Adult Literacy

Adult Education in the President’s Proposed FY 2014 Budget

/ The Old Crank

Just had time to take a quick look. More detail (lots more detail, in fact) here.

The short version: The Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grant program under Title II of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was level funded once again at $594 million (including the usual $74.7 million set-aside for English Literacy/Civics Education. However, the President does propose a $3 million increase for Adult Education National Leadership Activities. This proposed increase would be used to “support the expansion of the Department’s reentry education model demonstration initiative” and “help develop evidence of effectiveness in a variety of institutional contexts and build on the Department’s recent Promoting Reentry Success through Continuity of Educational Opportunities competition.”

Of course, there are other federal programs of interest to adult education programs. The only one I’ve had a chance to look at so far is the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The President’s budget requests $1.061 billion for the CNCS and its programs, an increase of $12.2 million over the 2012 funding level.

Scrambling for Dollars

/ The Old Crank

Somewhat unusual state funding scheme, I think, for adult literacy in New Mexico, assuming this story was reported accurately. I think what is going on here is that the state has decided it wants state adult literacy funds that are not part of their 25%  match under Title II of WIA to be reserved for programs not receiving Title II funding.

It’s very challenging, I think, for coalitions to serve as conduits for state funding and still serve as a broad-based coalition for the field. Even when it works well, the dynamic between coalition members and the leaders of the coalition is different when coalition members rely on the coalition for funding. And of course, program directors that don’t get your funding won’t be happy, and when funding gets tight, disputes like this seem sort of inevitable.

I’m be interested in hearing about other coalition organizations that serve as state funding intermediaries.

President Releases His FY 2014 Budget Today

/ The Old Crank

The President releases his budget today, at 10am. Those of you who are familiar with the federal budget and appropriations process know that the President is extremely late in submitting a budget this year. He is supposed to release it the first Monday in February.

But as those of you who follow budget and appropriations also know, nothing about the process has worked the way its supposed to for several years now.

The U.S. Department of Education will hold a briefing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Request Wednesday, April 10, starting at 1:30pm in the Department Auditorium (400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC, 20202). If you are not in D.C., they will be live streaming the briefing. Just go to http://edstream.ed.gov/webcast/Viewer/?peid=b3c44e2a90df4d978e44a729b10ef0541d.

For adult education advocates, don’t expect anyone to say much on adult education specifically, but the President will propose a number of initiatives related to job training, including revisiting the structure of the federal job training system, including the creation of a “Universal Displaced Worker program;” a renewed call for a Workforce Innovation Fund to test new State and regional ideas on training and employment services; and an  $8 billion for a Community College to Career Fund to support State and community college partnerships with businesses and other stakeholders.

Thanks

/ The Old Crank

Last Friday I had the pleasure of co-presenting—along with Art Ellison, the state director of adult education in New Hampshire—a workshop on federal adult education policy for the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education‘s annual NETWORK conference. Thanks to everyone who participated, and for the great questions. Sorry I didn’t have more encouraging news!

I will post my presentation here on this site later this week.