President Proposes Increasing Adult <br> Education And Literacy Funding

National Institute for Literacy

Policy Update

REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.

President Proposes Increasing Adult Education And Literacy Funding

- February 15, 1997 -

President Clinton's 1998 budget proposal would substantially increase the federal investment in education, including a significant increase for adult basic education and literacy.

The President's budget includes a 12 percent increase for adult education state grants, from $345 million to $394 million. It also adds $260 million in new funding for the America Reads initiative, which has not yet been enacted.

Stating that adult literacy is an area of education "where the federal government can be helpful and the states want our help," Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and other Republicans introduced a bill, S.1, that would increase adult education state grants to $400 million. The Senate bill also proposes $100 million in new funding for a child and family literacy demonstration program.

The chart below shows the President's proposal for Fiscal 1998 as compared to the previous three years of
funding. (in millions of dollars)

Literacy Program	FY98: Proposal	FY97: Final	FY96: Final	FY95: Final
State Grants	394	345	250	252
Even Start Family Literacy	108	102	102	102
Library*	0	0	0	8
National Programs	6	0	0	4
National Institute for Literacy	6	5	5	5
Prison Literacy	0	5	5	5
America Reads (new)	260	-	-	-

* The Senate directed states to fund library literacy programs out of their state library grants.