Framingham Adult ESL’s new Milford classes are so popular, they had to hold a lottery

Framingham’s Adult ESL Program Expands to Milford

Months after it was announced that Framingham’s Adult ESL (FAESL) program was being expanded to Milford, 76 students are poised to begin classes there.

ESL Classes in Milford

ESL classes begin in Milford on Sept. 7 at the Stacy Middle School, and will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Admissions Event

Executive Director Kevin O’Connor said that after a recent admissions event in Milford, 65 new students were admitted to the program. Eleven others that were taking classes in Framingham, but live in Milford, were transferred to the Milford program.

1. The event had a turnout of 270, according to O’Connor, with a lottery system held for admissions.

Expansion Plans

“Everyone who didn’t win the lottery got information on other programs in the area,” he said.

O’Connor said there are educators from both Framingham and Milford, with three of them having “deep roots” in Milford. He said FAESL is excited for the start of the Milford program and thanked Milford Public Schools for providing classroom space.

“We’re building a strong coalition of services and really good groups,” O’Connor said, adding that the education is aimed at navigating systems and solving problems.

Reason for Expansion

The ESL program in Framingham felt the need to expand after seeing a number of students commuting to Framingham from Milford. O’Connor said it made more sense to connect those students with services closer to home. Furthermore, while FAESL was the closest publicly-funded adult education program to Milford, a new location meant that Milford students would no longer need to travel 20 miles to learn, and more seats will then open for students closer to Framingham.

FAESL’s expansion to Milford was made possible with about $200,000 in funding obtained after an open and competitive process from the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Adult and Community Learning Services division and the FAESL Student Advisory Council.

Subjects Taught in ESL Classes

FAESL instructs more than 1,000 students. In addition to English classes, it offers classes in citizenship, computer technology, family literacy, adult basic education and high school equivalency. It also advises students of Middlesex County programs such as those for eviction diversion, food pantries and health insurance services, which helps to keep students coming to classes.

The new program will provide 200 hours of instruction.

Student Origins

O’Connor said that although he’s still parsing data, Milford students are predominantly of Brazilian descent, with some from Ecuador. Similarly, students at the Framingham program are also predominantly from Brazil, Ecuador, and other Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries.

After winning seats in the lottery, students were required to take a placement test, and were then either placed in a regular class or put on a waiting list. Students must complete 80% of their classes in order to continue in the program.

FAESL operates as a department of Framingham Public Schools, which provides classroom space for evening classes at Fuller Middle School.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
   • Indicator: Number of adults participating in literacy and numeracy programs.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
   • Indicator: Proportion of people living below the national poverty line.

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

• Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator: Number of adults participating in literacy and numeracy programs (related to Target 4.6).
• Indicator: Proportion of people living below the national poverty line (related to Target 10.2).

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: milforddailynews.com

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