Reaching English Learners Act
This bill directs the Department of Education to establish a grant program for preparing future teachers to effectively instruct English learners to achieve at high levels in early childhood education programs and in elementary and secondary schools. Under the program, grants must be given to partnerships between (1) certain institutions of higher education, and (2) high-need local educational agencies or high-need early childhood education programs.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3605 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3605
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of
Education to award institutions of higher education grants for teaching
English learners.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 23, 2023
Mr. Grijalva (for himself, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Crockett, and Mr. Bowman)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of
Education to award institutions of higher education grants for teaching
English learners.
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 ``Reaching English Learners Act''.
SEC. 2. TEACHING ENGLISH LEARNERS GRANT.
Part B of title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1031 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Subpart 6--Teaching English Learners Grant
``SEC. 259. TEACHING ENGLISH LEARNERS GRANT.
``(a) Authorization of Program.--The Secretary shall award grants,
on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to improve the
preparation of teacher candidates to ensure that such teacher
candidates possess the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively
instruct English learners.
``(b) Duration of Grants.--A grant under this section shall be
awarded for a period of not more than 5 years.
``(c) Preference.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give preference to eligible partnerships that recruit
and enroll teacher candidates who are from underrepresented populations
or former English learners.
``(d) Non-Federal Share.--An eligible partnership that receives a
grant under this section shall provide not less than 50 percent of the
cost of the activities carried out with such grant from non-Federal
sources, which may be provided in cash or in kind.
``(e) Uses of Funds.--An eligible partnership that receives a grant
under this section shall use the grant to--
``(1) develop, or strengthen, an undergraduate,
postbaccalaureate, or master's teacher preparation program that
enables the graduate to meet the State's licensure or
certification requirements to teach English learners and
incorporates evidence-based strategies for teaching English
learners (including bilingual, immersion, and dual-language
education) into the education curriculum and academic content;
``(2) provide teacher candidates participating in a program
under paragraph (1) with skills related to--
``(A) helping English learners--
``(i) achieve at high levels in early
childhood education programs, and elementary
schools and secondary schools so such English
learners can meet the challenging State
academic standards that--
``(I) have been adopted under
section 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)) by the State of the
school attended or to be attended by
the English learners; and
``(II) apply to all public school
students in the State; and
``(ii) attain English proficiency;
``(B) appropriately identifying and meeting the
specific learning needs of children with disabilities
who are English learners;
``(C) recognizing and addressing the social and
emotional needs of English learners; and
``(D) promoting parental, family, and community
engagement in educational programs that serve English
learners; and
``(3) provide high-quality preservice clinical experience
that meets the requirements of section 202(d)(2) for teacher
candidates participating in the program that includes, to the
extent practicable--
``(A) clinical learning in classrooms that serve
English learners; and
``(B) mentoring by a teacher certified to teach
English learners.
``(f) Application.--An eligible partnership seeking 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. Such application shall include--
``(1) a self-assessment by the eligible partnership of the
existing teacher preparation program at the institution of
higher education, and the needs related to preparing teacher
candidates to instruct English learners in the manner described
in subsection (e)(2);
``(2) a self-assessment by the eligible partnership of the
personnel needs for teachers who instruct English learners at
local, early childhood education programs, and elementary
schools and secondary schools;
``(3) a description of the intended uses of such grant; and
``(4) a description of the plan to carry out the evaluation
under subsection (g)(1).
``(g) Evaluations.--
``(1) Report from eligible partnerships.--An eligible
partnership receiving a grant under this section shall submit
to the Secretary the results of an evaluation conducted by the
partnership at the end of the grant period to determine--
``(A) the number and percentage of teacher
candidates who enroll in the teacher preparation
program supported by such grant, and who--
``(i) complete such program;
``(ii) meet the licensure or certification
requirements to teach English learners in the
State of such program; and
``(iii) obtain employment in--
``(I) the high-need local
educational agency in the eligible
partnership; or
``(II) the high-need early
childhood education program in the
eligible partnership; and
``(B) the systemic impact of the activities carried
out by such grant on how such partnership prepares
teachers to provide instruction in early childhood
education programs, and elementary schools and
secondary schools.
``(2) Report from the secretary.--Not later than 180 days
after the last day of the last grant period under this section,
the Secretary shall make available to the authorizing
committees and the public--
``(A) the findings of the evaluations submitted
under paragraph (1); and
``(B) information on best practices related to
effective instruction of English learners.
``(h) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible partnership receiving
a grant under this section may use the grant only to supplement funds
made available from non-Federal sources to carry out the activities
supported by such grant, and in no case to supplant such funds from
non-Federal sources.
``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Child with a disability.--The term `child with a
disability' has the meaning given the term in section 602 of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
1401).
``(2) Eligible institution of higher education.--The term
`eligible institution of higher education' means an institution
of higher education that has a program of study that leads to
an undergraduate degree, a master's degree, or completion of a
postbaccalaureate program required for teacher certification or
licensure, including any requirements for certification
obtained through alternative routes to certification.
``(3) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible
partnership' means an eligible institution of higher education
in partnership with a high-need local educational agency or a
high-need early childhood education program.
``(4) English learner.--The term `English learner' has the
meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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