Letter to President Biden: "The Stakes Are High, The Need Is Great, and The Time Is Now."

In California, the bulk of funding for Adult Education - especially for Adult Schools - is through the state. Only a relatively small portion of funding is from federal sources. In many other states, the reverse is true. What happens on the federal level determines funding realities for Adult Ed in many parts of the US and influences policy for Adult Ed in every state. This letter - written by John Mears in conversation with many others - is an important summary of why it is so important that Adult Ed be seen, valued, and funded. 

About Mr. Mears:  John Mears has taught ESL to adult immigrants for Los Angeles Unified School District for more than 35 years. He has advocated for adult education with the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) and United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA). This letter was a joint effort, with the generous help of many professional educators and advocates, as well as adult learners, throughout the USA.

April 26, 2021

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden

President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

 

Dear Mr. President:

Thank you for leading the fight against the pandemic with a vigorous national strategy. Now we need an equally vigorous national strategy to address an ongoing systemic failure that has been long in the making:  increasing numbers of under-educated adults. 

We, the undersigned, are educators who have dedicated our lives to meeting the lifelong learning needs of adults nationwide. Our group also includes adult students who have benefited from adult education programs. We are delighted to see that your American Jobs Plan “will better tailor services to workers’ job seeking and career development needs through investments in Expanded Career Services and the (Workforce Investment and Opportunities Act) Title II adult literacy program.” However, we want to ensure that all U.S. adults who need foundational skills -- including immigrants, regardless of their ability to work -- will be served.  

In the United States, 19% of adults are profoundly in need of literacy skills development and 29% lack critical numeracy skills. These adults are overrepresented in communities of color—the same communities that have been most adversely affected by the COVID-induced health and economic challenges that are rooted in systemic inequity. They are also especially vulnerable to the COVID pandemic, as low-skilled adults are often first out of the job market and last back in during times of economic crisis. A recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis indicates that anticipated job growth for those with a high school diploma or less is 0% to -2.3%, while all other education levels show positive growth.

The lack of skilled, well-trained workers in our nation caused nearly 7 million jobs to be unfilled in the U.S., even before the pandemic, according to the Labor Department. Now, as the economy is rebounding, the unmet need for sufficiently trained and literate workers is even greater. U.S. industry and business leaders have been sounding the alarm about this problem since the 1990s -- yet opportunities for adults to get basic education and job training have eroded substantially in the past dozen years. These deficiencies cripple our economy, our competitiveness on the world stage, and efforts to “Build Back Better.”  

Your ambitious goals of naturalizing immigrants bring additional challenges. Millions of immigrants need to learn English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. history and government, and get on the path to U.S. citizenship.  This group already represents at least half of adult learners and will almost certainly grow in the near future.  

Nationwide, many states and communities already offer adult basic (or foundational) skills education programs; but since the 2008 recession, many of these programs have been drastically curtailed or eliminated due to budget cuts. Surviving programs have increasingly relied on federal tax dollars through WIOA – the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act -- and matching state and local funds, which may also be cut. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has further eroded adult education programs by forcing most instruction online, through virtual education platforms. Although online instruction presents daunting challenges, especially for the economically disadvantaged, it also offers exciting opportunities for educational programs that can be offered nationwide.  

Especially given the educational challenges that come with your ambitious plans for immigration reform, we propose the following: 

·        Increased funding overall. At current levels of funding, adult education programs are able to serve under 3% of the adults who could benefit from their programs. Furthermore, in the next five years, adult education programs are expecting a significant surge in participation, like the surge that happened following the last economic downturn. Steady yet significant increases in funding over the next five years will allow programs to build the capacity they need to address the increased demand. We support Senator Reed's request for $1 billion in initial aid through pandemic response funding and a doubling of the annual appropriation for the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act state grant program (Title 2 of WIOA) over the next five years, beginning with an $810 million appropriation for FY 22.

