National Coalition for Literacy

. . . to improve teacher quality by providing more professional development, improving working conditions, professionalizing the workforce, and researching what practitioners need to be effective.

—An NCL WIA Reauthorization Priority

Article by Andy Nash

NCL is advocating that state leadership funds be returned to 15% (the funding level before WIA), and that those funds be dedicated to strengthening the adult education workforce by supporting professional development and working conditions that stabilize the field. Understanding that state budgets are tight, if not in crisis, some are reluctant to use federal funds that could go into direct service this way.

I…

. . . to ensure that all local eligible providers[i] have access to apply and compete for grants and contracts.

—An NCL WIA Reauthorization Priority

Article by Jeff Carter, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, ProLiteracy

Current law requires that all eligible providers have “direct and equitable access” to apply for federal grant funds under the Act. This means that a state must have grant application procedures in place that allow for all eligible providers of adult education services to apply for Title II funds, and it must treat all applicants fairly in funding decisions.

In practice, however, a number…

. . . by: establishing goals for co-enrollment; establishing shared accountabilities for serving adult education students; explicitly allowing career pathways, integrated education/training and dual and concurrent enrollment; and creating a new funding stream to support a career pathways leadership grant program.

—An NCL WIA Reauthorization Priority

Article by Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield

The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Title II, Workforce Investment Act, WIA) set broad economic and educational goals for adult education and English literacy programs. The law includes…

—An NCL WIA Reauthorization Priority

Article by Heidi Silver-Pacuilla

Consider these statistics about how U.S. adults are using technology in 2010 and whether adult education programs are prepared to take advantage of these trends:

Broadband. 74 % of adults have broadband access at home, and 67% consider themselves as users of that access in the home. The main dividing lines for access are along socioeconomic dimensions such as income and education:

46% of adults whose highest level of education is a high school degree are broadband users at home;

• 82% of adults who have attended or graduated from college

…

—An NCL WIA Reauthorization Priority

Article by Art Ellison,  Policy Committee Chair,  National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

An annual federal appropriation of at least $1 billion for adult education would represent the lowest possible figure that would indicate a serious commitment to the needs of undereducated adults in this country. The state grant appropriation level of $614 for FY11 contained in the budget submitted to Congress by the Obama administration would need to be increased by Congress to $386 million in order to reach the $1 billion level for next year.

A [ Read More → ]

By Marsha Tait and Jackie Taylor

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week—Thank You Congressman Polis!

June and early July have been deceptively busy in the public policy arena!

For the second consecutive year, Congressman Jared Polis has led the U.S. House of Representatives in passing bipartisan legislation (H Res. 1472) supporting the designation of the week of September 13, 2010 as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. The resolution, authored by Congressman Jared…

Join Members of the National Coalition for Literacy for an online discussion of reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act, July 19 – August 6, 2010. Using the NCL Priorities for WIA Reauthorization as a springboard for discussion, comment on the priorities that are important to you and why, discuss the issues with guest bloggers, add your own priorities for WIA reauthorization, and vote on issues most important to you. During National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, NCL will share your comments and questions with legislative staffs over WIA reauthorization.

To participate: Visit the [ Read More → ]

By Marsha L. Tait and Jackie Taylor, Public Policy Committee Co-Chairs

It’s been a busy spring for the National Coalition for Literacy! Congress was on recess for two weeks but resumed session April 12. Following is a report of NCL’s latest public policy activities.

Appropriations

The House and Senate appropriations sub-committees have been accepting outside witness testimonies; the National Coalition for Literacy submitted testimony to both. Copies of the NCL testimonies are now online. Additionally, Senators were to submit their appropriations requests for FY11 to Appropriations Chair Inouye…

Did you go to Conference? Share what you learned on public policy and advocacy so other adult literacy advocates can benefit from your ideas. Advocacy is a team effort! Tell your colleagues who stayed home to bookmark this space and watch for updates.

If you did not go to Conference, this Blog offers a way you can benefit from the conference afterwards. Session handouts you can download are now available! Just click on the title of the session that interests you and you will find the handouts linked there. Share your comments/questions for any of the…

Popularly known as the “Policy Panel” that has drawn over 400 participants each conference, this preconference provides you an exclusive opportunity to interact with panelists for an in-depth look at the federal legislative issues. National adult education leaders will update you on federal legislative developments in adult education and related areas. Then join roundtable discussions led by panelists, examine how policy affects practice, and target policy change in areas that concern you most. Create a plan; bring it home.

Monday, March 15, 8:30 – 11:30 am

Boulevard C

Panelists:

• Jeff Carter, Policy and Government Affairs Director, ProLiteracy
• Art Ellison,

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Thursday, March 18, 1:45 –2:45 pm

Continental Ballroom B (Lobby Level)

Presenters:

• Brenda Dann-Messier, Assistant Secretary, Office of

…

Professional quality—including both teacher quality and the working conditions professionals need—is critical for advancing the adult education and literacy system. Learn how panelists advance this cause in their programs and states, and through federal legislation. See how you can stabilize and strengthen the adult education workforce in your area.

Friday, March 19, 8:30 – 9:30 am

Continental Ballroom B (Lobby Level)

Panelists:

• Jackie Taylor, NCL Public Policy Committee Co-Chair
• Mary Ann Corley, Principal Research Analyst, American Institutes for Research
• Richard Tariff, Director of Adult Services, EASTCONN
• Andy Nash, World Education; MA Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE) Working Conditions Committee

…