2018波士頓地區華語文能力測驗(TOCFL)開始接受報名

2018 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) is Now Accepting Applications!

The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Culture Office (TECO) in Boston will administer the 2018 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) and Children Chinese Competency Certification (CCCC) on Sunday, October 28, 2018, 2:00-4:00 pm, at the Lexington Chinese School (221 Concord Ave.,Belmont, MA 02478) and on Sunday, November 4, 2018, 11:30 am-1:30 pm, at the Tzu Chi Academy Boston (9 Mudge Way, Bedford,MA 01730).

The TOCFL is intended for those that wish to measure their Chinese proficiency and is available in both traditional and simplified character versions. Since 2014, the levels of the TOCFL have been reformed in order to correspond to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment). The new version of the TOCFL has three proficiency bands: Band A, Band B, and Band C. Each of the bands has two levels.

According to the AP Course Description, “Course work provides students with opportunities to perform Intermediate to Advanced level tasks, and students are expected to achieve proficiencies throughout, and sometimes beyond, the Intermediate range as described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines.” Therefore, if students want to pass the AP test, they have to reach the intermediate level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, which corresponds to level 3 of the TOCFL. The students could take the TOCFL as a practice test for AP test preparation.TOCFL is designed for non-native speakers of Chinese. Those who wish to know about their level of Chinese proficiency, or those who want to study, work or do business in Chinese speaking countries are welcome to take the test.

Examinees who pass the test will receive a Chinese Proficiency Certificate as a credential for the following:

●       Eligibility for the “Taiwan Scholarship” and “Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship” for government sponsored studying in Taiwan.

●       Qualification for admission to academic programs at colleges or universities in Taiwan.

●       Proof of Chinese language proficiency for individuals who wish to obtain Chinese-inclusive, bilingual employment globally.

●       Incentive for those who are interested in learning Chinese.

Registration is accepted from now to October 1, 2018. Please register at the website: https://usa.sc-top.org.tw/usa/ .  In order to complete the registration process, please print out the registration form and mail it along with the registration fee to Education Division, TECO in Boston (99 Summer Street, Suite 801, Boston, MA 02110 ) before 10/08/2018. The registration will be cancelled if the examinees fail to submit the registration fee before 10/08/2018 .

Required documents and fee are as follows.

1. Confirmation form

2. Registration fee: Check only ( payable to: Education Division, TECO in Boston)

Traditional Character: $30 USD

Simplified Character:  $40 USD

Please direct all questions to the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston at 1-617-737-2055 or  boston@mail.moe.gov.tw

 駐波士頓辦事處教育組 2018-09-17

2018美國波士頓地區華語文能力測驗(TOCFL)開始接受報名!

報名截止日期：2018年10月01日

   有鑒於全世界學習中文者日眾，為協助學習者有效了解及評估學習效果，中華民國教育部特別成立「國家華語測驗推動工作委員會」，由該會聘請華語教學及測驗專家依據嚴格標準程序專為母語非華語之人士研發「華語文能力測驗（Test of Chines as a Foreign Language，簡稱TOCFL）」及兒童華語文能力測驗 (Children Chinese Competency Certification，簡稱 CCCC)， 以提供華語文能力標準化測驗工具，考試合格者將獲中華民國教育部頒發之及格證書，依據我國相關法令規定，華語文能力測驗可以持憑申請臺灣獎學金、華語文獎學金，做為僑生海外聯招一般免試地區中文成績證明、臺灣各大學校院招收外籍學生之入學或畢業門檻，也可以做為僑外生留臺工作評點積分及職場上語言能力的證明。

   駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組訂於 2018年10月28日下午兩點至四點，假麻州勒星頓中文學校  (Lexington Chinese School, 221 Concord Ave.,Belmont, MA 02478) 和 2018年11月4日上午 11:30 至下午1:30，假波士頓慈濟人文學校(Tzu Chi Academy Boston, 9 Mudge Way,Bedford,MA 01730)舉辦2018華語文能力測驗 (TOCFL)及兒童華語文能力測驗 (CCCC)。

  華語文能力測驗 (TOCFL)共分為三等六級。三等分別為入門基礎級(Band A)、進階高階級(Band B)及流利精通級(Band C)，而每一等又可再依據測驗成績細分為兩級，分別為入門級( level 1)、基礎級(level 2) 、進階級(level 3)、高階級(level 4)、流利級(level 5)和精通級(level 6)，共六級。兒童華語文能力測驗分

   三級:萌芽級、成長級和茁壯級。

華測會研發的華語文能力測驗是一個可以精準對應美國外語教學學會(American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.， 簡稱ACTFL)及歐洲語文共同參考架構（Common European Framework of Reference CEFR）的測驗，而且採用國際上大型測驗，如TOEFL等，一樣的標準設定專業技術，可以更準確地對考生的真實語文能力進行切合實際的評估。通過測驗者將獲頒華語文能力證明書，可做為申請「臺灣獎學金」與「教育部華語獎學金」等語文能力證明用途，具有就學及就業優勢。亦可以做為中文AP考試的模擬測驗。歡迎波士頓地區想瞭解自己華語文能力者踴躍報名參加!