·        More free or low-fee lifelong learning opportunities -- available both in-person and online nationwide. Adult Education and Literacy, as adult foundational skills are referred to in the WIOA legislation, should include: adult basic education, including adult basic literacy; all levels of English language learning instruction and U.S. citizenship test preparation for immigrants and refugees (ESL or ESOL); digital literacy skills; adult high school diploma programs; high school equivalency preparation programs; and other important educational services for adults such as older adult programs, workplace basic skills, and family or intergenerational literacy programs). We also believe that occupational training, including Integrated Education and Training, especially for new “green jobs” (wind energy, solar, etc.) is important. If offered online, these programs could be accessed anywhere in the USA. However, in-person instruction is generally preferable, especially for the economically and technologically disadvantaged, and it should be expanded and offered through a wide range of organizations and institutions: district K-12 school systems, community colleges, community-based organizations, public libraries, faith-based organizations, correctional institutions, etc.  

• A new “amnesty” program for immigrants. In the late 1980s, many adult education programs in the USA mobilized to facilitate President Reagan’s amnesty program (the Immigration Reform and Control Act) by gearing up quickly to offer classes in ESL and citizenship to many thousands of immigrants who are now proud U.S. citizens.  We believe that a similar program would admirably serve our nation’s economy and civil society, and reward millions of honest, hard-working but undocumented immigrants with well-deserved security.  

·       Coordination of funding among local and national educational systems, so that federally funded programs, state-funded programs and community-based groups can function more effectively together.  Components of these systems would include, among others: learning management systems; shared databases; professional development systems for everybody (not just funded programs); common assessments for common data; etc.   

·       Community and family focus. Educating parents has a profound ripple effect throughout families and communities. Critics of adult education say we should “just focus on the kids,” but parents’ educational levels correlate with their children’s success in school. Los Angeles Unified School District has community adult schools that provide hubs of learning for children and parents alike. Where possible, they offer childcare to facilitate parents’ education. This approach is already working well in other adult education programs across the country.

·       Senator Reed (D-RI) and Senator Young (R-IN) have introduced the Strengthening Research in Adult Education Act (S. 1126). We enthusiastically support this bipartisan bill and urge your administration to support it as well.

As adult educators, as lifelong learners, and as advocates, we -- and thousands of our colleagues -- would be delighted to work with your administration to develop new and expanded educational programs for adults nationwide.  

The stakes are high, the need is great, and the time is now. 

Sincerely, 

John Mears

ESL teacher, West Valley Occupational Center

LAUSD Division of Adult and Career Education

Los Angeles, CA

 

Sharon Bonney

CEO, Coalition on Adult Basic Education

Cicero, NY

 

Deborah Kennedy

Executive Director, National Coalition for Literacy

Washington, DC

 

Michele Diecuch

Senior Director of Programs, ProLiteracy

Syracuse, NY

 

Federico Salas-Isnardi

Director, Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy

Houston, TX 

 

Silja Kallenbach

Vice President, World Education, Inc.

Boston, MA

 

Ira Yankwitt

Executive Director, Literacy Assistance Center

New York, NY

 

David J. Rosen

President, Newsome Associates

Co-founder and Steering Committee Member, Open Door Collective

Board Member, ProLiteracy

Boston, Massachusetts

 

Rosa Aronson, PhD

Interim Executive Director, TESOL International Association 

Alexandria, VA

 

Marty Finsterbusch

Executive Director, Voice of Adult Learners United for Education (VALUEUSA)

Media, PA

 

Cynthia Eagleton

ESL Teacher, San Mateo Adult School

CFT Local 4681

San Mateo, CA

 

Kristen Pursley

Adult School Teacher, West Contra Costa Adult Education

Contra Costa County, CA

 

Christine Ramirez,

President, California Council for Adult Education/Los Angeles Metropolitan Section

Los Angeles, CA

 

