WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1988.

BILINGUAL, IMMIGRANT, AND REFUGEE EDUCATION

WITNESSES

ALICIA CORO, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND MINORITY LANGUAGE AFFAIRS

SALLY H. CHRISTENSEN, DIRECTOR, BUDGET SERVICE, OFFICE OF PLANNING, BUDGET AND EVALUATION

THOMAS M. CORWIN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY, AND VOCATIONAL ANALYSIS, OFFICE OF PLANNING, BUDGET AND EVALUATION

Mr. NATCHER. We take up next the request for Bilingual, Immigrant and Refugee Education. We have before the committee Ms. Coro, the Director of the National Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs. Who do you have with you there at the table?

Ms. CORO. I have Sally Christensen, Director of Budget Service, Office of Planning, Budget and Evaluation and Tom Corwin, Director, Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Analysis, Office of Planning, Budget and Evaluation.

Mr. NATCHER. Thank you, Ms. Coro. Now, we will be pleased to hear from you.

SUMMARY STATEMENT

Ms. CORO. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am pleased to appear before the committee today to testify on the fiscal year 1989 budget request for Bilingual, Immigrant and Refugee Education.

The budget request for Bilingual Education demonstrates the Department's continuing commitment to ensure that limited Englishproficient children are provided the special instructional services they need to prepare them to participate fully in our society.

To accomplish this, instructional grants are provided to local districts to help build their capacity to operate programs designed to teach English and to assist students in meeting grade promotion and graduation standards.

Grants and contracts are also awarded for research, technical assistance, data collection, and training in bilingual education. The fiscal year 1989 request for bilingual education is $156,573,000, a 7percent increase over the 1988 level.

In 1989, the Department will continue to consolidate the gains and program improvement it has achieved, principally through new program regulations published in 1986 and 1987. These regulations drew attention to the discretion local schools have in determining the extent of native language use in bilingual projects, and

to the fact that programmatic excellence need not be restricted to any one method.

The regulations are designed to ensure that limited English-proficient children learn English as quickly as possible so that they can participate effectively in the school's regular program. The new regulations also emphasize statutory requirements for parent involvement and for building local capacity to operate programs once Federal funding is reduced or no longer available.

In keeping with Secretary Bennett's Bilingual Initiative, a 1989 priority for the Bilingual Education Program is increasing the flexibility of schools to design programs that respond to the needs of their children. Legislation reauthorizing the Bilingual Education Act has been passed by both the House and the Senate, and is now in conference.

Although final action on this legislation has not yet taken place, both versions would raise the 4-percent cap on funding for special alternative programs and increase the Department's ability to consider applications on the basis of quality without regard to instructional method.

The Department's request for the Immigrant and Refugee Education programs is $43,931,000, the same as the 1988 appropriation. The Department is preparing a legislative proposal for Immigrant Education and recently published proposed regulations for the Refugee Education Program. These measures will increase the effectiveness of these programs and will ensure that funds are used to provide supplementary educational services to eligible students.

The Department's budget request for Bilingual Education is proposed for later transmittal pending enactment of H.R. 5, the omnibus reauthorization of elementary and secondary education programs. When action on that legislation is completed, we will submit a final budget proposal. Our request for Immigrant Education is proposed for later transmittal contingent on enactment of our proposed legislation.

BILINGUAL INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

For Part A, Bilingual Instructional Programs, $113,081,000 is requested. This is an increase of almost 12 percent over the 1988 level. The increase would fund some 83 additional school district projects serving 26,900 additional limited English-proficient students.

To the maximum degree possible under the new law, the Department intends to consider new applications for transitional bilingual education and special alternative instruction on the basis of quality, rather than instructional methods.

BILINGUAL SUPPORT SERVICES

Under Part B, Bilingual Support Services, $9,928,000 is requested, the same as the 1988 appropriation. Part B grants are made to State educational agencies for data collection and a variety of technical assistance activities are also funded. Contracts are awarded for two Evaluation Assistance Centers, research and evaluation studies, and the National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education.

BILINGUAL TRAINING GRANTS

Under Part C, Bilingual Training and Technical Assistance, $33,564,000 is requested, a $1,883,000 reduction which would fund the program at the 1987 level. We believe that this level is adequate, and that the additional funds can be better used under Part A where they provide services to students.

Part C grants are made for educational personnel training, fellowships, training development and improvement programs, and short-term training institutes. Contracts are also awarded for regional Multifunctional Resource Centers.

REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Under the Immigrant Education Program, $28,722,000 is requested, the same as the 1988 appropriation. For the Refugee Education Program, $15,209,000 is requested, also the same as the 1988 appropriation level.

I believe that the program regulations, which were issued in 1986 and 1987 as part of Secretary Bennett's Bilingual Initiative, have already led to significant increases in program effectiveness. In 1989, we intend to build on these achievements as well as to implement the flexibility and other program changes in the new legislation.

I am confident that the legislative proposal for Immigrant Education and the new regulations for Refugee Education will have similar positive effects. If our 1989 budget policy is enacted, the Department will be better able to meet the needs of limited Englishproficient children as well as the educational needs of recently arrived immigrant and refugee students.

My colleagues and I would be happy to respond to any questions you have regarding our 1989 budget request for the Bilingual, Immigrant and Refugee Education programs.

I would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee. This is the third and final year that I appear here as a Department of Education appointee under the Reagan Administration.

I would like to thank you for the fairness and politeness with which I have been treated in the previous years. It has been a rewarding and positive learning experience.

[The information follows:]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Statement by

Alicia Coro

Director for

Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs

on

Bilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Education

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

I am pleased to appear before the Committee today to testify on the fiscal year 1989 budget request for Bilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Education.

The budget request for Bilingual Education demonstrates the Department's continuing commitment to ensure that limited English proficient children are provided the special instructional services they need to prepare them to participate fully in our society. Το accomplish this, instructional grants are provided to local districts to help build their capacity to operate programs designed to teach English and to assist students in meeting grade promotion and graduation standards. Grants and contracts are also awarded for research, technical assistance, data collection, and training in bilingual education. The fiscal year 1989 request for Bilingual Education is $156.6 million, a 7 percent increase over the 1988 level.

In 1989, the Department will continue to consolidate the gains and program improvement it achieved, principally through new program regulations published in 1986 and 1987. These regulations drew attention to the discretion local schools have in determining the extent of native language use in bilingual projects, and to the fact that programmatic excellence need not be restricted to any one method. The regulations are designed to ensure that limited English proficient children learn English as quickly as possible so that they can participate effectively in the school's regular program. The new regulations also emphasize statutory requirements for parent involvement and for building local capacity to operate programs once Federal funding is reduced or no longer available.

In keeping with Secretary Bennett's Bilingual Initiative, a 1989 priority for the Bilingual Education Program is increasing the flexibility of schools to design programs that respond to the needs of their children. Legislation reauthorizing the Bilingual Education Act has been passed by both the House and the Senate, and is now in conference. Although final action on this legislation has not yet taken place, both versions would raise the 4 percent cap on funding for special alternative programs and increase the Department's ability to consider applications on the basis of quality without regard to instructional method.

The Department's request for the Immigrant and Refugee Education programs is $43.9 million, the same as the 1988 appropriation. The Department is preparing a legislative proposal for Immigrant