JNCL-NCLIS is excited to announce the introduction of the World Language Education Assistance Program (World LEAP) Act! Over the past year, the JNCL-NCLIS team has been working closely with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) to design this legislation with the support and insight of our advocates and member organizations. We are thrilled to see it move forward and are eager to support next steps.

The World LEAP Act will establish the first K-12 world language and dual language education grants program at the U.S. Department of Education in over 14 years. This important legislation prioritizes funding for the development of programs offered across all socioeconomic and demographic groups, builds opportunity for heritage and English language learners, requires a reservation of funds for professional development, and promotes career pathways that will generate economic success for our nation.

This legislation is at the heart of why JNCL exists as it is our purpose to nationalize the discussion of equitable access to language education as an essential facet of K-12 learning in the United States through advocacy that leads to legislation and policy. 

Thank you for your advocacy and support, and please join us in sharing the news and celebrating the introduction of the World LEAP Act!
The full press release is available here.

FROM JNCL-NCLIS

Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Todd Young (R-IN) are circulating an e-Dear Colleague letter to urge Senate Members to sign on and support robust funding for Title VI and Fulbright-Hays International Education and Foreign Language Studies programs at the Department of Education. Take action today to ask your Senators to sign on in support of this request.

There is a growing need for American professionals who have language abilities and cultural knowledge in an expanding range of sectors: health, cybersecurity, food safety, environment, law enforcement, engineering, and more. Unfortunately, the United States lags in the percentage of its citizens who know a second language as compared to other nations. To address these gaps, we need strong academic programs in critical world languages and intensive training in multi-disciplinary regional studies that are vital to our global economic competitiveness, national security, and other key priorities.

The extended deadline for Senate Members to sign on is April 7th.

TAKE ACTION HERE

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!

JNCL-NCLIS is pleased to announce that Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) is leading a Dear Colleague letter that urges the Senate Appropriations Committee to support funding the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program (WLARA) at $15 million in Fiscal Year 2023. We are thankful for Senator Booker’s leadership and commitment to world language education.

We need your help to attract as many bipartisan co-signers as possible to the Dear Colleague before the May 18th filing deadline. Please take action today and send an email to your Congressional Senate members to urge them to add their signature to this Dear Colleague as soon as possible.

Click here to share this action alert with your networks on social media. Thank you for your continued advocacy!

TAKE ACTION NOW

The Massachusetts DESE has announced that the second round of Curriculum Alignment Labs for the World Languages Framework Implementation are available for registration.  In response, to feedback, the DESE has decided to slow down the pace of the Alignment Labs. This second round of labs will take place during the final 2 weeks of May, instead of the final week of the originally scheduled first week of April. This will provide more time to complete the most recent Online Learning Modules (4-6) now available on the World Languages Implementation webpage as well as to begin to collaboratively align a unit or units in your department using the Curriculum Alighnment Guide (also available on the Implementation webpage.

The Curriculum Alighnment Labs are 90 minutes. Be sure to complete Modules 4-5 prior to atttending. See the links below for dates, times, and registration details.

• Cohort 1 — Elementary world language teachers and leaders
• Cohort 2 — Classical language teachers and leaders
• Cohort 3 — Middle/high school modern world language teachers and leaders (Novice-Intermediate)
• Cohort 4 — Middle/high school modern world language teachers and leaders (Intermediate-Advanced)

Check out the Lead With Languages Teacher Scholarship Program here. 

JNCL-NCLIS is pleased to announce that Representative Young Kim (R-CA) will be joining with Representative David Price (D-NC) to lead a bipartisan “Dear Colleague” letter that urges the House Appropriations Committee to support funding the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program (WLARA) at $15 million in Fiscal Year 2023. We are thankful that Rep. Kim, a native of South Korea and a fluent Korean speaker, has agreed to serve as the Republican lead on this letter, thereby https://www.votervoice.net/JNCL/Campaigns/94052/Respond?vvsn=BNwDAgh-ACk9WAViQ6Z7EAAhonoring the memory of the late Representative Don Young (R-AK), whose vast legacy includes co-authoring the legislation that created WLARA.

We need your help to attract as many bipartisan co-signers as possible to the Price-Kim WLARA Dear Colleague before the April 22nd filing deadline. Please send an email to your Congressional Representative that asks for their signature on this Dear Colleague as soon as possible.

LINK to Legislative Action Center!

https://www.votervoice.net/JNCL/Campaigns/94052/Respond?vvsn=BNwDAgh-ACk9WAViQ6Z7EAA