2005 California Education Code Sections 305-306 Article 2. English Language Education

305.  Subject to the exceptions provided in Article 3 (commencing
with Section 310), all children in California public schools shall be
taught English by being taught in English.  In particular, this
shall require that all children be placed in English language
classrooms.  Children who are English learners shall be educated
through sheltered English immersion during a temporary transition
period not normally intended to exceed one year.  Local schools shall
be permitted to place in the same classroom English learners of
different ages but whose degree of English proficiency is similar.
Local schools shall be encouraged to mix together in the same
classroom English learners from different native-language groups but
with the same degree of English fluency.  Once English learners have
acquired a good working knowledge of English, they shall be
transferred to English language mainstream classrooms.  As much as
possible, current supplemental funding for English learners shall be
maintained, subject to possible modification under Article 8
(commencing with Section 335) below.
306.  The definitions of the terms used in this article and in
Article 3 (commencing with Section 310) are as follows:
   (a) "English learner" means a child who does not speak English or
whose native language is not English and who is not currently able to
perform ordinary classroom work in English, also known as a Limited
English Proficiency or LEP child.
   (b) "English language classroom" means a classroom in which the
language of instruction used by the teaching personnel is
overwhelmingly the English language, and in which such teaching
personnel possess a good knowledge of the English language.
   (c) "English language mainstream classroom" means a classroom in
which the pupils either are native English language speakers or
already have acquired reasonable fluency in English.
   (d) "Sheltered English immersion" or "structured English immersion"
means an English language acquisition process for young children in
which nearly all classroom instruction is in English but with the
curriculum and presentation designed for children who are learning
the language.
   (e) "Bilingual education/native language instruction" means a
language acquisition process for pupils in which much or all
instruction, textbooks, and teaching materials are in the child's
native language.