Thursday, May 31, 2007

The Immigration Debate and Education


The latest immigration debate prompted me to do some thinking about adult education. I don't want this post to be a judgment for or against the current bill and whether it is amnesty or not, instead, my thoughts are about the consequences of this bill.


The current bill in the Senate will basically provide 12-20 million people, who were once living in the shadows, some sort of legalized status. From an educational and business perspective, this may be an interesting opportunity. There will be millions of people coming out of the shadows who may want to participate more in society. There is, however, an educational gap that needs filling. From the obvious ESL to computer, business, and citizenship courses, the adult educational opportunity is huge.


Imagine learning centers, similar to Sylvan centers for children, that cater to immigrant adults that helps them learn English and the skills they need to prosper in legal society. Yes, there are programs similar to this, but generally they are not targeted at this group, instead only modified for this group. This idea could also be franchised.
This is just a late night brainstorm....

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