The Limited English Proficient Workforce in Massachusetts: trends and Challenges

THE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT WORKFORCE IN MASSACHUSETTS: TRENDS AND CHALLENGES

Jeff Gross Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition

A Presentation to the Cayl Higher Education Leadership Institute on ELL Educators January 14-15, 2015

Overview

Economic Outcomes of LEP Workers Trends in US and MA, 2000-2012 LEP Home Languages LEP Educational Attainment LEP Employment, Earnings & Poverty Rates LEP Workers by Occupation and Industry MA Early Education and Care Workforce Occupational and Population Projections Public Policy Snapshot: ESOL System Capacity in Massachusetts

The Census defines the Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population as persons who self- Data do not address ability to listen to, read or write English. Census tests show respondents tend to over-report English ability, so lowest 3 categories are more valid estimate of LEP population.

Source: Jill Wilson (2014), Investing in English Skills: The Limited English Proficient Workforce in U.S. Metropolitan Areas. Washington, DC: Brookings Institute

US Economic Outlook for LEP Workers

Immigrants account for all or most of the growth in the US labor force in most communities, including MA. Nearly 1 in 10 working-age U.S. adults 19.2 million persons aged 16 to 64 is considered limited English proficient. English proficiency is a strong predictor of economic standing among immigrants regardless of educational attainment. LEP workers earn 25-40% less than English Proficient workers. High-skilled LEP immigrants

Higher parental English proficiency is associated with higher educational & economic success in children (25% of U.S. children <6 live in families with at least one immigrant parent).

Sources: Wilson, Investing in English Skills

The Future of Children 21:1, 19-41.

Foreign-born and LEP Populations in US and MA (2012)*

Source: Migration Policy Institute (MPI) State Immigration Data Profiles, US and MA (MPI analysis of American Community Survey [ACS] 2012 data)

US Foreign Born: 13% (40,824,658) FB % of Labor Force: 16% (25,895,527) LEP (age 5 and over): 9% (25,149,998)

MA Foreign Born: 15% (995,692) FB % of Labor Force: 18% (650,641) LEP (age 5 and over): 9% (560,701)

*LEP totals include US born (2.2% of LEP in US, 2.0% in MA)

Growth of Foreign-born vs. LEP Working Age Population in US and MA, 2000-2012

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills; MPI, State Immigration Data Profiles, MA

Nationally, the foreign-born, working age population (16-64) grew by 32%, the LEP population only by 20% as longer resident LEPs gained proficiency. In 2000, 52% of working age immigrants were LEP, in 2012 50% (417,000) In MA the foreign-born population grew by 29%, the LEP population by 20%. In some MA metro areas, however, growth in the LEP population was much sharper: in Greater Boston, the LEP population grew by 26%, and in Worcester by 32%

LEP Home Language Use in MA

Nationally, 66% of the almost 20 million LEP working age population speaks Spanish as a home language. The working age LEP population of MA Metropolitan Statistical Areas (478,646 individuals) includes only 50% who speak Spanish, and share of LEPs speaking various home languages varies significantly by region.*

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills spreadsheet)

* Greater Boston MSA includes Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Essex and Middlesex counties, and Rockingham and Strafford counties in NH. The Southeast MA/RI region includes all of RI. For geographic details of four metropolitan statistical areas see www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/0312msa.txt, CBSA Codes 14460, 39300, 44140, 49340

LEP Educational Attainment (Ages 25-64) in MA Nationally, 44% of the LEP individuals 25-64 are recent immigrants (arriving after 2000). On average, recent arrivals tend to have lower levels of English proficiency. In MA metro areas, recent immigrants make up a significantly larger share of this population (53%), but in Greater Boston and Worcester also have higher relative educational attainment.

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills 2012 data, available as downloadable spreadsheet)

LEP vs. Non-LEP Educational Attainment (US)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills 2012 data)

LEP Earnings, Employment & Poverty in MA

Working-age LEP adults in MA earn 25 to 40 percent less than their English proficient counterparts.

The working-age LEP population is also more likely to be poor (25%) than those who are not LEP (14%).

Statewide LEP workers have higher labor force participation rates than foreign born in general (69%) or US born (67%), with wide variation by region.

Sources: Wilson, Investing in English Skills as downloadable spreadsheet); MPI, State Immigration Data Profiles, MA

Employment-to-Population Ratio by Educational Attainment and LEP Status, Ages 25-64 (US)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data)

Education, Earnings and LEP Status (US)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data, for those working 35 hrs/week at least 50 weeks in past 12 months)

LEPs and Unauthorized Status

27% of the foreign born, working age population of the US10.4 million adults are estimated to be unauthorized. In MA, 152,000 foreign born, working age adults or 16% of the foreign born population are estimated to be unauthorized. One quarter have a BA degree or higher, and 14% some

Nationally, 72% of unauthorized immigrants are estimated to be LEP. In Massachusetts the estimated share is 61%. Based on those estimates, almost 40% of the working age LEP population in the US could be unauthorized, and approximately one-fifth in of that population in MA.

Sources: Wilson, Investing in English Skills; Department of Homeland Security, Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2012; MPI, Profile of the Unauthorized Population: US and Massachusetts

LEP Workers: Top Occupations (US)

LEP workers are concentrated in low-paying occupations for which English is not a requirement. 70% of LEP workers are concentrated in seven (out of 25) occupational groups where 5% to 26% of workers are LEP; in five more than 10% are LEP.

