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Supporters urge statewide ESOL strategy to address long waitlists, connect classes to jobs
Summary
Nonprofits, businesses and immigrant advocates urged the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development to approve H.2080/S.1326, which would create a coordinated statewide strategy for English-for-speakers-of-other-languages (ESOL) focused on workforce outcomes and reducing long waitlists.
Supporters of H.2080 and S.1326 told the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development that Massachusetts needs a coordinated strategy to expand English-for-speakers-of-other-languages (ESOL) services, connect classroom instruction to job pathways and reduce multi-year waitlists that block immigrants from filling workforce vacancies.
The Boston Foundation's vice president for public affairs, Keith Mahoney, told the committee, "Investing in English for speakers of other language programs isn't just social good, it's smart economic strategy." He cited a 2020 report showing a large mismatch between demand and available seats and urged the committee to report the bill favorably.
The bill would authorize an executive-level coordinator to develop a statewide plan and better align ESOL funding, program design and employer needs. "This is absolutely a workforce issue," Andre Green, executive director of SkillWorks, said, describing roughly 140,000 foreign-born workers in…
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