Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 2.djvu/1212

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PUBLIC LAW 98-000—MMMM. DD, 1984

98 STAT. 2372

20 USC 2711.

PUBLIC LAW 98-511—OCT. 19, 1984 "(A) individuals who were not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English; "(B) individuals who come from environments where a language other than English is dominant, as further defined by the Secretary by regulation; and "(C) individuals who are American Indian and Alaskan Natives and who come from environments where a language other than English has had a significant impact on their level of English language proficiency, subject to such regulations as the Secretary determines to be necessary; and who, by reason thereof, have sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language to deny such individuals the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English or to participate fully in our society. "(2) The term 'native language', when used with reference to an individual of limited English proficiency, means the language normally used by such individuals, or in the case of a child, the language normally used by the parents of the child. "(3) The term 'low-income' when used with respect to a family means an annual income for such a family which does not exceed the poverty level determined pursuant to section 111(c)(2) of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. "(4)(A) The term 'program of transitional bilingual education' means a program of instruction, designed for children of limited English proficiency in elementary or secondary schools, which provides, with respect to the years of study to which such program is applicable, structured English language instruction, and, to the extent necessary to allow a child to achieve competence in the English language, instruction in the child's native language. Such instruction shall incorporate the cultural heritage of such children and of other children in American society. Such instruction shall, to the extent necessary, be in all courses or subjects of study which will allow a child to meet gradepromotion and graduation standards. "(B) In order to prevent the segregation of children on the basis of national origin in programs of transitional bilingual education, and in order to broaden the understanding of children about languages and cultural heritages other than their own, a program of transitional bilingual education may include the participation of children whose language is English, but in no event shall the percentage of such children exceed 40 percent. The program may provide for centralization of teacher training and curriculum development, but it shall serve such children in the schools which they normally attend. "(C) In such courses or subjects of study as art, music, and physical education, a program of transitional bilingual education shall make provision for the participation of children of limited English proficiency in regular classes. "(D) Children enrolled in a program of transitional bilingual education shall, if graded classes are used, be placed, to the extent practicable, in classes with children of approximately the same age and level of educational attainment. If children of significantly varying ages or levels of educational attainment are placed in the same class, the program of transitional bilingual education shall seek to insure that each child is provided