians of students who are multilingual learners to guarantee that the rights of such parents and students are adequately safeguarded and protected in the provision of bilingual education under chapter 164. Such bill of rights shall include, but need not be limited to, the following declarations: (1) The right of a multilingual learner student to attend a public school in the state regardless of such student's immigration status or the immigration status of such student's parent or guardian;(2) The right of a parent or guardian of a multilingual learner student to enroll such student in a public school without being required to submit immigration documentation, including, but not limited to, a Social Security number, visa documentation or proof of citizenship;(3) The right of a multilingual learner student to have translation services provided (A) by an interpreter who is present in person or available by telephone or through an online technology platform, or (B) through an Internet web site or other electronic application approved by the State Board of Education, during critical interactions with teachers and administrators, including, but not limited to, parent-teacher conferences, meetings with administrators of the school in which such student is attending, and at properly noticed regular or special meetings of the board of education or scheduled meetings with a member or members of the board of education responsible for educating such student, in accordance with section 10-218b;(4) The right of a multilingual learner student to participate in a program of bilingual education offered by the local or regional board of education when there are twenty or more eligible students classified as dominant in a language, other than English, as such student, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-17f;(5) The right of a parent or guardian of a multilingual learner student to receive written notice, in both English and the dominant language of such parent or guardian, that such student is eligible to participate in a program of bilingual education or English as a new language program offered by the local or regional board of education;(6) The right of a multilingual learner student and the parent or guardian of such student to receive a high-quality orientation session, in the dominant language of such student and parent or guardian, from the local or regional board of education that provides information relating to state standards, tests and expectations at the school for multilingual learner students, as well as the goals and requirements for programs of bilingual education and English as a new language, prior to participation in such program of bilingual education or English as a new language;(7) The right of the parent or guardian of a multilingual learner student to receive information about the progress of such student's English language development and acquisition;(8) The right of a multilingual learner student and the parent or guardian of such student to meet with school personnel to discuss such student's English language development and acquisition;(9) The right of a multilingual learner student to be placed in a program of bilingual education or English as a new language, if offered by the local or regional board of education;(10) The right of a multilingual learner student to have equal access to all grade-level school programming;(11) The right of a multilingual learner student to have equal access to all core grade-level subject matter;(12) The right of a multilingual learner student to receive annual language proficiency testing;(13) The right of a multilingual learner student to receive support services aligned with any intervention plan that the school or school district provides to all students;(14) The right of a multilingual learner student to be continuously and annually enrolled in a program of bilingual education or English as a new language while such student remains an eligible student, as defined in section 10-17e; and(15) The right of a parent or guardian of a multilingual learner student to contact the Department of Education with any questions or concerns regarding such student's right to receive multilingual learner services or accommodations available to such student or parent or guardian, including information regarding any recourse for failure of the board of education to provide or ensure such services or accommodations.(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education providing a program of bilingual education or English as a new language shall (1) provide the parents and guardians of eligible students with a copy of the multilingual learner bill of rights in the dominant language of such parents and guardians, and (2) make such copies of the multilingual learner bill of rights available on the Internet web site of such board.(c) For purposes of this section, "multilingual learner" means "English learner", as defined in 20 USC 7801, as amended from time to time.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-17o
Added by P.A. 23-0150,S. 17 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2023.