Report: 5 Percent Of Local Immigrants Have Access To English Classes

BOSTON — A new report finds just 5 percent of the 500,000 immigrants in greater Boston who are not proficient in English have access to English classes.

Paul Grogan, president of the Boston Foundation, which commissioned the report (PDF), said that’s a problem.

“This is a very serious problem because immigrants have really been the only source of labor force growth that we’ve had in Massachusetts and Greater Boston,” Grogan said.

The report finds there are ways to boost the supply of English classes to better meet demand in Greater Boston without a dramatic increase in funding.

“It’s a potentially very productive population that wants to work, that is eager to participate, and they’re being held back by the inability to access English language courses,” Grogan said.