<P> The Bilingual Education Act (BEA) (81 Stat. 816), also known as Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1967 (Pub. L. 90--247), approved by the 90th United States Congress on January 2, 1968, and was the first United States federal legislation recognized the needs of limited English speaking ability (LESA) students . The BEA was introduced in 1967 by Texas senator Ralph Yarborough and was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 2, 1968 . While some states, such as California and Texas, and numerous local school districts around the country already had policies and programs designed to meet the special educational needs of elementary and secondary school students not fluent in the English language, this act signaled that the federal government now also recognized the need for and value of bilingual education programs in U.S. public education . Passed on the heels of the Civil Rights movement, its purpose was to provide school districts with federal funds, in the form of competitive grants, to establish innovative educational programs for students with limited English speaking ability . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Education in the United States </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> By state and in insular areas </Li> <Li> By subject area </Li> <Li> History of </Li> <Li> Issues: Finance--Law--Literacy--Reform </Li> <Li> Levels: Primary--Secondary--Higher </Li> <Li> Organizations </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Education portal United States portal </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

The bilingual education act of 1968 was passed to ensure