Sean Abajian

Principal, El Rancho Adult Education Center

Pico Rivera, CA

 

Dr. Carolyn Quetzal

Instructional Technology Teacher Advisor, LAUSD

Diversity, Inclusion, and Educational Equity Advocate

Los Angeles, CA

 

Veronica Montes

Director, School & Family Support Services

Culver City Unified School District

Culver City, CA

 

Dr. Janet Eyring

Emerita Professor of TESOL

California State University, Fullerton

Fullerton, CA

 

Dr. Vanessa Wenzell

Emerita Professor of TESOL

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Dominguez Hills, CA

 

Dr. Cherry Campbell

Academic Director (ret.), American Language Institute

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA

 

Wendy B. Smith, Ph.D.

Professor Emerita, Department of English

California State University, San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA

 

Dr. Ann Snow

Professor of Education/TESOL

Chair, Division of Applied and Advanced Studies in Education
California State University, Los Angeles  

Los Angeles, CA    

 

Jean Wong, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, The College of New Jersey

Dept. of Special Education, Language & Literacy

Ewing, NJ

 

Donna M. Brinton

Lecturer/Academic Coordinator (ret.), Department of Applied Linguistics & TESL

UCLA ESL Service Courses

Los Angeles, CA

 

Sabrina Peck

Professor Emerita, Linguistics/TESL

California State University Northridge 

Northridge, CA

 

Juan Carlos Gallego

Professor of TESOL and Spanish, California State University, Fullerton

Fullerton, CA

 

Paula Rainey

Managing Director, The English School at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church

Lawrenceville, NJ

 

Marina Kravtsova

Alumna of San Mateo Adult School

San Mateo Adult School English Learner Specialist

Advisor to Student Council and Student Ambassadors

Volunteer Coordinator

Former Member of California AB86 Workgroup

San Mateo, CA

 

Shara Watkins

Trustee, School Board

San Mateo-Foster City School District

San Mateo, CA

 

Merari L. Weber, Ed.D.

Associate Professor/ESL Department Chair

Coordinator, ESL & SCE Guided Pathways

School of Continuing Education

Santa Ana College

Santa Ana, CA

 

Osiel “Ozzie” Madrigal, Ed.D.

Workforce Development Coordinator, Associate Professor, & Department Chair

Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education

 

Laura Porfirio 

President, Arizona Association for Lifelong Learning

Tucson, AZ

 

Dr. Meghan R. McBride 

Alumni Advisor to the COABE Board of Directors

Atlanta, GA

 

Ligia Andrade Zúñiga, MPA

School Board Trustee, San Mateo Union High School District

Civil Justice Advocate

San Mateo, CA

 

Stephen Reder, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics

Portland State University

Co-founder, Open Door Collective

Portland, OR

 

San Mateo Adult School Federation of Teachers

CFT Local 4681

San Mateo Adult School

San Mateo, CA

 

Lynnette Garcia, Debra Kattler, Debi Rose, Marilynn Kaplan, Heather Lietch, David Pollack and Sophia Mahoney-Rohri

Team leaders and moderators, Indivisible SF Peninsula CA14

San Francisco, CA

 

Consuelo Lara and Jessica Peregrina, Co-Chairs

West County Concilio Latino

Contra Costa County, CA

 

B.K. Williams

Co-Coordinator, Richmond Progressive Alliance Steering Committee

Richmond, CA

 

Jan M. Frodesen, Ph.D.

