H. R. 6—213
under subpart 1 or 2. The Secretary shall complete a review
of such applications on a timely basis to allow research and
program grants to be coordinated when recipients are awarded
two or more such grants.
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult with agencies
and organizations that are engaged in bilingual education research
and practice, or related research, and bilingual education research-
ers and practitioners to identify areas of study and activities to
be funded under this section.
‘‘(e) DATA COLLECTION.—The Secretary shall provide for the
continuation of data collection on limited English proficient students
as part of the data systems operated by the Department.
‘‘SEC. 7133. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS.
‘‘(a) AWARDS.—The Secretary may make grants to, and enter
into contracts and cooperative agreements with, State and local
educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of
higher education to promote the adoption and implementation of
bilingual education, special alternative instruction programs, and
professional development programs that demonstrate promise of
assisting children and youth of limited English proficiency to meet
challenging State standards.
‘‘(b) APPLICATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each entity desiring an award under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary in
such form, at such time, and containing such information and
assurances as the Secretary may reasonably require.
‘‘(2) PEER REVIEW.—The Secretary shall use a peer review
process, using effectiveness criteria that the Secretary shall
establish, to review applications under this section.
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds under this section shall be used
to enhance the capacity of States and local education agencies
to provide high quality academic programs for children and youth
of limited English proficiency, which may include—
‘‘(1) completing the development of such programs;
‘‘(2) professional development of staff participating in bilin-
gual education programs;
‘‘(3) sharing strategies and materials; and
‘‘(4) supporting professional networks.
‘‘(d) COORDINATION.—Recipients of funds under this section
shall coordinate the activities assisted under this section with activi-
ties carried out by comprehensive regional assistance centers
assisted under part A of title XIII.
‘‘SEC. 7134. STATE GRANT PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) STATE GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary is authorized to
make an award to a State educational agency that demonstrates,
to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that such agency, through
such agency’s own programs and other Federal education programs,
effectively provides for the education of children and youth of limited
English proficiency within the State.
‘‘(b) PAYMENTS.—The amount paid to a State educational agency
under subsection (a) shall not exceed 5 percent of the total amount
awarded to local educational agencies within the State under sub-
part 1 for the previous fiscal year, except that in no case shall
the amount paid by the Secretary to any State educational agency
under this subsection for any fiscal year be less than $100,000.
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—
H. R. 6—214
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State educational agency shall use
funds awarded under this section for programs authorized by
this section to—
‘‘(A) assist local educational agencies in the State with
program design, capacity building, assessment of student
performance, and program evaluation; and
‘‘(B) collect data on the State’s limited English pro-
ficient populations and the educational programs and serv-
ices available to such populations.
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—States which do not, as of the date of
enactment of the Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994,
have in place a system for collecting the data described in
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) for all students in such
State, are not required to meet the requirement of such
subparagraph. In the event such State develops a system for
collecting data on the educational programs and services avail-
able to all students in the State, then such State shall comply
with the requirement of paragraph (1)(B).
‘‘(3) TRAINING.—The State educational agency may also
use funds provided under this section for the training of State
educational agency personnel in educational issues affecting
limited English proficient children and youth.
‘‘(4) SPECIAL RULE.—Recipients of funds under this section
shall not restrict the provision of services under this section
to federally funded programs.
‘‘(d) STATE CONSULTATION.—A State educational agency receiv-
ing funds under this section shall consult with recipients of grants
under this title and other individuals or organizations involved
in the development or operation of programs serving limited English
proficient children or youth to ensure that such funds are used
in a manner consistent with the requirements of this title.
‘‘(e) APPLICATIONS.—A State educational agency desiring to
receive funds under this section shall submit an application to
the Secretary in such form, at such time, and containing such
information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
‘‘(f) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made available under
this section for any fiscal year shall be used by the State educational
agency to supplement and, to the extent practical, to increase
to the level of funds that would, in the absence of such funds,
be made available by the State for the purposes described in this
section, and in no case to supplant such funds.
