Waubonsee Community College Adult and Workforce Education Department has been awarded a grant of $29,508 by the Dunham Foundation to address the shortage of bilingual teachers in K-12 schools in the college's district area. This grant aims to provide free career training access to skilled and qualified non-English native speakers, helping them accelerate quickly into a paraprofessional career.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, as of October 2022, there were more than 300 vacant positions in bilingual education in Illinois schools. In response, in partnership with the Dunham Foundation, Waubonsee has launched a new initiative called the Career Bridge program in its Adult Education program. This program is designed for non-native English speakers with advanced degrees from countries outside the U.S. Participants receive 12 weeks of free English training and will be trained by certified instructors in K-12 schools to learn about the U.S. education system. The grant covers tuition, childcare, transportation, licensing, and credential evaluation fees, making it possible for students to obtain the certification required to start a career as a paraprofessional in area school districts.
"We have talented individuals in our district who were doctors, lawyers, and engineers in their countries but are unable to secure a professional career in the U.S. due to licensing and certification barriers," said Adam Schauer, Dean for Adult and Workforce Education. "We take these skilled individuals and help them utilize their experience for upward career and economic mobility.”
Danely Chavez, of Aurora, is one of the program's beneficiaries. Chavez relocated to the U.S. from Jalisco, Mexico, and completed child development coursework as a student in Mexico. After enrolling in Waubonsee's Adult Education English Language Acquisition (ELA) courses in April 2020, Chavez took classes while working as a lunchroom monitor in a local elementary school. Her advisor at Waubonsee encouraged her to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a licensed paraprofessional. She now holds her Paraprofessional Educator’s License and serves in District 129 at Hope D. Wall.
"We are assisting students through the process of getting their international university credentials evaluated so that their education can be applied to careers in the U.S., as well as teaching them about the education system in this country and the educational philosophies and methodologies we utilize,” stated Schauer. "We are removing numerous barriers to gainful employment."
This fall, Waubonsee launched two cohorts at the Aurora Downtown Campus, consisting of eight students in each cohort. The aim is to produce more licensed bilingual paraprofessionals. At its October board meeting, Waubonsee provided an overview of Waubonsee’s Adult Education Career Bridge program by highlighting the proactive steps the college is taking to address the scarcity of bilingual teachers in the Waubonsee district, which includes portions of Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, LaSalle, and Will counties.
Waubonsee’s Adult Education program provides English language instruction, Illinois high school diploma preparation, and adult academic skills enhancement to community members tuition free. Students come to Waubonsee from 49 countries and speak 37 native languages. Those residents live in or near 22 municipalities that stretch across suburban, rural, and urban areas in the college’s district. For more information about Waubonsee’s Adult Education, visit waubonsee.edu/adulted.
The Dunham Foundation seeks to build a healthy, thriving community by partnering and providing support throughout its service area. Its mission is to provide positive multigenerational support to organizations that serve all individuals and families in their service area. For more information, visit their website at dunhamfoundation.org.
For more information about Waubonsee's Adult Education Career Bridge program, contact Marlena Rios, Adult Education Transition Advisor, by email at mrios@waubonsee.edu or call (630) 966-4600.
