Reaching English Learners Act
Bill: S.1963 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
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.

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 teacher candidates participating in the 
        program with high-quality preservice clinical experience that 
        includes, to the extent practicable--
                    ``(A) clinical learning in classrooms that service 
                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 effectiveness of teachers who completed a 
                program under subsection (e)(1) with respect to 
                instruction of English learners;
                    ``(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; and
                    ``(C) the percentage of teacher candidates that 
                meet the State certification and licensure requirements 
                for teaching English learners.
            ``(2) Report from the secretary.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the last day of the 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).''.
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