The New York State Board of Regents has established that state educational policy and practices must help limited-English-proficient (LEP) students enter the English mainstream as quickly as possible, while regarding the first language as an important cultural asset and a useful academic tool. These policies state the following: (1) all students must become proficient in English and, to the extent possible, in another language, and that all students should understand and respect their own and other cultures; (2) educational access, equity, and excellence are to be promoted for language-minority and LEP students, to develop English proficiency and maintain native language proficiency; (3) programs for language-minority and LEP students are to be staffed by qualified professionals; (4) parents and guardians of this population should be encouraged to participate in their children's education; and (4) the needs of the LEP population must be considered in the development of all state education department initiatives, with appropriate measures taken to address those needs. Appended materials include a list of references, definitions of terminology, notes on the legal rights of LEP and language-minority students, descriptions of common program designs, and a list of policy committee members. (MSE)