[AAACE-NLA] No National AELS Research Center?

[Eunice Askov]

Bob, thanks for calling attention to the fact that adult education 
research is certainly not a priority for the current federal 
government!  The National Coalition for Literacy has created a 
research concept paper with cover letter that makes the case for 
research funding @ $5M/year for AELS (available at 
<www.national-coalition-literacy.org/index.html> as a pdf).  The NCL 
has sent it to the IES Board members plus key legislators.  As you 
suggest, the field needs to rally to continue funding for research to 
provide guidance for the adult education field.  Nickie

>I agree with Peter that this action is about "priorities."  Our National
>Center for the Study of Adult Literacy and Learning (NCSALL) isn't being
>dismantled because of broader economic and socio-political reasons (although
>many important resources are), it's being disappeared because adult literacy
>/ adult basic education is just NOT a priority of the current U.S.DOE
>leadership.  If anything, it appears clear to many of us that those at the
>top at ED would just as soon give all of ABE/WIA Title II away and, in fact,
>our sources tell us they have already tried. 
>
>I find it untenable that so much of what we do to serve under-educated and
>limited English proficient adults well -- and all that we're doing to do
>this job better -- is dismissed by some policy leaders because the
>foundation of peer reviewed research is so sparse and then these same policy
>leaders pull away the institution Congress created specifically to resolve
>this situation.  The solution to this is certainly political -- if we can
>light a fire under some of our Congressman that their will is being thwarted
>and that many of their constituents will (continue to) pay a price for such
>willful neglect of their needs, USDOE/IES could be forced into doing the
>right thing.  Make no mistake, the current course of "integrating adult ed
>into all the research centers" is not only wrong headed, its a setback for
>our field and our current and future students.
>
>There are many places we need to make some noise -- the budget in particular
>-- but it doesn't cost a lot to make a few extra calls and an extra visit to
>our reps and their staffers.
>
>venceremos,
>bob bickerton, MA director of adult ed and NAEPDC/NCSDAE chair
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter MacMonagle
>[mailto:aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org]On Behalf Of Peter
>MacMonagle
>Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 5:04 PM
>To: National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by AAACE
>Subject: RE: [AAACE-NLA] No National AELS Research Center?
>
>
>I'd say write your elected representatives.  Looks like its not a priority
>at the Federal level.
>
>Wm. Peter MacMonagle, M.Ed.
>Central Piedmont Community College
>West Campus 2219
>Community Development/Workplace Basic Skills
>704-330-4668
>
>Murphy's Law of Possibility: All things are possible
>except skiing through a revolving door.
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org on behalf of tsticht at znet.com
>Sent: Tue 3/21/2006 2:32 PM
>To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org
>Subject: [AAACE-NLA] No National AELS Research Center?
>
>Aaace-NLA Colleagues: A while back a posting said that the Institute of
>Education Sciences of the U. S. Department of Education would no longer
>support a national center for research on adult education and literacy that
>could inform the AELS. I noticed that a Federal Register announcement for
>May 2006 listed competitions for new research centers and there was no
>center for the AELS. Does this mean that the National Center for Adult
>Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) will not be renewed? If so, then will the
>NCSALL move in the direction of the earlier National Center on Adult
>Literacy (NCAL) and remain as an AELS-related research center but with
>different funding sources? Why has the federal government decided to not
>fund a national center for research on adult education and literacy? Any
>ideas out there? Tom Sticht
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