Texas House Bill HB184

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

• Filed: 11/14/16

Caption

Relating to public school accountability for bilingual education and English as a second language and other special language programs.

Impact

The impact of HB184 will touch various aspects of state laws pertaining to education, specifically modifying how bilingual education programs are monitored and assessed. School districts will be required to provide disaggregated data on student achievement and retention rates, comparing students of limited English proficiency with their peers. This could lead to a strategic focus on closing the achievement gap and improving overall educational outcomes for these students.

Summary

House Bill 184 focuses on public school accountability specifically for bilingual education and programs aimed at English as a second language. It seeks to amend the Education Code, emphasizing the necessity for compliance and effectiveness evaluations of these educational programs. This bill recognizes the challenges faced by students of limited English proficiency and aims to enhance educational outcomes by mandating the collection of specific data to assess program effectiveness across school districts and campuses.

Contention

There may be contention regarding the bill's stringent evaluation methods, which require schools to meet specific improvement targets. Critics might argue that the stringent requirements could place undue pressure on educators and schools, particularly those in underserved areas that may struggle to meet the proposed standards. Proponents, however, will likely contend that accountability measures are necessary to ensure that students receive the support they need to succeed.

Monitoring

To ensure program effectiveness, the bill establishes guidelines for intervention if programs are deemed ineffective. This includes possible sanctions, such as the removal of accreditation or loss of state funding, should schools fail to meet the designated improvement goals. By linking funding and accreditation to performance, the bill aims to enhance accountability and drive improvements in bilingual education and ESL programs across Texas schools.