Emerita Professor

English for Multilingual Students Program

Department of Linguistics

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA

 

cc:

Vice President Kamala Harris

Dr. Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education

U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (all members)

U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education (all members)

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT 3^rd District)

Senators Reed (D-RI) and Young (R-IN)

Amy Loyd, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (serving as Acting Assistant Secretary)

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Call from Educate and Elevate Campaign for Adult Ed Success Stories (Deadline May 30)

Adult Education National Campaign Tell Your Story - Get Your Organization Recognized   Our Collective Campaign   Our 55,000+ adult education leaders stand united in a national campaign called Educate & Elevate to inform policy makers and our community about how we move learning opportunities forward for all Americans to achieve economic mobility. If we educate, then we elevate--- our students, workers, businesses, and our economic growth.   As part of our campaign, we are asking that adult educators submit success stories, customer testimonials, and innovations that will proudly be displayed on our campaign website which is currently in development. We are looking for both student and employer successes to share.   There are three types of submissions. Click on the links below to complete a brief online form and instructions for submissions. Success Story--- a narrative that shares the challenge(s), solution(s), and outcome(s) of a student or employer. Customer Testimonial--- a first-person quote from a student about how adult education supported their goals and dreams and/or from an employer who had a great experience with an adult education organization and/or an adult learner. Innovation--- a narrative summary of an adult education program, project, or initiative that you believe has been innovative in helping students, employers, and/or your community. The power of these collective stories across the nation will inspire and inform policy makers, business leaders, community leaders and many more! We are requesting submissions for our initial launch by 5/30/17, and we will enter you into a drawing for a free ticket to attend COABE 2018 in Phoenix, AZ on March 25-28, 2018!     Thank you for your participation! If you have questions, please contact us at educateandelevate@coabe.org.

COABE Legislative Update - the Federal Perspective

COABE is the Coalition on Adult Basic Education.  Their April Legislative Update provides a good overview of the situation from the federal perspective.  Reminder:  California Adult Ed is mostly - but not entirely - funded through the state.  Federal funding matters, too, and we should keep a close eye on what is happening on the federal level where Public Education and Adult Education are concerned.

 

 

 

 

Government Relations Report: April

 

This report focuses on budget and appropriations issues.

 

Congress is on recess for another week.

 

The continuing resolution (CR) under which the government is operating expires on April 28. There is a need to determine how the government will be funded for the remainder of the year. There is still a certain lack of clarity about whether there will be a long-term CR to carry funding through to September 30, or an omnibus appropriations bill (or bills) that will make actual funding decisions on an account-by-account basis. In either case, there may need to be a short-term  continuing resolution because work won't be completed by the 28th of the month.

 

Appropriations staff report that they have mostly completed work on the bills and that contentious funding issues and legislative riders will be hashed out at the leadership level.

 

We also understand that the appropriators have rejected the Trump administration's request to cut FY 2017 domestic discretionary funding to fund defense and to accommodate spending for the southwestern wall. The allocation for Labor, HHS, and Education has not been significantly changed, and it is possible that total Education Department funding could remain about the same, but there could be changes in individual funding levels from the House and Senate versions if there is an omnibus bill. 

 

There remains a possibility that the Republican leadership will seek to accommodate at least part of the president's request to fund the wall, defund Planned Parenthood, or attach controversial riders. Democratic leaders in the Senate have threatened to shutdown the government if such funding, or language, is included in the appropriations bill.

 

While Congress has made progress on FY 2017, both House and Senate staff (and both Democrats and Republicans) report that they "are as much in the dark on FY 2018" as everyone else. There are reports that release of the administration's budget will be delayed until June. We do know that the budget caps for FY 2018 are set in law and that the FY 2018 cap is several billion dollars below this year's level. This means that without another bipartisan budget agreement to raise the caps on spending there will be continued downward pressure on non-defense discretionary spending, which is already at historic lows as a percentage of gross domestic product.

 

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "2018 will be the eighth straight year of austerity in NDD [non-defense discretionary] appropriations. The 2018 cap is scheduled to fall by almost $3 billion relative to the prior year's cap reflecting the imposition, for the first time, of full sequestration cuts, because the most recent bipartisan sequestration-relief agreement expires after 2017. Cumulatively, this cut will bring the non-defense cap 16 percent below the comparable 2010 level, after adjusting for inflation."

