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This study draws lessons for other states from the program and policy landscape of immigrant education in California, which is home to 40 percent of the nation’s ELLs. It assesses the national controversy surrounding “bilingual” versus English-only education. Detailed policy recommendations include addressing significant challenges immigrant students face aside from learning English: reducing stigmatization of immigrant and ELL students, fostering parental participation, dealing with legal and immigration-related issues, and helping children navigate the school system and access health care.
Creating a Formula for Success: Why English Language Learner Students Are Dropping Out of School, and How to Increase Graduation Rates
This report uses school data and student focus groups to assess why increasing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in New York City dropped out of school after the state adopted higher graduation standards. Recommendations include: 1) targeting middle and high schools where 248 ELLS are underperforming; 2) implementing new strategies to reach students at high risk because they arrive in the United States as teenagers; 3) improving instruction in both ESL and core classes as well as increasing the number of teachers certified for ESL and bilingual instruction; 4) implementing a language access policy to enable immigrant parents to participate more actively in their children's education.
This paper reviews data on how immigrants fare under the work-focused, time-limited Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It also discusses policy implications of research showing that many immigrants who remain on welfare rolls have significant barriers to employment, including limited proficiency in English and low skill levels.
Analyzes 2000 Census data on languages spoken at home by school-age children in newcomer families, and finds that English is almost universally accepted by the children and grandchildren of the immigrants who have come to the United States in great numbers since the 1960s, similar to earlier generations of immigrants.
More than eight million working-age adults in the United States—5 percent of all adults—speak English poorly or do not speak it at all. Immigrant populations, many of them limited English proficient, are going to be essential for the growth of the U.S. workforce in the years to come. This study recommends improving the resources for language and job training available to LEP populations. It Ddescribes the demographics and economic circumstances of low-income LEP adults; profiles successful language and job training services available to them, including a summary of research findings on employment programs for low-skilled adults; and recommends policies and practices that can help LEP adults gain access to higher-paying jobs.
This report, part of a series that presents population and housing data collected in the 2000 Census, Ppresents data on language spoken at home and the ability of people ages five and over to speak English. I t describes population distributions and characteristics for the United States, as well as regions, states, counties, and selected places with populations of 100,000 or more.
GCIR and the Annie E. Casey Foundation are pleased to announce the release of Supporting English Language Acquisition: Opportunities for Foundations to Strengthen the Social and Economic Well-Being of Immigrant Families. Given the vital role language proficiency plays in the integration process, this report is essential reading for funders seeking to improve social and economic outcomes for immigrant families.
Supporting English Language Acquisition explores how philanthropy can strengthen immigrant families through strategic investments in language acquisition programs. It discusses successful strategies and offers examples of promising programs that have helped immigrants—regardless of their educational background—to increase their employment prospects and economic stability through improved English and other vocational skills. The report also highlights some of the best practices from literacy programs designed for immigrant families, where both adults and pre-school children can develop English and literacy skills. The report concludes with a set of recommendations on how foundations can effectively support English language acquisition in these areas, including gaps in programming and research where strategic philanthropic investment can make a critical difference.
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