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July 25, 2025 | JNCL-NCLIS Newsroom
Today, after weeks of pressure from educators, including much advocacy work from JNCL-NCLIS advocates alongside educational partners, Democratic and Republican members of Congress, state Governors and Attorney Generals, the Trump Administration announced that it would release $5.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 K-12 and adult education funding that it had withheld from allocating to states for more than three weeks. The following programs will now have their funds released: Title I-C Migrant Education; Title II-A educator professional development; Title III English Language Acquisition; Title IV-A flexible health, safety, and well-rounded education funding; and Adult Basic Education.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), who had led a letter signed by nine other Republican Senators that demanded the release of the funds, issued a statement that declared: “Today’s announcement means that all of the remaining funding requested is now unfrozen.“ She went on to say: “The education formula funding included in the FY2025 Continuing Resolution Act supports critical programs that so many rely on. The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support like after-school and summer programs that provide learning and enrichment opportunities for school aged children, which also enables their parents to work and contribute to local economies, and programs to support adult learners working to gain employment skills, earn workforce certifications, or transition into postsecondary education. That’s why it’s important we continue to protect and support these programs. I made this clear to OMB Director Vought and was glad he followed through on my request to release all of the education formula dollars that states across the country are expecting to receive.” See Senator Capito's full press release here.
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July 29, 2025 | The Century Foundation
Several years ago, a new analysis of public data showed that in recent decades, Mexican-American students made strong academic progress in U.S. K–12 schools. What’s more, these students were integrating successfully into American social and economic life—so much so that some were ceasing to self-identify as Latino/Hispanic in Census data, inadvertently removing their academic gains from that student group’s publicly visible data.
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This success is, in part, a product of the legacy of decades of development and enforcement of rules protecting the civil rights of immigrant families and English-learning students (ELs). Since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (CRA), a steady march of case law and regulatory machinery has built up to ensure that linguistically diverse communities can access public services—particularly K–12 education—even as they are still developing their English skills. Indeed, research has reliably shown that multilingual programming in schools is the best way to ensure that linguistically diverse students succeed academically.
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Ushering Bilingual Education for English Learners Through Uncertain Times
July 23, 2025 | New America
Bilingual education supports all students’ second language acquisition, literacy development, and academic achievement. The benefits of bilingual education hold particular promise for the nation’s 5.3 million students identified as English learners (ELs), yet many EL students lack access to bilingual programs. With the shrinking federal role, states and school districts have an opportunity to lead in implementing asset-based approaches to EL education, including expanding bilingual education.
On June 25, 2025, SEAL and New America hosted a webinar with prominent EL and bilingual education leaders to reflect on the evolution of EL education in the U.S., unravel misconceptions about language education, and highlight the benefits of bilingual education for ELs.
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This conversation comes at a time when the federal government is dismantling federal supports for multilingual students and pushing an English-only agenda. Despite this retreat by the federal government, states and districts will have to continue to lead the way and ensure that the progress made in implementing asset-based approaches to EL education is not undone. As we look toward the future, here are some key lessons from the conversation to help us keep a focus on building a brighter tomorrow for English learners...
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POLICY CLIPS
Federal Policy
State Policy
EDUCATION CLIPS
K-12 Education
Higher Education
Multilingual Learners
LANGUAGE INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS CLIPS
RESEARCH CLIPS
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[NEW DATE!!] Advocacy Action Day 2025
Join JNCL-NCLIS on September 29th, 2025 (NEW DATE!!), for a virtual, one-day event where language advocates from across the country will meet with legislators, elevate the importance of language education, and influence real policy change. The event will focus on one prominent issue in language education and policy
📍 Virtual via Zoom | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET
Use code SUMMER at checkout to get 20% OFF your registration!
Register now!
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Language Revitalization: Apps, Games, and Classroom Lessons Help Keep Native Languages Vital
Native America Calling
Education advocates are launching a multi-year program to develop a game and to teach the Denaakk’e language in schools.
