Advocacy
Good News from the Virginia Senate
Colleagues,
Great news! HB 2360, which designates the Seal of Biliteracy as an official industry credential, passed the Virginia Senate unanimously this week. It now goes to Governor Youngkin for his signature. Thanks to all of you who advocated for this bill with the members of the General Assembly. And special thanks to all those who worked to create this bill and to Delegate Wilt, the bill’s patron. One thing you might do is send Delegate Wilt thanks via email: DelTWilt@house.virginia.gov .
Because HB 2360 is about workforce preparation, has no impact on the Commonwealth’s budget, and unanimously passed both houses of the General Assembly, I see no reason for the Governor to veto it. However, if you have the time to contact his office and urge his signature, please do so. Email can be sent to glenn.youngkin@governor.virginia.gov; the phone number for the Governor’s office is 804-786-2211, staffed 9 – 5 Monday – Friday. Emphasize that the Seal of Biliteracy requires rigorous testing that meets national and international standards for functional language use, and that this credential meets the needs of graduating students and Virginia employers. And, of course, thank him for his support in preparing students for Virginia’s workforce.
Again, this is good news for world language programs in Virginia. Thank you for all that you have done to support the passage of HB 2360.
Sincerely,
Sharon Scinicariello
Advocacy Chair
FLAVA advocates for world language education on behalf of members at the local, state, and federal levels. FLAVA is a member organization of JNCL-NCLIS, NECTFL, SCOLT, and ACTFL and advocates through these organizations as well. For information or help with advocacy, please contact the FLAVA Advocacy Chair, Sharon Scinicariello, at advocacy@flavaweb.org.
Everything you need to know about advocacy including ideas and resources can be found on this site and also on ACTFL’s advocacy page or JNCL-NCLIS’s website. Additionally, FLAVA has an Advocacy folder with resources at bit.ly/FLAVAadvocacy.
Advocacy and Social Networking: Many online opportunities educate the public about the benefits and issues surrounding language learning. To stay informed, you can easily “follow,” “like,” or “friend” FLAVA, Discover Languages, ACTFL, Lead with Languages, and other organizations on social media like Facebook or Twitter. Follow FLAVA Advocacy on Twitter at @SGS_RVA. Then you can also share this information with your friends, students, and parents. Please do so, as languages are a vital part of our existence.