Arkansas § 6-16-104 Basic language of instruction - Definitions

Arkansas Statutes

§ 6-16-104 — Basic language of instruction - Definitions

(a)(1) The basic language of instruction in the public school branches in all the public schools of the state shall be the English language only.

(2)It shall not be a violation of this section for:

(A)An educator to communicate with a student in the student's native language in order to facilitate the student's ability to become proficient and learn in the English language; or (B) A public school district or an open-enrollment public charter school to adopt a bilingual program or a dual-immersion program approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

(b)It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Director of the Division of Career and Technical Education, and superintendents to see that the provisions of this section are carried

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(a) (1) The basic language of instruction in the public school branches in all the public schools of the state shall be the English language only. (2) It shall not be a violation of this section for: (A) An educator to communicate with a student in the student's native language in order to facilitate the student's ability to become proficient and learn in the English language; or (B) A public school district or an open-enrollment public charter school to adopt a bilingual program or a dual-immersion program approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. (b) It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Director of the Division of Career and Technical Education, and superintendents to see that the provisions of this section are carried out. (c) As used in this section: (1) (A) "Bilingual program" means a program that uses two (2) languages, a student's primary language and the English language, as a means of instruction. (B) A bilingual program includes building upon a student's primary language skills and develops and expands the English language skills of each student to enable him or her to achieve proficiency in both languages, while providing access to content areas; and (2) "Dual-immersion program" means a program that develops dual language proficiency in two (2) languages by offering a student instruction in English and instruction in another language in a classroom that is usually comprised of one-half (1/2) native English speakers and one-half (1/2) native speakers of the other language.

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Legislative History

Amended by Act 2021, No. 663,§ 2, eff. 7/28/2021. Amended by Act 2021, No. 663,§ 1, eff. 7/28/2021. Amended by Act 2019, No. 692,§ 4, eff. 7/24/2019. Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 1312, eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by Act 2017, No. 989,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2017. Acts 1931, No. 169, § 168; Pope's Dig., §§ 3590, 11610; A.S.A. 1947, § 80-1605; Acts 1999, No. 1323, § 18; 2005, No. 1994, § 61.