U.S. Federal Update

John Segota Director of Advocacy & Professional Relations

2010 TESOL Convention, Boston, MA March 26, 2010

Overview

•  111th Congress •  Obama Administration •  Key Issues

–  Federal Budget –  Stimulus –  Education Policy

•  ESEA •  WIA •  Immigration

•  Advocacy

111th Congress

•  House of Representatives –  253 Democrats –  177 Republicans –  5 Vacancies

•  Senate –  57 Democrats –  41 Republicans –  1 Independent –  1 Independent Democrat

U.S. House of Representatives

•  Leadership –  Speaker of the House – Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

•  Education and Labor –  Chairman – Rep. George Miller (D-CA)

•  Appropriations –  Chairman - Rep. David Obey (D WI-7)

U.S. Senate

•  Leadership –  Majority Leader - Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

•  Health, Education, Labor and Pensions –  Chairman – Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)

•  Appropriations –  Chairman – Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)

Congressional Agenda

•  Federal Budget •  Health Care Reform •  Jobs Creation •  Immigration Reform •  Education Bills

U.S. Department of Education

•  Arne Duncan - Secretary of Education

•  Russlynn Ali - Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

U.S. Department of Education

•  Thelma Melendez - Assistant Secretary, Elementary & Secondary Education

•  Brenda Dann-Messler, Assistant Secretary, Vocational and Adult Education

Federal Budget – FY10

•  Dept. of Ed. - $67,382.25 million –  $639.57 million – Adult Education

•  $628.22 million – State Grants •  $75 million – EL/Civics

–  $14,492.40 million – Title I –  $750 million – Title III

Federal Budget – FY11

•  Proposed 3-year budget freeze •  $3 billion increase for ESEA •  ESEA reform •  Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation

Federal Budget – FY11

•  $653.7 million – Adult Education –  $612 million – State Grants –  $75 million – EL/Civics

•  $14,492.40 million – Title I •  $800 million – Title III

–  $50 million competitive grants

Investing in Innovation (i3)

•  American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

•  $650 million •  Three types of grants:

–  Scale-up Grants –  Validation Grants –  Development Grants

Race to the Top

•  $4.35 billion •  Advancing reforms in four areas •  $350 million assessment fund •  15 states & DC finalists in phase 1 •  Link to Common Core Standards initiative

Common Core Standards

•  Led by NGA & CCSSO •  48 states & DC •  K-12 English-language arts and math •  Public comments through April 2 •  www.corestandards.org

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

•  Blueprint for Reform –  College- and Career-Ready Students

–  Great Teachers and Leaders in Every School

–  Equity and Opportunity for All Students

–  Raise the Bar and Reward Excellence

–  Promote Innovation and Continuous Improvement

•  Reform accountability –  “Tight on goals, loose on means”

ESEA: Blueprint for Reform

•  Cross-Cutting Priorities –  Technology –  Evidence –  Efficiency –  Supporting English Learners and Students with

Disabilities –  Supporting Rural and other High-Need Areas

Title III Reform

•  Establish new criteria to ensure consistent statewide identification of students as English Learners, and to determine eligibility, placement, and duration of programs and services, based on the state’s valid and reliable English language proficiency assessment.

Title III Reform

•  Implement a system to evaluate the effectiveness of language instruction educational programs, and to provide information on the achievement of subgroups of English Learners, to drive better decisions by school districts for program improvement, and to support districts in selecting effective programs.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

•  Hearings

•  Community Conversations

•  Adult Education & Economic Growth Act –  HR 3238 - Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) –  S 1468 - Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Adult Education

•  FLUENT Act (H.R. 1224)

•  National Adult Education & Family Literacy Week - Oct. 18

Integration & Immigration

•  Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Skills Act of 2009 –  H.R. 3249 - Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) –  S. 1478 - Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY)

•  DREAM Act – S. 729 - Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) – H.R. 1751 - Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)

Immigration Reform

•  HR 4321 - Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security And Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009

•  Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) Washington Post op-ed March 18

Intensive English Programs

•  Accreditation Bill –  S. 1338 – Sen. Ben Carper (D-DE) and Sen. Lamar

Alexander (R-TN) –  HR 2361 – Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Lamar

Smith (R-TX)

•  TESOL, AAIEP, UCIEP Joint Position Statement on Governance for English Language Instruction at Institutions of Higher Education

Online Resources

•  TESOL’s U.S. Advocacy Action Center –  http://capwiz.com/tesol

•  http://www.senate.gov •  http://www.house.gov

•  http://thomas.loc.gov