AFLTA joins ACTFL in policy statements

ACTFL Statement Supporting the U.S. Department of Education

March 12, 2025

ACTFL condemns in no uncertain terms the elimination of nearly half of the staff of the United States Department of Education, as announced by the department on direction from the White House on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. We stand beside our members, U.S. educators and administrators, students of language, organizational partners, and multilingual communities across the country in opposing this misguided and shortsighted attempt to decimate an agency that is vital to our nation’s youth.

The U.S. Department of Education provides critical resources, support, and guidance to ensure that all of our children—including the most vulnerable and those disadvantaged—have access to the funding and services they need to grow into engaged participants of our society. Losing close to 2,000 U.S. Department of Education employees since the start of the Trump Administration means that the students and teachers served by this agency will face considerable—and avoidable—challenges in their ability to receive and provide a world-class education.

“This destruction of the Department of Education will remove national accountability that ensures the services and resources that our ACTFL members, their learners, and families rely upon. We are closely monitoring these events and fully support our U.S. Department of Education colleagues in the important work that they do,” said ACTFL Executive Director Lawrence M. Paska, Ph.D., CAE.

The Trump Administration has not veiled its intent to ultimately return the responsibilities of a centralized education agency to the state level. Further cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, which has already been significantly thinned of employees with pauses to some grants and civil rights initiatives prior to this mass elimination, will have devastating effects on the future success of more than a generation of U.S. youth, from pre-Kindergarten to college.

• U.S. Department of Education programs annually support more than 50 million elementary and secondary students nationwide.

• Nearly 12 million K-12 and postsecondary students are enrolled in career and technical education programs—a federally supported subject for the past century.

• 7.5 million special education students (the highest number to date) relied on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) services in 2022-23.

• One third of U.S. college students receive Pell Grant funding to support their higher education, without which lower-income students may not be able to continue their studies. Likewise, federal grants also provide vital funding to institutions to ensure that universities can build and expand U.S. expertise and capacity for understanding other world regions, cultures, and languages.

ACTFL President Milton Alan Turner shared, “Language learners come from all backgrounds, abilities, and family settings. It is difficult to imagine the dangerous and widespread impact that this action will have on all of our children and their families.”

Along with our partners, ACTFL firmly opposes steps by the White House and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to return the responsibilities of a national Department of Education to individual states, which would actively prevent millions of children and families from accessing resources critical to their learning and well-being.

Moreover, the misconception that education can simply be returned to the states is false: Education has always been structured at the state level; state and local education agencies often rely on the U.S. Department of Education to support their programs. This falsehood is devastating to our national interests in higher education, the workforce, security, and global interaction.

The U.S. Department of Education provides vital support that enables states to provide essential programs and services to all students, and ensures that the United States has a world-class education system nationwide. The prospect of leaving learners in some states without comprehensive educational support—due to an inability to staff the programs on which they rely—is unacceptable.

We ask the White House to reverse this damaging decision and urge Congress to fulfill its Constitutional duty to ensure that the programs it authorizes and funds through appropriation are maintained and safeguarded. Finally, we ask that the courts resist this attempt to undermine our nation’s educational system by upholding the Constitutional intent of the three equal branches of government.

ACTFL Statement on English Designated as the Official Language of the United States

March 7, 2025

ACTFL stands against the recent White House Executive Order designating English as the official language of the United States, a concerning development that sends an exclusionary message to millions of Americans. Indeed, the President's Executive Order rescinds Executive Order 13166 of August 11, 2000, which was specifically written to "[Improve] Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency." While there is little doubt that English proficiency is valuable for communication and economic opportunity, policies that formally elevate one language at the expense of others fail to recognize the rich linguistic diversity that has long been a strength of our nation.

ACTFL President Milton Alan Turner notes, “Designating English as an official language is intended to have a chilling effect on speakers of other languages. We should be affirming the multilingual heritage of our country and ensuring that all citizens and residents can fully participate in society. Official English almost always equals English Only.”

From its founding, the United States has been a linguistically diverse country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 67 million people in the United States speak a language other than English at home. These languages are not just remnants of cultural heritage; they are active, living foundation of communities that contribute to the economic, educational, and social fabric of our country. To designate English as the official language sends a message that certain communities are less valued, which is both divisive and counterproductive.

From an educational perspective, this policy may also contribute to the erosion of bilingual education programs and language access initiatives that help students from diverse linguistic backgrounds succeed. Studies have consistently shown that bilingualism offers cognitive, economic, and social benefits—and that such language and accompanying social skills are highly sought by U.S. employers. ACTFL urges that, instead of limiting language access, the United States should be investing in programs that encourage multilingualism as a skill that enhances economic opportunity, strengthens national security, and fosters international diplomacy.

“Our research shows that 90% of American employers actively rely on individuals with skills in languages other than English, and that demand is on the rise. This is not the time to focus on how we as American citizens can be made more alike, but rather how we can celebrate the unique talents we each contribute to uplifting and enhancing our society,” shares ACTFL Executive Director Lawrence M. Paska, Ph.D., CAE.

We should embrace an approach that values all languages spoken in the United States. While English proficiency should be encouraged and supported, this should not be done in a way that marginalizes those who speak other languages.

We urge policymakers to reconsider the implications of this Executive Order and to pursue initiatives that support, rather than diminish, linguistic diversity. Recognizing multiple languages is not a sign of weakness or division—it is a testament to our country’s strength, resilience, and enduring commitment to a strong future.