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ERIC Number: ED661984
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Sep
Pages: 48
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Immigrant Integration in the United States: The Role of Adult English Language Training. EdWorkingPaper No. 20-288
Blake Heller; Kirsten Slungaard Mumma
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
While current debates center on whether and how to admit immigrants to the United States, little attention has been paid to interventions designed to help immigrants integrate after they arrive. Public adult education programs are the primary policy lever for building the language skills of the over 23 million adults with limited English proficiency in the United States. We leverage the enrollment lottery of a publicly-funded adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program in Massachusetts to estimate the effects of English language training on voting behavior and employer-reported earnings. Attending ESOL classes more than doubles rates of voter registration and increases annual earnings by $2,400 (56%). We estimate that increased tax revenue from earnings gains fully pay for program costs over time, generating a 6% annual return for taxpayers. Our results demonstrate the social value of post-migration investments in the human capital of adult immigrants.
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: AISR_Info@brown.edu; Web site: http://www.annenberginstitute.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED); American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Authoring Institution: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305B150010