ERIC Number: ED315522
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1988-Nov
Pages: 241
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Case Studies of Vocational Education Services and Policies for Limited English Proficient Adults.
Fleischman, Howard L.; And Others
This document contains the results of case studies of programs and policies relative to vocational training and other employment-related services for adults with limited English proficiency (LEP). Data were collected from officials and staff at state agencies that administer vocational educational programs in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. Among the findings reported are that state agencies have not selected the LEP programs (or any other program) as a statewide priority; local program administrators have no incentive to identify the number of adults with LEP served nor to identify the number in need of services in the future; less than half of funding from the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act is targeted at programs for adults, with the majority of funding going to secondary-level programs as decided at the state level. Although vocational training services are readily available in most jurisdictions, their requirements for oral English, reading, writing, and math skills result in the exclusion of adults with LEP. English as a second language (ESL) programs are the most frequent service offered to and used by these adults. LEP programs were seldom funded by the Job Training Partnership Act, nor were they the focus of community colleges. The LEP adults were found to need training in occupational skills, basic skills, employability skills, and, while in training, they needed support services such as child care and transportation. Among the barriers to extending training are the lack of precise numbers of adults with LEP, the lack of coordinated planning among state agencies, the difficulty of finding bilingual teachers, and the lack of strong advocacy leadership groups lobbying for increased services. (CML)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Assessment of Vocational Education (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Development Associates, Inc., Arlington, VA.
Identifiers - Location: Arizona; California; Florida; Illinois; New York; Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A