[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1948 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 538
113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1948

To promote the academic achievement of American Indian, Alaska Native, 
    and Native Hawaiian children with the establishment of a Native 
                    American language grant program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 16, 2014

 Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Begich, Mr. Johnson of South 
    Dakota, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. 
 Heitkamp, Mr. Walsh, and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

                            August 26, 2014

   Reported, under authority of the order of the Senate of August 5 
  (legislative day, August 1), 2014, by Mr. Tester, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To promote the academic achievement of American Indian, Alaska Native, 
    and Native Hawaiian children with the establishment of a Native 
                    American language grant program.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Native Language Immersion 
Student Achievement Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Congress established the unique status of 
        Native American languages and distinctive policies supporting 
        their use as a medium of education in the Native American 
        Languages Act (Public Law 101-477).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Reports from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and 
        tribal, public, charter, and private schools and colleges that 
        use primarily Native American languages to deliver education, 
        have indicated that students from these schools have generally 
        had high school graduation and college attendance rates above 
        the norm for their peers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) includes policy barriers to 
        schools taught through Native American languages and a lack of 
        adequate funding to support such opportunities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) There is a critical need that requires 
        immediate action to support education through Native American 
        languages to preserve these languages.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>

     <DELETED>``PART D--NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 7401. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) to establish a grant program to support 
        schools using Native American languages as the primary language 
        of instruction of all curriculum taught at the school that will 
        improve high school graduation rates, college attainment, and 
        career readiness; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) to further integrate into this Act, Federal 
        policy for such schools, as established in the Native American 
        Languages Act (Public Law 101-477).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Program Authorized.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--From the amounts made available 
        to carry out this section, the Secretary may award grants to 
        eligible entities to develop and maintain, or to improve and 
        expand, programs that support schools, including 
        prekindergarten through postsecondary education, using Native 
        American languages as the primary language of instruction of 
        all curriculum taught at the schools.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Eligible entities.--In this section, the 
        term `eligible entity' means a school or a private or tribal, 
        nonprofit organization that has a plan to develop and maintain, 
        or to improve and expand, programs that support schools using 
        Native American languages as the primary language of 
        instruction of all curriculum taught at the schools.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Application.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that desires 
        to receive 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, 
        including the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) The name of the Native American 
                language to be used for instruction at the school 
                supported by the eligible entity.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) The number of students attending 
                such school.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) The number of present hours of 
                Native American language instruction being provided to 
                students at such school, if any.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) The status of such school with 
                regard to any applicable tribal education department or 
                agency, public education system, indigenous language 
                schooling research and cooperative, or accrediting 
                body.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) A statement that such school--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) is engaged in meeting 
                        targeted proficiency levels for students, as 
                        may be required by applicable Federal, State, 
                        or tribal law; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) provides assessments of 
                        student using the Native American language of 
                        instruction, where appropriate.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) A list of the instructors, staff, 
                administrators, contractors, or subcontractors at such 
                school and their qualifications to deliver high quality 
                education through the Native American language of the 
                school.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Additional application materials.--In 
        addition to the application described in paragraph (1), an 
        eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this 
        section shall submit to the Secretary the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) A certification from a Federally 
                recognized Indian tribe, or a letter from any Native 
                American entity, on whose land the school supported by 
                the eligible entity is located, or which is served by 
                such school, indicating that the school has the 
                capacity to provide education primarily through a 
                Native American language and that there are sufficient 
                speakers of such Native American language at the school 
                or available to be hired by the school.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) A statement that such school will 
                participate in data collection conducted by the 
                Secretary that will determine best practices and 
                further academic evaluation of the school.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) A demonstration of the capacity to 
                have speakers of its Native American language provide 
                the basic education offered by such school on a full-
                time basis.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Awarding of Grants.--In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) determine the amount and length of each 
        grant;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) ensure, to the maximum extent feasible, that 
        diversity in languages is represented; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) require the eligible entities to present a 
        Native language education plan to improve high school 
        graduation rates, college attainment, and career 
        readiness.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Activities Authorized.--An eligible entity that 
receives a grant under this section shall carry out the following 
activities:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Support Native American language education 
        and development.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Develop or refine instructional curriculum 
        for the school supported by the eligible entity, including 
        distinctive teaching materials and activities, as 
        appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Fund training opportunities for teachers 
        and, as appropriate, staff and administrators, that would 
        strengthen the overall language and academic goals of such 
        school.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Other activities that promote Native 
        American language education and development, as 
        appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Report to Secretary.--Each eligible entity that 
receives a grant under this section shall provide an annual report to 
the Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary may 
require.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
2015, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding 
fiscal years.''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native Language Immersion Student 
Achievement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Congress established the unique status of Native 
        American languages and distinctive policies supporting their 
        use as a medium of education in the Native American Languages 
        Act (Public Law 101-477).
            (2) Reports from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal, 
        public, charter, and private schools and colleges that use 
        primarily Native American languages to deliver education, have 
        indicated that students from these schools have generally had 
        high school graduation and college attendance rates above the 
        norm for their peers.
            (3) Such successful schools include Native American 
        language medium schools focusing primarily on children who 
        enter school speaking Native American languages and immersion 
        schools that focus primarily on teaching Native American 
        languages to children who enter school with little or no 
        knowledge of a Native American language, as well as programs 
        combining features of both types of schools, such as Native 
        American Language Nests and Native American Language Survival 
        Schools.
            (4) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) includes policy barriers to schools taught 
        through Native American languages and a lack of adequate 
        funding to support such opportunities.
            (5) There is a critical need that requires immediate action 
        to support education through Native American languages to 
        preserve these languages.

