[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1015 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1015

    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
         establish a partnership program in foreign languages.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 17, 2011

  Mr. Lautenberg (for himself and Mr. Akaka) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
         establish a partnership program in foreign languages.

    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 ``Foreign Language Education 
Partnership Program Act''.

SEC. 2. PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES.

    (a) In General.--Section 5494 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7259c) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 5494. PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES.

    ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
            ``(1) to provide grants for developing and maintaining 
        model programs of articulated foreign language learning from 
        kindergarten through grade 12 that increase the number of 
        students graduating from high school with an advanced level of 
        proficiency in at least one foreign language; and
            ``(2) to widely disseminate information on the model 
        programs that demonstrate success.
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--From the amounts made available to carry 
        out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall make 
        grants to eligible partnerships to develop and maintain, or to 
        improve and expand, model programs that support articulated 
        foreign language learning in kindergarten through grade 12.
            ``(2) Planning and development.--For the first 2 fiscal 
        years that an eligible partnership receives funds under 
        paragraph (1) for a model program on a less-commonly-taught 
        foreign language (as determined by the Secretary), the 
        Secretary may allow that partnership, based on demonstrated 
        need, to use those funds for planning and development 
        activities, including--
                    ``(A) development of an articulated instructional 
                curriculum for the less-commonly-taught foreign 
                language to which the model program relates;
                    ``(B) in-service and pre-service development of 
                teachers, and development of curriculum and language 
                assessments in the less-commonly-taught foreign 
                language to which the model program relates; and
                    ``(C) development of contextual programs and 
                curriculum materials related to the less-commonly-
                taught foreign language to which the model program 
                relates, as described in subsection (e).
    ``(c) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible partnership desiring a 
        grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application shall--
                    ``(A) identify each member of the partnership, 
                provide contact information and letters of commitment 
                for each such member, and describe the responsibilities 
                of each such member, including--
                            ``(i) identifying the member that will 
                        receive and manage the grant;
                            ``(ii) specifying how each member will be 
                        involved in the planning, development, and 
                        implementation of the activities proposed under 
                        the grant;
                            ``(iii) describing the resources to be 
                        provided by each member; and
                            ``(iv) describing how each member will 
                        contribute to ensuring the continuity of 
                        student progress in proficiency from 
                        kindergarten through grade 12 in not less than 
                        1 foreign language to which the program 
                        relates;
                    ``(B) describe how an articulated curriculum for 
                students to achieve an advanced level of proficiency by 
                grade 12 in the foreign language will be developed and 
                implemented;
                    ``(C) identify target proficiency levels in the 
                foreign language for students at critical benchmarks, 
                and describe how progress toward those proficiency 
                levels will be assessed at the benchmarks;
                    ``(D) describe how the partnership will support and 
                continue the program after the grant has expired, 
                including how the partnership will seek support from 
                other sources, such as State and local governments, 
                foundations, and the private sector; and
                    ``(E) describe what assessments will be used or, if 
                assessments are not available, how assessments will be 
                developed.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible partnership receiving a grant 
under this section--
            ``(1) shall use grant funds--
                    ``(A) to design model programs and teaching 
                strategies relating to not less than one foreign 
                language that are informed by the best practices 
                recognized by the field and by available research;
                    ``(B) to develop, for the foreign language to which 
                the model program relates, curriculum materials based 
                on an articulated framework or approach designed to 
                bring students to an advanced level of proficiency by 
                grade 12;
                    ``(C) to recruit students and teachers for the 
                foreign language, such as individuals from heritage 
                populations; and
                    ``(D) to carry out teacher in-service and pre-
                service professional development programs, including 
                summer institutes, that support the model programs; and
            ``(2) may be used--
                    ``(A)(i) to develop nationally recognized 
                assessments for kindergarten through grade 12 for the 
                foreign language to which the model program relates, if 
                such assessments do not exist for that language; or
                    ``(ii) to enhance nationally recognized assessments 
                for kindergarten through grade 12 for the foreign 
                language to which the model program relates, if such 
                assessments already exist for that language;
                    ``(B) to provide scholarships and incentives to 
                recruit new teachers for the foreign language, and 
                encourage practicing teachers to take advantage of the 
                professional development opportunities;
                    ``(C) to provide opportunities for maximum foreign 
                language exposure for students domestically, such as 
                the creation of immersion environments in the classroom 
                and school and on weekend or summer experiences, and 
                special tutoring and academic support;
                    ``(D) to provide the possibility for multiple entry 
                points for studying the foreign language;
                    ``(E) to provide scholarships for study-abroad 
                opportunities related to the foreign language, for 
                students in grades 9 through 12 and teachers and 
                prospective teachers of such students, except that the 
                eligible entity shall not use more than 20 percent of 
                the grant funds for this purpose;
                    ``(F) to carry out activities to integrate foreign 
                languages into the school curriculum and generate 
                whole-school collaboration, including activities and 
                support for teachers of other subjects and 
                administrators;
                    ``(G) to carry out activities to encourage 
                community involvement in the model program, especially 
                with respect to heritage communities;
                    ``(H) to incorporate effective and innovative uses 
                of technology to enhance student learning and teaching 
                in the foreign language;
                    ``(I) to develop certification and alternative 
                certification programs at the State level, especially 
                for less-commonly-taught foreign languages (as 
                determined by the Secretary);
                    ``(J) to obtain technical assistance in the 
                development and implementation of the model program 
                funded under this section; and
