Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h234kHP07467; Sun, 2 Mar 2003 23:46:17 -0500 (EST) Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 23:46:17 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <000f01c2e140$cf472ce0$82d1fea9@harold> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "said" <said@ameritech.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8701] Re: Budget priorities X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 2123 Lines: 36 I am not up to date on the Bill that Tom Smith mentions but here in Michigan I've been told that Adult Ed ESL teachers, trainers, coordinators were happy when ESL was removed from Adult Ed as a whole because in the past it was common for the coffers of ESL programs to be "robbed" for other adult ed programs. Of course, Adult Ed ESL was also funded. Recent budget cuts in Michigan may see all educational programs outside of K-12 have their budgets slashed. Even several K-12 districts have already put in force budget restrictions such as no funding for out of state conferences and encouraging early retirements. So much for those of us planning on going to TESOL. By the way, TESOL does have a social concerns caucus that may interest some of you. I recently moved from Iowa where budget cuts had already been made to education. But these kinds of budget cuts are nothing new in education especially in ESL. By the way, I saw there also where Adult Ed ESL money was "borrowed" for other programs. ESL is often one of the first programs to lose funding because there is very little real support for these programs. New immigrants have no voices nor votes. Most adult ed ESL programs are lucky to have even part-time teachers let alone full-time staff that could be advocates. Some programs work entirely with volunteer tutors. Thus, there is rarely anyone sitting at the table to demand such services. And in a country where most people don't learn and don't need to learn a second language there is very little social support for such programs. Most Americans are clueless as to how difficult it is to learn another language. Our politicians are reflections of this lack of concern for language education. Interestingly, Iowa did add some monies to the ESL budget when it passed an English only law. I'm not trying to discourage advocacy, but for those of you new to the trenches this battle for funding for adult ed ESL has been going on for decades. What would be interesting would be to hear from advocates who could share with us what has worked for them to get funding. Terry Pruett-Said ESL teacher Michigan
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