HBA-MSH S.B. 467 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 467
By: Zaffirini
Public Education
4/26/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Increasing globalization has increased the importance of bilingualism.
Young children are much more adept at mastering new languages than adults.
It is therefore important to begin teaching children a new language at a
young age.  Dual language immersion programs provide instruction in two
languages to a class that contains students who are native speakers of each
language, which allows students to teach and reinforce each other.  Senate
Bill 467 authorizes school districts to create dual language immersion
programs for elementary school students. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 467 amends the Education Code to authorize a school district to
adopt a dual language immersion program (program) for students enrolled in
elementary school grades.  The bill specifies that a program should include
a class of students composed of approximately 50 percent native English
speakers and 50 percent native speakers of one other language, and
instruction in both English and the other language with at least half of
the instruction in the other language. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect October 1, 2001.  The Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
academic year.