NC H409

State Board of Education shall allocate funds to local school administrative units and charter schools based on the average percentage of limited English proficiency (LEP) students over the past three years, but only if units have at least 20 LEP students or such students comprise at least 2.5% of average daily membership.

Allocated funds may be used for classroom teachers, teacher assistants, tutors, textbooks, instructional materials and equipment, transportation costs, and staff development for LEP students.

Department of Public Instruction shall prepare an annual head count of LEP students by December 1 and assess students at least once every three years to determine English proficiency levels.

State Board of Education shall complete a comprehensive study of the LEP allotment by December 31, 2021, including recommendations on funding factors for multiple languages, bilingual education programs, funding models to eliminate achievement gaps, and analysis of elimination of concentration thresholds.

$3,400,000 in recurring funds appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction for fiscal year 2021-2022 to increase the LEP allotment, effective July 1, 2021.