 

 

A similar budget proposed in FY 2016 ran into difficulty in Congress because it did not cut enough for some and cut far too much for others. There is ample evidence that the cuts proposed by the Trump administration will again face some skepticism in Congress. For example, Hal Rogers, former chair of the House Appropriations Committee issued this statement:

 

"While we have a responsibility to reduce our federal deficit, I am disappointed that many of the reductions and eliminations proposed in the president's skinny budget are draconian, careless, and counterproductive. In particular, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has a long-standing history of bipartisan support in Congress because of its proven ability to help reduce poverty rates and extend basic necessities to communities across the Appalachian region. We will certainly review this budget proposal, but Congress ultimately has the power of the purse. As the full budget picture emerges in the coming weeks, I am optimistic that we can work with the administration to responsibly fund the federal government, including those agencies which serve as vital economic lifelines in rural parts of the country that are still working to overcome substantial challenges."

 

Senator Lindsey Graham specifically referred to proposed cuts in foreign aid, "It's dead on arrival - it's not going to happen. It would be a disaster."

 

According to Reuters, "Moderate Republicans expressed unease with potential cuts to popular domestic programs." Lisa Murkowski, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, attacked plans to cut or eliminate programs that help the poor pay heating bills, provide aid for localities to deal with wastewater, and subsidize air travel in rural areas like her home state of Alaska. "We need to remember that these programs are not the primary drivers of our debt," Murkowski said.

We do have some evidence that members of Congress are increasingly concerned about spending levels for education and workforce programs. We have met with several members of the House and Senate Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations subcommittees and all expressed support for these programs, recognized the need to invest in America's workforce, and emphasized the need for American workers to have the education necessary to compete with workers elsewhere in the world. Several, in particular, cited the need to better educate workers in rural areas. Others referred to the results of PIAAC studies, which show younger workers in the U.S. near the bottom in international comparisons.

 

What You Can Do

 

COABE and the state directors of adult education have launched a joint public awareness campaign called "Educate and Elevate: An Investment in America's Future" that says "America is at a crossroads. We need every person in our nation ready to contribute to America's competitiveness."

 

You can learn more about the campaign and how to participate by going to the COABE web site and following the prompts. Teachers and students can go to HERE to write a letter or make a call to their elected officials to support the campaign.

 

Representative state directors were on Capitol Hill last month to "Educate and Elevate" and explain the importance of adult education to our nation's future.

 

The COABE Hill Day will take place on April 26, where we will meet with Secretary Betsy DeVos and a number of legislators. Almost 50 state-level leaders in adult education will be on the Hill visiting with members of the House and Senate to promote this message that, "Investing in adult education is good for the economy."

 

The House is on recess the week of May 8 and again the week of May 29. The Senate is on recess the week of May 29. These are opportunities to educate members of Congress on the importance of adult education by inviting them and their staffs to visit programs and participate in recognition ceremonies, as well as extending invitations for members to attend and speak at graduations.

COABE's Legislative Center is generously sponsored by ETS® HiSET®.

 

 

 

 

CCAE Alert: Trump Admin Budget Proposal for Adult Ed

First, a reminder:  Most of California's Adult Ed funds come through the state but some comes in from the federal government through WIOA - the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

From CCAE - California Council of Adult Education:

From:      Art Ellison, State Director's S.P.O.C. Network Administrator

 

Alert:      Trump Administration Budget Proposal for Adult Education (FY18)

 

 

The first Trump budget proposal (skinny version) was released this morning.

 

It refers to significant cuts in job training programs in the Department of Labor portion of the proposal. Adult Education is not mentioned in the brief description of Department of Education programs however the Department would receive a -13.5% overall decrease. In the absence of more specific information which will not be forthcoming until mid-May WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ANTICIPATED CUT OF -13.5% FOR ADULT EDUCATION if this proposal is approved by Congress..

