Comments on: Reactions to the President’s Proposed FY 2011 Budget

By: Art Ellison

Art Ellison — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:44:15 +0000

Janice raises several good points about the impact of the Obama Administration’s FY11 budget proposal for adult education. Adult education programs cannot meet the needs of undereducated adults in this country if they do not have the funds to provide the services.
In the adult education field, as with many other critically needed services, the money and resources must match the rethoric. Words do not provide teachers, only funding will do that.

By: JANICE ADAMICK

JANICE ADAMICK — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:58:03 +0000

How are we supposed to help adults who have lost jobs get a better education so they can get new jobs if we are continually losing money, and losing instructors because of the cuts? Why are we still spending money on space and ignoring the people inhabiting earth?

By: Heidi Silver-Pacuilla

Heidi Silver-Pacuilla — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:33:09 +0000

I’m very curious about how this will play out:
The request for National Leadership Activities includes a $30 million increase to support a Workforce Innovation Fund. These funds, along with an identical amount in Vocational Rehabilitation, would be part of a Partnership for Workforce Innovation, which encompasses $321 million of innovation funding in the Departments of Education and Labor.

By: Andy Tyskiewicz

Andy Tyskiewicz — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:06:47 +0000

I see the Workforce Innovation Fund as a start in the needed efforts to promote collaboration between DOL and DOE. Given the economic situation and the need for well trained workers this approach is a no brainer. the rubber will meet the road in the quality of the products and services developed. During the listening sessions that I attended facilitated by Dr. Brenda Messier there were many comments and rich discussions on what works and potential best practices. Locally we have experienced, success with integrated basic skills and vocationally oriented programming. An opportunity to fortify our experiences through a dedicated funding stream that is more than hype and produces real results is certainly welcomed. The field is ready to once again roll up their sleeves and put our knowledge to use in developing new expanded models. We will need to continue our focus on accountability and work to support and reward the implementation of models that work. Breaking down operational barriers between labor and education can only help. Our relationship between the sectors in Connecticut is very positive and has given us an insight into the world of possibilities when committed individuals with different perspectives come together. COABE will assist this effort in any way it can.

By: Kevin Talley

Kevin Talley — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:18:20 +0000

As one, among many, who has been working for well over a decade with former Chairman Goodling to help preserve Even Start funding, this dog-eared attempt by the Administration to lump it in with other ESEA literacy programs is misguided. The good news though, and unlike some other ESEA programs, the Administration does not ask that the program be eliminated. We are making progress.

Nevertheless, the Administration’s new solution is to create 11 new education silos under their “Effective Teaching and Learning for a Complete Education” program. The silo subset for existing ESEA literacy efforts is the Effective Teaching and Learning: Literacy unified program. As planned, this consolidation will combine 6 programs (Even Start, Striving Readers, Literacy through School Libraries, National Writing Project, Reading is Fundamental, and Ready-to-Learn Television) into a new literacy silo.

As described therein, the consolidation would take effect with the passage of the next reauthorization of ESEA. That of course has been planned now for 3+ years. Clearly, the authorizers proceed on a different time clock then the appropriators. One could suggest it is optimistic to assume the reauthorization would be signed, seal, and delivered before the appropriators have concluded their subcommittee and full committee mark-ups. And of course, once the appropriation is approved separately for each of these six literacy programs, separate they will remain for FY 2011 budget cycle. I understand that the House and Senate appropriations senior staffs are in a quandary on how they will be able to “cure the clock” on the appropriations and authorizing functions.

Of course, the largest problem for Even Start, the only federal education program that focuses on children from birth to 8 years old, is the process of melding these programs into one conglomerate. Then the prior uniqueness of being the only federal program that involves the family in learning literacy and parenting skills, will be lost.