FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 23rd, 2022 -- The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has announced awards for the FY22 World Language Advancement and Readiness grant program. Totaling over $15 million, these awards will allow 11 public school districts, spread across 10 states, to establish, improve, or expand innovative world language programs. Languages represented by the awards include Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese.
This program provides three-year competitive grants to support the establishment, improvement, or expansion of world language learning in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools and local education agencies with Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs. Authorized in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the program received its first appropriations in FY 2021. Representatives David Price (D-NC) and Don Young (R-AK), along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), championed this legislation and helped secure its passage and initial round of funding.
The Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) spearheaded successful efforts to authorize this program through the National Defense Authorization Act and fund its first and subsequent rounds of grants.
Each of the 11 awardees received multiple years of funding to establish or augment existing innovative world language programs:
El Paso Independent School District, TX
Falcon El Paso County School District 49, CO
Groton Board of Education, CT
Windward, HI
International Leadership School of Texas, TX
O'Fallon TWP. High School District #203, IL
San Diego Unified School District, CA
Chatham School District, GA
Steilacoom Historical School District #1, WA
Wayne County Public Schools, NC
York Country School Division, VA
A full list of project abstracts funded by this grant can be found here.
JNCL-NCLIS continues to work closely with Members of Congress, key stakeholders, and advocates across the nation to ensure the program will receive subsequent rounds of funding.
About JNCL-NCLIS:
Established in 1972, the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (NCLIS) unites a national network of leading organizations and businesses comprised of over 300,000 language professionals to advocate for equitable language learning opportunities. Our mission is to ensure that Americans have the opportunity to learn English and at least one other language.
Contact: info@languagepolicy.org
WLARA Grant awardees are listed in red.
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