SEC. 3. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS.

    Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

               ``PART D--NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

``SEC. 7401. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS.

    ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
            ``(1) to establish a grant program to support schools using 
        Native American languages as the primary language of 
        instruction of all curriculum taught at the schools that will 
        improve high school graduation rates, college attainment, and 
        career readiness; and
            ``(2) to further integrate into this Act, Federal policy 
        for such schools, as established in the Native American 
        Languages Act (Public Law 101-477).
    ``(b) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--From the amounts made available to carry 
        out this section, the Secretary may award grants to eligible 
        entities to develop and maintain, or to improve and expand, 
        programs that support schools, including prekindergarten 
        through postsecondary education sites and streams, using Native 
        American languages as the primary language of instruction of 
        all curriculum taught.
            ``(2) Eligible entities.--In this section, the term 
        `eligible entity' means a tribe, Tribal College or University 
        (as defined in section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965), tribal education agency, school, or a private or tribal, 
        nonprofit organization, which has a plan to develop and 
        maintain, or to improve and expand, programs that support 
        schools using Native American languages as the primary language 
        of instruction of all curriculum taught at the schools.
    ``(c) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that desires to 
        receive 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, including the 
        following:
                    ``(A) The name of the Native American language to 
                be used for instruction at the school supported by the 
                eligible entity.
                    ``(B) The number of students attending such school.
                    ``(C) The number of present hours of instruction in 
                or through 1 or more Native American languages being 
                provided to targeted students at such school, if any.
                    ``(D) The status of such school with regard to any 
                applicable tribal education department or agency, 
                public education system, indigenous language schooling 
                research and cooperative, or accrediting body.
                    ``(E) A statement that such school--
                            ``(i) is engaged in meeting targeted 
                        proficiency levels for students, as may be 
                        required by applicable Federal, State, or 
                        tribal law; and
                            ``(ii) provides assessments of student 
                        using the Native American language of 
                        instruction, where appropriate.
                    ``(F) A list of the instructors, staff, 
                administrators, contractors, or subcontractors at such 
                school and their qualifications to deliver high quality 
                education through the Native American language of the 
                school.
            ``(2) Additional application materials.--In addition to the 
        application described in paragraph (1), an eligible entity that 
        desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit to 
        the Secretary the following:
                    ``(A) A certification from a Federally recognized 
                Indian tribe, or a letter from any Native American 
                entity, on whose land the school supported by the 
                eligible entity is located, or which is served by such 
                school, indicating that the school has the capacity to 
                provide education primarily through a Native American 
                language and that there are sufficient speakers of such 
                Native American language at the school or available to 
                be hired by the school.
                    ``(B) A statement that such school will collect 
                data relative to high school graduation, college 
                attendance, or other data relevant to student 
                achievement, career readiness, or community 
                participation of students who matriculate through its 
                programs, and will participate in data collection 
                conducted by the Secretary that will determine best 
                practices and further academic evaluation of the 
                school.
                    ``(C) A demonstration of the capacity to have 
                speakers of its Native American language provide the 
                basic education offered by such school on a full-time 
                basis.
    ``(d) Awarding of Grants.--In awarding grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) determine the amount and length of each grant;
            ``(2) ensure, to the maximum extent feasible, that 
        diversity in languages is represented; and
            ``(3) require the eligible entities to present a Native 
        language education plan that integrates high achievement in the 
        Native American language with improved student academic 
        achievement, high school graduation rates, college attainment, 
        and career readiness.
    ``(e) Activities Authorized.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall carry out the following activities:
            ``(1) Support Native American language education and 
        development.
            ``(2) Develop or refine instructional curriculum for the 
        school supported by the eligible entity, including distinctive 
        teaching materials and activities, as appropriate.
            ``(3) Fund training opportunities for teachers and, as 
        appropriate, staff and administrators, that would strengthen 
        the overall language and academic goals of such school.
            ``(4) Develop a Native Language alignment plan to create or 
        refine assessments of student proficiency on State or tribally-
        developed academic standards for Native American language 
        schools, aligned with the Native language of instruction in 
        such schools, as appropriate.
            ``(5) Other activities that promote Native American 
        language education and development, as appropriate.
    ``(f) Report to Secretary.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this section shall provide an annual report to the 
Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary may require.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2015, 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
years.''.
                                                       Calendar No. 538

113th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1948

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To promote the academic achievement of American Indian, Alaska Native, 
    and Native Hawaiian children with the establishment of a Native 
                    American language grant program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            August 26, 2014

                       Reported with an amendment