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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on improving educational outcomes for public |
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school students of limited English proficiency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.068 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.068. STUDY ON IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR |
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STUDENTS OF LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. (a) In this section, |
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"coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board. |
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(b) The agency and the coordinating board jointly shall |
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conduct a study on improving educational outcomes for students of |
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limited English proficiency. |
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(c) The study must analyze: |
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(1) current practices of screening and placing |
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students of limited English proficiency in a bilingual education or |
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special language program under this subchapter; |
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(2) the ability of students of limited English |
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proficiency to access high quality prekindergarten programs |
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operated under Subchapter E-1, including how the prekindergarten |
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guidelines established by the agency may be better used to support |
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learning for those students; |
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(3) current practices for assessing English |
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proficiency, including the effectiveness of assessing English |
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proficiency: |
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(A) under the assessment system developed by the |
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commissioner under Section 39.027(e); |
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(B) with a reading instrument included on the |
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list adopted by the commissioner for use in diagnosing the reading |
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development and comprehension of kindergarten students under |
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Section 28.006(b); |
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(C) with the tools used by a language proficiency |
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assessment committee under Section 29.063 to monitor a student's |
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progress; and |
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(D) with a reading assessment instrument |
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administered under Section 39.023(a); |
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(4) the extent to which students of limited English |
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proficiency who are also eligible for a special education program |
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under Subchapter A are being provided equitable and quality early |
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learning experiences through early childhood special education |
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services; |
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(5) any difference in educational outcomes for |
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students of limited English proficiency enrolled in each |
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classification of bilingual education or special language program |
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under Section 29.066, including an analysis of any demographic |
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differences between the students primarily enrolled in each |
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classification of program; |
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(6) any barriers to or limitations on the |
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implementation by school districts of higher quality programming |
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for students of limited English proficiency; |
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(7) teacher preparation programs at public |
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institutions of higher education, including an analysis of: |
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(A) the course work and professional development |
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requirements associated with teaching certificates appropriate for |
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bilingual education instruction or for teaching English as a second |
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language issued under Section 29.061; and |
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(B) methods for recruiting classroom teachers |
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from diverse backgrounds to teach in bilingual education or special |
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language programs; and |
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(8) the feasibility of improving publicly available |
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data used to track the educational outcomes of students of limited |
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English proficiency. |
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(d) Not later than September 1, 2020, the agency and the |
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coordinating board jointly shall submit to the legislature a report |
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on the results of the study and any recommendations for legislative |
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or other action. |
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(e) This section expires September 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |