E.g., 04/24/2024
E.g., 04/24/2024
Adult Education & Language Learning

Adult Education & Language Learning

The adult education system plays a critical role in building the human capital of immigrants who have limited host-country language proficiency, as well as for those who lack a high school diploma or equivalent. Adult education also has the potential to serve as an on-ramp to postsecondary education and jobs paying a family-sustaining wage. And language learning represents a key integration challenge, with such skills necessary for effective functioning in the community and the workforce. Against the backdrop of great need for adult education and language programs are issues of capacity and replication of successful models.

Recent Activity

Cover image for Leveraging Data...
Policy Briefs
October 2023
Leveraging Data to Ensure Equitable and Effective Adult Skills Programming for Immigrants
By  Jacob Hofstetter and Margie McHugh
A displaced Ukrainian in Prague.
Articles
March 21, 2023
Can Czechia Capitalize on High-Skilled Immigration amid Influx of Ukrainians?
By Lucie Macková and Nikola Medová
Cover image for Recommendations for the Task Force on New Americans
Policy Briefs
March 2023
Recommendations for the Task Force on New Americans
By  Margie McHugh, Jacob Hofstetter, Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, Valerie Lacarte, Maki Park, Delia Pompa and Julie Sugarman
Cover image for The COVID-19 Catalyst report
Reports
June 2022
The COVID-19 Catalyst: Learning from Pandemic-Driven Innovations in Immigrant Integration Policy
By  Jasmijn Slootjes
Cover image for The Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Program: Understanding Its Design and Challenges in Meeting Immigrant Learners’ Needs
Reports
February 2022
The IELCE Program: Understanding Its Design and Challenges in Meeting Immigrant Learners’ Needs
By  Jacob Hofstetter and Alexis Cherewka
Multimedia
April 21, 2021
Disparities Facing U.S. Children in Immigrant Families: New Data and Ideas for Indicators to Promote Equity
Immigrant and U.S.-Born Parents of Young and Elementary-School-Age Children in the United States: Key Sociodemographic Characteristics
Fact Sheets
April 2021
Immigrant and U.S.-Born Parents of Young and Elementary-School-Age Children: Key Sociodemographic Characteristics
By  Jacob Hofstetter and Margie McHugh
Two women use their laptops
Articles
September 3, 2020
The Digital Divide Hits U.S. Immigrant Households Disproportionately during the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Alexis Cherewka

Pages

Cover image for Leveraging Data...
Policy Briefs
October 2023
Leveraging Data to Ensure Equitable and Effective Adult Skills Programming for Immigrants
By  Jacob Hofstetter and Margie McHugh
Cover image for Recommendations for the Task Force on New Americans
Policy Briefs
March 2023
Recommendations for the Task Force on New Americans
By  Margie McHugh, Jacob Hofstetter, Jeanne Batalova, Michael Fix, Valerie Lacarte, Maki Park, Delia Pompa and Julie Sugarman
Cover image for The COVID-19 Catalyst report
Reports
June 2022
The COVID-19 Catalyst: Learning from Pandemic-Driven Innovations in Immigrant Integration Policy
By  Jasmijn Slootjes
Cover image for The Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Program: Understanding Its Design and Challenges in Meeting Immigrant Learners’ Needs
Reports
February 2022
The IELCE Program: Understanding Its Design and Challenges in Meeting Immigrant Learners’ Needs
By  Jacob Hofstetter and Alexis Cherewka
Immigrant and U.S.-Born Parents of Young and Elementary-School-Age Children in the United States: Key Sociodemographic Characteristics
Fact Sheets
April 2021
Immigrant and U.S.-Born Parents of Young and Elementary-School-Age Children: Key Sociodemographic Characteristics
By  Jacob Hofstetter and Margie McHugh
European Cities on the Front Line: New and Emerging Governance Models for Migrant Inclusion
Reports
May 2020
European Cities on the Front Line: New and Emerging Governance Models for Migrant Inclusion
By  Liam Patuzzi
Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers
Reports
January 2020
Beyond Work: Reducing Social Isolation for Refugee Women and Other Marginalized Newcomers
By  Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan
Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives
Reports
December 2019
Integrating Refugees and Asylum Seekers into the German Economy and Society: Empirical Evidence and Policy Objectives
By  Herbert Brücker, Philipp Jaschke and Yuliya Kosyakova

Pages

A displaced Ukrainian in Prague.
Feature
March 21, 2023
Can Czechia Capitalize on High-Skilled Immigration amid Influx of Ukrainians?

