(a) The California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services Program is hereby established within the California State Library as a public library program designed to reduce illiteracy among children and adults by providing English language literacy instruction and related services to native and nonnative English speaking youth and adults residing in California. For purposes of this article, “English language literacy instruction” means the development of basic skills of speaking, reading, and writing in the English language.
(b) The California State Library shall allocate funds appropriated in the Budget Act for the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services Program to local library jurisdictions that are effectively providing literacy services.
(c) At local discretion, jurisdictions may use their allocation from the State Literacy Program for any of the services described in Section 18881.
(d) The California State Library shall provide local jurisdictions with technical assistance to the extent that resources are available for this purpose.
(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 573, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2004.)