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

This afternoon, the House of Representatives passed, on a vote of 217 to 214 , a five bill FY26 Appropriations minibus that contains final FY26 funding for the Departments of Labor, HHS, Education, Transportation, HUD, State, and Defense. It does not include final FY26 funding for the Department of Homeland Security as a result of Senate Democrats forcing the Senate to remove this bill from the package over ICE’s controversial activities in Minneapolis. Instead of funding Hom

House and Senate Appropriations Committees released a four bill FY26 “minibus” appropriations bill that contains final compromise funding levels for the Departments of Defense Labor, HHS, and Education. The great news is that the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grants program at the Department of Defense was not only preserved but received a 50% increase. Additionally, key K-12 programs that the Trump Administration proposed for elimination – including Title II-A (pr

the US Department of Education announced that it had concluded six interagency agreements with four other federal agencies that will transfer some but not all responsibility for multiple USDE education programs. Virtually all major language education programs housed currently by the Department of Education will be impacted.

As artificial intelligence continues to transform education, language educators have been among the early adopters of tools that use AI and chatbots to enhance communication, feedback, and personalized learning. However, as Congress moves forward with new legislative efforts to regulate artificial intelligence in schools, these policies will directly influence how educators and students are able to use AI-driven tools for instruction and assessment.

the state of Indiana submitted to the U.S. Department of Education a request to consolidate multiple federal K-12 programs, including all or parts of Titles I (migrant education but not state grants), II-A, III and IV A and B, into a single block grant, which could be used for “any activity authorized under the” Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The House Labor HHS Education Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to approve at its September 2nd mark-up a FY26 funding bill which would cut the Department of Education by $12 billion (-15% cut). It would also decimate key language education programs, eliminating funding for ESEA Title II-A (professional development), Title III (English Language Acquisition), and HEA Title VI Fulbright Hays (language education and study abroad).

the President signed an Executive Order (EO) on Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking. This new standard of review is likely to further delay grant awards and appears intended to skew awards away from the usual recipients, particularly higher education research institutions that the Administration has been assailing. It also reinforces ongoing efforts to prevent federal grants from supporting DEI, gender ideology or anything else not aligned with the Administration’s vie

On July 31st, the Senate Appropriations Committee debated and approved its version of the FY26 Labor HHS Education Appropriations and Defense bills, clearing them for floor action after Congress’s August recess.

Today, after weeks of pressure from educators, including much advocacy work from JNCL-NCLIS advocates alongside educational partners, Democratic and Republican members of Congress, state Governors and Attorney Generals, the Trump Administration announced that it would release $5.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 K-12 and adult education funding that it had withheld from allocating to states for more than three weeks.

The Department of Education and the White House Office of Management and Budget continues to withhold $5.5 billion in Congressionally...

Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the Labor HHS Education Appropriations Co-Chair and Co-Chair of the America’s Language Caucus led...