High-skilled immigration represents a potential major benefit to Czechia, which has undergone rapid economic growth since the transition from communism. The arrival of hundreds of thousands of new Ukrainians, many of whom are well educated, marks a moment for the country to re-evaluate its integration policies, as this article details.

Two women use their laptops
Feature
September 3, 2020
The Digital Divide Hits U.S. Immigrant Households Disproportionately during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the effects of the so-called digital divide for U.S. immigrants and other groups with reduced online connectivity. Internet access and the skills to navigate digital environments have become even more critical for work, education, and health care during the public-health crisis, yet immigrants make up a disproportionately large share of U.S. residents unable to take advantage of these tools.

Students and Reading _JMH5036 (1) US Dept of Ed Flickr
Spotlight
November 11, 2016
Language Diversity and English Proficiency in the United States

Although the number of U.S. residents who speak a language other than English has grown in recent decades, the share of those who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) has fallen: 40 percent in 2015, compared to 44 percent in 1980—even as immigration rose rapidly. This article examines growing linguistic diversity in the country and sketches a profile of the LEP population, including size, location, and socioeconomic characteristics.

WelcometoUS DanielSzwalkiewicz Flickr
Spotlight
April 14, 2016
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

Get all the latest and historical facts and figures on immigrants and immigration in the United States in this handy resource. With immigration often surfacing in public and political debates, learn the answers to such questions as: How do current immigration flows compare to earlier ones? How many unauthorized immigrants live in the United States? How many refugees are admitted annually? And get answers to many more questions.

YoungImmigrantLineUp1 WBEZPeterHolderness Flickr
Feature
August 13, 2015
Origin and Community: Asian and Latin American Unauthorized Youth and U.S. Deportation Relief

This article explores differences in application and renewal rates for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program among unauthorized immigrants from Latin America and Asia. Based on interviews with immigrant advocates and service providers, it appears participation in the deportation relief program may be different among origin groups based on varying perceptions of lack of trust in government and shame over legal status, as well as political barriers.

Pages

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Briya Public Charter School, Washington, DC, Lauren Stoltzfus
Commentaries
December 2016
New Data Resources Can Help Improve Targeting of State Early Childhood and Parent-Focused Programs
By  Margie McHugh
_ImmCleaners4
Commentaries
March 2016
Federal WIOA Plan Requirements Ignore Opportunities to Support Equitable Access for Immigrant/LEP Adults
By  Margie McHugh
A group of older Korean adults sitting in chairs at a Med-Cal event at the Korean Resource Center
Commentaries
October 2015
It is Time for Federal Agencies to Do More to Improve the Provision of Language Access Services
By  Margie McHugh
Dreamers DREAMActivist RubenHernandez
Commentaries
October 2015
Mapping the Patchwork of State ‘DREAM Acts’ and Postsecondary Education Policies for Unauthorized Immigrant Youth
By  Margie McHugh
Citizenship BellevueWA Flickr
Commentaries
September 2015
Danger Ahead for Aspiring Citizens as New Federal Workforce Law Is Implemented
By  Margie McHugh
DACAtool 1
Commentaries
September 2014
County-Level View of DACA Population Finds Surprising Amount of Ethnic & Enrollment Diversity
By  Sarah Hooker and Michael Fix
_DiverseStudents7
Commentaries
July 2014
California Takes the Lead in Targeting Education Dollars on English Language Learners, But There Is More to Be Done
By  Louis Freedberg
Video, Audio
April 21, 2021

Disparities Facing U.S. Children in Immigrant Families: New Data and Ideas for Indicators to Promote Equity

MPI analysts discuss their analysis comparing key sociodemographic characteristics of immigrant and U.S.-born parents of young and school-age children, along with the two-generational implications of these findings.

FLICKR Adam Cohn ConstructionWorkers
Video, Audio
March 8, 2019

Upskilling the U.S. Labor Force: Mapping the Credentials of Immigrant-Origin Workers

This webinar discusses the first-ever profile of the 30 million immigrant-origin adults in the United States who lack a postsecondary credential and offers analysis of the significant payoff credentials could bring in terms of workforce participation and wages.

flickr 25944533204_cb4e9bcf7c_z (1) United Way of the Lower Mainland
Video, Audio
December 13, 2018

Exploring the Potential of Two-Generation Strategies in Refugee Integration

On this webinar, MPI researchers and Utah and Colorado refugee coordinators explore promising practices to better serve refugee families, including education services for refugee youth, innovative efforts to secure better jobs for adult refugees, and other services designed to aid integration over time.

