Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/227

 PUBLIC LAW 103-382--CM:rr. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3717 "(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 FedersJ 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

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