[NLA] Discussion: AELS and Higher Ed

[Jon Randall]

In the dialogue between Nancy, Dixie, Eileen, and others re: which agency
should administer adult education, I was moved to contribute when I read
these sentences from Nancy on Saturday:

"But I ask that you remember that the whole idea is that whatever
distribution system used meets the needs of *the majority* of folks in need
of federal funds. Not all states are as fortunate as yours, Eileen, where
the 'universal answer' fits every single one of your literacy programs -- no
matter *where* they are hosted - CBO, library, ESL, ABE etc."

This is at the heart of the dilemma faced by policy-makers, practitioners
and adult learners. It is very, very difficult to craft a single national
distribution/accountability system appropriate for all adult learners and
literacy programs, given the wide variation of circumstances that each group
must deal with. There is a dichotomy between a manageable set of data AND
the ability to take into account such variation.

In meeting the needs of the majority - be they adult learners or programs,
nationally or within a state - the needs of the minority are often given
short shrift. An enormous investment of resources is needed to fully address
everyone's needs. The challenge we all face is how to do the best job we can
for both the majority and the minority given our limited resources. Some
policy-makers and practitioners rise to this challenge, some find it
difficult to do, and others are oblivious to it. Our job is to help those in
the latter two camps move into the first camp as we make policy
recommendations for reauthorization of the Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act in the coming months.

To that end, in early January the National Coalition for Literacy will have
completed work the revision of its Omnibus Literacy Legislation Concept
Paper. At that time, we'll make it available for your review and comment.
We'll also ask our friends in the House and Senate to craft a bill from it
that our field can use to educate policy-makers as they begin considering
reauthorization issues.



Jon Randall
Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

NCL policy efforts are supported in part by funding from ProLiteracy
Worldwide

FedStrategics, LLC
strategic advocacy & public affairs consulting
to charitable organizations
www.FedStrategics.com

8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: (301) 588-5304   Fax: (301) 588-5353
jrandall at FedStrategics.com



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