| |
2000 |
2001 |
2002
Request |
Bilingual and Immigrant Education
State grants |
— |
— |
$460.0 |
| Instructional Services |
$162.5 |
$180.0 |
— |
| Support Services |
14.0 |
16.0 |
— |
| Professional Development |
71.5 |
100.0 |
— |
| Immigrant Education |
150.0 |
150.0 |
— |
| Foreign Language Assistance |
8.0 |
14.0 |
— |
| Total |
406.0 |
460.0 |
460.0 |
The request would implement changes in bilingual and immigrant education called for in No Child Left Behind,
which proposes to consolidate all currently funded bilingual and immigrant
programs, as well as the Foreign Language Assistance program, into a
single flexible, performance-based State grant program. To meet the goal
of helping limited English proficient (LEP) students master English as
quickly as possible, States and school districts would be held accountable
for ensuring that LEP students make annual increases in English
proficiency as well as adequate yearly progress in core academic
subjects.
The proposed program would enable States to develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide response to the needs of the growing population of LEP and immigrant students, instead of the current piecemeal approach involving multiple discretionary grants to school districts and institutions of higher education.
The number of LEP children attending American schools has grown dramatically—primarily because of immigration—with State educational agencies reporting that LEP enrollment rose from 2.1 million in the 1990-91 academic year to 3.5 million in 1996-97. Much of this growth is in States and school districts that previously enrolled only a handful of these students. As the number of LEP children has grown, the need for programs and trained staff to serve those children has grown accordingly. The request will target funds to help LEP children complete school and make their way into the economic mainstream.
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