text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Native Language Immersion Student 
  Achievement Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) Congress established the unique status of Native 
          American languages and distinctive policies supporting their 
          use as a medium of education in the Native American Languages 
          Act (Public Law 101-477).
              (2) Reports from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal, 
          public, charter, and private schools and colleges that use 
          primarily Native American languages to deliver education, have 
          indicated that students from these schools have generally had 
          high school graduation and college attendance rates above the 
          norm for their peers.
              (3) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
          U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) includes policy barriers to schools taught 
          through Native American languages and a lack of adequate 
          funding to support such opportunities.
              (4) There is a critical need that requires immediate action 
          to support education through Native American languages to 
          preserve these languages.
  
  SEC. 3. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS.
  
      Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
  U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
  
                 ``PART D--NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
  
  ``SEC. 7401. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SCHOOLS.
  
      ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
              ``(1) to establish a grant program to support schools using 
          Native American languages as the primary language of 
          instruction of all curriculum taught at the school that will 
          improve high school graduation rates, college attainment, and 
          career readiness; and
              ``(2) to further integrate into this Act, Federal policy 
          for such schools, as established in the Native American 
          Languages Act (Public Law 101-477).
      ``(b) Program Authorized.--
              ``(1) In general.--From the amounts made available to carry 
          out this section, the Secretary may award grants to eligible 
          entities to develop and maintain, or to improve and expand, 
          programs that support schools, including prekindergarten 
          through postsecondary education, using Native American 
          languages as the primary language of instruction of all 
          curriculum taught at the schools.
              ``(2) Eligible entities.--In this section, the term 
          `eligible entity' means a school or a private or tribal, 
          nonprofit organization that has a plan to develop and maintain, 
          or to improve and expand, programs that support schools using 
          Native American languages as the primary language of 
          instruction of all curriculum taught at the schools.
      ``(c) Application.--
              ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity that desires to 
          receive a grant under this section shall submit an application 
          to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
          such information as the Secretary may require, including the 
          following:
                      ``(A) The name of the Native American language to 
                  be used for instruction at the school supported by the 
                  eligible entity.
                      ``(B) The number of students attending such school.
                      ``(C) The number of present hours of Native 
                  American language instruction being provided to 
                  students at such school, if any.
                      ``(D) The status of such school with regard to any 
                  applicable tribal education department or agency, 
                  public education system, indigenous language schooling 
                  research and cooperative, or accrediting body.
                      ``(E) A statement that such school--
                              ``(i) is engaged in meeting targeted 
                          proficiency levels for students, as may be 
                          required by applicable Federal, State, or 
                          tribal law; and
                              ``(ii) provides assessments of student 
                          using the Native American language of 
                          instruction, where appropriate.
                      ``(F) A list of the instructors, staff, 
                  administrators, contractors, or subcontractors at such 
                  school and their qualifications to deliver high quality 
                  education through the Native American language of the 
                  school.
              ``(2) Additional application materials.--In addition to the 
          application described in paragraph (1), an eligible entity that 
          desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit to 
          the Secretary the following:
                      ``(A) A certification from a Federally recognized 
                  Indian tribe, or a letter from any Native American 
                  entity, on whose land the school supported by the 
                  eligible entity is located, or which is served by such 
                  school, indicating that the school has the capacity to 
                  provide education primarily through a Native American 
                  language and that there are sufficient speakers of such 
                  Native American language at the school or available to 
                  be hired by the school.
                      ``(B) A statement that such school will participate 
                  in data collection conducted by the Secretary that will 
                  determine best practices and further academic 
                  evaluation of the school.
                      ``(C) A demonstration of the capacity to have 
                  speakers of its Native American language provide the 
                  basic education offered by such school on a full-time 
                  basis.
      ``(d) Awarding of Grants.--In awarding grants under this section, 
  the Secretary shall--
              ``(1) determine the amount and length of each grant;
              ``(2) ensure, to the maximum extent feasible, that 
          diversity in languages is represented; and
              ``(3) require the eligible entities to present a Native 
          language education plan to improve high school graduation 
          rates, college attainment, and career readiness.
      ``(e) Activities Authorized.--An eligible entity that receives a 
  grant under this section shall carry out the following activities:
              ``(1) Support Native American language education and 
          development.
              ``(2) Develop or refine instructional curriculum for the 
          school supported by the eligible entity, including distinctive 
          teaching materials and activities, as appropriate.
              ``(3) Fund training opportunities for teachers and, as 
          appropriate, staff and administrators, that would strengthen 
          the overall language and academic goals of such school.
              ``(4) Other activities that promote Native American 
          language education and development, as appropriate.
      ``(f) Report to Secretary.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
  grant under this section shall provide an annual report to the 
  Secretary in such form and manner as the Secretary may require.
      ``(g) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized to be 
  appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2015, 
  and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal 
  years.''.
target: Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to schools and private or tribal nonprofit organizations to develop and maintain, or improve and expand, programs that support the use by schools, from the prekindergarten through postsecondary level, of Native American languages as their primary language of instruction. Requires grant applicants to present the Secretary with specified assurances and demonstrations that the schools they will support have the capacity to provide education primarily through a Native American language. Requires grantees to:  support Native American language education and development; develop or refine instructional curricula for the schools they support, including distinctive teaching materials and activities;  fund training opportunities for school staff that strengthen the overall language and academic goals of their schools; and engage in other activities that promote Native American language education and development. 
feat_title: Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act