National Institute for Literacy

Policy Update

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REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.

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Congress and the President Boost Literacy Funding for Next Year

November 13, 1997

Calling this "the best year for American education in more than a generation," President Clinton today signed into law the 1998 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill passed by Congress last weekend. The bill substantially increases literacy funding for next year.

The largest increase, $22 million, went to the Even Start Family Literacy program. Adult education basic state grants not only maintained their $93 million increase from last year, but received an additional $5 million, bringing that program's total to $345 million. Local programs can apply for these funds through their state education agencies beginning in July 1998.

Eighty-five million in preliminary funding for a children's literacy initiative was allocated to several existing programs, including AmeriCorps/ VISTA ($24 million), the Eisenhower Professional Development program ($10 million), the Foster Grandparent program ($9.8 million), the Fund for the Improvement of Education ($5 million), and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program ($4.6 million). The VA-HUD appropriations bill also included $25 million for children's literacy.

* Since the legislation has not yet been enacted, this preliminary funding has been added to existing
programs.

The House and Senate also agreed to a $210 million "advance appropriation" for fiscal 1999 for the children's literacy initiative if it is enacted by July 1, 1998. Otherwise, this $210 million will not be spent on literacy.

The House of Representatives on November 8 passed its children's literacy initiative, the Reading Excellence Act (H.R. 2614). The bill focuses on professional development for classroom reading teachers, opens up important opportunities for family literacy approaches, and broadens the literacy component of the federal work study program. (See October 31, 1997 Policy Update, at http://novel.nifl.gov/legislation.html#policy, for details.) The Senate plans to take up similar legislation next year.

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