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i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n
``SEC. 7102. FINDINGS, POLICY, AND PURPOSE.
- ``(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
- ``(1) language-minority Americans speak virtually all world languages plus many that are indigenous to the United States;
- ``(2) there are large and growing numbers of children and youth of limited-English proficiency, many of whom have a cultural heritage that differs from that of their English-proficient peers;
- ``(3) the presence of language-minority Americans is related in part to Federal immigration policies;
- ``(4) many language-minority Americans are limited in their English proficiency, and many have limited education and income;
- ``(5) limited English proficient children and youth face a number of challenges in receiving an education that will enable such children and youth to participate fully in American society, including--
- ``(A) segregated education programs;
- ``(B) disproportionate and improper placement in special education and other special programs due to the use of inappropriate evaluation procedures;
- ``(C) the limited-English proficiency of their own parents, which hinders the parents' ability to fully participate in the education of their children; and
- ``(D) a shortage of teachers and other staff who are professionally trained and qualified to serve such children and youth;
- ``(6) Native Americans and Native American languages (as such terms are defined in section 103 of the Native American Languages Act), including native residents of the outlying areas, have a unique status under Federal law that requires special policies within the broad purposes of this Act to serve the education needs of language minority students in the United States;
- ``(7) institutions of higher education can assist in preparing teachers, administrators and other school personnel to understand and build upon the educational strengths and needs of language-minority and culturally diverse student enrollments;
- ``(8) it is the purpose of this title to help ensure that limited English proficient students master English and develop high levels of academic attainment in content areas;
- ``(9) quality bilingual education programs enable children and youth to learn English and meet high academic standards including proficiency in more than one language;
- ``(10) as the world becomes increasingly interdependent and as international communication becomes a daily occurrence in government, business, commerce, and family life, multilingual skills constitute an important national resource which deserves protection and development;
- ``(11) educational technology has the potential for improving the education of language-minority and limited English proficient students and their families, and the Federal Government should foster this development;
- ``(12) parent and community participation in bilingual education programs contributes to program effectiveness;
- ``(13) research, evaluation, and data-collection capabilities in the field of bilingual education need to be strengthened so that educators and other staff can better identify and promote those programs, program implementation strategies, and instructional practices that result in effective education of limited English proficient children;
- ``(14) the use of a child or youth's native language and culture in classroom instruction can--
- ``(A) promote self-esteem and contribute to academic achievement and learning English by limited English proficient children and youth;
- ``(B) benefit English-proficient children and youth who also participate in such programs; and
- ``(C) develop our Nation's national language resources, thus promoting our Nation's competitiveness in the global economy;
- ``(15) the Federal Government, as exemplified by title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and section 204(f) of the Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974, has a special and continuing obligation to ensure that States and local school districts take appropriate action to provide equal educational opportunities to children and youth of limited English proficiency; and
- ``(16) the Federal Government also, as exemplified by the Federal Government's efforts under this title, has a special and continuing obligation to assist States and local school districts in developing the capacity to provide programs of instruction that offer limited English proficient children and youth an equal educational opportunity.
- ``(b) Policy.--The Congress declares it to be the policy of the United States, in order to ensure equal educational opportunity for all children and youth and to promote educational excellence, to assist State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education and community-based organizations to build their capacity to establish, implement, and sustain programs of instruction for children and youth of limited English proficiency.
- ``(c) Purpose.--The purpose of this part is to educate limited English proficient children and youth to meet the same rigorous standards for academic performance expected of all children and youth, including meeting challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards in academic areas by--
- ``(1) developing systemic improvement and reform of educational programs serving limited English proficient students through the development and implementation of exemplary bilingual education programs and special alternative instruction programs;
- ``(2) developing bilingual skills and multicultural understanding;
- ``(3) developing the English of such children and youth and, to the extent possible, the native language skills of such children and youth;
- ``(4) providing similar assistance to Native Americans with certain modifications relative to the unique status of Native American languages under Federal law;
- ``(5) developing data collection and dissemination, research, materials development, and technical assistance which is focused on school improvement for limited English proficient students; and
- ``(6) developing programs which strengthen and improve the professional training of educational personnel who work with limited English proficient students.
SEC. 7103. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.