Date:

To:
From:
CC:
RE:

January 19, 2017

President-elect Donald Trump
Rosa Aronson, PhD, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director
Robert Goad, Trump Transition Team
President-elect Education Department Landing Team Members
TESOL Priorities for the Administration

As you and your administration prepare to take office, one of the many areas of responsibility
you will have is to support the U.S. education system, and making sure that the needs of all
learners in U.S. schools are met. On behalf of the TESOL International Association, I am writing
to urge your administration to continue the work of the federal government to ensure that
English learners receive the educational opportunities they need so that they can fully
contribute United States, and that English language educators receive the support and resources
needed to serve all students.
Serving as the nations largest association for English language teachers and professionals,
TESOL advocates for the needs and interests of over English language educators and English
learners, including 8,500 members across the United States and 12,000 educators
internationally. Since its inception over 50 years ago, TESOL has proudly supported the tireless
efforts of its members, who shape the minds of some of our nations most underserved and
overlooked students. It is our hope that the Trump Administration holds many of the same
values we have affirmed for so long, and will work with us to address the most pressing issues
affecting English learners in our country.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The passage of ESSA marked an instrumental shift in the way our nations 4.5 million English
learners are assessed, how they obtain English proficiency and how federal programs
support them and their teachers. TESOL members believe that the Secretary of Education is
uniquely positioned to encourage state and local education agencies efforts to provide high
quality professional development and ensure the academic success of English learners. We
believe this can be supported with robust funding for ESSAs Title II, Part A, as well as Title III
formula grants. Moreover, investment in education has a strong benefit on the nations
economy. As such, we urge you and your nominee for Secretary of Education to support
adequate funding for these crucial funding streams in your FY 2018 budget.
Teacher Preparation

The professional development of the nations teachers relies on Title II, Part A, of ESSA
and we urge your administration to support strong funding for that program. The preservice programs that prepare the teachers of tomorrow, however, do not always
provide the substantive, experiential elements of teaching that are crucial to preparing
for todays classrooms. We strongly urge your administration to thoughtfully consider
how teachers are prepared to enter the classroom, and are able to meet the needs of
this countrys diverse student population, especially the growing population of English
learners.

Leadership is needed to modernize and elevate the countrys most important

profession. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act must support
improvements in teacher readiness standards, licensure standards, as well as investing
in teacher compensation, to strengthen our schools, communities and economy.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Adult Education
With the passage of WIOA, over 670,000 adult English learners have benefited from
publicly-funded educational programs that enhance their English proficiency and skills.
However, the demand for these programs exceeds the supply, especially as the nations
workforce grows more diverse. By providing English language instruction, civics education,
and workforce training, the adult education system serves as the de facto immigrant
integration system in the U.S. Investing in adult education programs is an investment in the
countrys workforce. We urge you and your Secretary of Education to support increased
funding for Title II under WIOA in order to continue to meet the demand for adult education
and English language services.
Equal Access
TESOL members believe it is essential for the Administration to recognize that access to a
free and equitable education is a right for every student, regardless of national origin or
native language. The cost of not supporting our students, especially our English learners,
with the proper funding and access to safe schools staffed with highly trained educators,
puts the ideological foundations of a free and just society in jeopardy. In addition, it can be
detrimental to the nations economy.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

The DACA program is critical to PK-12 public education systems across the country. We
believe students brought to the U.S. as children must be able to pursue an education
without the threat of deportation, and have a pathway to fully participate in American
society as citizens. These are young people in whom we already have invested. They
belong to our communities, and as graduates they will contribute to our economy and
society.

Over 750,000 children and young adults have received protections under DACA.
Students must be able to attend school, graduate and pursue a productive future in
academics or the workforce. Further, teachers who were brought here as children must
be allowed to continue to strengthen our schools, communities, and economy.

Lastly, TESOL requests that a new Secretary of Education appoint passionate Assistant Deputy
Secretaries of OELA and OCTAE respectively, with the goal of further supporting and
understanding the needs of English learners.
This is a busy period for the President-elects Transition Team. I welcome the opportunity to
meet in-person to discuss our organizations work and ideas, with the shared goal of supporting
the success of our nations English learners. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact us.