Federal Agencies Brief Education Community on National Security Language Initiative

Citing a known shortage of foreign language capabilities among U.S. citizens, the four agencies sponsoring the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) met on March 9, 2006, to brief the education community on their efforts to address this deficit. This $114 million initiative, which was introduced by President Bush in January, aims to create a pool of Americans competent in the languages deemed as being of critical need to multiple agencies in the U.S. government.

NSLI has three main goals:

1) Expand the number of Americans mastering critical need languages and start at a younger age;
2) Increase the number of advanced-level speakers of foreign languages, with an emphasis on critical needs languages; and
3) Increase the number of foreign language teachers and the resources for them.

The initiative includes modest plans for increasing Gilman scholarships for students to learn critical needs languages abroad, adding overseas language study awards to U.S. Fulbright student scholarships, and creating new State Department summer immersion study programs in critical need languages.

If funded by Congress, NSLI would start in FY 2007. Although much more is needed if we are to meet our national needs for increased international education, this initiative has been acknowledged as a good first step in the government’s recognition of the important role international education plays in shaping the future of our nation.

View State Department fact sheet
 
View Education Department press release

View Defense Department news article