Council of Senior Centers & Services of New York City, Inc.


ELIMINATION OF ESL CLASSES AT SENIOR CENTERS

- UNKEPT PROMISES

 

FEBRUARY 2004

 

 

 

For more information, please contact:

Bobbie Sackman, Director of Public Policy, ext. 226 or 
Olga P. Martinez, Hunter College Public Service Scholar, ext. 235
Council of Senior Centers and Services of NYC, Inc.
49 West 45th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 398-6565 Fax: (212) 398-8398
www.cscs-ny.org

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CSCS COUNCIL OF SENIOR CENTERS AND SERVICES OF NEW YORK CITY, INC. 49 West 45th Street, 7th Floor New York, New York 10036 Tel: (212) 398-6565 Fax: (212) 398-8398 www.cscs-ny.org Wanda Wooten President Elinor Guggenheimer Founding President Rev. Robert V. Lott* Honorary President Emilie Roy Corey Immediate Past President Dawn Brown William J. Dionne Dr. Linda Leest Vice Presidents Thomas A. O’Brien Secretary Robert M. Freedman, Esq. Treasurer lgal Jellinek Executive Director Board of Directors Mark E. Brossman, Esq. Marjorie H. Cantor Donna Corrado H. Elaine Dovas Suleika Cabrera Drinane Jeanne Dutton-Sinrich, Esq. Aileen Gitelson O. Lewis Harris Nancy Harvey Sydelle Knepper John M. Leonard Michael I. Markowitz Dr. Marcella Maxwell Nancy D. Miller Steven Newman Janet S. Sainer Marvin Tolkin Loraine B. Tsavaris Judy Willig Judy Zangwill * In Memoriam United Way Helps Here February 18, 2004 Dear Colleague, One year ago, the Department for the Aging (DFTA) eliminated the English as a Second Language (ESL) and civics classes provided for elderly immigrants in 38 senior centers citywide. Funding for these classes was $500,000 which had been reduced from $750,000 from its original funding level. CSCS has surveyed these senior centers to document the impact the loss of these classes on elderly immigrants. Out of the 38 senior centers that were funded, 36 responded to our survey. As a result, we are recommending a full restoration of the $750,000 to those senior centers that received the funds and an additional $250,000 to broaden this opportunity to additional elderly immigrants around the city, bringing the total to $1 million. This ESL initiative, funded since 1997, was on the forefront of helping elderly immigrants learn English, and for about 500, go on to become U.S. citizens. This was the only funding stream of its kind dedicated to the elderly. Most ESL funding is targeted for younger people going to school or looking for jobs. Providing ESL classes in a local senior center offered an appropriate and convenient location for seniors to learn in. There was also the value added benefit of having senior center staff help these elderly immigrants go through the lengthy, arduous process of becoming a citizen. CSCS is looking forward to working in collaboration with the Bloomberg administration and City Council to restore the funding for ESL and to continue to provide essential services for the growing immigrant communities in New York City. For further information, please contact, Bobbie Sackman, Director of Public Policy, (212) 398-6565, ext. 226 or Olga Martinez, Hunter College Public Service Scholar, ext. 235. Sincerely,  Igal Jellinek

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ELIMINATION OF ESL CLASSES AT SENIOR CENTERS –
UNKEPT PROMISES

February 2004

STATUS OF ESL CLASSES ONE YEAR AFTER FUNDS WERE ELIMINATED:
On January 31, 2003 the funds for English as Second Language (ESL) and citizenship classes through the Department for the Aging (DFTA) came to a halt when DFTA eliminated full funding for the program totaling $500,000. Council of Senior Centers and Services of New York City (CSCS) has conducted a survey to revisit, one year later, the capacity of senior centers to provide ESL classes to elderly immigrants. CSCS surveyed the 38 senior centers that received ESL funding through DFTA in FY2002 and received responses from 36. For only $500,000, almost 2000 seniors benefited from participating in ESL and civics classes. The goal of the survey was to document how the elimination of ESL funding affected the capacity of the senior centers to continue providing ESL classes and the impact of the cut on the life of elderly immigrants.

PURPOSES OF ESL FUNDING:

• Learning English - This funding helps thousands of elderly immigrants learn English. Even for those who are unable to become citizens, learning English is valuable.

• Some seniors will become citizens – About 500 seniors taking these classes have become citizens. This is a commendable track record given the difficulty in learning English for people in their 70’s or older, passing the citizenship exam and getting through the time-consuming, difficult naturalization process with INS. This momentum towards learning English and citizenship will be lost for elderly immigrants without these funds.

$1 MILLION - ESL FOR ELDERLY IMMIGRANTS AT SENIOR CENTERS IS A CITY COUNCIL INITIATIVE - THE ONLY FUNDING STREAM DEDICATED TO ELDERLY IMMIGRANTS - 

• City Council has been on the forefront of helping elderly immigrants - Since 1997, City Council provided $750,000 annually for ESL classes in 38 senior centers citywide. In FY2003, due to the city’s fiscal crisis, the funds were reduced to $500,000. Although allowing senior centers to continue to provide ESL classes, the loss of $250,000 meant that most agencies could not offer classes during the summer, which impinges on the learning process.

