Bill > S00894

This bill requires school districts to establish comprehensive language assistance programs for parents with limited English proficiency, ensuring they can effectively communicate with school personnel. The program must include providing frequently used forms and written materials in the parent's primary language, offering language assistance for school-related communications and interactions, and facilitating parent attendance at school-sponsored events. School districts must mail a notice about these language assistance programs in the parent's primary language and keep detailed records, including the number of limited English proficient parents receiving assistance, the number of bilingual households, parent complaints, and bilingual personnel used for translation services. The bill applies only to school districts where non-English speaking residents or limited English proficient parents constitute more than 5% of the district's population, as determined by recent federal census data. Districts are allowed to jointly establish these programs and must submit annual reports to the education commissioner, who will create rules for implementing the program, including methods for assessing primary languages and establishing a complaint procedure. The law defines "primary language" as one of the five most common languages in a district (other than English) and "limited English proficient parents" as those unable to effectively communicate in English with school personnel.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S894