[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3842 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3842

      To establish dual-language education programs in low-income 
                              communities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 16, 2007

  Ms. Solis (for herself, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Honda, and Mr. McGovern) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To establish dual-language education programs in low-income 
                              communities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Providing Resources to Improve Dual 
Language Education Act of 2007'' or the ``PRIDE Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Dual language programs have been found to provide the 
        greatest academic gains for limited English proficient 
        students.
            (2) Few children from low-income communities, particularly 
        African American children, have had access to a well-developed 
        and well-implemented dual language program.
            (3) Children in dual language programs experience 
        substantial gains in language, literacy, and mathematics.

SEC. 3. DUAL LANGUAGE FLAGSHIP GRANTS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to authorize the 
Secretary to carry out a demonstration project to enhance the 
biliteracy, bilingualism, and multicultural skills for children in 
impoverished communities, including limited-English-proficient and 
minority children, through the use and longitudinal evaluation of dual 
language programs beginning in preschool through the fifth grade.
    (b) Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--From funds made available under subsection 
        (i), and after reserving funds under subsection (c), the 
        Secretary is authorized to award not more than five grants to 
        fund partnerships of local education agencies, early childhood 
        education programs including, state preschool programs and Head 
        Start programs, and technical assistance providers to 
        demonstrate effective strategies in ensuring the academic 
        success of low-income minority students through the 
        implementation and evaluation of a high-quality dual language 
        program that--
                    (A) serves cohorts of economically disadvantaged 
                minority and limited-English-proficient students from 
                preschool through fifth grade;
                    (B) establishes an infrastructure that supports a 
                rigorous assessment system, including dedicated staff 
                time and professional development in assessment, a data 
                collection plan, and the collection of multiple 
                measures of academic progress, bilingualism, 
                biliteracy, and multiculturalism;
                    (C) implements and aligns a curriculum that 
                promotes the development of bilingual, biliterate, and 
                multicultural competencies for all students through at 
                least grade five;
                    (D) utilizes and aligns student-centered 
                instructional methods that enhance the development of 
                bilingualism, biliteracy, and academic achievement;
                    (E) aligns professional development and training 
                for early childhood education instructors and 
                elementary school teachers and staff, with an emphasis 
                on dual language instruction, second language 
                acquisition, and content knowledge;
                    (F) recruits, trains, and continuously develops 
                staff to implement high-quality, dual language 
                programs; and
                    (G) establishes a responsive infrastructure for 
                positive, active, and ongoing relationships with 
                students' families and the community that is reflective 
                of the needs of the community and goals of the program.
    (c) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve not more than 5 
percent of the amount appropriated under subsection (i) to carry out 
this Act, including the technical assistance and evaluation described 
is subsection (g) and dissemination of best practices described in 
subsection (h).
    (d) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be awarded for a 
period of not more than five years.
    (e) Applications for Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant 
        under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
        at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Required documentation.--Each application submitted by 
        programs under this section for a proposed program shall 
        include documentation that--
                    (A) the program has partnered with an entity that 
                has proven expertise in the implementation of high-
                quality dual language programs to provide on-going 
                technical assistance and assist with the evaluation of 
                the program;
                    (B) the program has the qualified personnel to 
                develop, administer, evaluate, and implement the 
                program; and
                    (C) the program is serving economically-
                disadvantaged minority and limited-English-proficient 
                students.
            (3) Other application contents.--Each application submitted 
        by an entity under this section for a proposed program shall 
        include--
                    (A) data showing that the program is serving 
                economically disadvantaged and limited English 
                proficient students;
                    (B) a description of how the program will align the 
                language of assessment with the language of 
                instruction;
                    (C) a description of how the program will be 
                evaluated to assess the goals of the program;
                    (D) a description of how the evaluation will be 
                used to inform broader efforts to improve instruction 
                for limited English proficient students, including for 
                preschool-aged children;
                    (E) a description of activities that will be 
                pursued by the program including a description of--
                            (i) how the activities will further the 
                        school readiness and academic progress of 
                        children served by this program and support 
                        dual language development through grade five;
                            (ii) methods of designing culturally and 
                        linguistically appropriate dual language 
                        curriculum; and
                            (iii) methods of teacher training and 
                        parent outreach that will be used or developed 
                        through the programs;
                    (F) an assurance that the program will annually 
                provide to the Secretary such information as may be 
                required by subsection (f); and
                    (G) any other information that the secretary may 
                require.
    (f) Selection of Grantees.--
            (1) Criteria.--The Secretary through a peer review process 
        shall select partnerships to receive grants under this section 
        based on--
                    (A) the articulation of preschool through fifth-
                grade instructional practices, curriculum, and 
                assessments strategies;
                    (B) the extent to which school leadership has been 
                involved and has demonstrated a commitment to a high-
                quality dual language programs;
                    (C) the quality of the programs and proposed in the 
                applications submitted under subsection (b).
    (g) Technical Assistance and Evaluation.--From funds reserved under 
subsection (i) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve $250,000 
to contract with an entity with a proven track record in dual language 
programs for the purpose of--
            (1) providing technical assistance to local education 
        agencies receiving grants under this Act in order to strengthen 
        programs conducted by grantees pursuant to this Act; and
            (2) conducting an evaluation of programs funded under this 
        act, which shall--
                    (A) be used by the Secretary to determine 
                effectiveness of programs funded through this Act and 
                improve services to participating children; and
                    (B) include--
                            (i) a comprehensive evaluation of the 
                        impact of the programs on students, including 
                        an assessment of literacy skills and language 
                        development in both English and the minority 
                        language;
                            (ii) a comprehensive evaluation of the 
                        effectiveness of instructional practices used 
                        in the programs; and
                            (iii) a comprehensive evaluation of 
                        professional development strategies.
    (h) Dissemination of Best Practices.--The Secretary shall 
disseminate information on model programs, materials, and other 
information developed under this section that the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate for use by early childhood education providers to 
improve the school readiness of limited English proficient students.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purposes of carrying 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 
for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
4 succeeding fiscal years.
    (j) Definition.--In this section, the term dual language program is 
an instructional strategy in which students are taught literacy and 
content in two languages and use the partner language for at least half 
of the instructional day and foster bilingualism, biliteracy, enhanced 
awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, and high levels of 
academic achievement through instruction in two languages.
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