Legislature OKs Extra $50 Million to Keep Immigrant Education Alive

The Legislature on Friday passed and sent to Gov. George Deukmejian compromise legislation providing an extra $50 million to keep immigrant education programs operating for the rest of the fiscal year.

The Assembly, after a compromise was worked out between Deukmejian and Democratic supporters of the bill, passed the legislation on a 61-0 vote. Minutes later, the Senate gave final legislative approval, 36 to 0. Deukmejian is expected to sign the bill, carried by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles).

Funding for the special classes, offering English and civics instruction to immigrants under the 1986 federal amnesty program, had run dry because of the unexpectedly large number of aliens applying for the instruction.

The program is financed by the federal government, but administered by the state. Deukmejian originally had budgeted $100 million for the program during the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, but those funds already have been largely exhausted. The bill calls for the extra $50 million to come from next year’s proposed allocation of $180 million. Torres said he also will seek more money next year.

Supporters of the legislation said the special schools are crucial because immigrants are required to pass a test that demonstrates basic English and civics skills or face deportation. Unless the extra money was made available, backers of the bill said, many of the aliens granted temporary residence status under the amnesty program would have been threatened with deportation.

Some classes around the state have already closed because of the budget shortfall. The instruction is offered by a variety of school districts and nonprofit agencies. Many offer midnight and early morning classes to those who work during the day or into the night. Some schools offer classes in off-beat locations, like coin laundries, because demand is so high that there are not enough regular classrooms to go around.

Not all of the 1.5 million people in California who applied for legalization benefits under the amnesty program are required to take the special classes. Some can do well enough on their own to pass the tests. But state officials said many of those applying for the schooling have such a poor grasp of English that they need more hours of instruction than officials had anticipated when setting up the program.

Administration officials had wanted to put a limit of 100 hours on the amount of instruction each person would be allowed, but Torres and other supporters of the bill refused to go along with the cap.