88R19516 DIO-D
By: Guerra, Allen, Dutton, et al. H.B. No. 2164
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to public school bilingual education programs, dual
language immersion programs, and special language programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.4572 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.4572. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS:
BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION. The commissioner,
in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, shall develop and make
available training materials and other training resources to
increase school administrators' understanding of and improve
student outcomes for:
(1) bilingual education programs offered under
Section 29.053; and
(2) dual language immersion programs described by
Section 28.0051.
SECTION 2. Section 29.066(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A school district that is required to offer bilingual
education or special language programs shall include the following
information in the district's Public Education Information
Management System (PEIMS) report:
(1) demographic information, as determined by the
commissioner, on students enrolled in district bilingual education
or special language programs;
(2) the number and percentage of students enrolled in
each instructional model of a bilingual education or special
language program offered by the district; [and]
(3) the number and percentage of students identified
as emergent bilingual students who do not receive specialized
instruction; and
(4) any other information required by the agency under
Section 29.068(b).
SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 29.068 to read as follows:
Sec. 29.068. AGENCY MONITORING. (a) The agency shall adopt
rules providing for robust monitoring of bilingual education and
special language programs. The rules must require the agency to:
(1) review bilingual education and special language
program requirements to ensure those requirements prioritize
meeting student needs and closing learning gaps for emergent
bilingual students; and
(2) engage directly with school districts offering
bilingual education or special language programs to improve
outcomes for emergent bilingual students, including by identifying
districts offering programs with deficiencies and providing
technical assistance to those districts.
(b) Rules adopted under Subsection (a) may include
requiring school districts that offer bilingual education or
special language programs to provide additional information
relevant to the programs through the Public Education Information
Management System (PEIMS) under Section 29.066.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.