Securing a new teaching position abroad is an exciting proposition—experiencing a new culture, working with new students and colleagues, making new friends…but in addition to the regular considerations you would take into account before accepting a job in the United States, there are some additional matters that future expat teachers need to think about. 

The past few months have been quite tumultuous in Washington, DC. After a busy June and July, and a quiet August recess, the U.S. Congress and the Department of Education returned to activity in September only to literally grind to a halt in October due to a political stalemate, leading to a partial shutdown of the U.S. government. The government returned to operations on 17 October; here is a summary of some of the developments in English language education policy over the past few months.