Chapter 13 Oregon Laws 2010 Special Session

AN ACT

HB 3628

Relating to foreign language instruction; and declaring an emergency.

          Whereas Oregon public schools have greatly benefited from having visiting teachers from Mexico, Spain and Japan; and

          Whereas the visiting teachers have provided students an enhanced educational experience; and

          Whereas the agreements entered into by the Superintendent of Public Instruction with Mexico, Spain and Japan to facilitate the placement of visiting teachers in the schools of this state serve as a model for other agreements that seek to promote cultural and educational relations; and

          Whereas these agreements provide students, parents and educators with the opportunity to work with visiting teachers who are native speakers and who bring a valuable international perspective to Oregon classrooms; and

          Whereas students who can communicate using the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language will be better able to compete for jobs in the new global economy; now, therefore,

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

SECTION 1. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is authorized to enter into an agreement with another nation or public agency of another nation under ORS 190.485 for the purpose of ensuring that the instruction of the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language is available to the public school students of this state by facilitating the placement of teachers in public schools who fluently speak the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language.

SECTION 2. This 2010 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2010 Act takes effect on its passage.

Approved by the Governor March 4, 2010

Filed in the office of Secretary of State March 4, 2010

Effective date March 4, 2010

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