Corrected: Invitation to join a new ELL advocacy organization

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Dear Colleague:

Please forgive the double posting. An earlier version omitted the names of
some founding members, as well as the snail-mail address for membership
applications. A pdf version of this announcement is available at
http://users.rcn.com/crawj/Announcing.pdf


Announcing

The Institute for Language and Education Policy Research-Based Advocacy
for Schools and Communities

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.

We have already incorporated as a nonprofit organization and will soon be
filing for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service.
Your donation will be tax-deductible.

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

Sharon Adelman Reyes
Ana Roca
Kellie Rolstad
José A. Ruiz-Escalante
Sheryl Santos
Fay Shin
Melanie Stuart
Josefina V. Tinajero
Lucy Tse
Concepción Valadez
Terrence Wiley
Joan Wink
Wayne Wright


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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________­__

Checks to: Institute for Language and Education Policy
Mail to: James Crawford, 104 Park Valley Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20910
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