                    ``(K) to recruit or appoint a language supervisor 
                to oversee and coordinate the progress of the 
                articulated foreign language program funded under this 
                section across grade levels in the local educational 
                agency.
    ``(e) Contextual Dimension.--A grant under this section may not be 
used to support a model program unless the program includes a 
dimension, carried out in conjunction with foreign language 
instruction, under which each foreign language learner also 
participates in programs to expand the understanding and knowledge of 
historic, geographic, cultural, economic, and other contextual factors 
of countries with populations who speak the foreign language to which 
the model program relates.
    ``(f) Research and Evaluation.--
            ``(1) In general.--A grant under this section may not be 
        used to support a model program unless the program includes a 
        research and evaluation component, under which--
                    ``(A) information is collected and analyzed 
                regarding the effectiveness of activities carried out 
                under the program, including--
                            ``(i) program design;
                            ``(ii) student and teacher recruitment 
                        strategies;
                            ``(iii) curricular approaches;
                            ``(iv) teacher development; and
                            ``(v) foreign language assessment 
                        instruments;
                    ``(B) information is collected and analyzed 
                regarding the impact of each activity in subparagraph 
                (A) on the foreign language proficiency of the 
                students;
                    ``(C) information is collected and analyzed 
                regarding program participation, including data on 
                student enrollments and numbers of foreign language 
                teachers; and
                    ``(D) the information collected, and the analyses 
                of that information, are made widely available to the 
                public.
            ``(2) Standardization.--The Secretary shall provide 
        guidelines to standardize the categories of information 
        collected and analyzed under paragraph (1) and the manner in 
        which that information is collected, analyzed, and made 
        available to the public.
    ``(g) Duration of Payments.--
            ``(1) Initial grants.--An initial grant awarded under this 
        section to an eligible partnership shall be for a period of 4 
        years.
            ``(2) Additional grants.--An eligible partnership 
        completing a 4-year grant award under this section may be 
        eligible for not more than 2 additional 5-year awards under 
        this section, but only if the partnership demonstrates, based 
        on nationally recognized standardized foreign language 
        assessments, that the partnership's model program is effective.
    ``(h) Matching Requirement.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible partnership that receives a 
        grant under this section shall provide, toward the cost of 
        carrying out the activities supported by the grant, from non-
        Federal sources an amount equal to--
                    ``(A) 20 percent of the amount of the grant payment 
                for the first fiscal year for which a grant payment is 
                made;
                    ``(B) 30 percent of the amount of the grant payment 
                for the second such fiscal year;
                    ``(C) 40 percent of the amount of the grant payment 
                for the third such fiscal year; and
                    ``(D) 50 percent of the amount of the grant payment 
                for the fourth such fiscal year, and for each year of 
                any subsequent grants made to the eligible partnership 
                under this section.
            ``(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share required 
        under paragraph (1) may be provided in cash or in-kind.
            ``(3) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive, in whole or in 
        part, the matching requirement under paragraph (1) for any 
        fiscal year if--
                    ``(A) the eligible partnership demonstrates 
                hardship and the waiver will best serve the purposes of 
                this section; or
                    ``(B) the foreign language to which the model 
                program relates is a less-commonly-taught foreign 
                language (as determined by the Secretary).
    ``(i) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under this 
section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other Federal and 
non-Federal funds available to carry out the activities described in 
this section.
    ``(j) Data Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may reserve not more than 
        3 percent of the total amount appropriated for this section for 
        any fiscal year to--
                    ``(A) annually collect and analyze data on the 
                model programs supported under this section; and
                    ``(B) disseminate nationally, including through a 
                Web-based clearinghouse--
                            ``(i) aggregated data collected under 
                        subparagraph (A); and
                            ``(ii) promising kindergarten through grade 
                        12 foreign language learning and teaching 
                        practices, and successful program models, that 
                        are developed under this section.
            ``(2) Authority for grants or contracts.--The activities 
        described in paragraph (1) may be carried out by the Secretary 
        directly or through grants or contracts to institutions of 
        higher education or public or private nonprofit agencies and 
        organizations.
    ``(k) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Advanced level of proficiency.--The term `advanced 
        level of proficiency' means--
                    ``(A) the advanced level as measured by the 
                American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages;
                    ``(B) level 2 as measured by the Interagency 
                Language Roundtable; or
                    ``(C) any other nationally recognized measure of 
                advanced standards of foreign language proficiency, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            ``(2) Articulated.--The term `articulated' means that each 
        grade level of the foreign language program is designed to 
        sequentially expand on the student achievement of the previous 
        level with a goal toward achieving an established level of 
        language proficiency.
            ``(3) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible 
        partnership' means a partnership that--
                    ``(A) shall include--
                            ``(i) one or more local educational 
                        agencies or State educational agencies; and
                            ``(ii) one or more institutions of higher 
                        education, which shall include--
                                    ``(I) a school, department, or 
                                program within the institution or 
                                institutions of higher education that 
                                provides a teacher preparation program;
                                    ``(II) a school, department, 
                                program, or center within the 
                                institution or institutions of higher 
                                education that provides a program of 
                                study or research in foreign languages; 
                                and
                                    ``(III) a school, department, 
                                program, or center within the 
                                institution or institutions of higher 
                                education that provides programs of 
                                study about the historic, geographic, 
                                cultural, economic, and other 
                                contextual factors of the world area or 
                                country with populations who speak the 
                                foreign language to which the model 
                                program relates; and
                    ``(B) may also include one or more businesses or 
                nonprofit organizations.
    ``(l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal 
years.''.
    (b) Findings and Purposes.--Subpart 9 of part D of title V of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7259 et seq.) 
is further amended by inserting after section 5491 the following:

