HBA-DMH S.B. 824 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 824
By: Truan
Public Education
5/18/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

As the population of Texas becomes increasingly bilingual, there is a
growing need for public schools to produce graduates who are literate in
more than one language.  Senate Bill 824 authorizes dual literacy programs
for prekindergarten through grade 12.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated  to the commissioner of education in
SECTION 2 (Section 28.0051, Education Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 824 amends the Education Code to provide that a dual literacy
program of instruction, should be designed to produce students with a
demonstrated mastery of the required curriculum in both English and
Spanish.  The bill requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) by
rule to adopt: 

_minimum requirements for a dual literacy program implemented by a school
district; 

_standards for evaluating the success of a dual literacy program and the
performance of schools that implement a dual literacy program; and 

_standards for recognizing schools that offer an exceptional dual literacy
program and students who successfully complete a dual literacy program.  

The bill provides that the rules adopted by the commissioner must first
address the implementation of dual literacy programs in prekindergarten
through third grade classes before addressing the dual literacy programs in
grade levels 4 through 12.  The bill authorizes a school district to
implement a dual literacy program in a manner and at grade levels
consistent with rules adopted by the commissioner.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the
2001-2002 school year.