  波士頓地區華語能力測驗報名費為40元，為推廣正體字，報考正體字版本的考生可享優惠價30元。報名日期自即日起至10月1日止。請至線上註冊報名: https://usa.sc-top.org.tw/usa/ 並列印出報名表，請於2018年10月8日前將報名表及報名費支票（支票抬頭為Education Division, TECO in Boston）郵寄至駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組：99 Summer Street, Suite 801 Boston, MA 02110 U.S.A.。

 

  請務必於2018年10月8日前繳費方完成報名手續。考生可自行上華測會網站瞭解各報考等級所需字彙（網址：http://www.sc-top.org.tw），或進行線上模擬試題測試。

 如有疑問，請與我們聯絡:

 駐波士頓辦事處教育組 Education Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston

電話 TEL	+1-617-737 2055
傳真 FAX	+1-617-951 1312
電子信箱 Email	education@tecoboston.org boston@mail.moe.gov.tw
地址Address	99 Summer Street, Suite 801 Boston, MA 02110 U.S.A.

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP IN GLOUCESTER

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP IN GLOUCESTER

BOSTON – Treasurer Goldberg has announced an additional location for the Women’s Economic Empowerment Series. The workshop, hosted by the Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE), is a free program targeting issues around women’s economic disparities, including the gender wage gap, money management, retirement and investment strategies for women. The free workshop will be held at the Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester on Saturday, September 29th from 9 AM until 1:30 PM.

“Women face unique challenges when it comes to financial security,” said Treasurer Goldberg. “These programs provide critical information that gives women the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy. When we invest in women, we empower them to invest in themselves.”

“At Citizens Bank, we are committed to helping our neighbors reach their potential, and our communities thrive,” said Jerry Sargent, President of Citizens Bank Massachusetts. “Through our Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money partnership with the Women’s Economic Empowerment Series, women are gaining the confidence and tools they need to budget, save and take charge of their personal finances.”

Women, on average, earn less than men over the course of their working lives because of the wage gap and are more likely to leave the workforce to care for family members. This series of workshops aims to bring economic security and stability to women and to give them the tools to reach their full financial potential.

The program will include financial education workshops and salary negotiation training. Lunch will be provided to participants. For more specifics on the event details, programmatic content, and to register please visit the program’s site by visiting GloucesterWEES.Eventbrite.com. The Women’s Economic Empowerment Series is made possible by a grant from Citizens Bank.

On day one, Treasurer Goldberg created OEE to implement a range of economic empowerment initiatives including closing the gender wage gap, increasing access to financial education, improving college affordability, and investing in STEM careers and education. For more information visithttp://www.mass.gov/treasury/empowerment or follow @EmpowermentMA on Twitter.

麻州亞美局 9/22 舉辦第七屆青年領袖研討會

MNN Opposes Plan to Tax Massachusetts Colleges and Universities

MNN Opposes Plan to Tax Massachusetts Colleges and Universities: "It's Bad for Massachusetts"

BOSTON, MA - Today the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) declared its opposition to a proposal to levy a tax on the endowments of colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

“It’s a bad idea--for Massachusetts, and for everyone served by nonprofits in Massachusetts,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of MNN.

Nonprofits are a critical economic engine for Massachusetts, providing 550,000 jobs and employing over 17% of the state’s workforce. The state’s more than 33,000 nonprofits are cornerstones of Massachusetts communities. The nonprofit sector enriches neighborhoods and provides vital services to the state’s most vulnerable residents.

From scholarships to local students, to free and subsidized health care, to a wide array of environmental, artistic, historic, and cultural programs, Massachusetts nonprofits make immense contributions that benefit residents and government alike. In addition to delivering vital services, they provide hundreds of millions of dollars of community benefits each year.

In addition to their economic contributions to the Commonwealth, nonprofits are mission driven organizations. They contribute to the public good, provide services that government would have to provide absent the nonprofit, and re-invest any revenue surplus back into their budgets to further their mission. As such, nonprofits are treated differently under federal and state laws, including receiving tax-exempt status.

Nonprofits are already bracing for the negative impact of the recently passed federal tax reform legislation. According to a 2017 MNN report, the doubling of the standard deduction will make it more expensive for middle-income donors to give to nonprofits, and could potentially result in a decline in giving in Massachusetts by as much as $513 million beginning next year.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING ROUND

