POTENTIAL NEW DIRECTION 5

Connecting Adult English Language Learners

to CTE Programs Leading to Postsecondary Education and Credential Programs

The new Perkins State Plan needs to address the changing demographics of New York.  According to the 2000 Census, over one million New Yorkers over the age of eighteen speak little or no English and over half of the immigrant Hispanic population lacks a high school diploma.  This statistic is part of a body of evidence that indicates the existence of a significant skills gap between New York’s existing workforce and the types of workers needed for the State’s economy to grow and prosper.

It is proposed that Perkins and adult literacy funds be used to pilot CTE with integrated English language acquisition programs with college credit and credential programs.  Such programs have been successfully implemented in other states that have models that can be replicated in New York. For example, the state of Washington offers programs in Vehicle Service Technician, Appliance Repair, Welding, Allied Health, Nursing Assistant, and Electronics to English language learners. In these programs the students are co-taught by English language teachers and technical educators.

The State Education Department is soliciting advice on including this potential direction in the Perkins IV Five-Year State Plan.