REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Accept the FY 2024/25 and FY 2025/26 California Library Literacy Services (CLLS) English as a Second Language (ESL) Grant Awards for the Read Santa Clara Program and Approve the Related Budget Amendments
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
The California State Library, California Library Literacy Services (CLLS) received one-time state budget funding in FY 2021/22 for English as a Second Language (ESL) services, to be allocated over a five-year period to qualifying libraries in the State of California. The Santa Clara City Library Department's Read Santa Clara program applied for this grant and was awarded a total of $55,500 in CLLS ESL Grant Award funds in FY 2022/23.
This funding allowed Read Santa Clara to hire an ESL Program Specialist and an ESL Program Assistant as temporary employees to provide ESL services for adults with the most critical needs. Read Santa Clara's ESL instruction focuses on adult learners at beginning English language levels who are unable to benefit from large group ESL classes due to limited or no English language skills. The program offers tutoring at the library for community members referred by Santa Clara Adult Education, and to diverse immigrants and refugees at beginning ESL levels. Small group ESL tutoring is also offered at two school sites, Scott Lane Elementary and Montague Elementary, for parents who often lack childcare or transportation to get to other ESL classes. With this funding, the Library Department was able to achieve the following:
* Served 71 adult learners since the inception of the program
* Provided learners with 580 hours of instruction in English, with three small groups and 18 one-to-one pairs
* Worked with learners to set goals and track achievements. After making use of Library ESL services:
o 62% of learners were able to communicate with a doctor
o 66% of learners could communicate better with their child's tea...
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