Senate Resolution 104 - Introduced SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 104 BY SODDERS A Resolution requesting the legislative council to 1 establish an interim study committee to study 2 the impacts of mandatory dual language immersion 3 programs in school districts. 4 WHEREAS, Iowa’s competitive position in the global 5 economy depends on Iowa’s educational system to prepare 6 individuals for employment by developing superior 7 literacy, cognitive, and communication skills; and 8 WHEREAS, research indicates that English language 9 learners participating in dual language immersion 10 programs perform academically at least as well as same 11 background peers being schooled in English only; and 12 WHEREAS, English language learners’ higher bilingual 13 proficiency levels are linked to higher levels of 14 reading achievement in English, increased academic 15 language proficiency, and successful schooling 16 experiences in general; and 17 WHEREAS, native English speakers who participate in 18 such programs consistently develop native-like levels 19 of comprehension, such as listening and reading skills, 20 in their second language; and 21 WHEREAS, fully proficient bilingual children 22 outperform their monolingual peers in the areas 23 of divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and 24 problem-solving, making immersion students better 25 prepared for the global community and job markets where 26 21st century skills are an asset; NOW THEREFORE, 27 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the senate 28 -1- LSB 5692XS (3) 86 kh/nh 1/ 2

S.R. 104 requests the legislative council to authorize and 1 establish an interim study committee composed of 2 members of the senate and the house of representatives 3 to commence meeting during the 2016 legislative 4 interim; and 5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the purpose of the 6 interim study committee is to study the short-term and 7 long-term impacts of mandatory dual language immersion 8 programs beginning in the first grade and continuing 9 through grade twelve, review budgetary and programmatic 10 matters related to the establishment of a dual language 11 immersion pilot program, and submit findings and 12 recommendations to the general assembly by January 1, 13 2017. 14 -2- LSB 5692XS (3) 86 kh/nh 2/ 2