JNCL-NCLIS Executive Summary January 2010 In December, Congress passed and the President signed H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, which includes appropriations for the Department of Education for fiscal year 2010. A number of programs that support foreign languages and international education, were level-funded from last year, among them are Baccalaureate and Master’s STEM grants and Javits Fellowships. A number of programs received small to moderate increases, such as the Fund for the Improvement of Education ($135.5 million), Civic Education ($35 million), Byrd Honors Scholarships ($42 million), and SMART grants ($1,010 million). Of particular interest, the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) was increased by $600,000 for $26.9 million, and Teach for America was reinstated at $18 million. More significant funding increases came for Charter School Grants ($256 million total), Federal Pell Grants ($20.5 billion), Recruiting and Training High Quality Teachers/Principals from $97.3 million in 2009 to $400 million, Title VI/Fulbright-Hays ($125.9 million), and $159.4 million for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). A smaller number of programs were decreased in funding levels, including Educational Technology State Grants (from $269.9 million to $100 million), Teacher Quality Partnership ($50 to $43 million), and Magnet School Assistance (to $100 million). Two programs, Early Reading First and National Institute for Literacy in Adult Education, were eliminated. TEACH grants, eliminated in 2009, have not been reinstated.  (For more details, see the JNCL-NCLIS website). In November, the Foreign Language Education Partnership Program Act (H.R. 4065) was reintroduced by Rep. Rush Holt after extensive discussions with the language community.  As part of the reauthorization of ESEA, this bill may be considered as a new Part II of the Foreign Language Assistance Program.  The bill has been endorsed by over 70 international, language, and education associations.  H.R. 4065 is bipartisan with ten original co-sponsors. A new provision in HEA from Rep. Rush Holt’s International Education Leadership Act established a new Deputy Assistant Secretary of International and Foreign Language Education as a political compromise.  JNCL-NCLIS worked very closely with Rep. Holt regarding the creation of this position which was originally intended to be an Assistant Secretary requiring Senate confirmation.  In October, Andre Winston Lewis was appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary.  Mr. Lewis has a degree in Russian Studies and worked with the State Department in the late 90s.  During JNCL-NCLIS’ Legislative Day, Senator Daniel Akaka introduced the National Foreign Language Coordination Council Act of 2009 (S. 1010), which was streamlined and made more inclusive of language community input.  This bill was recently discussed in a colloquy in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.    JNCL-NCLIS’ Executive Director contacted and met with numerous government officials in ED, DOD, State, Homeland Security, and the Intelligence Community to discuss program administration and policies. JNCL-NCLIS’ staff drafted and suggested questions regarding languages and international education for the Secretary of Education in Congressional hearings. Based on the deliberations of a breakout session at the annual JNCL-NCLIS Delegate Assembly, a working group drafted and distributed for input a policy paper on “Foreign Language Strategies, Objectives and Goals.”  The final paper was distributed to our networks, including policy makers. Working with a talented summer intern, the staff created, developed, and distributed a “Public Advocacy Workshop and Simulation.”  (Please see the JNCL-NCLIS website.)  The simulation by Phyllis Thompson (TFLA), Sharon Rapp (AFLTA), and Rep. Holt’s Legislative Director, Chris Gaston, is intended to be used by member associations and their members to provide a primer for next year’s Legislative Day. JNCL-NCLIS’ staff continues to research, consult, and seek information regarding the new Administration’s Education Economic Stimulus Package and the Race to the Top Fund.  Foreign language programs and teachers eliminated by budget cuts are eligible to be replaced under stimulus funds for State Aid to Schools/Critical Needs ($53.6 billion) and Title I ($13 billion).  In the Pell Grant provisions ($15.6 billion), the increased support for Junior and Senior Foreign Language majors should be in consideration.  Also, foreign languages qualify for support under technology ($900 million) and teacher quality ($400 million). JNCL-NCLIS’ staff sent numerous mailings and alerts urging our members to act on the Education Economic Stimulus funds in the $5 billion for the Secretary’s discretionary “Race to the Top” program.   The language community was encouraged to take responsibility for ensuring that language and international education are a key element in what the President and Secretary consider a major reform in American education by commenting on the need to include languages as a priority for reform.  This did not endorse, however, other provisions included in the Race to the Top. JNCL-NCLIS’ staff consulted with the Coalition for International Education to produce two videos commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Defense Education Act (Title VI/Fulbright/Hays).  The first video was part of a program on Capitol Hill for the anniversary attended by Members of Congress and staff and was also previewed at the JNCL-NCLIS Delegate Assembly.  Both videos are now available at http://www.usglobalcompetence.org/. New members of the Administration and Congress were researched, and in a number of instances contacted, to determine their interest and support for language (including ESL and ELL) and international education.  Finally, over the summer the Executive Director researched and compiled past JNCL-NCLIS documents, policy statements, articles, summaries, alerts, and other materials to create a rough JNCL-NCLIS archive, which remains to be organized by date or subject.