May Advocacy Report

from Amanda Mendoza, KSWLA Advocacy Chair

May 2026

KSWLA’s work in advocacy with JNCL-NCLIS is still paying off. Our team was informed that Representative Sharice Davids has decided to cosponsor H.R. 1572, the World LEAP Act. This is the first time that a Kansas Representative has made such a public showing of support for language programs, and in this case in particular, support for language educators.

World LEAP builds on the success of WLARA, the bipartisan bill of Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) have introduced the World Language Education Assistance Program (World LEAP) - HR 1572, which would allow all K-12 schools to apply for multi-year funding to establish and expand innovative world language and dual language immersion programs. 

World LEAP would help our education system make progress on several key issues: 

• Ensuring high quality in-service professional development by requiring a 20% set aside for PD for certified and licensed world language or dual language educators.

• Stemming the educator shortage by supporting certification and licensure for paraprofessionals. 

• Ensuring access for all students by prioritizing awards for applicants that partner with community-based heritage language schools and communities. 

• Building the teacher workforce by prioritizing programs that recruit secondary and post-secondary students, into dual language education teaching programs. 

• Developing data on best practices.

If this legislation were to pass, it would help teachers already in the profession AND help get more World Language teachers licensed to help with the teacher shortage.