Last week, the House of Representatives voted to approve the FY27 National Security-State Appropriations bill. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Exchange, , which supports multiple international exchange and scholarship programs, sustained a $20 million cut, leaving it with $647 million. Rep. Boebert (R-CO) introduced an amendment that would have eliminated all $287 million that this bill provided to the Fulbright Program. JNCL worked with allies to whip opposition. The

NCL-NCLIS advances its mission is by joining with national coalition partners to formally oppose federal actions that threaten education, language learning, and international education. By signing onto coalition letters and formal filings, we ensure that the language education community is represented alongside hundreds of organizations advocating for sound federal policy. This month, JNCL-NCLIS has joined collaborative advocacy efforts on two significant federal policy issu

for immediate release This week’s Supreme Court decision reaffirms what has always been true: birthright citizenship is deeply rooted in the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment guarantees that if you are born in this country, you are an American citizen, regardless of where your family is from or what language you speak at home. At JNCL-NCLIS, we believe language is intrinsic to identity and opportunity. No matter where your family is from or what language they speak, if yo

the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY27 Department of Defense Appropriations bill, which includes $20 million for the World Language Advancement and Readiness (WLARA) grants program. If enacted, this would represent a $5 million increase over last year for WLARA and would be the largest amount of funding that WLARA has received.

Early Wednesday morning, the House Appropriations Committee approved, on a party-line vote, the House’s version of the FY27 Labor HHS Education spending bill, which proposes to cut 10% of the Department of Education’s funding and eliminate key language education programs. Specifically, the bill would eliminate all funding for Title II-A (educator professional development) program, Title III (English Language Acquisition) program, HEA Title VI.

On Friday, June 5, the House Labor HHS Education Appropriations Committee will mark up an FY27 spending bill that proposes to cut more than $8 billion from the Department of Education and decimate language education programs. Specifically, the bill would eliminate all funding for the $2.19 billion Title II-A (educator professional development) program, the $890 million Title III (English Language Acquisition) program, and the $81 million HEA Title VI-Fulbright Hays.

For FY26, there will be $49 million available new grants, with awards ranging between $500,000 and $1 million. The notice indicates that the Department expects to award between 10 and 13 grants, and that each grant will be for a duration of up to 5 years. Applications will be due July 14th, with final reviews from the federal government ending by September 12th.

Yesterday, Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)and Brad Schneider (D-IL) reintroduced the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act (S. 4541), a bill designed to increase the number and diversity of American students studying abroad. Among the reasons that JNCL-NCLIS, along with many of its members, endorsed this bill is that it includes a grant priority for those programs with a significant world language component.

The Department of Education’s FY27 budget again takes aim at language education programs. In K-12, it would eliminate Title III English Language Acquisition and Migrant Education, both of which last year’s budget sought to zero-out. The budget justifies deleting the $890 million Title III program and $428 million Migrant Education program using a mix of rhetoric related to illegal immigration, low test scores and federal overreach as grounds.

There are moments in advocacy work when the message becomes so urgent, so personal, that it moves beyond policy and into something deeper, something human. Carla Dirlikov Canales’ keynote at JNCL-NCLIS Language Advocacy Days was one of those moments. In a room filled with educators, business leaders, and students from every state, united for every student, we experienced something rare. We were not just listening to a speech. We were being invited into a life. Carla shared he

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) recently announced the opening of FY26 World Language Advancement and Readiness Program Grants (WLARP). The FY 2026 WLARP grants will range from $500,000 to $2,000,000 per award to eligible school districts over up to 5 years, depending on the size of the eligible student population. Applications are now open and must be submitted by April 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.

Language is defined as a system of communication used by a particular country or community. But for me, it means so much more than that. It represents family, memory, and identity. When English isn’t enough to express the depth of my emotions, I often find myself switching to Telugu. Telugu is not just a language I speak; it is my home. It is the language of my childhood and an integral part of who I am. Language holds context, emotions, and affection. Telugu is how I expres