[AAACE-NLA] Presidential Candidate Responses: George W. Bush

[David Rosen]

[Re-posted for those who were not able to open the message originally 
sent by Jackie Taylor]

AAACE-NLA Colleagues,

We have received responses to the Literacy President campaign questions 
from U.S. Presidential candidate, George W. Bush.  You will find the 
questions we asked and his responses below. These will also be posted 
on the Literacy President Web site at  http://litpresident.org/

On behalf of the Literacy President Group,

Jackie Taylor
David J. Rosen
David Collings

1. Access to Quality Programs

What should be the commitment of the federal government, if any, to 
ensure that all adults in the United States have guaranteed access to 
quality adult education and literacy programs to improve their academic 
skills, regardless of income, location, age, and national origin?

I believe that we must do more to assist adults in becoming literate 
and obtaining the skills needed for employment and self-sufficiency.  
My Administration has supported a comprehensive agenda to accomplish 
this goal.  These programs are part of an overall system of adult and 
worker training that ensures America has the best trained workforce in 
the world.  The Adult Education State Grant program is an important 
program in this effort, as demonstrated by the $34 million increase in 
funding since 2001.  

2. Full Funding

What will you do to ensure full funding for adult education and 
literacy programs?

I am committed to providing increased support for our education and job 
training programs. My 2005 budget includes$590 million for Adult Basic 
and Literacy Education, including State formula grants, National 
Leadership Activities, and the National Institute for Literacy.

My budget requests $6.7 million for the National Institute for 
Literacy, with the expectation that new authorization legislation would 
continue support for its communication and capacity-building 
activities.  In addition, the budget provides $9.2 million to continue 
high-priority research, demonstration, and evaluation initiatives 
funded under National Leadership Activities.

3. Training/re-training for the New Economy

Many U.S. workers function at low literacy levels. Some of these voters 
watch their jobs being "outsourced" to foreign countries, but are not 
being given adequate access to the training and education that will 
allow them to function in the new "global, knowledge-based economy."  
How would your administration re-focus priorities to address the 
disappearance of the American dream for the 90 million US citizens 
functioning at the two lowest literacy levels who cannot compete 
without additional education?

My budget provides a record $23 billion for job training and employment 
assistance ñ a 12 percent increase over 2001 levels. I have proposed 
reforming our job training programs to double the number of workers 
trained under them by giving governors the flexibility they need to 
meet their workforce and adult education needs. I will consolidate the 
Workforce Investment Actís four major training programs into a single, 
flexible grant to states. By limiting the overhead expenses, we can 
ensure more funds are spent training workers rather than growing a 
bureaucracy. I will also encourage the use of Innovation Training 
Accounts which give workers more control over how and where their 
training dollars are spent, including the flexibility to use the funds 
for adult education classes. In addition, my Jobs for the 21st Century 
initiative includes $250 million to help community colleges train 
workers in high-growth fields.

Finally, I am proposing a $50 million Personal Reemployment Account 
pilot program. These accounts provide workers with additional 
flexibility in selecting the services needed to help them return to 
work. Eligible unemployed workers can receive $3,000 to be used for 
whatever training and services they believe will help them get back to 
work, such as child care, adult education classes, or 
transportation. As an incentive, recipients can keep the balance of the 
account as a cash bonus if they find a job within 13 weeks. 

4.  Intergenerational Literacy

Children need education.  Those who do not get education now will 
become adults who need literacy skills.  If you teach adults, they will 
help their kids.  What are you willing to do to improve adult literacy 
programs?  

We must increase the focus of adult literacy programs on strengthening 
skills in basic reading, math, and English acquisition for adults who 
have weak literacy skills or want to earn their high school diploma or 
a GED. As a result, I have proposed a blueprint for key areas of change 
in current legislation including:

+	Requiring States to establish more effective and accountable programs 
that set challenging expectations for students, use meaningful 
assessments, and align instruction to meet those expectations;
+	Improving the performance accountability system;
+	Enhancing the emphasis on research to build a stronger foundation of 
knowledge for improving adult education; and
+	Strengthening partnerships with the One-Stop delivery system under 
Title I of Workforce Investment Act.

