College of DuPage's ESL changes riles teachers

Cuts to the English as a Second Language program at College of DuPage have some people worried about its future.

College officials are cutting 36 ESL classes for the upcoming spring semester and requiring that each class has 21 registered students in an effort close a program budget shortfall that has cost COD $4 million during the past five years. In the past, ESL classes required only 12 registered students.

"We were offering too many sections, and it diluted our offering," said Dean of Continuing Education Mike Perez. "We looked at places where the classes were being offered on the same dates and times."

But instructors and local social service providers are complaining the college is limiting access to what they call an essential service to the county's immigrant population. About 10 percent of the student population of COD is made up of ESL students, college officials said.

"Investing some of our local money in this program is a good use of public money," said Alyce Litz, program director for Helping Hands Refugee Assistance. "We have a stake in their future. There are many who did receive educational success in their native country, but cannot rise to the level of their learned skills until they master English."

More than 100 different ESL classes are offered through the college each semester at variety of proficiency levels to immigrants from Asia, Europe, South America and Africa, college officials said. The classes are taught at the college's Glen Ellyn campus as well as 24 other locations throughout the county. Most lower-level programs are free and paid for by grants and state reimbursements. Last year, the college stopped offering some higher-level ESL classes for free and there was no loss in enrollment, Perez said.

"I've received no hate mail from the students, just the teachers," he said. "It's one less course for them to teach, so it's less money. And as we make improvements to our delivery, there are fewer sections to teach."

In addition to teaching costs, Perez said the college spends about $100,000 on printing for these classes and another $500,000 on support staff.

Five of the ESL classes cut for the coming semester are intensive "quick start" classes at the main campus that provide lessons Monday through Thursday for two and a half hours a day. Opponents of the cuts say the 125-plus students who would normally enroll in those classes might not be able to find transportation to make it to another site or there may not be enough room in the remaining classes. Opponents also believe the college could trim some of the costs of the program from other areas.

"This is a local need," said Debra Fulks, a member of the social advocacy group DuPage United. "It's a public health and public safety issue knowing English."

In addition to ESL program cuts, adult basic education and GED programs were also reduced at the college in an effort to rein in costs, Perez said.