 

It will be extremely important that hundreds of thousands of contacts from the adult education field let members of Congress know that there should be no cuts to adult education funding in the FY18 federal budget.

 

We should have more specifics on our path forward with this effort by early next week.

 

Thank you all for what you have done in the past and what you will do in the future for our students and programs.

COABE's Open Letter to President Trump

From COABE - Commission on Adult Basic Education

January 20, 2017

White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump:

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) congratulates you on your inauguration as our nation’s forty fifth president! As a national organization with more than 20,000 members who are committed to strengthening Adult Education we look forward to working with your administration to create the opportunities that will put Americans back to work! 

 We believe this goal is consistent with the vision you articulated during your  campaign: “Ensure that the opportunity to attend a two or four-year college, or to  pursue a trade or a skill set through vocational and technical education, will be  easier to access, pay for, and finish.” 

 Adult Education is a federal-state partnership as well as a public-private  partnership. By way of example, Indiana Adult Education programs (WorkIndiana)  provide math, reading, and  writing instruction free of charge to help students  acquire the skills they need to earn a high school equivalency diploma, go to college,  or enroll in an entry-level occupational certification program. 

 Indiana invests about $25 million in state funds to augment almost $10 million in  federal funds to offer more than 30 certifications in Advanced Manufacturing,  Health Care, Information Technology, and Hospitality, among others.

But the goal of a good job at a good wage remains unachievable for the more than 36 million Americans who can’t read or write at the most basic level as well as the more than 60 million who lack the basic math skills necessary to operate a cash register or understand a bus schedule. 

We need a robust array of skill-building programs that can help all of these potential workers train for the jobs that you intend to bring back to the United States which will help them support their families and pursue their personal dreams. We want to work with you to win the global skills race by investing comprehensively in the nation’s workforce.

  Inspiring educators so adults succeed and communities thrive.

PO Box 620, Syracuse, NY 13206 • www.COABE.org • 888-442-6223
Adult Education is a path from low-income and dead-end jobs to a productive future. Adults without a high school diploma or functioning below a high school level cannot qualify for either community college programs or high demand occupations. High schools alone cannot provide business and industry the workers they need.

Most of America’s future workers are already in the workforce. They are beyond the reach of the high schools and postsecondary education. Adult education is the best way to re-engage them. By neglecting the adult population in need of education, we also harm the prospects of the next generation—57 percent of children whose parents don’t have a college education live in low-income families, and are less likely themselves to get a good education qualify for family-sustaining jobs. A robust Adult Education system is essential if we are to achieve our nation’s economic goals. It will be impossible to create a workforce skilled enough to compete in the global 21st Century economy if we focus only on secondary schools and postsecondary institutions. Adult education must be supported.  Significant underinvestment in Adult Education and workforce skills development is eroding America’s global competitiveness. Other nations are fast outstripping America in boosting the educational levels of their young and working age adults. They are showing consistent decade-to-decade progress in enhancing the education levels of their adult populations, while the U.S. is losing ground. According to The Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) conducted under the auspices of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and published in 2013, “the U.S. average on the literacy and numeracy scales is mediocre at best.” 
Investing in Adult Education makes sense.  According to “The Return on Investment from Adult Education and Training, “Adult education also improves and expands the nation’s available pool of human capital by helping motivated but undereducated people achieve gainful employment in today’s increasingly high-tech and global job market, and at a far lower cost per learner when compared to either K12 or higher education. As a result, adult education and career training is potentially one of the most cost-effective tools the nation has …”
Because low literacy correlates to inequality, higher unemployment, lower incomes, crime, poor health and increased hospitalizations, properly funding the adult education system would yield substantial fiscal and social benefits, adding to GDP growth, personal incomes, increased revenues, and savings on incarceration and health care. 
  Inspiring educators so adults succeed and communities thrive.