``SEC. 5491A. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

    ``(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) According to the National Research Council in 2007, a 
        pervasive lack of knowledge about foreign cultures and foreign 
        languages in this country threatens the security of the United 
        States as well as its ability to compete in the global 
        marketplace and produce an informed citizenry.
            ``(2) According to the National Research Council in 2007, 
        early language learning in elementary and secondary school is 
        key to establishing a pipeline of students who can eventually 
        reach a high enough level of proficiency in foreign language 
        and culture to meet national needs.
            ``(3) According to the Committee for Economic Development 
        in 2006, current efforts to develop language skills and 
        knowledge of world regions at an early age are clearly 
        inadequate to prepare high school graduates with the skills 
        necessary for productivity and citizenship in an integrated 
        global economy.
            ``(4) The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign 
        Languages found that only 34 percent of United States students 
        in kindergarten through grade 12 were enrolled in foreign 
        language classes in 2000. Furthermore, the length of time 
        students spend studying languages at school has stagnated, so 
        that many students reach only introductory levels of 
        proficiency.
            ``(5) Research demonstrates that success lies not only in 
        the number of years of learning but also in having carefully 
        sequenced and articulated programs of language learning across 
        a child's school experience, requiring bridging the gaps 
        between levels in foreign language education.
            ``(6) A survey of secondary school principals and foreign 
        language teachers by the Center for Applied Linguistics in 1999 
        identified a shortage of foreign language teachers as a major 
        impediment to greater foreign language learning, along with 
        funding, lack of training, and poor academic counseling.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this subpart are--
            ``(1) to provide grants for model programs that address the 
        needs for developing, strengthening, and expanding the teaching 
        and learning of foreign languages and foreign cultures in the 
        elementary and secondary schools of the United States; and
            ``(2) to widely disseminate information on successful 
        programs and practices.''.
    (c) Technical Amendments.--The table of contents in section 2 of 
such Act is amended--
            (1) by inserting after the item relating to section 5491 
        the following:

``Sec. 5491A. Findings; purposes.'';
        and
            (2) by striking the item relating to section 5494 and 
        inserting the following:

``Sec. 5494. Partnership program in foreign languages.''.
                                 <all>