88R14428 DIO-D     By: Guerra H.B. No. 4508       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to bilingual education in public schools.          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.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 28.028 to read as follows:          Sec. 28.028.  TEXAS STATE SEAL OF BILINGUALISM AND   BILITERACY.  (a) In this section, "seal" means the Texas State Seal   of Bilingualism and Biliteracy established under Subsection (b).          (b) The agency shall establish a seal to recognize high   school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in   comprehending, speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a   language other than English.          (c)  The agency, in consultation with appropriate   stakeholders, shall:                (1)  determine minimum requirements for earning the   seal, which:                      (A)  must be sufficiently rigorous to indicate to   an employer or postsecondary institution that a student who has   earned the seal is biliterate;                      (B)  may include completion of a project,   activity, or portfolio; and                      (C)  may not condition receipt of the seal on an   examination created for that purpose; and                (2)  prepare and deliver to each school district an   insignia that can be affixed or stamped on the diploma of and adopt   a designation to be included on the transcript of a student who has   satisfied requirements for earning the seal.          (d)  Each school district shall:                (1)  maintain appropriate records to identify students   who have earned the seal; and                (2)  for each student who has satisfied requirements   for earning the seal:                      (A)  affix the seal's insignia to the student's   diploma; and                      (B)  include in the student's transcript that the   student earned the seal.          (e)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to   administer this section.          SECTION 3.  Section 29.054, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:          (e)  Notwithstanding Section 29.066(c), the agency may   require, for purposes of implementing Section 48.105, a school   district that is granted an exception under this section to:                (1)  include in the district's Public Education   Information Management System (PEIMS) report additional   information specified by the agency and relating to the alternative   language education methods used by the district; and                (2)  classify the alternative language education   method used by the district under the Public Education Information   Management System (PEIMS) report as specified by the agency.          SECTION 4.  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 5.  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 6.  Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 29.1831 to read as follows:          Sec. 29.1831.  PROGRAM OF STUDY IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION,   ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND SPANISH. (a) The agency shall   develop a program of study for use in career and technology   education programs that prepares and assists students in pursuing a   career teaching:                (1)  bilingual education;                (2)  English as a second language; or                (3)  Spanish.          (b)  The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website   information regarding:                (1)  the program of study developed under this section;   and                (2)  the financial incentive program to prepare   teachers to obtain certification to teach bilingual education,   English as a second language, or Spanish administered by the Texas   Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subchapter SS, Chapter   61.          SECTION 7.  Section 33.007(b), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  During the first school year a student is enrolled in a   high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment   charter school, and again during each year of a student's   enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school   counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education   to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The   information must include information regarding:                (1)  the importance of postsecondary education;                (2)  the advantages of earning an endorsement and a   performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level   of achievement under the foundation high school program under   Section 28.025;                (3)  the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for   a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of   taking courses leading to a high school diploma;                (4)  financial aid eligibility;                (5)  instruction on how to apply for federal financial   aid;                (6)  the center for financial aid information   established under Section 61.0776;                (7)  the automatic admission of certain students to   general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section   51.803;                (8)  the eligibility and academic performance   requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M,   Chapter 56;                (9)  the availability of programs in the district under   which a student may earn college credit, including advanced   placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and   college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs;                (10)  the availability of education and training   vouchers and tuition and fee waivers to attend an institution of   higher education as provided by Section 54.366 for a student who is   or was previously in the conservatorship of the Department of   Family and Protective Services; [and]                (11)  the availability of college credit awarded by   institutions of higher education to veterans and military   servicemembers for military experience, education, and training   obtained during military service as described by the informational   materials developed under Section 302.0031(h), Labor Code; and                (12)  the availability of programs that prepare   students for teaching bilingual education, English as a second   language, or Spanish, including:                      (A)  the program of study developed under Section   29.1831; and                      (B)  the financial incentive program administered   by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subchapter   SS, Chapter 61.          SECTION 8.  Section 48.105(a), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  For each student in average daily attendance in a   bilingual education or special language program under Subchapter B,   Chapter 29, or an alternative language method offered by a school   district and approved by the agency under Section 29.054(d), a   district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to the basic   allotment multiplied by:                (1)  for an emergent bilingual student, as defined by   Section 29.052:                      (A)  0.1; or                      (B)  0.15 if the student is in a bilingual   education program or an alternative language method offered by a   school district and approved by the agency under Section 29.054(d)   using a dual language immersion/one-way or two-way program model;   and                (2)  for a student not described by Subdivision (1),   0.05 if the student is in a bilingual education program or an   alternative language method offered by a school district and   approved by the agency under Section 29.054(d) using a dual   language immersion/two-way program model.          SECTION 9.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter SS to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER SS. FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO PREPARE TEACHERS IN   BILINGUAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND SPANISH          Sec. 61.99991.  ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF   PROGRAM. (a) The board shall establish a program to provide   financial incentives such as tuition assistance or student loan   repayment to:                (1)  assist persons in obtaining certification to teach   bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a   public elementary or secondary school in this state; and                (2)  facilitate the employment of those persons by a   public elementary or secondary school in this state that has a   shortage of teachers certified to teach in those fields.          (b)  In administering the program, the board shall give   priority to awarding financial incentives to those eligible persons   who demonstrate the greatest financial need.          Sec. 61.99992.  ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive   financial incentives under this subchapter, a person must:                (1)  apply to the board in the form and manner   prescribed by board rule;                (2)  be admitted into an educator preparation program   at an institution of higher education or at a private or independent   institution of higher education that prepares students for   certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second   language, or Spanish;                (3)  enter into an agreement with the board as provided   by Section 61.99993; and                (4)  satisfy any other criteria jointly prescribed by   the board and the State Board for Educator Certification.          Sec. 61.99993.  AGREEMENT. To qualify for financial   incentives under this subchapter, a person must enter into a   written agreement with the board as provided by this section. The   agreement must require the person to:                (1)  obtain, within the period prescribed by board   rule, certification to teach bilingual education, English as a   second language, or Spanish in a public elementary or secondary   school in this state;                (2)  accept, during the first school year that begins   after the date the person becomes certified as provided by   Subdivision (1), an offer of full-time employment to teach   bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a   public elementary or secondary school in this state that has a   shortage of teachers certified to teach in one or more of those   fields; and                (3)  teach bilingual education, English as a second   language, or Spanish at that school for at least two school years.          Sec. 61.99994.  FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. The board shall award   financial incentives such as tuition assistance or student loan   repayment to each participant in the program to assist with the cost   of payment of mandatory tuition and fees for courses required to   obtain certification to teach bilingual education, English as a   second language, or Spanish.          Sec. 61.99995.  REIMBURSEMENT; EXCEPTIONS. (a) A program   participant who fails to meet the requirements of Section 61.99993   shall reimburse the board for the amount of any assistance received   by the participant under this subchapter.          (b)  The board by rule shall establish exceptions to the   reimbursement requirement under this section for participants who   are unable to meet the requirements of Section 61.99993 as a result   of an unusual hardship.          Sec. 61.99996.  GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition   to money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit and   accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this   subchapter.          Sec. 61.99997.  RULES. The board shall adopt rules   necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including a   rule that sets the maximum amount of financial assistance that a   person may receive under this subchapter in one year.          SECTION 10.  The Texas Education Agency shall develop the   program of study for use in a school district's career and   technology education program to teach bilingual education, English   as a second language, or Spanish as required by Section 29.1831,   Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning not later than the   2024-2025 school year.          SECTION 11.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board   shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter SS, Chapter   61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable   after this Act takes effect.          SECTION 12.  This Act takes effect immediately if it   receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each   house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.     If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate   effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.