HR1572-119

What This Bill Does

The World LEAP Act creates a federal K-12 world language and dual-language grant program. Congress finds that U.S. language capacity is weak: only about one-fifth of U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home, 90 percent of U.S.-based employers rely on employees with non-English language skills, and one-third of language-dependent employers report a skills gap. The Education Department currently lacks an innovative world languages program for elementary and secondary students, while schools face shortages of world language, English learner, bilingual, and dual-language immersion educators. The Secretary must award competitive three-year grants, renewable at the Secretary's discretion, to local educational agencies for new or improved world language or dual-language programs that build K-12 proficiency, can be replicated, include professional development, and have sustainability plans.

Who Benefits and How

Local educational agencies benefit from competitive grants to start or improve world language and dual-language programs. K-12 students benefit from sustained language-proficiency instruction that can support college, career, diplomacy, intelligence, and military needs. English learners benefit when dual-language programs expand rather than treating multilingualism as a deficit. World language teachers benefit from professional development and program models that address educator shortages. Employers needing language skills benefit if schools produce more graduates with multilingual capacity.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Department of Education must design the grant competition, review applications, renew grants, and monitor compliance. Local educational agencies must submit applications, sustain programs after grants, and show replicable instructional approaches. School administrators must integrate professional development, staffing, curriculum, and assessment into language programs. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of new K-12 language education grants.

Key Provisions

• Creates the World Language Education Assistance Program.
• Authorizes competitive three-year grants to local educational agencies for world language or dual-language programs.
• Requires programs to demonstrate K-12 language growth, replication potential, sustainability, and professional development.
• Prioritizes applications with intensive summer professional development and language-capacity needs.