H.R.2111 Foreign Language Education Partnership Program Act

Title: To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a partnership program in foreign languages.
Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [2] [D-NJ-12] (introduced 5/2/2007)      Cosponsors (30)
Latest Major Action: 7/17/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Highlights: Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to replace the program providing incentive payments to public elementary schools for foreign language instruction with a partnership program in foreign languages that provides matching incentive payments to partnerships composed of state or local educational agencies and institutions of higher education. Requires each model program to have a dimension allowing the student to gain an understanding of the historic, geographic, cultural, economic, and other contextual factors of countries whose people speak the language studied. Conditions a partnership's continued funding, for an initial four-year period and two additional five-year periods, on its demonstrating its program effectiveness based on nationally recognized standardized foreign language assessments.

ASPIRA Policy Position

ASPIRA supports efforts to promote second language acquisition and cultural understanding. However, ASPIRA is concerned about the unintended consequences of this amendment, as it could result in an overall reduction of funding for foreign language acquisition.