New York Coalition on Adult Literacy
Response to Public Policy Debate Questions posed at 2010 COABE Conference

About the Coalition
The New York Coalition for Adult Literacy (NYCAL) is comprised of adult literacy teachers, managers, students, and allies from New York City representing community based organizations, CUNY campuses, libraries, and the New York City Department of Education Office of Adult and Continuing Education. NYCAL advocates for an adult literacy system that provides quality, comprehensive and accessible educational services to the over 3.9 million adults in NYC who need them. NYCAL believes that being able to read and write, learn English, obtain a GED, and enter training and post secondary education are the rights of every New Yorker, and the cornerstone to an equitable and just society.

Topic 1
This topic focuses on whether and to what extent federal and state monies should be invested in the lowest level of learner in an economic and political climate that is focused almost entirely on jobs creation economic stimulus?

Sub-topics
●What is the relative return on this investment vs. the investment
in post-secondary education and job training?
●What role can and do adult education students play in economic
recovery?
● How can adult learners be transitioned into post secondary
education programs and job training in meaningful and efficient ways?
● What are the moral and ethical issues involved in these policy
decisions?

Decisions about the future of WIA and the structure of adult education should not be determined by the current economic and political climate. By all accounts WIA should have a long and successful future, and it is prudent to think about its structure for the long-term rather than through the present prism of economic difficulty.

There is no question that federal and state monies should be invested in the lowest level learners. Ignoring this population is a short-sighted and economically unwise decision. Close to 50% of adult education students in New York State are employed and contributing to the economy of the City, State and country. What’s more, according to the NYC Commission for Economic Opportunity report , the working poor make up one of the groups whose success in raising their economic base is most critical to the city’s economy. Clearly, the economic contribution of these participants will and does increase as their expanded English language and literacy skills assist in employment retention and advancement.

Further confirmation of the role that adult learners can and do play in economic recovery is presented in a recent report published by the Community Service Society and the Center for an Urban Future . The report cites ample evidence of the economic cost of a population poorly educated and unemployed or working at low-wage jobs. While the report focuses on particular populations in New York City – public assistance recipients, immigrants, youth and the formerly incarcerated – there are certainly parallels that can be drawn in the rest of the country. The authors point out that “…those with more education and higher earnings typically require far less support from publicly funded programs over their working lifetimes, in cash and in-kind assistance, than do individuals who did not advance as far in school.” The authors go on to say that “Not only does education increase earning power, it helps preserve employment in difficult times.” It seems that focusing only on higher level learners may address one important need of the economy while ignoring the economic effects of leaving out the lowest level learners. We need to serve both.
Often left out of the thinking in the policy discussion is the powerful impact that increased education has on families, communities, institutions and the civic life of our country. Many lower level learners in adult literacy programs, long before they become proficient in English, obtain a GED or secure a job (if they haven’t already got one), are using their new found skills to assist children with schoolwork, attend parent-teacher meetings, advocate for improvement of the schools, become citizens, vote, and participate in multiple other ways in the civic and economic life of their communities. These are critical and positive outcomes for society, and not surprisingly, are recognized as legitimate outcomes (albeit secondary ones) in the National Reporting System (NRS).

As the US population ages, and baby boomers increasingly leave their jobs, they will need to be replaced with better educated and a more technologically knowledgeable workforce. The US population is projected to soar from 303 million to 438 million by the year 2050, driven mainly by immigrants of all groups except the elderly. A large percentage of the replacement workforce is expected to be made up of immigrants, particularly Hispanics, whose numbers will increase threefold to 29% of the US population by 2050. This group, along with other adults, will need to take advantage of the variety of educational opportunities available through the K-12 system, the workforce development system, the colleges and universities, as well as WIA Titles I and II if our country is to thrive, take care of its entire people, and maintain its economic competitiveness in the global economy.
Current and future employment needs in New York City, NYS and around the country, require employees to have at minimum a high school diploma, and preferably at least one year of college or a vocational training certificate of some kind. However, there is no reason why our comprehensive educational system can not address the needs of our employers and of the overall economy by serving all segments of our society.

In addressing the question of adult learners transitioning to post-secondary education and job training, it is important to note that this effort can not be achieved without additional resources. At the moment, no separate funding stream exists to support post-secondary transitions. This is a labor-intensive endeavor and necessitates additional resources. Funding should not, and cannot, be siphoned from adult literacy and family services to address this important effort.

Adult learners can be supported in a variety of ways to transition to post-secondary education and job training. First, they need to be engaged in career exploration and goal setting, and then can move on to activities and educational services that are aligned with their needs and interests. Many adult learners with a GED or even a traditional high school diploma, are not academically prepared for college or certain kinds of vocational or technical training. While some educators have suggested that a GED preparation program can serve the function of both GED prep and college prep at the same time, experience of staff in college transitions programming at the City University of New York suggests otherwise. While it is certainly true that using a more content-based approach to GED prep as opposed to test prep, will better prepare GED students for the rigors of academic work at the college level, the nature of the GED exam is so divergent from college course work, that achieving the two goals simultaneously seems highly unlikely.

Once students have achieved the academic skills they need to be successful in post-secondary education or training, they need to be guided through the enrollment process with good information, expert advisement, social supports and appropriate referrals to quality post-secondary programming.

NYCAL unequivocally supports the inclusion of learners at all levels in services provided through WIA Title II. The majority of adult literacy students currently served through WIA in New York State and in the country as a whole fall into lower levels of ESOL and ABE. In our experience they are also the learners who are of predominantly low income and with many economic and social barriers to success. NYCAL believes the country has a moral and ethical imperative to serve those most in need in both good and bad times. In the depths of the depression of the 1930’s our country launched some of the most aggressive and robust initiatives in response to the needs of the poor. From its earliest history adult education has managed to serve “the least among us”, and there is good reason to continue that noble tradition.

Topic 2
The second topic explores whether, in the context of the current
political and economic climate, adult education should be a stand-alone
program under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Education or
whether it should be re-focused as a fully integrated workforce skills
program under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Labor. For
example:

● What are the pros and cons of oversight by Education vs. Labor?
● Which emphasis is the best route to preparing adult education
students for post secondary education and job training — and why?
● How can Labor programs funded under Title I of WIA and Education
programs funded under Title II of WIA be better aligned if they remain
separate?

There is complete consensus among NYCAL members that it is critical to the success of the WIA goals that adult and family literacy remain under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Education, and locally, under the administration of state departments of education. Further response to this topic requires additional time.

Conclusion
The New York Coalition for Adult Literacy appreciates the opportunity to present its ideas on WIA reauthorization, and looks forward to a continuing dialogue with all stakeholders in an effort to create an adult literacy system that responds to the needs of adult learners, and at the same time contributes to the economy and the greater good of all communities.