That and another language teaching apps come at a time when almost all federal funding for language revitalization is eliminated.
Also, tune in to talk with a man about his personal journey learning the Cherokee language, an undertaking that inspired him to learn more about his tribal language’s history and importance in maintaining culture.
Listen Now!
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FUNDING AND PROGRAM CUTS
IMPACT STORIES
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We are collecting information about the real impacts of recent and proposed federal education policy and budget changes on language programs across the United States. Please be specific about what the reasoning or rationale was for the cut or change (i.e. DEI policy, IES grant cut, Title funding concerns). Your responses will help us document the scope of these cuts and advocate for necessary support. Please share your experience below.
Share Your Stories.
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Stay informed and empowered! Your support helps JNCL deliver vital updates, expert programming, and the latest language policy news.
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Will you help protect language education and advocacy today? Donate now to make a difference!
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12th Annual Community-Based Heritage Language Schools Conference
October 3rd - 4th
Washington, D.C. OR Remote
The Coalition of Community-Based Heritage Language Schools is excited to invite you to participate in its 12th annual conference! This conference brings together everyone who is interested in learning about, collaborating with, and advocating for community-based HL schools. Participants typically include directors and administrators of community-based HL schools, teachers, members of the language communities, representatives of public schools, researchers in the field of HL education, and leaders of national language organizations.
This event will be hybrid, held both on site at American University in Washington, DC and online on October 3-4, 2024. Please explore the conference website and learn about the plenary speakers! Feel free to share the conference Facebook event as well as LinkedIn event widely and invite your colleagues! If you would like to receive announcements about future events and conferences from the Coalition, sign up for our newsletter.
Register Now!
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Massachusetts FLA 2025 Conference
October 23rd - 25th
Springfield, MA
Registration IS NOW OPEN!
Please note that there are three separate registration options:
- Pre-Conference Workshops
- Full Conference Registration (does not include Pre-Conference Workshops)
- Saturday Only Registration
YOU MUST BE A CURRENT MEMBER TO REGISTER
Register Now!
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The FBI’s Language Testing and Assessment Unit is looking for speakers in the following languages (Mandarin, English, Korean or German) to be practice examinees for Speaking Proficiency Tests. The tests are held over the phone. We ask the examinee to set aside one hour for the test. Examinees can be of any speaking proficiency level in their designated language.
Practice tests will be held at the following times (EDT):
- Mandarin:
- Tuesday, August 5: 10am
- Wednesday, August 6: 10am and 1:30pm
- Thursday, August 7: 10am and 1:30pm
- Friday, August 8: 10am
- English:
- Tuesday, August 5: 1:30pm
- Wednesday, August 6: 10am and 1:30pm
- Thursday, August 7: 10am and 1:30pm
- Friday, August 8: 10am and 1:30pm
- Korean:
- Tuesday, August 5: 10am
- Wednesday, August 6: 10am and 1:30pm
- Thursday, August 7: 10am and 1:30pm
- Friday, August 8: 10am
- German
- Wednesday, August 6: 10am and 1:30pm
- Friday, August 8: 10am and 1:30pm
In return for their participation, practice examinees will receive an unofficial Interagency Language Round Table (ILR) speaking score. (This is an unpaid opportunity.)
If you speak Mandarin, English, Korean or German and you are available at any of the times above, please reach out to Camryn Hayes, chayes@fbi.gov, for more information and/or to indicate interest.
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For over 40 years, JNCL-NCLIS has united a national network of leading organizations and businesses to advocate for equitable access to language learning opportunities. Please consider donating today to support our work to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn English and at least one other language.
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“Ensuring that Americans have the opportunity to learn English and at least one other language.”
Joint National Committee for Languages
National Council for Languages and International Studies
| | THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025 ISSUE | |
Disclaimer: The articles and news sources included in NewsBrief are not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by JNCL-NCLIS. The views and opinions expressed in the articles in this NewsBrief are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer or company.
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