Adult Education and Literacy Services

ANNOUNCEMENT

Superintendent's Panel on Excellence in Adult Education

Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick has established a Superintendent's Panel on Excellence in Adult Education.The Panel will include leaders from the business community, government, community organizations, higher education, and finance. The charge to this Panel will be to use a standards-based finance approach to education, consistent with federal legislation such as No Child Left Behind , to ensure that adult education programs and students have sufficient resources to meet national and state student achievement standards. In order to carry out this charge, the panel will have the opportunity to work with Dr. John Comings, Director of National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) at Harvard University and receive input from a specially appointed Prototype Team of highly recognized Maryland Adult Educators. The Panel will review the work of the Prototype Team and make final recommendations regarding the resources needed to ensure successful achievement of the National Reporting System Performance Measures. These recommendations will be presented to the State Superintendent and the State Board of Education in March 2005 and to the Maryland General Assembly in April.

BACKGROUND

A Task Force to Study Adult Education was created by the 2001 Maryland General Assembly to look at Maryland's adult education services.   The charge included reporting to the General Assembly on the need for services, the impact on economic development and existing levels of service, the current funding, and the comparison of Maryland to other states.   The Task Force presented their report, Literacy Works: Moving from the Margins to the Mainstream, to the General Assembly for the 2002 session. They recommended:

1. Significantly increasing public and private investment in the adult education system;
2. Targeting new resources to the improvement of adult education outcomes;
3. Enhancing accountability to increase return on investment; and
4. Improving services for the incarcerated and probationers.

Since that time there have been numerous efforts to increase state funding for adult education. There has been ongoing discussion in the General Assembly and among stakeholders of the need to establish a funding formula for adult education and to increase the appropriation. As a result of these efforts, $1.2 M was included for adult education in the Bridge to Excellence Act. In spite of this increase, there are currently 4,000 to 5,000 individuals on waiting lists for services and only 5% of the target population is being served.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

How Will The Panel On Excellence In Adult Education Complete Its Charge?

To reach its goal, the Panel will work with Dr. John Comings, Director of National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) at Harvard University, who is a nationally recognized researcher in adult education and literacy. The Panel will also have input from a Prototype Team of highly recognized Maryland adult educators.

What Is The Prototype Team?

The Prototype Team will be comprised of experienced and recognized adult educators representing public schools, community colleges and community-based organizations.

What Is The Role Of The Prototype Team?