Alondra Pacheco, AATSP 9-12 Representative

This spring, the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Language and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) held its 2026 Language Advocacy Days (LAD). Over two days on March 9th–10th, educators, students, and language advocates from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend workshops designed to prepare them to urge their state representatives to support language education. As the AATSP national representative, I had the privilege of advocating on behalf of world language education in Ohio. Through this experience, I learned more about how policies are developed and was able to connect with other educators. 

On the first day of the event, attendees listened to a keynote address from Carla Dirlikov Canales, who recently served in the Biden Administration in a newly created role as Senior Advisor and Envoy for Cultural Exchange at the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Following the inspiring keynote speech, participants grouped by state to work on their legislative asks and received a schedule for the next day. 

There were three main legislative themes this year: world language and dual language education, English Learner programs, and higher education and study abroad. As educators all over the country have experienced budget cuts affecting world languages programs, LAD aimed to provide them with a platform highlighting the importance of learning a language. This is a vital opportunity for us to influence policies that impact our students’ futures. 

One of the programs under world language and dual language education is the World Language Advancement and Readiness Act (WLARA). WLARA provides multi-year grants to military-connected districts and DoDEA schools to establish, expand, and strengthen world language programs. An example of a military-connected school is one with a ROTC program or one whose students have parents working at a military base. Ohio currently participates in WLARA, and one of our goals is to receive additional FY27 funding to expand access to high-quality education for more military-connected students.  

During the meetings with my state representatives, I emphasized how state educational and cultural exchange programs have significantly improved the lives of several of my students. Although representatives are aware that we are not experts on policy, preparation and data are key. Knowing how different policies have affected your state and the programs in place will give your representative a clear idea of what topics are specifically important to you. Furthermore, sharing your insight as an educator and giving examples will add a human element to your data.

When I sat in these meetings, I shared how three former students participated in global exchanges through the Youth Ambassadors Program. These students returned to their home states and developed community-based initiatives that had a significant impact on their communities. Many of these social entrepreneurship programs have been the direct result of students’ exposure to other countries. Also, I have been fortunate to have four students participate in the USYA program, to have sustained a partnership with the USYA Central America program, and to have students from those countries visit my school in Cleveland. This past summer, one of my students recently completed the NSLI-Y critical language scholarship program in Morocco to study Arabic. 

Without these opportunities, our students in Ohio would not be able to achieve their language goals. Discussing how some of these students are now working for international companies highlights the lasting opportunities provided by government-funded programs. Emphasizing that knowing a second language increases employability and knowledge of other cultures, and that this is essential for national security, helps to frame world language as a practical and necessary subject for every student to take. 

Registering for Language Advocacy Day gave me access to a unique experience that helped me better understand how government policies shape education. Also, meeting and discussing specific goals that we want as educators allows us to be part of the process of decision-making. I encourage all educators to learn more about language policy and look for opportunities to get involved in Language Advocacy Days.