Change Council to Study Barriers to Education for Immigrants

None by KCPW

United Way Group to Release Results by Summer

(KCPW News) Research shows that bilingual literacy improves graduation rates. The United Way's English Learning Opportunities Change Council is commissioning a study of barriers to education for immigrant populations:

"And it's working on trying to figure out what are the barriers to English language acquisition among families who are new to this country," says Bill Crim, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Public Policy for United Way of Salt Lake, which released its 2007 Community Assessment report last week. "The important role that that study will play is it will define our strategy going forward to help that particular population."

Crim says the Change Council will study barriers to education for those with limited-English proficiency as well as the impact on employers. Opening doors to education is one of five priorities in United Way's new strategic action plan. United Way also is pushing a school reform known as Community Learning Centers:

"The idea that schools can be more available to families, can be more welcoming to families, can draw families and services into the school in ways that dramatically increase student achievement," Crim says.

For more on United Way's education efforts, listen online to the full Midday Metro interview.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW