Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f7PCqof11836; Sat, 25 Aug 2001 08:52:50 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2001 08:52:50 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <NDBBIIAMELHODBHLMPKIMEEKDAAA.nsledd@famlit.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Nancy Sledd" <nsledd@famlit.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:204] Policy Update from NIFL X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 8360 Lines: 148 Cross-posted from the NLA list on behalf Of Gullion, Christy Congress Back to Work in September - Education Policy and Funding Top the Agenda Members of the House and Senate will return to work September 4th after a month-long summer break. Several major pieces of legislation need attention before the scheduled adjournment in early October, including reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and funding for federal education programs such as adult and family literacy programs. Many analysts are already predicting that Congress will not finish their work in time to meet their proposed adjournment date and that the session may extend into November. Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Most of the ESEA bill (H.R. 1) focuses on improving the education of school-aged children. The bill includes President Bush's Reading First and Early Reading First initiatives, which aim to improve literacy skills for children in preschool through third grade. Since raising the level of adult and parent education has a beneficial effect upon the educational attainment of children, certain provisions included in this bill offer opportunities for adults. If approved, the legislation would provide opportunities for adults to learn alongside their children, attend classes in the same buildings as their children, access the latest technology, and study and learn through distance learning where there are no local opportunities to enroll in traditional classrooms. Earlier this summer, the House and Senate each approved versions of this bill. Members are currently negotiating the final outcome of this legislation, which is likely to be their first priority when they return to work after Labor Day. There are several differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill that have some bearing on the literacy field. * Reading First/Early Reading First - This initiative will replace the Reading Excellence Act, which was enacted in 1998. Reading First/Early Reading First will provide grants to states and local education agencies to implement comprehensive reading instruction grounded in scientifically-based research for children in preschool through third grade. Much like the original Reading Excellence Act, the Senate version of the bill will allow funds to be used for family literacy purposes. The House version, however, will allow funds to be used for family literacy purposes as an optional use rather than required. Many providers believe that family literacy should not be relegated to optional status given its potential for helping schools achieve the improvements called for by the President and the ESEA legislation. * Community Technology Centers (CTC) - The CTC program provides grants to help low-income children and adults gain access to computers and to learn vital computer literacy skills. Funding is designed to reach depressed urban and rural areas where the digital divide is greatest. The Senate version of the legislation allows CTC funds to be used to provide adult education and family literacy services, GED preparation, English as a second language instruction, adult basic education, introduction to computers, intergenerational activities, and lifelong learning opportunities. No separate provision for this program exists in the House version of the bill. For more information on the CTC Program, visit the U.S. Department of Education web site at <http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/CTC/>. * 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) - The 21st CCLC Program is a key component of national efforts to keep children safe during after-school hours by providing opportunities for academic and recreational enrichment. From the very beginning of this program, adults have participated in lifelong learning opportunities alongside of children engaged in after-school activities. The House version of the ESEA legislation limits CCLC activities to those involving elementary and secondary students. The Senate version provides opportunities for lifelong learning and literacy for families of enrolled students. For more information on the 21st CCLC Program, visit the U.S. Department of Education web site at <http://www.ed.gov/21stcclc/>. * Star Schools - The purpose of the Star Schools Program is to encourage improved instruction in mathematics, science, foreign languages, and other areas such as literacy skills and vocational education, and to serve underserved populations, including the disadvantaged, those with low literacy skills or English language learners, and individuals with disabilities through the use of technology. The Star Schools Program has helped telecommunications partnerships develop distance learning materials for out-of-school youth and adults. The Senate version of the bill reauthorizes the Star Schools Program in its current structure, while the House version consolidates this program into a single technology block grant. For more information on the Star Schools Program, visit the U.S. Department of Education web site at <http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/StarSchools/>. * Part C, Technology - There are a number of provisions within the technology portion of the Senate's ESEA bill that would provide funding opportunities for the adult and family literacy field, including professional development opportunities for adult education providers and opportunities for adult learners to access computers. While the Senate version of the bill provides such opportunities for adult and family literacy programs to participate in federal education technology initiatives, the House version does not. If approved, these key provisions within the ESEA bill will enhance opportunities for adults to improve their literacy skills, which can help to reduce unemployment and welfare dependency and improve the ability of parents to actively participate in the education of their children. For more information on the ESEA legislation, visit the House Committee on Education and the Workforce at <http://edworkforce.house.gov/>, or the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions at <http://www.senate.gov/~labor/>. EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS When Members return to work after Labor Day, they will have less than a month to pass eight federal spending bills, and debate and iron out the differences between House and Senate versions, before the new Fiscal Year (FY) begins on October 1. As expected, Congress is leaving the two largest and most contentious of these spending bills - Defense and Labor-HHS-Education - for the final act of the appropriations process. In April, President Bush proposed his FY 2002 education budget, but did not propose any increases for adult and family literacy programs. To learn more about the President's education budget proposal, see the April 19, 2001 Policy Update at <http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/policy/updates/01-04-19.html>. With the recent tax cut and the ever-shrinking federal surplus, Congress may be forced to look for additional ways to trim the federal budget. Appropriators will have to find the resources to fund the additional education spending both the President and Congress will agree on in the ESEA legislation. The National Coalition for Literacy, an umbrella organization for the advancement of literacy in the United States, is currently working with Members of Congress to ensure adequate funding for literacy programs. To learn more about the National Coalition for Literacy, visit their web site at <http://www.natcoalitionliteracy.org/>. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NIFL Do you want to continue receiving the NIFL Policy Updates? NIFL is in the process of updating its databases, including the Policy Update mailing list. In August, we sent e-mails and letters to our entire mailing list, asking members to update and/or verify their information. If you wish to continue receiving Policy Updates and other NIFL mailings, you must respond to this request. If you did not receive notification from us, please contact LeAnna Marr at (202) 233-2036 or lmarr@nifl.gov <mailto:lmarr@nifl.gov>. Thank you for your cooperation. ************************** For more information on literacy policy, visit our website at <http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/policy/policy.html>, or contact Christy Gullion at cgullion@nifl.gov <mailto:cgullion@nifl.gov>.
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