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING ROUND

Includes first large scale CPA awards and $16 million in other funding that support the City's housing goals BOSTON -  Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that the City of Boston has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for affordable housing projects seeking City of Boston financial support. This affordable housing funding round will include over $16 million in city affordable housing funds, and in addition, will include the first large scale awards of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for affordable housing development projects. While the exact amount of CPA funding for housing will be determined by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), total awards from all sources in this funding round will likely exceed $25 million, making it one of the largest affordable housing funding rounds in City of Boston history. "Addressing rising housing costs is critical for preserving the diversity and character that makes Boston a place where all residents can thrive," said Mayor Walsh. "Voters in Boston made their support for affordable housing creation clear when they passed the Community Preservation Act in 2016. My administration has put affordability at the top of our agenda, establishing a comprehensive plan, and committing more than $115 million to housing. With these new funds in this funding round, we will further accelerate our work to lift up every neighborhood and provide all residents and their families with accessible and affordable housing options." Based on the goals outlined in Mayor Walsh's housing strategy Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 and the Imagine Boston 2030 Planning Process, the City of Boston has established priority criteria which proposals must meet, including: Affordable housing developments targeting a mix of incomes: from units for homeless households to units targeted and restricted to incomes representative of Boston's workforce; Affordable housing developments that serve the disabled community, vulnerable or special needs populations, older Bostonians, veterans, artists, and/or aging out youth; Acquisition of unrestricted housing developments in order to stabilize residents' tenancies, and provide long term affordability for a mix of incomes; or Affordable housing developments that utilize City-owned land; Affordable housing developments that have reduced the cost to build and use public funding most efficiently; Developments that are at risk of losing their affordability within five years. Projects creating new affordable units in high-cost neighborhoods where most of the IDP and NHT funds are generated. Funds will be awarded from three sources: the first, of approximately $8 million, consists of funds administered by the Department of Neighborhood Development, including funds from the Federal HOME Investment Partnerships and Community Development Block Grant programs, the City's Housing Boston 2030 Fund, and the Inclusionary Development Policy Fund. Up to $3 million of this funding is earmarked to support housing that serves households 55 years or older. The second source utilizes funds from the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT). NHT disburses funds collected through the City's Linkage policy, which extracts affordable housing funds from developers of large commercial projects. The third source is CPA funds, which are collected through the one percent property tax surcharge approved by Boston voters in 2016 to help strengthen Boston neighborhoods through strategic investment in affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space. The addition of CPA funds to this funding package aligns the City's housing resources towards full implementation of Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 plan. Applications are currently available for the next round of CPA funds. About Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 By the year 2030, Boston will reach more than 700,000 residents, a number the City has not seen since the 1950s. Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 is Mayor Walsh's Administration's comprehensive housing plan to create 53,000 new units of housing for a variety of income levels. Since the policy was enacted in 2014, Boston has permitted more than 27,000 units of housing, completing nearly 18,000 of them as of the end of the second quarter in 2018. More than 11,000 of those permitted units are income-restricted, and more than 2,000 of these are reserved for Bostonians earning low and extremely low wages. Although these results show strong progress toward the goals established by the Mayor's Advisory Housing Task Force, Boston's population is increasing more rapidly than the population models used in to establish plan targets had estimated. Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 was created not as a static policy piece to be enacted, but as a living document meant to be reassessed and reframed as necessary. In the Spring of 2018, Mayor Walsh reconvened the Housing Task Force to assess progress and reevaluate the goals of the policy through this new population filter. Other factors under consideration include the Mayors Regional Housing Compact Policy and the effects on Boston and its neighbors, as well as the evaluation of lessons learned over the past four years. An update to Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 is expected in the fall of 2018. About Imagine Boston 2030 Imagine Boston 2030 is building on Housing a Changing City by identifying areas where continued growth can occur and where additional growth beyond the 53,000-unit target can take place. This growth will create a release valve for existing neighborhoods that are seeing pressure on housing prices. Other initiatives include: working to increase the overall housing supply, deploying tools to support the preservation of affordable housing citywide, putting forth an anti-displacement package that will create and preserve affordable housing, and preventing eviction, link housing and transportation and supporting home ownership. For more information included in the plan, please visit imagine.boston.gov.

APAICS恭喜14名亞裔候選人

APAICS would like to congratulate all the AAPI candidates in Arizona, Florida, Rhode Island, and New York, who won their recent Primary Elections. We look forward to building the AAPI political pipeline with all of you! Use the form below to send a congratulatory message to all the candidates. Arizona Congrats to Hiral Tipirneni who won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 8th congressional district!   Congratulations to Anita Malik for winning her Congressional Primary in Arizona's 6th district.                                             Sen. Kimberly Yee won the Republican primary race for State Treasurer.  Florida CAPAC Executive Board Member U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy won the Democratic Primary in the Florida 7 with more than 85 percent of the vote.    In Florida's 8th Congressional District, Sanjay Patel progressed through the Democratic primary to the general election.  Pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman won the Democratic primary by 20 points in Florida's 1st Congressional District. We would also like to recognize Kubs Lalchandani and Dushyant Gosai for running strong races!     Rhode Island Congratulations to Mayor Allan Fung for winning the Rhode Island Republican Primary for Governor. New York Congrats to New York State Assembly incumbent Yuh-Line Niou for progressing through the Democratic primary.  Assemblymember Ron Kim, representing District 40, also advanced through the primary. Khorshed Chowdhury progressed through the Republican primary for New York State Assembly District 54. Jia Lee progressed through her Primary Election for Lieutenant Governor. We'd also like to applaud Mizan Choudhury for running a strong race! Congrats to all!      Send a note of congratulations to all of the candidates by clicking below. Congratulate! Connect With Us: Facebook Twitter Instagram Contact Info: APAICS 1001 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 320 Washington, DC 20036 United States unsubscribe

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