TUCSON— This week, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva introduced the Families Learning and Understanding English Together (FLUEnT) Act, a bill that aims to enhance family literacy services to households of English Language Learners. The bill will create a grant program to family literacy services providers that serve the hardest to reach populations—including those with the greatest economic need.

“Immigrant parents came to this country for a better life for their children and have a major influence on their lives and learning opportunities,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva. “The FLUEnT Act allows English Language learning to continue at home by connecting family literacy services to immigrant families that will allow children and their parents to reach their full potential—both in and outside of the classroom.”

The grant program created by the bill will allow for the funding and implementation of programs that facilitate interactive literacy programs between children and parents, train parents on how to work with their child on English language learning, and provide further literacy training to parents to expand their employment opportunities and self-sufficiency.

The bill is endorsed by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL), National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Coalition for Literacy, Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy at Penn State University, and UnidosUS.

“We are thrilled by the introduction of the FLUEnT Act,” said Sharon Darling, Founder and President of National Center for Families Learning. “Families thrive when they are provided the tools to support themselves and their children. With schools shuttered and a pandemic that is disproportionately impacting low-income communities, now, more than ever, families need that support.”

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