Tuesday, February 22, 2011

President Obama Likes Adult Schools

President Obama understands the importance of adult education and adult schools.

On February 14th, he announced a new budget. Here is what he wants for adult education:

(Note: All this information in italics is from the OTAN website. I put the parts that are very important for students at our school in bold. I also added some notes.)

The Obama administration is requesting $635.0 million for Adult Education State Grants, $23.3 million for Adult Education National Leadership Activities, and $17.2 million for Workforce and Community Transition Training for Incarcerated Individuals State Grants. The request for Adult Education State Grants is $6.8 million over the 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR) level. It makes $75million of the state grant amount available for integrated English literacy and civics education services to immigrants and other limited English proficient populations.

Note from Teacher Cynthia: "literacy" means reading and writing. Some people are literate in their first language but not in English. Some people never went to school anywhere and are not literate in their first language or English. "Civics education" is what we call EL Civics here at our school. It means learning about how our community, US government, schools, and citizenship.

It includes an 8 percent set-aside, equivalent to $50.8 million, for a new Workforce Innovation Fund, administered with the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and in partnership with the Department of Labor. The fund will provide grants for projects that encourage innovation and validate effective strategies that improve service delivery and outcomes for beneficiaries under the Workforce Education Act (WIA). The request for Adult Education National Leadership Activities is $12.0 million over the 2011 CR level.

Note from Teacher Cynthia: That means more money for programs that help adults get new and beter jobs, especially jobs that help build a better future for all of us. "Innovation" means making and doing new things. Silicon Valley has a lot of innovation. Innovative people come up with new things and new ways of doing things.

Of the $12.0 million increase, $6.0 million would support a new impact evaluation of "college bridge programs" that assist adult learners in transitioning from adult basic education to postsecondary education and training. The remaining $6.0 million would support the development of a comprehensive technology infrastructure for adult learners and adult educators. The balance would provide continued support to the adult education and literacy field.

Note from Teacher Cynthia: "college bridge programs" means programs that help adults move from adult schools to colleges and training programs.

This budget must be approved by Congress. The President cannot decide everything by himself. In US government, Congress - which represents all of us - is very important. Congress has a lot of power.

If you like this budget and think these things are important, you can contact your Congress person to tell them. You can find out your local representatives here:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Enter your zip code, click on your legislator and it will link to the members home page with email contact information.

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