Congratulations to Latina Lista, Marisa Trevino

Increasingly, those of us who support common sense immigration reform are being heard and acknowledged by the mainstream media. One of those is our friend Marisa Trevino of Dallas who blogs as Latina Lista

USA TODAY published her essay on ESL classes and what businesses can do to promote this effort in their edition today.

Here’s a sampling.

Every immigrant will have to learn to speak English. This is one point that is sure to be included in any comprehensive immigration reform bill, and it draws immediate consensus from all sides. Yet non-speakers face many barriers to doing so. This is a dilemma for immigrants who not only need to learn English to fulfill whatever criteria Congress might mandate, but also for those who want to speak English for work.

For one, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes aren’t readily available. Adult educators across the country report that some classes have long waiting lists or the number of classes is shrinking because of cuts in state budgets.

Then there’s the proficiency issue. The U.S. Department of Education reported that in 2006-07, only 39% of the 1.1 million people enrolled in state-administered ESL programs advanced to the next proficiency level. For many, learning the language is sidetracked by a lack of time because of employment and family responsibilities.

This is why businesses may offer the best solution, embracing a shared responsibility between employer and employee

Congrat Marisa for the excellent article and the recognition you so richly deserve!

The Latina Lista Blogs can be found here!

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