Chapter 951 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

HB 2286

Relating to school finance; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, “ESL student” means a student who is eligible for and enrolled in an English as a Second Language program under ORS 336.079.

(2) In addition to distributing moneys through the State School Fund, the Department of Education may award grants to school districts for the costs of training English as a Second Language teachers.

(3) The grants shall be available to any school district:

(a) In which three percent or more of the students enrolled are ESL students;

(b) That serves ESL students or bilingual students within a large geographic area in the district;

(c) That has a high growth, as defined by rule of the State Board of Education, of ESL students or bilingual students in any school year; or

(d) That can demonstrate extraordinary need, as defined by rule of the board, for English as a Second Language teachers or training for English as a Second Language teachers.

(4) A school district that receives a grant under this section may use the grant to reimburse teachers for tuition costs associated with completing an English as a Second Language or a bilingual teaching program.

(5) The department may seek and accept gifts, grants and donations from any source and federal funds for the purpose of carrying out the grant program under this section.

(6) The board may adopt any rules necessary for the administration of the grant program. The rules adopted by the board shall include a method for determining the grant amount that a qualified school district may receive under this section.

SECTION 2. This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect July 1, 2001.

Approved by the Governor August 10, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State August 13, 2001

Effective date August 10, 2001

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