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“ Literacy
is the foundation of opportunity and the cornerstone of
success."
Maryland Adult Education Appropriation
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FY02
appropriation of 1.25 million is less than FY90 funding.
-
Maryland
ranks 48th among the states in funds appropriated for adult
education.
-
Funding
is not linked to the need.
-
Funding
is insufficient to have the desired outcome.
-
Current
funding supports only 3.7% of the need.
-
Current
Maryland appropriation accounts for only 8% of all funds available
for adult education.
Demonstrated
Need
- 20%
of Maryland residents function at the lowest literacy rate.
- 959,000
Maryland residents need basic skills instruction, GED classes
or
need to learn to speak English.
- 632,000
of those without a high school diploma are unemployed.
- High
school graduates earn approximately $7,000 a year more than
non-graduates.
- A
1998 survey by the American Management Association revealed
that 36% of
job applicants lacked the reading and math skills needed to do the job
they
sought.
- A
connection exists between reading difficulty, poverty, crime,
unemployment, child and substance abuse, teen pregnancy, homelessness,
and school drop-out rates.
- The
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has stated that
Maryland
ranks 9th highest in immigration.
- The
foreign born population in Maryland grew by 39% between 1995
and 1999.
- Current
funding restricts the External Diploma Program to only 15
jurisdictions.
- Student
costs for GED classes and testing is higher than the weekly
wages
earned by those students.
- Currently,
funding restricts adult education services to less than 4%
of
those in need.
- 30%
of adults served in FY 01 were unemployed.
- 70%
of adults being served identified themselves as racial minorities.
- 38%
served in FY 01 were in the 16-24 year age group.
Parents
and Children
- Parents
are the first teachers of children.
- Literacy
levels of children are strongly linked to their parents’
education.
- Children
of parents who are unemployed and have not completed high school
are five times more likely to drop out of high school.
- Adults
in Maryland adult education programs.in FY 00 had 23,639 school
age
children.
Required
Investment for Adult Education
- Expand
the External Diploma Program to all 24.jurisdictions.
- Subsidize
the cost of GED instruction and testing so residents living
in
poverty can attend.
- Increase
the number of adult education classes and instructional hours.
- Double
the enrollment in adult education programs.
Desired
Outcomes
- Increase
the pool of literate workers in the state of Maryland.
- Help
more foreign-born residents improve English skills.
- Improve
the skills of parents so they can help their children succeed
in
school.
- Increase
the literacy level of adults in Maryland
- Increase
the number of adults with a high school .diploma.
- Provide
the business community with a better skilled workforce.
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