I will also continue to promote literacy programs through Head Start, 
Early Reading First, and Title I. I will develop a comprehensive 
web-based literacy tool for adults, which would be made available in 
public libraries, community colleges, and at social service offices, 
including Head Start Centers and One-Stop job centers. This literacy 
tool will increase adult literacy across the United States.

This summer we began a program to train Head Start parents. The Head 
Start Parent-Mentor Training Program is helping parents enhance their 
childrenís language and literacy skills and helping them learn how to 
mentor other parents to do the same with their children.  This stresses 
the importance of supporting parents and families in rearing their 
children and reflects the Administrationís commitment to helping 
parents enhance their childrenís growth and development. Over 1,200 
parents participated in the training, which they considered helpful and 
were excited to share with other parents.  Head Startís goal is to 
train 3,000 volunteer parents, who will in turn train thousands 
more. Training for Hispanic/Latino parents was conducted in Spanish, 
and Spanish-speaking parents reported that they learned a lot and were 
honored to have received their instruction in Spanish.

5.  National Adult Literacy Initiative to Address Issues of the Working 
Poor

Since it is the goal of this nation to create "new" jobs, employ the 
"working poor" in "better" jobs as an ongoing goal of the Personal 
Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 
(Welfare Reform) and to help colleges and universities manage their 
growing adult student population seeking new skills, what steps would 
you propose as a national adult literacy initiative to help address 
these issues?  

Welfare reform has been an unquestioned success.  Millions of Americans 
have moved from welfare to work. In fact, welfare rolls are at their 
lowest levels in 34 years. Now Congress must reauthorize compassionate 
welfare reform, so that even more men and women can know the pride of 
independence, self-reliance, and strengthened families.  Education and 
job-skills training are vital tools to help people get back on their 
feet. That is why I have proposed significant reforms to the major 
Federal worker training programs to double the number of workers 
receiving job training, ensure those programs work better for Americaís 
workers, and close the skills gap so every high-growth job is filled 
with a well-trained American worker.  Welfare assistance must be a step 
up to a better life, not a way of life in itself. By encouraging work, 
we will help more Americans provide for themselves and their families 
and give them an opportunity to succeed in every facet of their 
lives. I look forward to strengthening our successful welfare reform 
law and enhancing our job skills and training programs consistent with 
these principles.  

In addition, the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education 
adds the following two questions. We would be pleased to publish your 
answers to these, as well.

6.  Health Literacy

What should be the commitment of the federal government, if any, to 
ensure that all adults in the United Stateshave the capacity to obtain, 
process, and understand basic health information and services needed to 
make appropriate health care decisions?    

Limited health literacy is a serious problem involving poor reading 
skills and difficulty with numbers, which can translate into difficulty 
understanding dosages, taking prescriptions, reading food labels, and 
filling out informed consent forms. I am committed to preparing all 
children to read and succeed and giving adults the basic education 
necessary for every aspect of society, including the workplace and the 
doctorís office. Achieving health literacy also includes doctors and 
health care providers presenting information in a simple, user-friendly 
way. Last year, the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 
the American Medical Association, and the American Hospital Association 
launched a campaign to help educate physicians and patients about the 
importance of effective communication. My initiative on health 
information technology will also help by automating many bureaucratic 
and administrative tasks in doctors' offices so that doctors have more 
time to spend with patients and ensure that patients understand the 
complex health issues facing them. 

7. English for Speakers of Other Languages

What should be the commitment of the federal government, if any, to 
ensure that immigrants have opportunities to learn the English language 
and civic participation roles so they are able to realize the 
opportunities and fulfill the responsibilities of living in this 
country?     

The Institute for Education Science, in the Department of Education, is 
conducting research on the most effective instructional techniques for 
children and adults learning English as a second language. I will also 
develop a comprehensive web-based literacy tool for adults, which would 
be made available in public libraries, community colleges, and at 
social service offices, including Head Start Centers and One-Stop job 
centers. This literacy tool will increase adult literacy across the 
United States.