[EDLING:1648] New ELL Advocacy Organization

[Francis M Hult]

----- Forwarded message from NABE Membership Collective <fixnabe at yahoo.com> -----

> Announcement in pdf: http://users.rcn.com/crawj/Announcing.pdf
> 
> 
> Research-Based Advocacy for Schools and Communities
> 
> Dear Colleague:
> 
> You are invited to join with us in building a new 
> organization dedicated to promoting 
> research-based policies in serving 
> English-language and heritage-language learners.
> 
> We believe this mission has never been more 
> critical. In a time of misguided “accountability” 
> measures, high-stakes testing, cutbacks in school 
> funding, and English-only activism, strong 
> advocacy for children is essential. Scientific 
> knowledge about what works – not ideology or 
> political expedience – must guide public policy.
> 
> Our goals are ambitious:
> Encourage and disseminate research on education 
> policy and practice. Educate the public and 
> policymakers about the benefits of bilingual and 
> heritage-language education for individuals, 
> communities, and the nation as a whole. Represent 
> the needs of English language learners as 
> Congress moves to reauthorize – and, we hope, 
> reform – the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. 
> Support grassroots efforts by local and 
> professional organizations to secure adequate 
> resources for quality language programs at all 
> levels. Combat English-only legislation that 
> threatens to restrict the rights and educational 
> prospects of language-minority Americans. Create 
> professional development opportunities for educational practitioners.
> Our immediate plans include launching a Web site 
> to advance this agenda; producing research briefs 
> on timely issues; working with news media to 
> elevate the level of public discussion; 
> developing a national network of 
> expert-advocates; and seeking funding that will be needed to achieve our 
> goals.
> 
> To succeed in these efforts, we need your help.
> 
> One way is to volunteer your time and talents to 
> the cause. Another is to become a founding member 
> of the Institute by contributing $100 (or more) 
> in startup money. Please use the membership form 
> at the end of this message or download it from 
> <http://users.rcn.com/crawj/Announcing.pdf>http://users.rcn.com/crawj/Announcing.pdf.
> 
> 
> Who We Are
> 
> Plans for the Institute emerged out of 
> discussions among educators, researchers, 
> administrators, policymakers, friends, and 
> supporters of bilingual and heritage language 
> education. We came together to remedy what we see 
> as a lack of organized response to policy 
> decisions that defy research findings and harm 
> language-minority students and communities.
> 
> An Institute for Language and Education Policy is 
> needed to fill this leadership vacuum. What we 
> are proposing is not a new professional 
> association to compete with existing 
> associations, but an organizational structure 
> that can rise to this call to action and address the challenges now facing
> our field.
> 
> We believe there is an abundance of  scientific 
> knowledge, professional expertise, and personal 
> commitment available today to advocate for the 
> children and communities we serve. What’s needed 
> is effective leadership to make sure that occurs.
> 
> We urge you to join us in this important work.
> 
> Alfredo Artiles
> David Bautista
> Maria Brisk
> Clara Lee Brown
> Cathrene Connery
> Ellen Riojas Clark
> Mary Carol Combs
> James Crawford
> Jim Cummins
> Ester de Jong
> Pauline Dow
> Fabiola Ehlers-Zavala
> Rosa Castro Feinberg
> Lily Wong Fillmore
> 
> 
> David Freeman
> Yvonne Freeman
> Salvador Gabaldón
> Ofelia García
> Michael Genzuk
> John Halcón
> April Haulman
> Esau Ruiz Herrera
> Sarah Hudelson
> Craig Hughes
> Stephen Krashen
> Juliet Luther
> Grace McField
> Jeff McQuillan
> 
> 
> Jeff MacSwan
> Kate Menken
> Robert Milk
> Teresa McCarty
> Mary Lou McCloskey
> Lois Meyer
> Rick Meyer
> Sonia Nieto
> Denis O’Leary
> Ricardo Otheguy
> John Petrovic
> Francisco Ramos
> Luis O. Reyes
> María de la Luz Reyes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ************************************************************************************
> 
> Yes, I want to support the Institute for Language 
> and Education Policy as a founding member.
> 
>      My check is enclosed 
> for            $100         $200         $500             Other  $________
> 
> 
> 
> I want to volunteer my skills and expertise in 
> ______________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> Name___________________________________________ Email_______________________
> 
> 
> 
> Address______________________________________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> City________________ State____ ZIP______ Work 
> Phone______­__ Home Phone________­__
> 
> 
> 
> 

----- End forwarded message -----