‘‘(g) REPORT TO THE SECRETARY.—State educational agencies
receiving awards under this section shall provide for the annual
submission of a summary report to the Secretary describing such
State’s use of such funds.
‘‘SEC. 7135. NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish and sup-
port the operation of a National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Edu-
cation, which shall collect, analyze, synthesize, and disseminate
information about bilingual education and related programs.
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The National Clearinghouse for Bilingual
Education shall—
‘‘(1) be administered as an adjunct clearinghouse of the
Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses sys-
tem of clearinghouses supported by the Office of Educational
Research and Improvement;
H. R. 6—215
‘‘(2) coordinate its activities with Federal data and informa-
tion clearinghouses and dissemination networks and systems;
‘‘(3) develop a data base management and monitoring sys-
tem for improving the operation and effectiveness of federally
funded bilingual education programs; and
‘‘(4) develop, maintain, and disseminate, through com-
prehensive regional assistance centers described in part A of
title XIII if appropriate, a listing by geographical area of edu-
cation professionals, parents, teachers, administrators, commu-
nity members and others who are native speakers of languages
other than English for use as a resource by local educational
agencies and schools in the development and implementation
of bilingual education programs.
‘‘SEC. 7136. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT.
‘‘The Secretary may provide grants for the development,
publication, and dissemination of high-quality instructional mate-
rials in Native American and Native Hawaiian languages and the
language of Native Pacific Islanders and natives of the outlying
areas for which instructional materials are not readily available.
The Secretary shall give priority to the development of instructional
materials in languages indigenous to the United States or the
outlying areas. The Secretary shall also accord priority to applica-
tions for assistance under this section which provide for developing
and evaluating materials in collaboration with activities assisted
under subparts 1 and 2 and which are consistent with voluntary
national content standards and challenging State content standards.
‘‘Subpart 3—Professional Development
‘‘SEC. 7141. PURPOSE.
‘‘The purpose of this subpart is to assist in preparing educators
to improve the educational services for limited English proficient
children and youth by supporting professional development pro-
grams and the dissemination of information on appropriate instruc-
tional practices for such children and youth.
‘‘SEC. 7142. TRAINING FOR ALL TEACHERS PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to provide for
the incorporation of courses and curricula on appropriate and effec-
tive instructional and assessment methodologies, strategies and
resources specific to limited English proficient students into
preservice and inservice professional development programs for
teachers, pupil services personnel, administrators and other edu-
cation personnel in order to prepare such individuals to provide
effective services to limited English proficient students.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION.—
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary is authorized to award
grants to institutions of higher education, local educational
agencies, and State educational agencies or to nonprofit
organizations which have entered into consortia arrangements
with one of such institutions or agencies.
‘‘(2) DURATION.—Each grant under this section shall be
awarded for a period of not more than five years.
‘‘(c) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Activities conducted under this
section may include the development of training programs in
collaboration with other programs such as programs authorized
under titles I and II of this Act, and under the Head Start Act.
H. R. 6—216
‘‘SEC. 7143. BILINGUAL 
EDUCATION 
TEACHERS 
AND 
PERSONNEL
GRANTS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to provide for—
‘‘(1) preservice and inservice professional development for
bilingual education teachers, administrators, pupil services
personnel, and other educational personnel who are either
involved in, or preparing to be involved in, the provision of
educational services for children and youth of limited-English
proficiency; and
‘‘(2) national professional development institutes that assist
schools or departments of education in institutions of higher
education to improve the quality of professional development
programs for personnel serving, preparing to serve, or who
may serve, children and youth of limited-English proficiency.
‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give priority in awarding
grants under this section to institutions of higher education, in
consortia with local or State educational agencies, that offer degree
programs which prepare new bilingual education teachers in order
to increase the availability of educators to provide high-quality
education to limited English proficient students.
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION.—
‘‘(1) The Secretary is authorized to award grants for not
more than five years to institutions of higher education which
have entered into consortia arrangements with local or State
educational agencies to achieve the purposes of this section.