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data)

LEP Workers: Top Industries (US)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data)

Two-thirds of working-age LEP adults are concentrated in six industry categories (out of 20), each with at least 1 million LEP workers

LEP Workers: Top Industries (US)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data)

Within broad industry categories, more detailed sectors stand out for the highest share of LEP workers.

Manufacturing: 8% work in animal slaughtering/processing and 6% in cut and sew apparel. Accommodations and food services: 81% in restaurants and other food services. Retail trade: One quarter in grocery stores. Health and social services: 17% in child day care services; 13% in individual and family services. Administrative and waste management services: Over 70% of LEP workers work in janitorial services (37%) and landscaping (35%).

LEP Workers: Top Occupations (MA)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data, from interactive tool at www.brookings.edu/research/reports2/2014/09/english-skills#/M14460)

LEP Workers: Top Industries (MA)

Source: Wilson, Investing in English Skills data, from interactive tool at www.brookings.edu/research/reports2/2014/09/english-skills#/M14460)

MA Occupational Projections Occupations and industries with high representation of LEP workers are projected to grow significantly in next decade. High retirement rates of older, better educated workers and rising educational requirements for many occupations will put pressure on hiring.

Source: MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Occupations with Most Job Openings in MA, 2012-2022

MA EEC Workforce: Size, Growth and Key Characteristics

Source: MPI Analysis of 1990 and 2011-13 pooled ACS data

The MA EEC workforce grew by two-thirds in the past two decades

Almost 40% percent of the total growth came from immigrant workers.

The MA immigrant EEC workforce almost tripled from 1990-2012.

Immigrants now make up one-fifth of the EEC workforce in MA.

Almost half are Hispanic, a quarter white, 17% black, and 11% Asian.

MA EEC Workforce: Size, Growth and Key Characteristics

Source: MPI Analysis of 2011-13 pooled ACS data

A higher share Immigrant EEC workers are LEP than immigrant workers in general (55% vs. 50%).

The top home languages are Spanish (47%), English (14%), Portuguese (8%), Haitian Creole (7%) and Chinese (6%).

Three times more immigrant EEC workers lack a HS degree than natives, and about half as many have a BA or higher.

MA EEC Workforce: Size, Growth and Key Characteristics

Source: MPI Analysis of 2011-13 pooled ACS data

55% of immigrant EEC workers are in family-based or private home care vs. 39% of natives.

Immigrants make up 36% of family-based workers and 28% of private home-based workers.

Less than half as many immigrant EEC workers as native workers are preschool teachers.

The average income of immigrant EEC workers is higher than natives at both these ends of the occupational ladder.

Almost half of immigrant EEC workers live below 200% of the poverty line vs. one quarter of native EEC workers.

MA EEC Workforce Projections, 2012-2022

Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections, the MA EEC workforce is projected to grow an average of 18% in the coming decade. This would appear to be lower than the average 30% rate of growth each decade from 1990-2012, using ACS estimates.

BLS occupational data, from employer surveys, likely undercounts some categories of EEC occupations compared with ACS counts using household survey data (=31,760 w/o private home & family-based workers).

US Immigration Projections

The U.S. population is projected to grow by 0.63 percent per year between 2010 and 2050 82% of this growth will be due to immigrants and their descendants. Nearly one in five Americans (19%) will be foreign born in 2050 In 2050 non-Hispanic whites will be 47% of the population vs. 67% in 2005. Hispanics will rise from 14% to 29%, Asians from 5% to 9%; blacks will remain at 13%. The foreign-born share of working-age adults will rise from 15% in 2005 to 23% in 2050. The share of children who are immigrants or have an immigrant parent will rise from 23% in 2005 to 34% in 2050.

Sources: Bipartisan Policy Center (2014), . Jeffrey Passell and Cohn (2008), U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050. Pew Hispanic Center.

Public Policy Snapshot: ESOL System Capacity in Massachusetts

Currently free ESOL classes in MA serve an average of 15-16,000 individuals per year through local educational agencies, community-based groups, higher education institutions, libraries, etc.

Most ESOL slots (approximately 13,000) are funded through a combination of federal ($10 million) and state ($30 million) funds; typically programs are required to provide some matching dollars.

Existing free ESOL classes serve approximately 4% of the working age LEP population of 417,000.

Approximately 12,000 people in MA are currently on waitlists for ESOL services, lasting from 6 months to three years.

Sources: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Adult and Community Learning Services; Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education; MPI State immigration Profiles

Resources

Jill Wilson (2014), Investing in English Skills: The Limited English Proficient Workforce in U.S. (Brookings Institute) www.brookings.edu/research/reports2/2014/09/english-skills#/M10580 Migration Policy Institute: State immigration Profiles - Massachusetts www.migrationpolicy.org/data/state-profiles/state/demographics/MA

Jeffrey Passell and Cohn (2008), U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050 (Pew Hispanic Center) www.pewhispanic.org/2008/02/11/us-population-projections-2005-2050/

Department of Labor O*NET Projections for Childcare Workers and Preschool Teachers www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-9011.00 www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2011.00

Contact

Jeff Gross Director, New Americans Integration Institute Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition 105 Chauncy St., Suite 901 Boston, MA 02111 (617) 354-5480 x228 [email protected]