Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees - GCIR

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.

Creating a Formula for Success: Why English Language Learner Students Are Dropping Out of School, and How to Increase Graduation Rates

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.

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.