‘‘(2) The Secretary is authorized to make grants for not
more than five years to State and local educational agencies
for inservice professional development programs.
‘‘SEC. 7144. BILINGUAL EDUCATION CAREER LADDER PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is—
‘‘(1) to upgrade the qualifications and skills of noncertified
educational personnel, especially educational paraprofessionals,
to meet high professional standards, including certification and
licensure as bilingual education teachers and other educational
personnel who serve limited English proficient students,
through collaborative training programs operated by institu-
tions of higher education and local and State educational agen-
cies; and
‘‘(2) to help recruit and train secondary school students
as bilingual education teachers and other educational personnel
to serve limited English proficient students.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to award
grants for bilingual education career ladder programs to institu-
tions of higher education applying in consortia with local or
State educational agencies, which consortia may include
community-based 
organizations 
or 
professional 
education
organizations.
‘‘(2) DURATION.—Each grant under this section shall be
awarded for a period of not more than five years.
‘‘(c) PERMISSIVE ACTIVITIES.—Grants awarded under this sec-
tion may be used—
‘‘(1) for the development of bilingual education career ladder
program curricula appropriate to the needs of the consortium
participants;
H. R. 6—217
‘‘(2) to provide assistance for stipends and costs related
to tuition, fees and books for enrolling in courses required
to complete the degree and certification requirements to become
bilingual education teachers; and
‘‘(3) for programs to introduce secondary school students
to careers in bilingual education teaching that are coordinated
with other activities assisted under this section.
‘‘(d) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—The Secretary shall give special
consideration to applications under this section which provide for—
‘‘(1) participant completion of baccalaureate and master’s
degree teacher education programs, and certification require-
ments and may include effective employment placement
activities;
‘‘(2) development of teacher proficiency in English a second
language, including demonstrating proficiency in the instruc-
tional use of English and, as appropriate, a second language
in classroom contexts;
‘‘(3) coordination with the Federal TRIO programs under
chapter 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act
of 1965, the National Mini Corps under subpart 1 of part
F of title V of such Act, the Teacher Corps program under
subpart 3 of part C of title V of such Act, and the National
Community and Service Trust Act of 1993 programs, and other
programs for the recruitment and retention of bilingual stu-
dents in secondary and postsecondary programs to train to
become bilingual educators; and
‘‘(4) the applicant’s contribution of additional student finan-
cial aid to participating students.
‘‘SEC. 7145. GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION PRO-
GRAM.
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award fellowships
for masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral study related to instruc-
tion of children and youth of limited-English proficiency in
such areas as teacher training, program administration,
research and evaluation, and curriculum development, and for
the support of dissertation research related to such study.
‘‘(2) NUMBER.—For fiscal year 1994 not less than 500 fellow-
ships leading to a master’s or doctorate degree shall be awarded
under this section.
‘‘(3) INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall include informa-
tion on the operation and the number of fellowships awarded
under the fellowship program in the evaluation required under
section 7149.
‘‘(b) FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Any person receiving a fellowship under
this section shall agree to—
‘‘(A) work in an activity related to the program or
in an activity such as an activity authorized under this
part, including work as a bilingual education teacher, for
a period of time equivalent to the period of time during
which such person receives assistance under this section;
or
‘‘(B) repay such assistance.
‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall establish in regula-
tions such terms and conditions for such agreement as the
H. R. 6—218
Secretary deems reasonable and necessary and may waive the
requirement of paragraph (1) in extraordinary circumstances.
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding fellowships under this section the
Secretary may give priority to institutions of higher education that
demonstrate experience in assisting fellowship recipients find
employment in the field of bilingual education.
‘‘SEC. 7146. APPLICATION.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) SECRETARY.—To receive an award under this subpart,
an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such form, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require.
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION AND ASSESSMENT.—Each such applica-
tion shall contain a description of how the applicant has con-
sulted with, and assessed the needs of, public and private
schools serving children and youth of limited-English pro-
ficiency to determine such school’s need for, and the design
of, the program for which funds are sought.
