S.B. No. 2185 amends the Education Code to enhance the bilingual education allotment within Texas's public school finance system. The bill introduces new provisions that allow the Texas Education Agency to require school districts granted exceptions to provide additional information regarding their alternative language education methods in their Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) reports. Furthermore, it establishes a framework for reviewing and approving school districts that offer these alternative methods, ensuring that a total of no more than $10 million is allocated biennially to eligible districts. The bill specifies that districts will receive an annual allotment based on the number of students in approved alternative language education methods, with different funding multipliers for emergent bilingual students and others.

Additionally, the bill mandates that at least 55 percent of the funds allocated for bilingual education must be utilized for specific purposes, including program evaluation, instructional materials, staff development, and teacher salaries, while removing the previous stipulation for salary supplements. This legislative change aims to streamline funding and support for bilingual education programs, ensuring that resources are effectively directed towards enhancing educational outcomes for students in Texas. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 29.054, Education Code 48.105 (Education Code 48, Education Code 29)
Senate Committee Report: Education Code 29.054, Education Code 48.105 (Education Code 48, Education Code 29)
Engrossed: Education Code 29.054, Education Code 48.105 (Education Code 48, Education Code 29)
House Committee Report: Education Code 29.054, Education Code 48.105 (Education Code 48, Education Code 29)
Enrolled: Education Code 29.054, Education Code 48.105 (Education Code 48, Education Code 29)