[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 14, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5065-S5066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2233. Ms. BALDWIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 2089 submitted by Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mrs.
Murray) to the bill S. 1177, to reauthorize the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that every child achieves;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 630, between lines 4 and 5, insert the following:
SEC. 5011. WORLD LANGUAGE ADVANCEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
Title V (20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.), as amended by section
5001, is further amended by inserting after part I, as added
by section 5010, the following:
``PART J--WORLD LANGUAGE ADVANCEMENT ACT
``SEC. 5910. SHORT TITLE.
``This part may be cited as the `World Language Advancement
Act of 2015'.
``SEC. 5911. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``(a) Program Authority.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to make
grants, on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies
and local educational agencies to pay the Federal share of
the cost of innovative model programs providing for the
establishment, improvement, or expansion of foreign language
study for elementary school and secondary school students.
``(2) Duration.--Each grant under paragraph (1) shall be
awarded for a period of 3 years.
``(b) Requirements.--In awarding a grant under subsection
(a) to a State educational agency or local educational
agency, the Secretary shall support programs that--
``(1) show the promise of being continued beyond the grant
period;
``(2) demonstrate approaches that can be disseminated and
duplicated in other States or local educational agencies; and
``(3) may include a professional development component.
``(c) Federal Share.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal share for each fiscal year
shall be 50 percent.
``(2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the
matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for any
fiscal year for a State educational agency or local
educational agency if the Secretary determines that applying
the matching requirement would result in serious hardship or
an inability to carry out the activities described in this
part.
``(d) Special Rule.--Not less than 75 percent of the funds
made available to carry out this part shall be used for the
expansion of foreign language learning in the elementary
grades.
``(e) Reservation.--The Secretary may reserve not more than
5 percent of funds made available to carry out this part for
a fiscal year to evaluate the efficacy of programs assisted
under this part.
``SEC. 5912. APPLICATIONS.
``(a) In General.--Any State educational agency or local
educational agency desiring a grant under this part shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
[[Page S5066]]
such manner, and containing such information and assurances
as the Secretary may require.
``(b) Special Consideration.--The Secretary shall give
special consideration to applications describing programs
that--
``(1) include intensive summer foreign language programs
for professional development of foreign language teachers;
``(2) link non-native English speakers in the community
with the schools in order to promote two-way language
learning;
``(3) promote the sequential study of a foreign language
for students, beginning in elementary schools;
``(4) make effective use of technology, such as computer-
assisted instruction, language laboratories, or distance
learning, to promote foreign language study; and
``(5) promote innovative activities, such as foreign
language immersion, partial foreign language immersion, or
content-based instruction.
``SEC. 5913. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
part such sums as may be necessary.''.
______