‘‘(3) SPECIAL RULE.—(A) An application for a grant under
subsection (a) from an applicant who proposes to conduct a
master’s- or doctoral-level program with funds received under
this section shall provide an assurance that such program
will include, as a part of the program, a training practicum
in a local school program serving children and youth of limited-
English proficiency.
‘‘(B) A recipient of a grant under subsection (a) may waive
the requirement of a training practicum for a degree candidate
with significant experience in a local school program serving
children and youth of limited-English proficiency.
‘‘(4) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—An eligible entity, with
the exception of schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
shall submit a copy of the application under this subsection
to the State educational agency.
‘‘(b) STATE REVIEW AND COMMENTS.—
‘‘(1) DEADLINE.—The State educational agency, not later
than 45 days after receipt of such application copy, shall review
the application and transmit such application to the Secretary.
‘‘(2) COMMENTS.—(A) Regarding any application submitted
under this subpart, the State educational agency shall—
‘‘(i) submit to the Secretary written comments regard-
ing all such applications; and
‘‘(ii) submit to each eligible entity the comments that
pertain to such entity.
‘‘(B) For purposes of this subpart, comments shall address
how the eligible entity—
‘‘(i) will further the academic achievement of limited
English proficient students served pursuant to a grant
received under this subpart; and
‘‘(ii) how the grant application is consistent with the
State plan submitted under section 1111.
‘‘(3) WAIVER.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), the
Secretary is authorized to waive the review requirement if
a State educational agency can demonstrate that such review
requirement may impede such agency’s ability to fulfill the
requirements of participation in the State grant program,
particularly such agency’s data collection efforts and such agen-
H. R. 6—219
cy’s ability to provide technical assistance to local educational
agencies not receiving funds under this Act.
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITY COMMENTS.—An eligible entity may sub-
mit to the Secretary comments that address the comments submit-
ted by the State educational agency.
‘‘(d) COMMENT CONSIDERATION.—In making awards under this
subpart the Secretary shall take into consideration comments made
by a State educational agency.
‘‘(e) SPECIAL RULE.—
‘‘(1) OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary
shall provide for outreach and technical assistance to institu-
tions of higher education eligible for assistance under title
III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and institutions of
higher education that are operated or funded by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs to facilitate the participation of such institu-
tions in activities under this part.
‘‘(2) DISTRIBUTION
RULE.—In making awards under this
subpart, the Secretary, consistent with subsection (d), shall
ensure adequate representation of Hispanic-serving institutions
that demonstrate competence and experience in the programs
and activities authorized under this subpart and are otherwise
qualified.
‘‘SEC. 7147. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
‘‘Activities conducted under this subpart shall assist educational
personnel in meeting State and local certification requirements
for bilingual education and, wherever possible, shall lead toward
the awarding of college or university credit.
‘‘SEC. 7148. STIPENDS.
‘‘The Secretary shall provide for the payment of such stipends
(including allowances for subsistence and other expenses for such
persons and their dependents), as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate, to persons participating in training programs under
this subpart.
‘‘SEC. 7149. PROGRAM EVALUATIONS.
‘‘Each recipient of funds under this subpart shall provide the
Secretary with an evaluation of the program assisted under this
subpart every two years. Such evaluation shall include data on—
‘‘(1) post-program placement of persons trained in a pro-
gram assisted under this subpart;
‘‘(2) how the training relates to the employment of persons
served by the program;
‘‘(3) program completion; and
‘‘(4) such other information as the Secretary may require.
‘‘SEC. 7150. USE OF FUNDS FOR SECOND LANGUAGE COMPETENCE.
‘‘Awards under this subpart may be used to develop a program
participant’s competence in a second language for use in instruc-
tional programs.
‘‘Subpart 4—Transition
‘‘SEC. 7161. SPECIAL RULE.
‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no recipient of
a grant under title VII of this Act (as such title was in effect
on the day preceding the date of enactment of the Improving Ameri-
H. R. 6—220
ca’s Schools Act of 1994) shall be eligible for fourth- and fifth-
year renewals authorized by section 7021(d)(1)(C) of such title (as
such section was in effect on the day preceding the date of enact-
ment of such Act).
