cotesol2

Socio-Political Concerns

  image002.gif

 

April 6, 2009

SB09-170, which would grant in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants who graduate from Colorado high schools passed the Senate appropriations committee on a 5-4 vote. Voting yes were Senators Bacon, Hodge, Sandoval, Williams and Tapia. Voting no were Senators King, Kopp, White, and Keller.

The bill is scheduled to be read in the committee of the whole today, Monday, April 6th.

March 24, 2009

K-12 and Adult ESL Funding Alert!
Urge your Representative to support ESL funding by co-signing the Grijalva Dear Colleague Letter

Now that the federal stimulus package has been signed into law, and the omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2009 has similarly been complete, attention is turning to FY 2010. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) is leading the way to draw attention to the critically needed resources for adult ESL and funding for Title III under NCLB by circulating a Dear Colleague letter to other members of Congress.

 

A Dear Colleague letter is a letter sent by one or members of Congress to all fellow members, usually describing a new bill and asking for cosponsors or seeking to influence the recipients' votes on an issue. In this Dear Colleague letter, Rep. Grijalva is asking his fellow members in the House of Representatives to co-sign a letter that will be sent to appropriators asking for:

While the appropriations process for FY 2010 will take a long time, it's vital to get out early and show support for these increases. The more members who co-sign the Dear Colleague letter, the more likely these funds will become reality for K-12 and adult education programs.

 

Help support Rep. Grijalva's efforts by contacting your Representative and urging him or her to co-sign the Dear Colleague letter! If you need to find contact information for your representative, go to http://capwiz.com/tesol

 

March 23, 2009

 
CoTESOL wishes to express our appreciation to Colorado State Senators Romer, Tapia, Bacon, and Sandoval, the sponsors of SB170, which would provide in-state tuition to undocumented students who have attended high school in Colorado for at least three years and graduated with either a diploma or a GED. 

CoTESOL believes that granting in-state tuition rates to all graduates of Colorado high schools, without regard to immigration status, is both fair and financially responsible.  Children who had no choice in where they were raised, but who have worked hard to succeed in our Colorado system, should not be penalized for their parents' choices.  If these children have succeeded in high school despite the many obstacles they have faced, such as learning a new language or overcoming poverty, then they are likely to work just as hard in college to be successful. 

If they do, their success will be a financial boon for Colorado and society at-large. We already know that college graduates earn significantly more than their high school counterparts. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2006, those with a bachelors or higher degree earned on average $17,000 more than their high school counterparts.  Higher earnings mean greater returns to the state through more taxes. Additionally, highly educated individuals frequently become the leaders in their communities-spurring economic development and creating opportunities for others.  Whether these individuals pursue citizenship in the United States or choose to live in their parents' home country, students who have been raised in Colorado and who receive an education at a Colorado college will contribute positively to the economy in which they live.  This is a long-term benefit and opportunity that should not be ignored in troubled economic times.

We sincerely appreciate the support that the sponsors of SB170 have shown for providing an equitable system for all of Colorado's high school graduates.

 

For more information, please contact:

   COTESOL Sociopolitical <cotesolsociopolitical@gmail.com>