Reinventing Immigrant Education

This track spans the full education continuum from early childhood to adult education, addressing critical issues from the perspectives of practitioners, students, advocates and researchers. Sessions will identify educational policies and strategies designed to speed immigrant integration. More specifically, the track will provide an update on major federal policies and how they’re shaping the immigrant education landscape. Another session will focus on controversies surrounding student assessment and alternatives to current approaches. Looking beyond the classroom walls, the track will showcase promising practices in engaging the broader community to educate students and prepare them for the future. Addressing legal barriers to student success, the track will explore how undocumented students and their allies are fighting for equity and opportunity through the DREAM movement. Finally, the track will engage participants in a strategy session exploring opportunities to amplify the immigrant voice in educational advocacy, especially in the vital area of adult education.

Reinventing Immigrant Education sessions were organized by Kim Sykes of the New York Immigration Coalition, Teresita B. Wisell of the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, and Nicholas V. Montalto of Diversity Dynamics, LLC.

 

Engaging and Empowering Students, Parents and Communities

Workshop Date:                 Sunday, September 23, 2012

Workshop Time:                 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Workshop Description: This session will showcase innovative school- and college-based programs that engage students, families and the surrounding community in a lasting and meaningful way. Schools and colleges can serve as critical centers within the community, and this session will showcase model partnerships with local CBOs, governments, businesses and more. It will look at how, working together, schools and their partners are increasing college readiness, breaking down barriers to parent engagement, enhancing student retention and achievement, preparing students for employment and job skills training, and collaborating with corporate partners to create new career pathways and increase students’ access to health care and families’ literacy.

PANELISTS

• Tamara Estrella, Parent Coordinator, PS 24 - The Dual Language School for International Studies
• Beth Harper, Associate Vice President for Student Services and Enrolment Management at Northern Virginia Community College
• Christie Mckay, Executive Director of the Mary’s Center Charter School and Director of Education for Mary’s Center

MODERATOR

• Rich Stolz, Executive Director, OneAmerica

 

Accessing Opportunity: DREAM and Deferred Action

Workshop Date:                 Sunday, September 23, 2012

Workshop Time:                 1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Workshop Description: DREAMers have led the fight for equal access to higher education and citizenship for America's undocumented youth, and that fight is ongoing. As a result of DREAMers’ unrelenting efforts, in June 2012, the Obama administration announced the deferred action process and its path to work authorization. Deferred action will benefit college-bound and at-risk youth. Now, local and state education departments and our community’s schools must be engaged to help undocumented youth access deferred action's benefits. Spotlighting the breadth of DREAM-related work, this session will feature DREAMers' current work in Maryland and across the country to fight for in-state tuition and the outlook for federal DREAM Act reform. It will also explore the demographics of potential deferred action beneficiaries, best practices in helping facilitate access to deferred action, and insight into campaign strategies and tactics in Maryland and nationwide.

PANELISTS

• Cindy Koolade,  CASA de Maryland Youth Committee Member
• Cesar Vargas, J.D. Government Affairs Managing Director, DRM Capitol Group
• Jeanne Batalova, Senior Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute; Director, Internship Program, and Manager, MPI Data Hub
• Erin Howard, Bluegrass Technical and Community College in Lexington, KY and member of United We DREAM Board of Directors

MODERATOR:

• Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition

 

Strategies and Practices for Effective Assessment of English-Language Learners

 

Workshop Date:                 Monday, September 24, 2012

Workshop Time:                 10:30 to 12:00

Workshop Description:  Comprehensive and effective assessment is critical to the success of immigrant students across all phases of the learning continuum. This session will address challenges in the assessment process and effective practices in K-12, adult education and college and workforce readiness environments. Topics will include performance-based assessment (PBA) alternatives, the new computer based GED, changes in the National Reporting System, and assessment as a means to access college and workforce training programs. Panelists will share their work and examples of diverse approaches to measure proficiency, address cultural differences and capture the full picture of immigrant students’ unique needs and strengths.

 

PANELISTS

• Christine Rowland, ELL Educator, UFT Teacher Center Site Staff and Member of AFT's ELL Cadre
• Nell Eckersley, Director, New York City Regional Adult Education Network, Literacy Assistance Center
• Anson Green, Director, Work-Based English Solutions, Alamo Colleges
• Patricia Loera, Senior Program Officer, Education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

MODERATOR

• Claire Sylvan, Executive Director and President, International Network for Public Schools

 

Current Issues in Federal Education Policy

Workshop Date:                 Monday, September 24, 2012

Workshop Time:                 1:45-3:15

Workshop Description:  This session will review key developments in federal education policy across the education continuum. One critical area is early childhood education, which has been proven to be an important determinant of school success. The session will examine prospects for new investments in this critical area. Additionally, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind Act has had an enormous impact on the educational prospects of immigrant and disadvantaged students. This workshop will review the opportunities and risks contained in proposals for reauthorization of the Act. Another act, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), provides resources for adult education programs, including ESL classes for immigrants and career and job training activities. The session will discuss how current proposals in Congress to reauthorize the Act will affect immigrants. Finally, we will learn about a new initiative of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (U.S. Department of Education) to develop technical assistance capability in the area of immigrant integration.

PANELISTS

• Miriam Calderon, Senior Policy Advisor for Early Learning, Obama Administration
• Raul Gonzalez, Legislative Director, Office of Research, National Council of La Raza 
• John Segota, Director of Advocacy, Standards, and Professional Relations; Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Johan Uvin, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Vocational and Adult Education; U.S. Department of Education
  

MODERATOR

• Margie McHugh, Co-Director, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, Migration Policy Institute

 

Advocacy Strategies in Immigrant Adult Education

Workshop Date:        Monday, September 24, 2012

Workshop Time:        3:30 to 5:00 PM

Workshop Description: This session will look at strategies and models to amplify the immigrant voice in adult education. How can immigrants and immigrant-serving organizations have greater impact on policy and resource discussions on the national, state and local levels? Can existing literacy coalitions, professional associations and think tanks serve as vehicles for such involvement, or should new organizations be created to more effectively articulate an immigrant-focused agenda? Join us as a panel of adult education advocates discusses these questions and searches for consensus on future directions.

PANELISTS

•  Sean Abajian, Campaign Organizer & Digital Strategist, Save Adult Education (Los Angeles)       
  
•  Claudia Green, Director of Workforce Development and English for New Bostonians, MIRA Coalition
• Kevin Douglas, Policy Analyst, United Neighborhood Houses (NY Coalition for Adult Literacy) 
• Heather Ritchie, Program Manager, Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy 
• Jackie Taylor, President Elect and Public Policy Chair, Commission on Adult Basic Education; Advocacy Chair, National Coalition for Literacy
• Teresita Wisell, Executive Director, Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education

MODERATOR

• Dr. Nicholas V. Montalto, President, Diversity Dynamics, LLC