ABOUT US

A community of language schools

ACLS is an incorporated not-for-profit association managed by a committee of ten community language school representatives.  We are funded by the NSW Department of Education's Community Languages Schools Program to support the teaching, promotion and maintenance of community languages in the Illawarra and the South and South Western Sydney areas, as well as the southern regions of NSW. 

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ACLS has supported community language school leaders and teachers since 1975 as the Illawarra Ethnic Parents and Teachers Association. In 2001 we changed our name to the Association of Illawarra Community Language Schools and, while our office remains in the Illawarra, we recently updated our name to reflect our broader NSW membership. 

We welcome members from all over NSW and currently have 52 member organisations teaching 28 community languages.