English language proficiency is fundamental to immigrant integration, yet the current demand for English instruction far exceeds the existing supply in virtually every community across the country. How can immigrant advocates and funders effectively communicate newcomers' desire to learn English and the need for increased investment in language instruction? Does the general public think immigrants want to learn English? Would they support increased funding for ESL?
Join grantmaking colleagues for a one-hour teleconference briefing with pollster, Celinda Lake, to learn about her latest poll findings. Hear from Karen Narasaki of the Asian American Justice Center about how these poll findings can inform efforts to expand ESL instruction. Discuss the implications of these findings and what the philanthropic sector can do to promote increased investment in English language instruction as a vehicle for successful integration. This poll was funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Kindly RSVP for this teleconference with Amanda Graves of GCIR via email at amanda@gcir.org or by phone at 707.824.4374 by Friday, July 18th to receive the call-in information. When confirming your participation, please provide your email address. We will be sending meeting materials to you one day prior to the call.
Speakers:
Across the country, community colleges are serving increasingly high numbers of low-income immigrants who rely on them for English classes, adult basic education and vocational education opportunities. As such, they are well positioned to play a critical role in helping immigrants increase educational attainment, improve economic mobility and become full, contributing members of society. Join us for the release of a hot-off-the-press grantmakers' handbook and learn about the most recent research, best practices, innovative models and recommendations to guide philanthropic investment in this area. For more information, visit www.edfunders.org.
The school system provides numerous opportunities and challenges for immigrant integration, and as a place where many immigrants interact the most with their communities, it can play an important role in integration. This guide, intended for school administrators, district administrators, and teachers provides specific recommendations for promoting immigrant integration in schools.
The school system provides numerous opportunities and challenges for immigrant integration, and is a place where many immigrants interact the most with their communities. This guide--intended for school administrators, district administrators, and teachers--provides specific recommendations for promoting immigrant integration in schools.
The U.S. Constitution provides for K-12 public education to all students, regardless of immigration status. An estimated 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high schools each year. Despite earning a high school diploma, their futures are curtailed. This article looks at the personal, social and civic impact of the existing barriers to higher education and employment, the social and civic impacts, the DREAM Act, and how philanthropy is responding.
GCIR’s Education E-newsletters keep funders and nonprofits up-to-date on the most recent resources available on a myriad of education-related issues that are relevant to immigrant populations. Resources include links to recent articles, newspaper columns, major reports, books, recorded programs, and conferences and trainings.
Public schools have long been an important component of life for immigrant children in the United States. This piece explores the history and context surrounding the court case Plyler v. Doe (1982) that allowed undocumented children to attend U.S. schools and looks ahead to legislation such as the DREAM Act that would allow undocumented immigrants greater access to the U.S. college system.
This report examines a little noticed group of Californians: young immigrants not in school and who receive few if any educational services. The authors also observe the federal Migrant Education Program (MEP), charged with helping this group. Using MEP and census data, the authors find that many out-of-school youth work, left school while quite young, and have very poor spoken English skills. Some are as young as 13, yet work and live without their parents. Many say they want to continue their education. If policymakers are to help this group, the authors say, strategies in addition to traditional education models may be necessary.
This report examines the discrepancy between California's goal of providing free English classes and the reality that the current funding system for providing classes is about 30 years out of date. During those 30 years, the state's immigrant population has exploded. The gap between goal and reality has created an excessive financial burden on some local school districts--which provide most of the state's English as a Second Language (ESL) classes--and may be forcing other districts to turn away immigrants who want to learn English.
This piece offers an in-depth look at pressing language barriers facing the estimated 2.23 million adults in this country who are Limited English Proficient (LEP)—and how best to solve them. It provides background information about issues concerning English speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), identifies promising program practices, and highlights policy priorities for increasing adult English learners’ access to high-quality ESOL courses.
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