FLICKR the unquiet librarian Musical Book Tasting with Padlet Dr. Melinda Byrne and ESOL Students
Video, Audio
October 30, 2018

Surviving vs. Thriving: The Need for a Paradigm Shift in Adult Education for Immigrants and Refugees

Taking stock of weaknesses in the WIOA-driven design of most adult basic education programming, MPI analysts draw on research from the integration, adult education, and postsecondary success fields in arguing for the adoption of an “English Plus Integration” (EPI) adult education program model, and discuss strategies for implementation. 

IntgFutures Refugees
Video, Audio
October 3, 2018

Preparing Newcomers for the Jobs of Today and the Labor Markets of Tomorrow

This Migration Policy Institute Europe webinar examines possible scenarios for how social, economic, and technological trends could affect jobs, labor market policy, education and social policies, and migrant integration. Speakers also explored the potential of coding schools for refugees to help alleviate skills shortages and provide a pathway to work.

Pages

Recent Activity

Reports
December 2018

Promoting Refugee Integration in Challenging Times: The Potential of Two-Generation Strategies

At a time when the U.S. refugee resettlement system is facing unprecedented challenges, innovative and cost-effective tools for supporting refugee integration are in demand. This report explores how a two-generation approach to service provision could help all members of refugee families—from young children to working-age adults and the elderly—find their footing.

Video, Audio, Webinars
October 30, 2018

Surviving vs. Thriving: The Need for a Paradigm Shift in Adult Education for Immigrants and Refugees

Taking stock of weaknesses in the WIOA-driven design of most adult basic education programming, MPI analysts draw on research from the integration, adult education, and postsecondary success fields in arguing for the adoption of an “English Plus Integration” (EPI) adult education program model, and discuss strategies for implementation. 

Policy Briefs
October 2018

English Plus Integration: Shifting the Instructional Paradigm for Immigrant Adult Learners to Support Integration Success

To successfully integrate, immigrants and refugees need a variety of skills and knowledge—from English proficiency to understanding how school systems and local services work. Yet the adult education programs in place to support them have narrowed in scope. This policy brief proposes a new instructional model, English Plus Integration, to help states more comprehensively meet the diverse needs of their adult immigrant learners.

Video, Audio, Webinars
October 3, 2018

Preparing Newcomers for the Jobs of Today and the Labor Markets of Tomorrow

This Migration Policy Institute Europe webinar examines possible scenarios for how social, economic, and technological trends could affect jobs, labor market policy, education and social policies, and migrant integration. Speakers also explored the potential of coding schools for refugees to help alleviate skills shortages and provide a pathway to work.

Reports
October 2018

Tech Jobs for Refugees: Assessing the Potential of Coding Schools for Refugee Integration in Germany

Faced with an aging workforce and growing skill shortages in the IT sector, some German policymakers and industry experts have seized on the idea that recently arrived refugees could be a natural fit for careers in tech. This report examines the case for training refugees for IT jobs and explores the variety of coding schools that have cropped up in Germany to help newcomers succeed in the field.

Reports
October 2018

Jobs in 2028: How Will Changing Labor Markets Affect Immigrant Integration in Europe?

European labor markets are poised to change significantly in the coming years as technological advancements and other forces reshape the world of work. While these developments will affect all workers, they have particular implications for immigrant integration. This report breaks down the factors driving change and explores promising policy innovations to help societies better prepare for it.  

Reports
February 2018

Mainstreaming 2.0: How Europe’s Education Systems Can Boost Migrant Inclusion

Rising numbers of young immigrants and refugees entering European schools following the 2015–16 migration crisis strained system capacity and injected new urgency into debates about how to support diverse learners and their families. This report examines the challenges facing European education systems and identifies key lessons to improve migrant inclusion in schools and integration more broadly.

Fact Sheets
October 2017

Protecting the DREAM: The Potential Impact of Different Legislative Scenarios for Unauthorized Youth

With the Trump administration having announced the end of the DACA program, Congress is facing growing calls to protect unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. This fact sheet examines DREAM Act bills introduced in Congress as of mid-2017, offering estimates of who might earn conditional legal status—and ultimately legal permanent residence—based on educational, professional, and other requirements in the legislation.

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