Following this February's Language Advocacy Day, advocates urged their Members of Congress to include $15 million for the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program in the FY21 House Defense Appropriations bill. Today, SUCCESS! Next step, the Senate...
The original press release from Representative Price's office can be found here
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2020 – Today, the House Appropriations Committee provided first-time funding of $15 million for the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program, a new program which Congressman David Price has championed alongside Rep. Don Young (R-AK) for many years. The language in the FY2021 Defense Appropriations bill outlines an implementation plan to start the new grant program in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools for the 2021-2022 academic year, with an expansion to public schools located in districts that host JROTC programs in the following academic year.
The World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program was signed into law on December 20, 2019 as part of 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with provisions of Congressman Price’s World Language Advancement and Readiness Act (H.R. 1094) included in the law’s final text. Securing funding for the program is now one step closer to reality, and Rep. Price will continue working to ensure these provisions in the Defense Appropriations bills are enacted into law.
“World language skills enrich our students’ education and help prepare our nation to compete in an increasingly globalized society,” said Congressman David Price. “This year’s Defense Appropriations bill jumpstarts the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program, which will help the United States address its current language deficiencies by educating more elementary and secondary students in critical world language skills.”
The Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL-NCLIS) and American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) support the inclusion of funding for the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program in the FY2021 Defense Appropriations bill.
Congressman Price is Co-Chair of the America’s Languages Caucus, a bipartisan effort to support and enhance world language competency and international education among students and professionals at all education levels in the United States.
A copy of the House Appropriations Committee report language for the Fiscal Year 2021 Defense Appropriations Bill can be found here on page 66. A copy of the language included in the final version of the FY20 NDAA can be found here in Section 1751, beginning on page 1659 of the report.
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Additional Coverage
Price-Sponsored Bipartisan World Language Funding Included in Appropriations Bill - Original press release
America's Languages Caucus - Official webpage
Congress Approves New K-12 World Language Grant Program - JNCL-NCLIS coverage
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