Congressman David E. Price – Staff Writer
“…Reps. David Price (D-NC), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Don Young (R-AK) introduced the World Language Advancement Act (H.R. 3096), which would help state and local school districts implement innovative K-12 language programs. “In today’s global economy, K-12 foreign language and cultural knowledge have become necessary skills for government, private-sector, and non-profit employers,” said Congressman Price…“Fluency in a foreign language is critical in today’s 21st Century global economy,” said Congressman Lance…Early language learning has been shown to strengthen performance across all academic subjects and on standardized tests. The benefits of foreign language education also extend far beyond academics, as students who study a foreign language have an openness and acceptance to people who speak other languages and come from other cultures. However, only 25 percent of elementary schools in the United States offer any world language studies and only half of all American high school students take even one year of a world language.”(more)