U.S. Federal Education and
Language Policy Update
John Segota, CAE
Associate Executive Director for Public Policy & Professional Relations
2014 TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo
Overview
•  113th Congress
•  Obama Administration
•  Education Policy
–  ESEA
–  WIA
–  Immigration
–  Common Core
113th Congress
•  House of
Representatives
–  234 Republicans
–  201 Democrats
•  Senate
–  53 Democrats
–  45 Republicans
–  2 Independents
House of Representatives
•  Leadership
–  Speaker of the House – Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)
•  Education and Workforce
–  Chairman – Rep. John Kline (R-MN)
U.S. Senate
•  Leadership
–  Majority Leader - Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
•  Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
–  Chairman – Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
U.S. Department of Education
•  Deborah Delisle, Assistant Secretary, Elem. & Sec. Ed.
•  Brenda Dann-Messier, Assistant Secretary, Voc. & Adult Ed.
•  Libia Gil, Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, OELA
President’s FY2015 Budget Proposal
•  $68.6 Billion for Dept. of Ed
–  Increasing equity and opportunity for all students
–  Strengthening support for teachers and school leaders
–  Early learning: Making quality preschool available for all
4-year-olds
–  Improving affordability, quality, and success in
postsecondary education
–  Making schools safer and creating positive learning
environments
2015 Budget Request
38%
23%
21%
18% Student Aid
All Other
Programs
Title I
Special
Education
11%
89%
K-12
Competitive Formula
2015 Budget Request
FY2014 FY2015 Request
Title I - ESEA $14.4 billion $14.4 billion
Title III - ESEA $723 million $723 million
Title II - WIA $564 million $564 million
EL/Civics - WIA $71 million $71 million
Teachers and Leaders
FY2015 Budget Request
Excellent Instructional Teams $2.5 billion
Effective Teachers and
Learners Grants
$2 billion
ConnectEDucators $300 million
Teacher and Leader
Innovation Fund
$320 million
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
•  S 1094 - Strengthen America Schools Act
•  HR 5 – Student Success Act
•  S 1158 - English Learning
and Innovation Act
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
•  NCLB Waivers
– 42 States + DC and Puerto Rico have
been approved since 2011
– 34 states + DC up for renewal
•  Flexibility on some provisions
of NCLB in exchange for
State-developed plans
Common Core Standards
•  PARCC and Smarter Balanced
•  English language proficiency assessment
–  ASSETS and ELPA 21
•  Understanding Language Project
Higher Education Act
•  Last reauthorized in 2008
•  12 Senate hearings
•  Title II – Teacher Quality
–  State grants
–  Partnership grants
Adult Education
•  Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization
– S. 1356 – Workforce Investment Act of 2013
– HR 803 – Supporting Knowledge and Investing
in Lifelong Skills (“SKILLS”) Act
– HR 798 – Workforce
Investment Act
of 2013
Adult Education
•  Programme for the International Assessment
of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
–  Sponsored by Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD)
–  24 countries
–  Results released October/November 2013
Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals
•  Eligibility criteria"
•  Application procedure"
•  Protection from deportation – 2 years"
•  Possible employment authorization"
•  Not a pathway to permanent residency or
citizenship"
•  Renewal"
"
Immigration Reform
•  S. 744 – Border Security, Economic
Opportunity, and Immigration
Modernization Act"
–  Border Security"
–  Pathway to

citizenship"
–  DREAM Act"
House GOP Immgration Principles
•  Border Security and Interior Enforcement

Must Come First"
•  Implement Entry-Exit Visa Tracking System"
•  Employment Verification and Workplace
Enforcement"
•  Reforms to the Legal Immigration System"
•  Youth"
•  Individuals Living Outside the Rule of Law"
TESOL Advocacy & Policy Summit
22-24 June 2014
Crystal Gateway Marriott
Arlington, VA
http://www.tesol.org/advocacy
TESOL International Association
http://www.tesol.org
E-mail: jsegota@tesol.org
Twitter: @JohnSegota
SlideShare.net