‘‘PART B—FOREIGN LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM
‘‘SEC. 7201. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘This part may be cited as the ‘Foreign Language Assistance
Act of 1994’.
‘‘SEC. 7202. FINDINGS.
‘‘The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(1) Foreign language proficiency is crucial to our Nation’s
economic competitiveness and national security. Significant
improvement in the quantity and quality of foreign language
instruction offered in our Nation’s elementary and secondary
schools is necessary.
‘‘(2) All Americans need a global perspective. To understand
the world around us, we must acquaint ourselves with the
languages, cultures, and history of other nations.
‘‘(3) Proficiency in two or more languages should be pro-
moted for all American students. Multilingualism enhances
cognitive and social growth, competitiveness in the global
marketplace, national security, and understanding of diverse
people and cultures.
‘‘(4) The United States lags behind other developed coun-
tries in offering foreign language study to elementary and
secondary school students.
‘‘(5) Four out of five new jobs in the United States are
created from foreign trade.
‘‘(6) The optimum time to begin learning a second language
is in elementary school, when children have the ability to
learn and excel in several foreign language acquisition skills,
including pronunciation, and when children are most open to
appreciating and valuing a culture other than their own.
‘‘(7) Foreign language study can increase childrens’ capacity
for critical and creative thinking skills and children who study
a second language show greater cognitive development in areas
such as mental flexibility, creativity, tolerance, and higher order
thinking skills.
‘‘(8) Children who have studied a foreign language in
elementary school achieve expected gains and score higher on
standardized tests of reading, language arts, and mathematics
than children who have not studied a foreign language.
‘‘SEC. 7203. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make grants, on
a competitive basis, to State educational agencies or local edu-
cational agencies to pay the Federal share of the cost of inno-
vative model programs providing for the establishment,
improvement or expansion of foreign language study for
elementary and secondary school students.
‘‘(2) DURATION.—Each grant under paragraph (1) shall be
awarded for a period of three years.
H. R. 6—221
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(1) GRANTS TO STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.—In award-
ing a grant under subsection (a) to a State educational agency,
the Secretary shall support programs that promote systemic
approaches to improving foreign language learning in the State.
‘‘(2) GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.—In award-
ing a grant under subsection (a) to a local educational agency,
the Secretary shall support programs that—
‘‘(A) show the promise of being continued beyond the
grant period;
‘‘(B) demonstrate approaches that can be disseminated
and duplicated in other local educational agencies; and
‘‘(C) may include a professional development compo-
nent.
‘‘(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share for each fiscal year
shall be 50 percent.
‘‘(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the requirement
of paragraph (1) for any local educational agency which the
Secretary determines does not have adequate resources to pay
the non-Federal share of the cost of the activities assisted
under this part.
‘‘(3) SPECIAL
RULE.—Not less than three-fourths of the
funds appropriated under section 7206 shall be used for the
expansion of foreign language learning in the elementary
grades.
‘‘(4) RESERVATION.—The Secretary may reserve not more
than 5 percent of funds appropriated under section 7206 to
evaluate the efficacy of programs under this part.
‘‘SEC. 7204. APPLICATIONS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Any State educational agency or local edu-
cational agency desiring a grant under this part shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and contain-
ing 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;
‘‘(2) link non-native English speakers in the community
with the schools in order to promote two-way language learning;
or
‘‘(3) promote the sequential study of a foreign language
for students, beginning in elementary schools.
‘‘SEC. 7205. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOREIGN LANGUAGE INCENTIVE
PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.—From amounts appropriated under
section 7206 the Secretary shall make an incentive payment for
each fiscal year to each public elementary school that provides
to students attending such school a program designed to lead to
communicative competency in a foreign language.
‘‘(b) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall determine the amount of
the incentive payment under subsection (a) for each public
elementary school for each fiscal year on the basis of the number
of students participating in a program described in such subsection
at such school for such year compared to the total number of