110 HR 3745 IH: Mandarin Language Teaching Grant Act U.S. House of Representatives 2007-10-04 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3745 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 4, 2007 Mr. Knollenberg introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To improve Mandarin language education by authorizing grants to support the creation of Mandarin language classes for elementary and secondary school and adult education program students.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Mandarin Language Teaching Grant Act of 2007.

2.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education. (2)

State

The term State means the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. (3)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means a school district located in any State, or a group of two or more school districts located in any State.

3.

Grant program

(a)

Grants

The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities to institute Mandarin language classes for elementary and secondary school and adult education students. (b)

Term

Each grant shall be for a term of 5 years. (c)

Instructor compensation

Funds received under such grant may be used to pay any salary or benefit to a Mandarin language instructor. (d)

Supplanting

Funds made available under this section shall supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, or local funds available to an eligible entity to carry out activities described in this Act.

4.

Application procedures

(a)

Application

To be considered for a grant under section 3, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and including such information as the Secretary may require. (b)

Criteria for approval

In making a determination of whether to award to an eligible entity a grant under section 3, the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications describing programs that— (1)include a range of class levels, from beginner to advanced; (2)link speakers in the community who are bilingual in English and Mandarin with elementary and secondary schools in order to promote two-way language learning; (3)promote the sequential study of Mandarin language for students, beginning in elementary school; (4)make effective use of technology, such as computer-assisted instruction, language laboratories, or distance learning, to promote Mandarin language study; (5)promote innovative activities, such as Mandarin language immersion, partial Mandarin language immersion, or content-based instruction; and (6)promote a comprehensive approach to learning Mandarin, which includes programs on the history and culture of China.

5.

Authorization of appropriations

(a)

Funding

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the purpose of making grants under section 3 of this Act $50,000,000 for the period beginning with fiscal year 2008 and ending with fiscal year 2013. (b)

Availability of funds

Amounts appropriated under this section are authorized to remain available until expended.