PO Box 620, Syracuse, NY 13206 • www.COABE.org • 888-442-6223
According to the National Center on Education and the Economy, “It is still the case, and is likely to continue to be the case, unless something changes, that American workers, once the best-educated in the world, are now among the least welleducated in the industrialized world.”  As you have reminded us, we live in an increasingly competitive world; one in which we cannot afford to waste the talents of even a single worker and while the freemarket works, it is not perfect.  We must invest adequately in our Adult Education system to remain economically competitive.
Sincerely,

Tom Nash COABE President

COABE Report from Washington - February 9, 2017

COABE is the Coalition on Adult Basic Education.

Here is their 2/9/17 Report from DC:

Government Relations Report:  February

Washington is trying to acclimate to the Trump Administration. The president is acting through a spate of executive orders. The Senate is slowly making its way through confirmation hearings and discussing how to consider the president's nominee for the Supreme Court. The foreign policy establishment is trying to weigh the impact of the president's remarks on our relationships with Mexico, Australia, and Israel, among other countries. Information about the budget and other administration policies has not been revealed. Like so much else with the new administration, including its views on education policy, details will be forthcoming. However, it is definitely not business as usual in the nation's capital!

Secretaries of Education and Labor Confirmation Hearings

Secretary of Education designate Betsy DeVos had her confirmation hearing on January 11. The consensus is that she did not distinguish herself. On February 7, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote and DeVos was confirmed by a vote of 51-50.  

The new Secretary responded in writing to two questions about her views on adult education:

15. Do you have any experience working with adult learners or adult basic education programs? If so, please describe this experience, what it has taught you, and how you will use that experience in your oversight of these programs.

ANSWER: Too many Americans are suffering in the current economy. President

Trump made improving the employment opportunities of these Americans a cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration will work to improve the prospects of those forgotten individuals. Reforms enacted in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, which was reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, were meant to help states and communities improve services for adult learners to better provide them the education and skills they need to obtain employment and increase self-sufficiency. If confirmed, I will work through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education to implement these reforms to improve outcomes for adult learners. Combined with other efforts across the government, we have an opportunity to restore the American Dream for all Americans. I have had personal experience mentoring students in our local public school system. I became very well acquainted with one student's mother, and encouraged her to pursue her GED. Her experience made me realize how difficult the system made this for a single working mother. Many courses were only available during routine business hours, creating an additional hardship for her and her family. The lack of flexibility and adaptability in the system itself is all too often a barrier to success for nontraditional students.

56. As you well know, while some adults enrolled in adult education are still seeking their high school diploma or equivalent, a surprising number of American adults with a high school diploma still struggle with basic skills. Twenty percent (20%) of adults with a high school diploma have less-than-basic literacy skills and thirty-five percent (35%) of adults with a high school degree have less-than-basic numeracy skills. According to a recent study, conducted by OECD's Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), at least three million low-skilled American adults would like to enroll in adult education services, but cannot access a program. Without access, undereducated, underprepared adults cannot qualify for jobs with family sustaining incomes that require not only a high school equivalency, but also some college, preferably a one- or two-year certificate. Adults without a high school diploma or functioning below high school level have a difficult time qualifying for community college programs or access high demand occupations. If confirmed, how do you envision the department and the administration incorporating adult education into its competitiveness agenda?

ANSWER: In raising the issue of "undereducated, underprepared adults" you make a case for the need to improve education. When schools fail our students, there are long term consequences, both for individuals who are deprived of the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and our nation which is dependent on the innovative, creative, and economic contributions of it citizens. It is why we need to do more to provide parents with high quality educational options. Sadly, too many Americans are suffering from a lack of skills. President Trump made improving the employment opportunities of these Americans a cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration will work to improve the prospects of those left behind in this economy. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education and other relevant agencies to improve outcomes for adult learners. Combined with other efforts across the government, we have an opportunity to restore the American Dream for all Americans.

(The Committee has not yet posted a hearing date for Secretary of Labor designate Andrew Puzder.)

