The document summarizes the current federal education policy landscape. It discusses the composition of the 112th Congress and key education committees and leaders. It then outlines the Obama administration's education priorities like Race to the Top grants and the Common Core Standards initiative. The document also summarizes proposed reforms to laws like ESEA, WIA, and policies around English language learners and immigration. Advocacy efforts on issues such as adult education, accreditation of English language programs, and the DREAM Act are also mentioned.

1. Federal Education Update
John Segota
Director of Advocacy, Standards, & Professional Relations
2010 CoTESOL Conference

2. Overview
• 112th Congress
• Obama Administration
• Education Policy
– Reform
– ESEA
– WIA
– Immigration
• Advocacy

3. 112th Congress
• House of
Representatives
– 239 Republicans
– 189 Democrats
• Senate
– 53 Democrats*
– 46 Republicans

4. House of Representatives
• Leadership
– Speaker of the House – Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)
• Education and Labor
– Chairman – Rep. John Kline (R-MN)

5. U.S. Senate
• Leadership
– Majority Leader - Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
• Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
– Chairman – Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)

6. 111th Congressional Agenda
• Federal Budget
• Tax cuts
• What else?

7. U.S. Department of Education
• Arne Duncan - Secretary of Education
• Russlynn Ali - Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

8. U.S. Department of Education
• Thelma Melendez - Assistant Secretary, Elementary & Secondary
Education
• Rosalinda Barrera, Assistant Secretary, OELA Director
• Brenda Dann-Messler, Assistant Secretary, Vocational and Adult
Education

9. Education Reform
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
– Race to the Top Fund - $4.35 Billion
• $1.35 Billion request – FY 11
– Investing in Innovation (i3) grants - $643.5 Million
• Common Core Standards initiative

10. Elementary and Secondary Education Act
• Blueprint for Reform
– College- and Career-Ready
Students
– Great Teachers and Leaders in
Every School
– Equity and Opportunity for All
Students
– Raise the Bar and Reward
Excellence
– Promote Innovation and
Continuous Improvement

11. Title III Reform
• Establish new criteria to ensure consistent
statewide identification of students as
English Learners, and to determine eligibility,
placement, and duration of programs and
services, based on the state’s valid and
reliable English language proficiency
assessment.

12. Title III Reform
• Implement a system to evaluate the
effectiveness of language instruction
educational programs, and to provide
information on the achievement of
subgroups of English Learners, to drive
better decisions by school districts for
program improvement, and to support
districts in selecting effective programs.

13. Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
• Hearings
• Community Conversations
• Adult Education & Economic Growth Act
– HR 3238 - Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
– S 1468 - Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

14. Adult Education
• National Adult Education & Family Literacy
Week – Sept. 18
• Adult Literacy Caucus
• H.R. 1224 – Families Learning and
Understanding English Together (FLUENT)
Act of 2009

15. Integration & Immigration
• Strengthen and Unite Communities with
Civics Education and English Skills Act of
2009
– H.R. 3249 - Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
– S. 1478 - Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY)
• DREAM Act
– S. 3827 - Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
– H.R. 1751 - Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA)

16. Immigration Reform
• HR 4321 - Comprehensive Immigration
Reform for America’s Security And
Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009
• Real Enforcement with Practical Answers for
Immigration Reform (REPAIR) Framework
• S 3932 - Comprehensive Immigration
Reform Act of 2010

17. Intensive English Programs
• Accreditation Bill
– S. 1338 – Sen. Ben Carper (D-DE) and Sen. Lamar
Alexander (R-TN)
– HR 2361 – Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Lamar
Smith (R-TX)
• TESOL, AAIEP, UCIEP Joint Position
Statement on Governance for English
Language Instruction at Institutions of Higher
Education

18. Online Resources
• TESOL’s U.S. Advocacy Action Center
– http://capwiz.com/tesol
• http://www.senate.gov
• http://www.house.gov
• http://thomas.loc.gov
My e-mail: jsegota@tesol.org