Foreign Language Education Partnership Program Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to replace the program providing incentive payments to public elementary schools for foreign language instruction with a partnership program in foreign languages that provides matching grants to partnerships composed of state or local educational agencies and institutions of higher education.
Requires such partnerships to establish, improve, or expand model programs of foreign language learning from kindergarten through grade 12 that increase the number of high school graduates who attain advanced proficiency in at least one foreign language.
Requires each model program to have a dimension allowing the student to gain an understanding of the historic, geographic, cultural, economic, and other contextual factors of countries whose people speak the language studied. Conditions a partnership's continued funding for two additional five-year periods, after an initial four-year funding period, on its demonstrating its program's effectiveness based on nationally recognized standardized foreign language assessments.
Directs the Secretary of Education to collect and analyze data on such programs annually and disseminate aggregated program data nationally, as well as information on successful programs and practices.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1036 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1036
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 23, 2013
Mr. Reid (for Mr. Lautenberg) 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 2014
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) 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.
``(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>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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