Susan Frost

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Susan Frost Vice President The Sheridan Group
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I want you guys to be studying hard because it
is critical for all American students to have
language skills. And I want everybody here to be
working hard to make sure that you don't just
speak one language, you speak a bunch of
languages. Thats a priority.
President Obama addressing students in Washington
DC at a Town Hall broadcast by Univision, March
2011
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http//globalinksnewswire.com/2898/michelle-obamas
-china-study-abroad-speech
Getting ahead in todays workplaces isnt just
about the skills you bring from the classroom.
 Its also about the experience you have with the
world beyond our borders with people, and
languages, and cultures that are very different
from our own. Michelle Obama at launching of
the 100,000 Strong Initiative, January 2011
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Im a believer in foreign language training. I
think, unfortunately, this country hasnt devoted
enough resources, really, to foreign language
training. You know, weve looked at the three Rs
reading, writing, and arithmetic but we
havent looked at the reality of the world that
we deal withAnd I believe that for the Defense
Department and, I think, for the State
Department, theres a recognition that you need
to have language in order to be able to relate to
the world that we live in.
So, you know, my goal would be, as we go through
the budget, as we develop the restraints that we
have to develop, that we are creative and not
undermine the kind of teaching and language
training that I think is essential to our ability
not only to protect our security, but frankly to
be a nation that is well educated. Secretary of
Defense Leon Panetta, August 2011
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The interconnected nature of the global economy
necessitates crossing language and cultural
barriers between countries. Promoting foreign
language and cultural education gives future
generations the framework for international
cooperation, a key for economic competitiveness.
--Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) in ACTFLs September
2011 Language Educator
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The Obama Administrations plan for renewal of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act would
consolidate more than a dozen learning-related
programs into three competitive funding streams
focused on literacy the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, or
STEM and a catchall category dubbed a
well-rounded education. Education Week
Reporting on the ESEA Blueprint, May 26, 2010
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While no final deal has been passed, the House
and Senate have proposed to eliminate funding for
the FLAP program The Senate has maintained last
years cuts to Title VI, proposing 75 million in
funding, and the House made additional cuts,
proposing 66 million in funding
ACTFL sends a letter to the Senate opposing cuts
to language programs
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1) FLAP grants to establish, improve, or expand
innovative foreign language programs for
elementary and secondary school
students. Approximately 74 current grants
slated to receive funding in FY 2012 across 29
states could lose their funding to
continue 2) Elimination of the only federal
funding for K-12 language learning 3) The chance
to provide American students with a global
perspective and cultural competencies
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According to ACTFL, only 18.5 of students across
the country take a language
Twenty out of twenty-five industrialized
countries start teaching world languages in
grades K-5
Twenty-one of the thirty-one countries in the
European Union require nine years of language
study.
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Congressman Holt Introduces Language Legislation
HR 1994 Excellence and Innovation in Language
Learning Act
Sponsor Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ-12)
Cosponsors Representatives Russ Carnahan
(D-MO-03), Judy Chu (D-CA-32), Gregory Meeks
(D-NY-06), Jared Polis (D-CO-02), Paul Tonko
(D-NY-21)
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Rep. Holt (D-NJ-12) introduces H.R. 1994
Excellence and Innovation in Language Learning
Act and in conjunction with Sen. Lautenberg
(D-NJ) introduces Foreign Language Education
Partnership Program Act, H.R. 1966/S. 1015, to
advance the language learning agenda
Republicans, led by Education and Workforce
Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN-02) and Early
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
Subcommittee Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52),
eliminate the authorization for foreign language
programs
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Envisioning the Future of Language Education in
the U.S.
Ensures American students become globally
competitive by providing them with access to
high-quality world language instruction starting
in the early grades.

• Federal Creates a cross agency federal role that
  mandates partnerships between the Departments of
  Defense, State, and Education along with the
  intelligence agencies
• State Establishes a significant state role to
• Designate state language coordinators to create
  and execute a plan to encourage every graduate
  proficient in two languages
• Creates way for states to share best practices
• Local Calls for articulated language pathways
  starting in the early grades including high
  quality dual immersion programs

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The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee, under the leadership of Senators
Harkin (D-IA) and Enzi (R-WY), has passed a
bipartisan ESEA bill out of committee
Before passage out of the committee, Senator
Casey (D-PA) added an amendment to the final bill
restoring funding for foreign languages
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Cosponsored by Sen. Murray (D-WA), Mikulski
(D-MD), Merkley (D-OR) Up to 500 million in
competitive grants for high need schools
for Arts Civics and government Economics Environm
ental education Financial literacy Foreign
languages Geography Health education History Physi
cal education Social studies Priority given to
applications which implement an interdisciplinary
approach, by one or more of the following
subjects is combined with reading, English,
language arts, science, mathematics instruction
and provide expanded learning time in order to
increase access to covered subjects.
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What does the future look like?

• Coordinating educators with State and Defense
  Departments, Intelligence agencies, and the
  business community to develop language pathways
• Disseminating research about the benefits of
  language learning on student achievement
• Investing in programs that enable students to
  graduate linguistically proficient and culturally
  competent
• Honoring students heritage language in support of
  biliteracy

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Grassroots
language educators
and parents
Grasstops State
leaders with networks
Policymakers and elected officials
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Team Leader Todd Bowen State Leaders Kathleen
Priceman, Andy Hendrickson, Ignacio Gamboa,
Samantha Godden-Chmielowiz, and Jerry
Packard Key Legislators Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL),
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rep. Judy Biggert
(R-IL-13), Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL-02)
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Team Leader Duarte Silva State Leaders
Lorraine DAmbruoso, Norman Leonard, Nicole
Naditz Key Legislators Sen. Dianne Feinstein
(D-CA), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Rep. George
Miller (D-CA-07), Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52),
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-08), Rep. Barbara Lee
(D-CA-09), Rep. Lucille Royball-Allard (D-CA-34)
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Team Leader Leslie Baldwin State Leaders
Caroline Kelly, Mary Lynn Redmond, Ken Stewart,
Karen Tharrington Key Legislators Sen. Kay
Hagan (D-NC), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Rep.
Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05)
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Existing Teams
Key States
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Whatever you may be thinking when you apply for
a job today, you can be sure the employer is
asking this Can this person add value every
hour, every day more than a worker in India, a
robot or a computer? Can he or she help my
company adapt by not only doing the job today but
also reinventing the job for tomorrow? And can he
or she adapt with all the change, so my company
can adapt and export more into the
fastest-growing global markets? In todays
hyperconnected world, more and more companies
cannot and will not hire people who dont fulfill
those criteria. Tom Friedman, July 2011