Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA)

For immediate release May 4, 2005

NATIONAL FLAGSHIP LANGUAGE INITIATIVE: CHINESE K-16 PIPELINE PROJECT

The National Security Education Program (NSEP) announces a new major effort as part of its National Flagship Language Initiative (NFLI). This project - the Chinese K-16 Flagship -- will, for the first time, focus on the development of an articulated K-16 student pipeline with the goal of graduating linguistically and culturally competent students. A language critical to the U.S. now and in the future, NSEP has chosen Chinese as the prototype for this effort.

NFLI is a strategic partnership between the U.S. national security community and higher education to address serious short- and long-term deficits in expertise in languages critical to national security. Funded by Congress, NFLI supports a number of highly innovative programs at major U.S universities that focus on developing and implementing intensive U.S.-based and overseas curriculum to produce students across fields and disciplines with a high level of proficiency in critical languages. Information on NFLI is available at www.nflc.org/nfli.

• The National Language Conference sponsored in June 2004 by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL) at the University of Maryland together with a recently held National Language Policy Summit sponsored by ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) highlighted the compelling need for articulated programs that develop paths for U.S. students, as early as possible in the education process, to move toward higher levels of proficiency in critical languages. The Chinese K-16 Flagship responds to a number of compelling requirements articulated at the June 2004 Conference including:

• Increasing language skills and cultural awareness are national requirements that will be filled primarily at the state and local level.

• Meeting the need for greater coordination within the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educational system and a need for coordination at the national level.

• Providing a national language strategy that is affordable and encompasses both bottom-up and top-down initiatives.

• Recognizing that the rich population of multi-lingual Americans found in our heritage communities needs to be invited to participate in this national initiative.

NSEP is pleased to respond to this urgent national need. NSEP has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) available to all U.S. Institutions of Higher Education. NSEP seeks institutions of higher education that are co-located with elementary, middle and high school systems already delivering Chinese instruction and possess, themselves, considerable knowledge and evidence in language pedagogy and instruction. NSEP seeks to establish a third National Chinese Flagship Program that will accommodate advanced Chinese proficient high school graduates and launch an effort to develop and implement a fully articulated K-16 program of instruction. The successful applicant will receive NFLI support to: (1) establish a Chinese Flagship program that addresses the needs of students already at the advanced proficiency level and (2) work closely with one or more geographically proximate elementary/middle school/high school systems to establish an articulated Chinese language program that progresses from the elementary grades into advanced Chinese at the university level. Consistent with all NFLI programs, the final outcome of the program is expected to be students with superior (3) level proficiency in Chinese.

The RFP will be available online beginning May 4, 2005 at www.nflc.org/nfli. Proposals are due by July 8, 2005 and will be reviewed by an independent merit review panel. Only one grant will be awarded. NSEP expects to announce the grant award no later than September 1, 2005.

For further information please contact NSEP preferably by email at:


National Security Education Program
nsepo@ndu.edu
703-696-1991 (Point of Contact: S. Falat)