IDRA's weekly email alert includes legislative updates, opportunities for action to make your voice heard, bills to watch and other information through the session until it closes in late May.
Updates from higher education institutions to House
Student excused attendance in schools
Restraints used on students in schools
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently released its first-ever state strategic plan for emergent bilingual student education. It was initiated by SB 560 last legislative session, one of several bills that IDRA supported as part of the Early Childhood English Learner Initiative. The plan includes eight legislative recommendations to enhance education opportunities for the more than 1 million emergent bilingual students in Texas schools.
TEA staff developed the plan over the course of a year, with input from more than 4,500 stakeholders across the state. Recommendations center on:
reducing barriers for prospective bilingual education teachers across K-12 to become certified and enter the profession;
enhancing program monitoring, appropriate assessments and technical assistance;
extending funding for dual language programs
The Teacher Vacancy Task Force's final recommendations echoed a call to invest in subsidies for teachers’ certification exam fees and hiring incentives for bilingual education teachers and special education teachers. The report also recommends redesigning the certification process to reduce the number of additional required exams.
Relevant bills that advance the goals of the state plan and task force report are:
HB 1069 – Creates a state Seal of Biliteracy to recognize students’ advanced achievement in both English and a language other than English
HB 2164 – Creates stronger monitoring system within TEA for quality bilingual/ESL programs
HB 2168 – Creates high school career technical education pathway for bilingual/ESL and Spanish language teachers with a scholarship program
HB 2169 – Allows emergent bilingual students in alternative language programs that are structured for dual language immersion to generate dual language allotment funding
HB 2372 – Requires TEA to develop training materials and resources for educators on bilingual education and dual language immersion programs
HB 3302 – Authorizes study on a Spanish STAAR option for middle and high school students
HB 3303 – Creates certification options for secondary teachers to become certified in bilingual education
HB 3305 – Allows reclassified emergent bilingual students enrolled in dual language programs to generate bilingual education funding
SB 442 – Increases expenditure requirement for bilingual education allotment
Over a dozen member organizations gathered at the Capitol on March 1 for a news conference on TLEEC’s policy agenda to promote and protect justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in Texas schools and universities. TLEEC members visited key lawmakers on bills related to coalition priorities, sharing their stories from inside classrooms, in their districts and in their universities. See photos and updates on Twitter and Facebook @TxTLEEC. And see the CBS Austin news story.
IDRA is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to achieve equal educational opportunity through strong public schools that prepare all students to access and succeed in college.
