AALL Legislative Agenda January

The Arizona Association for Lifelong Learning (AALL) supports legislation regarding these issues:

1. Adequate state and federal funding to address the Family Literacy, Adult Basic Education, and GED Education needs of eligible adults throughout the state who are presently not served

2. Adult Education certified teachers and programs receive legislated benefits such as tax credits and incentives equal to any offered K-12 certified teachers and schools

3. Adequate funding be provided for English Language Acquisition for Adults (ELAA) and/or Citizenship Classes offered by certified programs

4. A specific increase in funding to serve 16 through 21 year olds who are being serviced in Adult Education programs and who are not funded in the K-12 system

Adequate Funding for those not served-

According to the December, 2007 Proposition 300 Semiannual Report to the Arizona Legislature by the Arizona Department of Education Adult Education Services, there were 5,585 adults on Waiting Lists for ABE classes in Arizona . If that number is multiplied by $200, the approximate amount of state funds spent per Adult Education student, we one finds that Adult Education is really underfunded approximately 1.25 million dollars at the present time. In the past, the Department of Education has asked for 2.5 million dollars to meet the needs of those on Adult Education Program waiting lists and has received NO increase in state funding for many years.

A similar argument can be made for increase State funding for Family Literacy programs which also have waiting lists and have proven so successful in the past. Again and again, we must reinforce the fact that for true improvement in children’s literacy to take place, we must improve the parents’ literacy levels.

If Washington approves decreases in Adult Education and Family Literacy funding nationally for FY08, Arizona will lose significant resources. It is important that State funding make up the differences, just to keep pace in providing vital literacy services to our citizens, workers, and parents.

If we want to keep English as our primary language, State and Federal funding should be increased to meet the needs of those eligible adults in Arizona who presently are not being served, and thus are not able to participate fully in our society. We all suffer the loss of their talents and potential contributions

At the present time, an individual Arizona state taxpayer may claim a tax credit for making contributions or pay fees to a public school for support of extracurricular activities or character education programs. An individual may also claim a credit for making a donation to a qualified school tuition organization for scholarships to private schools.

We would like to see legislation that would permit similar tax credit contributions to state funded adult education programs.

In the past, legislation has been introduced that would provide certified K-12 teachers with a tax write-off for their out of pocket purchase of materials for their classrooms. Certified Adult Education teachers should also be included in any future legislation authorizing tax credits or other benefits for state certified teachers.

Going a step further, perhaps full-time certified Adult Education Teachers should receive additional tax breaks since their yearly salaries are hardly compatible with those of the K-12 teachers.

If the Federal government includes ELAA and/or Citizenship classes as prerequisites for a Z-visas type program in the future, appropriate increases in funding for ABE programs must be included in the legislation.

At present, very few Adult Education programs throughout the state provide Citizenship Preparation classes. The waiting list to take the exam is long and the whole process is cumbersome. If the process of applying and testing for Citizenship is ever reformed and streamlined, the Federal legislation and/or regulations should include consideration that certified Adult Education programs receive additional funds to provide the necessary ELAA /Citizenship classes for these new applicants, especially because that service will require additional training for the Programs to develop and deliver.

20% (4,972) of all Adult Education students are aged 16-21. According to dropout rates, there is even a larger population of students in this age range who need services. Adult Education Programs deserve to receive more equitable funding from the State to meet the needs of these students.

For years, K-12 system schools have referred to Adult Education programs 16-21 students whom the K-12 schools did not want to serve because they were multi-problemic, high risk students whom they felt had little chance of success in their K-12 structure.

Typically this denial of service occurs after the 100 day attendance period is over and after the K-12 school has already received the yearly funding associated with those students.

Already cash-poor Adult Education Programs are expected to take on these high risk students and meet their special needs without any additional funding.

Any ADE funding attached to these 16-21 year old students who enroll in Adult Education Programs should be transferred from the K-12 systems to the Adult Education Programs according to equitable formulas similar to those that have been negotiated in other states.