Advocacy Email - April 13, 2007
To: Advocacy Email List of the Washington State Coalition for
International Education
IMPORTANT NEWS...
* Senate Bill 5481 Enhancing student learning opportunities and
achievement.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5841
Sponsors: Senators Hobbs, McAuliffe, Rockefeller, Tom, Oemig, Kauffman,
Regala, Kohl-Welles, Rasmussen
This bill implements many of the recommendations from Washington Learns
(including new learning opportunities, full-day kindergarten, career
paths, etc.). The bill originated in the Senate, but when it passed over
to the House of Representatives, Rep. Shay Schual-Berke successfully
amended it to include a new section (Section 7) establishing the position
of World Languages Supervisor at OSPI. (Rep. Schual-Berke did this because
that language got lost in her original bill HB1517, when that bill went to
the Senate.)
Current status: Because the House amended the bill, the Senate
must vote on concurrence with the changes. That is supposed to happen on
Saturday, April 14.
Action Needed Now (as of 4/13/2007)
- Download and read the amendment:
Section 7. (PDF)
Note: it's possible it will get further renumbered, so look for the
section referring to WORLD LANGUAGES.
- Contact Senators to ask for them to concur with the amendment
to this bill.
Who to contact:
What to say:
Sample message; tailor it to your own needs, Be sure to reference the
World Languages Amendment to SB5481:
Subject: Support World Languages Amendment to SB5841
Honorable Senator [NAME],
I am asking for your support for the amendment from Rep. Schual-Berke
(to include the position of World Languages Supervisor at OSPI with
designated duties) in the engrossed version of SB5841. The amendment is
in Section 7.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5841
I see that the remainder of the bill makes many references to preparing
students to be "global citizens," "to explore and understand diverse
perspectives," etc., including world languages in all-day kindergarten.
If any of these efforts are to succeed, they will require state
leadership. That's why we need the position at OSPI. Supt. Terry
Bergeson is very supportive. It's time to move ahead.
In addition, business supports this effort. The Report from the
International Education Leadership Summit in January, 2006, Expanding
Chinese Language Capacity in Washington state, identified funding the
position of Supervisor for World Languages at OSPI as the top priority
for moving ahead with offering a coherent and effective program in
Chinese language K-16.
http://internationaledwa.org/summit/2006/2006_Summit_Report.pdf.
Thank you for your help in bringing the Senate to concurrence on this
amendment.
Sincerely,
Get Involved
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