An overview of US federal education policy and proposed legislation affecting the TESOL/ESL field. Presented at the 2012 CATESOL Conference in Oakland, CA.

1. Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Education Policies & Election Politics
John Segota, CAE
Associate Executive Director for Public Policy &
Professional Relations
TESOL International Association
14 April 2012
1
4/14/12
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2. Agenda
• FY 2013 Federal Budget
• Legislation
– ESEA
Reauthoriza/on
– WIA
Reauthoriza/on
– DREAM
Act

3. Dept. of Ed Budget Request
• $69.8 billion for FY 2013
• Priorities
– Increasing
College
Affordability
and
Quality
– Eleva/ng
the
Teaching
Profession
– Aligning
Job
Training
and
Educa/on
Programs
with
Workforce
Demands
– Protec/ng
Formula
Programs
for
At-­‐Risk
Popula/ons
– Con/nue
on
the
Path
of
Reform
and
Innova/on

4. Programs of Interest
Department of Education FY2012 Final President’s FY2013
Request
English Learner Education $732.1 $732.1
(Title III)
Assessing Achievement $389.2 $389.2
Adult Basic and Literacy $595 $595
Education
National Leadership $11.3 $11.3
Activities (Adult Ed)
EL/Civics (Adult Ed) $74.7 $74.7

5. ESEA Reauthorization
• Senate
– Consensus
bill
–
product
of
compromise
and
nego/a/on
– Career
and
college
readiness
standards
– Providing
incen/ves
to
improve
teacher
and
principal
quality
– Focus
on
boLom
5%
of
low-­‐performing
schools

6. ESEA Reauthorization - Senate
• Standards
– Requires
states
demonstrate
college
and
career
ready
standards
and
create
assessments
in
reading,
math
and
science
– NO
requirement
to
join
Common
Core
Standards
Ini/a/ve
• Accountability
– Same
tes/ng
but
eliminates
AYP
– Disaggrega/on
of
data
NO
achievement
targets

7. ESEA Reauthorization - House
• Last year
– Termina/on
bill
– Charter
school
expansion
bill
– Flexibility
bill
• This year
– Student
Success
Act
– Encouraging
Innova/on
and
Effec/ve
Teachers
Act
– Both
approved
February
28
on
party
line
votes
– Might
make
it
to
the
floor

8. Overview of House Bill
• House bill merges Title III into subpart Title I.
• Professional development for teachers of ELLs
is not maintained as a national priority.
• House bill eliminates HQT requirements.
• House bill requires SEA/LEAs to develop
teacher evaluation systems; Senate only
requires it for those applying for competitive
grants.
• House bill includes significant expansion of
funding flexibility.

9. WIA Reauthorization
• Adult Education and Economic Growth
Act (HR 2226 / S 2117)
• Senate HELP Committee bipartisan draft
• Workforce Investment Act of 2012
(HR 4227)
• Workforce Investment Improvement Act
of 2012 (HR 4297)

10. AEEG and HR 4227
• Add ESL to core purpose of WIA Title II
• Include adult ELLs into funding formula
• Authorize EL/Civics Grant Program
• Incorporate career pathways and
integrated training into WIA Title II
• Authorize more funding for WIA Title II

11. DREAM Act
• HR 1842 - Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)
introduced in House – 80 cosponsors
• S 952 - Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced
in Senate – 34 cosponsors
• Republican alternative?

12. Get involved!
• TESOL U.S. Advocacy Action Center
– hLp://capwiz.com/TESOL
• TESOL Advocacy Day 2012
– hLp://www.tesol.org/AdvocacyDay2012