83R5835 CAS-F
 
  By: Strama H.B. No. 1084
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Texas Dual Language Elementary Education Grant
  Program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.0055 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0055.  TEXAS DUAL LANGUAGE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
  GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "program" means the Texas Dual
  Language Elementary Education Grant Program.
         (b)  The commissioner shall establish and administer the
  Texas Dual Language Elementary Education Grant Program in
  accordance with this section to provide grants to school districts.
         (c)  The purpose of the program is to provide funding for
  costs associated with the transition of a traditional elementary
  school campus that provides a bilingual education program to a dual
  language campus.
         (d)  To be eligible to receive a grant under the program, a
  school district must:
               (1)  have an enrollment of 5,000 or more students; and
               (2)  submit to the agency a plan for a dual language
  campus that is cost-effective and that:
                     (A)  allows for attendance by a district student
  regardless of where the student resides in the district;
                     (B)  provides for maintaining an enrollment of
  students of whom at least 40 percent are native English speakers;
                     (C)  provides for integrating language learning
  with content instruction for all of the campus's students at all of
  the campus's grade levels so that academic subjects are taught in
  both English and the campus's other language; and
                     (D)  includes a commitment to operate the dual
  language elementary campus for at least five school years.
         (e)  A grant awarded under this section may be funded only
  with money appropriated for the program and any gifts, grants, or
  donations made to the agency that may be used for and that the
  commissioner applies to funding the program. The commissioner, in
  accordance with commissioner rule and based on the amount available
  for the program, shall determine the amount of each grant awarded
  under this section. A school district awarded a grant under this
  section may use the grant only for personnel costs, professional
  development costs, and supplies and materials costs incurred as a
  direct result of the transition to a dual language campus as
  described under Subsection (d).
         (f)  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to
  administer this section.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2013.