Funding

We are awaiting more details on funding proposals. The normal process is for the president to present his budget the second week of February.

However, as you may recall, Congress passed and the president signed a continuing resolution for FY 2017 that is in effect until April 28. According to staff, by the beginning of March, Congress will have to decide how it wants to close the books on 2017 as it works on funding for FY 2018. Thus far, the focus has been on health-related entitlements. Staff expects the administration to send Capitol Hill a budget document that provides some guidance about how it intends to proceed.

There has been a great deal of attention paid to the Heritage Foundation publication Blueprint for Balance: A Federal Budget for 2017 because of press reports that it forms the basis for the budget the administration will release at the end of this month. To summarize, the rumored Trump budget would include about $10 trillion or more in savings. The vast majority of these cuts would be in the non-defense portion of the budget, and according to the Blueprint would include the elimination of all job-training programs administered by the Department of Labor, because according to Heritage, "The Department of Labor has a history of operating ineffective job-training programs. The evidence from every multi-site experimental evaluation of federal job-training programs published since 1990 strongly indicates that these programs are ineffective. Based on these scientifically rigorous evaluations using the 'gold standard' of random assignment, these studies consistently find failure. Federal job-training programs targeting youth and young adults have been found to be extraordinarily ineffective."

A few points to keep in mind:

1. Even if these proposals are ultimately put forth as part of the president's budget, Congress will ultimately have to act on them.

2. Ultimate decision-making authority remains with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. That is why we are focusing our Hill Days on the appropriators, starting with the members of the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittees (See Senate Membership below).

3. The state directors and COABE are working together to expand our reach to "grass roots and grass tops" so that, if necessary, we can launch a campaign capable of generating thousands of messages to Congress.

4. The January webinar we cosponsored had 1000 listeners and 1500 sign-ups. The webinar is available for viewing on the COABE website.  http://www.coabe.org/webinar-resources

5. We are preparing materials for Hill Day and the campaign that focus on a pro business, pro growth message.

6.  The state directors' Hill Days are scheduled for March 21 & 22 and will focus on states with members on the Appropriations Committees (see the list below).

7. COABE's Hill Day is planned for April 26 and will focus on bringing in state association leaders to advocate with members of the Appropriations Committees as well as legislators in all 50 states. More details will be forthcoming shortly!  

Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee

Roy Blunt (R-MO), chairman

Thad Cochran (R-MS)

Richard Shelby (R-AL)

Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Jerry Moran (R-KS)

Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)

James Lankford (R-OK)

John Kennedy (R-LA)

Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member

Richard Durbin (D-IL)

Jack Reed (D-RI)

Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Brian Schatz (D-HI)

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Chris Murphy (D-CT)

Joe Manchin (D-WV)

The House has not yet completed its assignments.

REQUEST:  Now more than ever, it is important to keep your member of Congress apprised of the need, success, and impact of your program. Many decisions are going to be made in the coming months and we would prefer them to be informed decisions.

Here are some things you can do:

1. From your home phone, call the offices of your Congressperson and Senators, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask for the name and contact information of the staff person who is responsible for education issues.

2. Email that person from your home with information about the need (how many undereducated adults are in the district or state and how many you are able to serve, pointing out the gap), the success you are having with those you can reach, examples of the impact you are having on constituents' lives, and invite the member or staff to come visit your program.

If we do not speak up for our students and ourselves, no one will.

Note:

Less than a week later, on January 26th, COABE and NAEPDC co-hosted an advocacy webinar, generously sponsored by ETS HiSET, to provide our field with tools and resources for raising awareness and visibility, along with new advocacy skills for use during this new administration. More than 1,500 members registered for the webinar, which received a rating of 4.8 out 5 stars. To view the webinar and resources, click HERE. Contact advocacy@coabe.org to add your name to our contact network. #adultedtrump #adultedunited 

COABE's Legislative Center is generously sponsored by ETS HiSET.

              

 

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