| Event | Date | Time (ET) | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Know Before You Go" webinar |
Thursday, 14 May 2026 |
5:00 p.m. | Virtual | Preparing for virtual Capitol Hill visits: we review the priorities, talking points, and logistics for your meetings with your members of Congress. |
| Welcome Social (sponsored by Pearson) |
Monday, 22 June 2026 |
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. |
TESOL Office Building, Alexandria, VA |
Join colleagues as we arrive in D.C. and prepare for advocacy! |
| Federal policy updates |
Tuesday, 23 June 2026 |
8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (See the next tab for full details.) |
Hilton Alexandria Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia |
TESOL provides an overview of the 119th Congress, including committees and leadership, along with the priorities impacting the ELT field, MLEs, families, schools, and communities. Presentations invited from UnidosUS, Migration Policy Institute, National Newcomers Network, and Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education. |
| Reception (sponsored by CAL) |
Tuesday, 23 June 2026 |
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. |
Hummingbird, Alexandria, VA |
A sponsored reception and opportunity to connect with your fellow attendees. |
| Keynote |
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 |
8:30 a.m. | House Office Building | Congressional keynote from the House Office Building and sponsored breakfast. |
Capitol Hill visits |
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 |
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | House/Senate Offices in Washington, D.C. | Capitol Hill visits with your representatives' and senators' offices. |
| Advocacy stories |
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 |
5:00 p.m. | TBD | Join us for an informal gathering back to share the events of the day. |
Event Co-Hosted By
Proudly Sponsored By
U.S. federal support for English learners at all levels and the English language teaching profession is being diminished. From proposed funding cuts to the weakening of the U.S. Department of Education and its Office of English Language Acquisition, your voice has never been more important.
TESOL International Association, in partnership with the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), invites you to join the 2026 TESOL–NABE Advocacy Action Days on 22–24 June.
Together, we will navigate this evolving policy landscape through timely federal policy briefings and take action through coordinated meetings with congressional offices. This is your opportunity to stand alongside a national community of advocates working to protect and strengthen support for multilingual learners.
Why Attend?
By attending the 2026 TESOL-NABE Advocacy Action Days, you will:
- Gain insight into the policies shaping the future of English language education and MLEs
- Amplify the voices of your learners, their families, and your communities
- Build meaningful connections with your representatives and senators
- Strengthen your advocacy knowledge and skills
Additional details on housing, venues, schedule, and speakers will be shared soon.
Legislative Priorities
Our 2026 federal legislative priorities include:
- Federal funding for education, especially for English language teaching professionals working in pre-K-12 and adult education, and the multilingual learners of English they serve
- Support for English language programs in higher education and the English Language Programs run by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
- Support for the U.S. Department of Education, including funding of the former Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
- Sponsorship of the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act
By speaking to your representatives about these policies, programs, and issues, you can make an impact in protecting and funding English language educators and learners.
Advocacy Action Days Schedules
Keynote Speaker
Montserrat Garibay
Montserrat Garibay is a 25-year veteran of public education and labor rights, whose personal journey from undocumented child to U.S. citizen profoundly informs her powerful advocacy. Her federal service includes impactful roles as Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition, and as a Senior Advisor for Labor Relations at the U.S. Department of Education under the Biden and Harris Administration.
A National Board Certified Teacher and University of Texas at Austin alumna, Garibay's career began in the classroom, teaching bilingual pre-kindergarten for eight years. She quickly became a leading voice in labor, serving as Vice President for Certified Employees with Education Austin and Secretary Treasurer at the Texas AFL-CIO. Her unwavering commitment to justice is further evidenced by her pivotal role in promoting the Texas DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform.
She now brings this wealth of experience and passion to her role as a board member of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) and the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL).
Featured Speakers
On 23 June, hear updates from experts at non-profit organizations and government officials who will discuss U.S. federal policies and issues that impact the English language teaching field, multilingual learners of English, and their families, schools, and communities.
Learn more about the issues through our Advocacy Action Center.
Jake Hofstetter
Policy Analyst
Migration Policy Institute
Lina Lenis
Policy Analyst
UnidosUS
Diego Sánchez
Vice President of Policy and Strategy Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
Julie Sugarman
Associate Director for K-12 Education Research
Migration Policy Institute
Akbar Hossain
Secretary of Policy and Planning
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Registration Rates
| Registration Rates Register by 8 June. |
|
| TESOL or NABE Member | $120 |
| Nonmember | $150 |
NABE members: Use code AAD26 at checkout to receive the member price!
TESOL Affiliates, contact Jeff Hutcheson at jhutcheson@tesol.org to receive a discount for your members.
Registration is open!
Registration closes 8 June 2026.
Washington, D.C., Hotel Recommendations
The Hilton Alexandria Old Town Hotel in Alexandria, conveniently located near the TESOL office at 1925 Ballenger Avenue, is offering a 15% discount for Advocacy Action Day attendees!
You may also choose to stay at any hotel either near the TESOL office in Alexandria or near the House and Senate Office Buildings, near the U.S. Capitol. We suggest that you select a location near a DC Metro station, for ease of access to and from Alexandria.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Your organization has the chance to directly support the advocacy efforts of English language teaching professionals in the U.S. View our sponsorship opportunities to discover ways to help.
Make Contact
Advocacy Action Center
The action center is a free resource for all advocates, TESOL members and non-members alike, to find and contact their members of the United States Congress and state legislatures. Most importantly advocates can answer action alerts from TESOL to contact their members of Congress on important issues TESOL is tracking.