National Institute for Literacy

Policy Update

Senate Proposes to Restore Funding For Even Start, Prison Literacy, and Job Training Programs

-- July 19, 2002 --

Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted in favor of its Fiscal Year 2003 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations bill, including funding for adult education and family literacy programs. While the President's FY '03 proposal reduced funding for Even Start, Prison Literacy, and several job training programs, the Senate proposal restores funding for those programs.

The Senate bill also restores over $500 million in proposed cuts to job training programs. The federal government has at least 48 training and employment programs, including workplace basic skills programs, administered by as many as ten different federal agencies - including the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. Through his FY '03 budget proposal, the President proposed reducing the overall number of job training programs from 48 to 28. Specifically, the President proposed to reduce funding for adult job training by $50 million and youth training by $362 million.

Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee is expected to take action on its FY '03 appropriations bill in early September. All three proposals - President, Senate, and House - will then be negotiated until Congress reaches a final agreement on FY '03 funding, which will likely occur by late fall 2002.

>The following list describes the literacy programs included in Table 1.>

• The Senate proposes to level fund >State Grants for Adult Education> at $575 million. The state grant program, administered by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) within the U.S. Department of Education, helps fund most local Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE) programs across the country through grants distributed by state education agencies. Of the $575 million proposed for state grants, $70 million is dedicated for English Literacy and Civics Education programs.



• Under the Senate's proposal, funding for >National Leadership Activities> would be level funded at $9.5 million. This funding supports research, demonstration, and evaluation projects administered by OVAE.



• The >National Institute for Literacy> would be level funded at $6.56 million under the Senate's proposal. The Institute supports capacity building, communication, and policy analysis activities in support of the goal that all Americans will be literate and able to succeed at work, home, and in their communities.



• The Senate proposes $1 billion for the >Reading First State Grants> program to help states and local educational agencies implement comprehensive reading instruction grounded in scientifically-based reading research for children in kindergarten through third grade. This proposal increases funding from $900 million in FY 2002 to $1 billion in FY 2003.



• >Early Reading First State Grants> would be level funded at $75 million under the Senate's budget proposal. This initiative would complement Reading First State Grants by supporting model programs to develop the academic readiness of preschool children. Activities would support evidence-based strategies to enhance pre-reading skills and school readiness for children in preschool programs.



• The Senate proposes to level fund >Even Start> at $250 million for FY '03. Even Start funds support local projects that blend early childhood education, parenting instruction, and adult education into a unified family literacy program.



• The >Incarcerated Youth Offenders> state grant program would be funded at $20 million under the Senate's proposal, representing an increase of $3 million over FY '02 funding. This program provides grants to state correctional agencies to assist and encourage incarcerated youth to acquire functional literacy, life, and job skills through post-secondary education, employment counseling, and related services.



• The Senate proposed level funding for >Prison Literacy> at $5 million. This program provides grants to state and local correctional agencies to establish and operate programs that reduce recidivism through the improvement of literacy and life skills.



• >Community Technology Center (CTC)> grants provide opportunities for low-income children, youth, and adults to learn vital computer literacy skills in their communities. The Senate proposes to fund this program at $32.5 million in FY '03.

More information on the Senate's FY '03 budget proposal.

More information on the President's FY '03 federal budget proposal.

For more information on literacy policy, >visit our web site> or contact Christy Gullion at 202-233-2033 or cgullion@nifl.gov.