Research and Evaluation | Noteworthy Practices | Additional Links

The English Literacy and Civics Education Program is an integrated program of educational services to immigrants and other limited English proficient populations to acquire the basic skills they need to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens. Local providers implementing El/Civics programs are charged with incorporating instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation.

Congress directed the Office of Vocational and Adult Education to provide EL/Civics grants solely to "states", including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as defined in AEFLA. EL/Civics state funds are awarded as follows: 65 percent shall be allocated based on a state's absolute need as determined by calculating each state's share of a 10-year average of the INS (now USCIS) data for immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence for the 10 most recent years, and 35 percent allocated to states that experienced growth as measured by the average of the three (3) most recent years for which USCIS data are available. No state shall be allocated an amount less than $60,000.

Research and Evaluation

• The Carsey Institute report, New Immigrant Settlements in Rural America: Problems, Prospects, and Policies, PDF (997KB) (issued in 2006, Volume 1, Number 3), examines the implications of new immigrants to rural America. The report suggests that the receptivity of rural and small towns to new immigrants can vary greatly and can have significant impacts on communities to cope and immigrants to assimilate and prosper.

• The U.S. Census Bureau in its report, Language Use and English-Speaking Ability: 2000 (issued October 2003), PDF (484KB) analyzed data on languages spoken at home and the ability to speak in English plays a large role in how well people can perform daily activities. In 2000, 4.4 million households encompassing 11.9 million people were linguistically isolated.

Noteworthy Practices

• CAELA, Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, published in February 2006 a Brief, English Literacy and Civics Education. This Brief describes not only ways to teach the subject, but also reflects on the increasing importance of civics instruction.

• EL Civics For ESL Students, developed by Christina Niven, March 2006, welcomes students to learn EL Civics with pictures. This online, interactive Web site includes activities, lessons, a PowerPoint presentation, pictures, quizzes, a site for teachers, and recommended Links.

• The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) created an updated Guide to Naturalization PDF (1,317KB) to provide better and consistent information to people interested in naturalization. If a person reads the Guide before beginning the naturalization process, many questions regarding the application process will be answered.

• The New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC) article, Integrating Civic and Participation and Adult ESOL, proposes a process for building ESOL students' capacity for engaged and active citizenship through which EL/Civics classes serve as a venue for comprehending and critically examining policies that affect students' lives.

Additional Links

• The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., (CLINIC) article, Technical Assistance to Promote Refugee Citizenship and Civic Participation, provides information on improving services to refugees in becoming U.S. citizens and furthering their integration into American society.

• U.S. Department of State announced that beginning January 23, 2007, all persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport. This information is critical to persons who recently received U.S. naturalization.

• The Passport Services Office (PSO) provides information and services to American citizens how to obtain, replace, or change a passport. A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave the United States and most foreign countries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue, or verify United States passports.

For Additional Information