HBA-JRA H.B. 481 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 481
By: Woolley
Public Education
4/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Before considering legislation that might change the state's approach to
bilingual education programs, it would be beneficial for the legislature to
know which programs are effectively teaching Texas' children to read and
comprehend English.  H.B. 481 requires the Texas Education Agency to
evaluate the effectiveness of bilingual education programs in each school
district. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 29, Education Code, by adding
Section 29.0511, as follows: 

Sec. 29.0511.  EVALUATION; REPORT.  Requires the Texas Education Agency
(agency) to conduct a statewide evaluation of the effectiveness of
bilingual education programs (program).  Requires the agency to evaluate,
for each bilingual education program in each school district required to
offer one, the demographics of the district students;  the number of
students in the district's program; the progress of students in the
program; the academic achievement of students after completing the program;
the structure of the program and teaching methods used; whether students in
the program also attend regular education programs during the school day
and the percentage of the school day students spend in each of those
programs; the average number of students in each bilingual education class;
and the amount and type of bilingual education resources available to the
district.  Requires the agency to report to the 77th Legislature by January
31, 2001, information it collected; information concerning the manner in
which the most successful programs are conducted and the elements that make
each of those programs successful; and recommendations of educational
methods to improve programs.  Provides that this section expires February
1, 2001. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date:  upon passage.