The document outlines updates on U.S. federal education and language policy during the 114th Congress, highlighting key leadership positions and budget proposals by the Obama administration focusing on equity, early childhood education, and support for teachers. It discusses significant funding increases in various programs, including Title I and Title III under ESEA, and legislative developments like the Every Child Achieves Act. Additionally, it emphasizes guidelines for supporting English learners and undocumented youth in education, alongside the introduction of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

1. U.S. Federal Education and
Language Policy Update
John Segota, CAE
Associate Executive Director for Public Policy & Professional Relations
2015 Ohio TESOL Conference

2. Overview
• 114th Congress
• Obama Administration
• Education Policy
– Federal Budget
– ESEA
– WIA
– Immigration

3. 114th Congress
House of
Representatives
– 247 Republicans
– 188 Democrats
Senate
– 54 Republicans
– 44 Democrats
– 2 Independents

4. House of Representatives
• Leadership
– Speaker of the House – Rep. Paul Ryan (R-­WI)
• Education and Workforce
– Chairman – Rep. John Kline (R-­MN)

5. U.S. Senate
• Leadership
– Majority Leader – Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-­KY)
• HELP Committee
– Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-­TN)

6. U.S. Department of Education
• Arne Duncan – Secretary of Education
• John B. King, Jr. – Acting Deputy Secretary of Education

7. U.S. Department of Education
• Johan Uvin – Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Voc. & Adult Ed.
• Libia Gil – Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, OELA

8. President’s FY2016 Budget Proposal
§ Strengthens education from early childhood through higher
education as part of an overall fiscally responsible plan.
§ $70.7 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $3.6 billion,
or 5.4 percent, over the 2015 level.
§ Mandatory initiatives include Preschool for All, Teaching for
Tomorrow, and America’s College Promise.
§ Four core themes:
1. Increasing equity and opportunity for all students
2. Expanding high-­quality early learning programs
3. Supporting teachers and school leaders
4. Improving access, affordability, and student outcomes in
postsecondary education

9. Equity and Opportunity
§ Title I: $1 billion to help schools, districts, and States meet the
challenge of reaching high standards for disadvantaged students.
§ ESEA: $2.7 billion increase, including $93 million for Promise
Neighborhoods, $50 million Native Youth initiative, $36 million for
English learners, and new support for streamlining assessments.
§ Equity and Opportunity pilots: New flexibility for districts that can best
demonstrate true comparability in State and local funding for high-­
and low-­poverty schools.
§ IDEA: $175 million increase for students with disabilities.
§ Civil Rights Enforcement: $31 million increase for enforcement efforts
at the Office for Civil Rights.

10. 2016 Budget Request
FY2014 FY2015 FY2016 Budget
Request
Title I -­
ESEA
$14.38 billion $14.4 billion $15.4 billion
Title III -­
ESEA
$723 million $737 million $773 million
Title II -­
WIA
$564 million $569 million $569 million
EL/Civics -­
WIA
$71 million $71 million ?

11. Budget Status
• Bicameral budget resolution passed
• 302(b) allocations developed
– $153.05 billion for Labor/HHS
– 2.4% cute from FY2015 levels
• Sequester caps in place for FY2016

12. Budget Deal
• Tentative 2-­year deal
– Lifts mandatory spending caps set by sequestration
– Increase federal spending by $80 billion
– Suspends debt limit until March 2017
• Passed House and
Senate this week
• Education
– No direct funds
– No policy implications

13. Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
• House bill – Student Success Act – HR 5
– Removes Title III, and folds English language acquisition
accountability into Title I
– Supports flexibility of districts and “portability” of funds
• Passed Education and
Workforce Committee
in February
• Passed House in July

14. Elementary and Secondary Education Act
• Every Child Achieves Act – S. 1177
– Bipartisan legislation
– Accountability for ELLs moved to state plans
– New standardized entrance and exit procedures
for ELLs
– New reporting requirements for
• Long-­term ELLs
• ELLs with disabilities

15. OCR/DOJ Dear Colleague Letter
• Issued January 7, 2015
• Single guidance document that addresses
array of federal laws governing schools’
obligations to ELs
• Distributed to states
• Available online at http://1.usa.gov/1Dl9Wt0

16. OCR/DOJ Dear Colleague Letter
• Explains schools' obligations to:
– identify English learner students in a timely, valid and reliable manner;;
– provide qualified staff and sufficient resources for instructing English learner
students;;
– ensure English learner students have equitable access to school programs
and activities;;
– avoid unnecessary segregation of English learner students from other
students;;
– monitor students' progress in learning English and doing grade-­level
classwork;;
– evaluate the effectiveness of English learner programs;; and
– provide limited English proficient parents with information about school
programs, services, and activities in a language they understand.

17. OELA EL Toolkit
• Ten chapter toolkit to be read in conjunction with
Dear Colleague Letter
• Containsoverview, sample tools, and resources
• Introduction in 11 languages
• Chapters include:
– Staffing and Support
– Creating an Inclusive Environment
– Addressing ELs with Disabilities
– Ensuring Meaningful Communication with EL Parents
• Available at http://1.usa.gov/1exU0tO

18. Supporting Undocumented Youth
• Resources aimed at high school and college
students and includes:
– An overview of the rights of undocumented students;;
– Tips for educators on how to support undocumented youth in high school
and college;;
– Key information on non-­citizen access to federal financial aid;;
– A list of private scholarships for which undocumented youth might be
eligible;;
– Information on federally-­funded adult education programs at the local level;;
– Guidance for migrant students in accessing their education records for
DACA.
• Available at http://1.usa.gov/1XGgw59

19. Adult Education
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
– Signed into law July 22, 2014
– Reauthorizes and replaces the Workforce Investment
Act of 1998 (WIA)
• Amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Title II)
– Effective date of implementation July 1, 2015
– State plans and accountability
provisions take effect
July 1, 2016

20. Immigration Reform
• Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
• Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA)
– Civil suit – court injunction
• White House Task Force on New Americans
• Federal Strategic Plan available at
http://1.usa.gov/1P2nGPw

21. 2016 TESOL Advocacy & Policy Summit
19-­21 June 2016
• Policy Updates
• Advocacy Training
• Congressional Visits
Embassy Suites
Alexandria, VA
http://www.tesol.org/AdvocacySummit

22. TESOL International Association
http://www.tesol.org
E-­mail: jsegota@tesol.org
Twitter: @JohnSegota
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