• DFTA eliminated ESL funds last year - In FY2004, the Department for the Aging claimed that City Council had not allocated the $500,000 for the current fiscal year. After much back and forth, it became clear that DFTA did have the funds. Despite that, DFTA made the decision to eliminate the only ESL program in NYC dedicated to elderly immigrants and provided in an optimal learning environment, their senior center. 

• This was a very special funding stream - While most ESL funds are targeted for younger people to help them in school and to find a job, for elderly immigrants the goals are different. ESL funding for elderly immigrants is harder to find as they are not going to school or looking for a job. 

• English prevents isolation among elderly immigrants - English is important for taking care of daily tasks such as shopping, caring for grandchildren, preventing isolation, communicating with health care professionals and becoming citizens. 

• About 500 elderly immigrants became citizens - Importantly, as the survey shows, about 500 elderly immigrants had become citizens due to the ESL and civics classes this program funded. This is critical in these times of government restrictions on public benefits that immigrants can access. Surely, their success in becoming citizens was also due to the assistance they received from senior center staff helping them through the complicated and often frustrating process of becoming a citizen. 

We are asking for a $750,000 restoration to bring the program back to its full funding level. In order to bring ESL and civics classes to additional senior centers, we are asking for $250,000, bringing the total to $1 million.

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FINDINGS OF THE ESL SURVEY – UNKEPT PROMISES

 

50% less elderly immigrants participated in ESL classes in FY2003. Senior service agencies that managed to continue offering ESL and civics were forced to reduce the number of seniors served. 55% less ESL and civics class sessions per week.  ESL programs now rely on volunteers to continue offering the classes hence making the program unstable because volunteers can change or leave at anytime and may not be as qualified as paid staff. 50% of the senior centers eliminated ESL classes due to the budget cut. Over 400 seniors are on waiting lists citywide for ESL classes. Less seniors are becoming citizens – The number of seniors who have become U.S. citizens will decrease because seniors do not feel ready to apply for citizenship without the extra help that was made available to them through ESL and civics classes and senior center staff. Without funding for classes, the momentum built to help elderly immigrants become citizens will be lost.

DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING’S UNKEPT PROMISES – ELIMINATION OF FUNDING AND NO ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM CREATED AS PROMISED:

• Alternative ESL program with retired teachers promised, but not delivered - Following the elimination of ESL funds by DFTA, a memo and survey were sent to senior centers with the promise that a new ESL program in conjunction with retired teachers would be created. A copy of the memo and survey are in this report. To date, no such program has begun. Additionally, the schedule that the senior centers would have had 
  to adhere to was not appropriate to meet the learning needs of elderly immigrants. 
  Classes would be in the afternoon, which was not a conducive time for many seniors. 
  For example, many seniors go home to care for grandchildren or have other household 
  responsibilities.

 

• Working with public libraries - DFTA has recently sent information to senior centers about ESL classes provided through libraries. In some cases, there are already some seniors that attend ESL classes in libraries. Not providing ESL classes in senior centers as an alternative, takes seniors out of their senior center. Many elderly immigrants were drawn to their senior center because of the ESL classes. Once there, they received meals, services and were able to socialize with others, preventing isolation. Some seniors will not be able to get to the library. While offering a possible alternative to some seniors, DFTA is still falling far short of its promises to provide ESL and civics classes in senior centers.

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RECOMMENDATIONS – KEEPING THE PROMISE - $1 MILLION –  The population of elderly immigrants continues to grow in large numbers throughout the city, creating an even greater need for ESL classes in local senior centers. Seniors in immigrant communities are attending senior centers in large numbers. CSCS recommends the following:

 

City Council should restore the full $750,000 for ESL and civics classes to bring it back to its original funding level. Stipulate that those 38 senior centers that got ESL funding should receive these funds. To expand the number of senior centers able to provide ESL and civics classes, City Council should add $250,000 in new funds into the program.

 

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Linda Whitaker 
Assistant Commissioner

MEMORANDUM

To:                   Community Partners Providing DFTA-Funded ESL Classes

From:              Linda Whitaker, Assistant Commissioner

Re:                  Cancellation of ESL Project

Date:             January 22, 2003   

 

We must sadly advise you that no additional funding will be available from DFTA to provide English As A Second Language [ESL] classes beyond the current 20-week cycle of classes ending January 31, 2003.  The fall cycle of classes [09/01/02 to 01/31/03] will be funded.   We can be very proud of the dynamic program we have developed together over the past six years.  Many thousands of seniors have benefited from ESL and Civics classes and live richer, more fulfilling lives because of senior centers that have participated in the ESL Project.   It is our hope that as the City’s economy recovers, funding may again become available for ESL classes. We urge you to seek other funding sources that will allow you to continue to provide quality ESL classes for the many seniors who still need assistance mastering English language skills.

 

Thank you.