Illinois Model: Recommendations

Bilingual Vocational Training

Recommendation: Help low-skilled immigrants create a practical career ladder by tying English instruction and vocational training to advancement within specific industries such as restauran

New Americans Initiative

Recommendation: Encourage U.S. citizenship for eligible legal residents by expanding the State’s New Americans Initiative.

Skills Training

Recommendation: Assist highly-educated and high-skilled immigrants and refugees to transfer their foreign professional credentials, allowing them to practice their vocations and contribute

“We Want to Learn English”

Recommendation: Ensure English attainment through the implementation of a “We Want to Learn English” campaign.

Dual Language Pilot Programs

Recommendation: Fund dual-language pilot programs to encourage children of immigrants and refugees to retain their parents’ languages and develop fluency in non-English languages for

Early Childhood Education Programs

Recommendation: Encourage the development of early childhood education programs that involve parents and encourage English acquisition as a component of existing early childhood education p

Service Provision Work Plan

Recommendation: Every state agency should develop a language and workforce diversity plan to ensure that immigrants and refugees can meaningfully access state services.

Community Organization Capacity Building

Recommendation: Strengthen partnerships with community organizations that work with immigrants and refugees, particularly in emerging immigrant communities, and help to build their capacity

Immigrant Integration Model Templates

Recommendation: The State of Illinois, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Board of Education should develop model templates for local immigrant integration and highlight

Monitoring Implementation

Recommendation: The Governor’s Office of New Americans Policy and Advocacy should be assigned the ongoing role of monitoring implementation of these strategic recommendations.

© 2008 Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights