JOB OPPORTUNITIES TASK FORCE

Advocating better skills, jobs, and incomes

Increase Basic Literacy Skills for Adults in Maryland

The Problem: Nearly a million Marylanders are in need of adult education services, such as basic literacy, GED preparation or English as a second language classes. Without these basic skills, these Marylanders face considerable barriers in gaining employment that provides financial security. Maryland’s funding of adult education is not adequate to meet the need for adult education services.

Policy Solutions: Increase access to adult education, Maryland should:

• Eliminate the waiting list for adult education by establishing a $1.474 million grant program in FY05 and FY06.
• In the three following years, increase access to adult education for eligible populations by 5 percent per year by establishing a funding formula for adult education.

Background:

The Need for Adult Education in Maryland

The Maryland State Department of Education cites three types of adult education challenges faced by Marylanders: an education credential challenge, a language challenge and a literacy challenge. According to the 2000 Census, there were 613,640 Marylanders ages 18 and older who lack a high school diploma or GED. In the same year, there were 86,000 foreign born residents of Maryland with limited English Speaking skills. Finally, 20 percent of Maryland’s population scored at a literacy Level 1 on the 1991 National Adult Literacy Survey. That means that these adults read at less than a 4^th grade level and cannot handle such routine tasks as interpreting instructions on an appliance warranty or locating an intersection on a street map.

Adult education programs in Maryland include: adult basic education skills instruction, English as a second language, family literacy, literacy tutoring, workplace education, correctional education, preparation for the GED and the Maryland Adult External Diploma Program.

The large numbers of workers with weak skills threatens the growth of Maryland’s economy. According to the Maryland State of the Workforce Report, 2001, the skills in most demand by Maryland employers are fundamental skills such as speaking, writing and reading comprehension. Today’s knowledge based economy requires skills such as critical thinking, effective written and oral communication, and adaptation to new technology.

When an individual lacks these skills, they face significant barriers to competing in the workforce. The mean lifetime earnings for a female high school dropout are $292,750; a high school degree boosts earnings to $606,795 and a bachelor’s degree raises earnings to $1,114,420. An immigrant with limited English speaking skills earns 24% less than an immigrant worker who is fluent in English. Those with limited English skills and high school dropouts are the most vulnerable to changes in the labor market. When an adult receives their GED and increases their earnings, this helps them achieve a level of economic security for their families and increases Maryland’s tax base. Furthermore, as adults increase their skills, they are better able to help their school aged children with schoolwork.

Current Adult Education Policies in Maryland

Currently, Maryland is not able to meet the need for adult education. Approximately 36,000 to 38,000 Maryland residents receive adult education services every year. This is 3-4% of individuals projected to need adult education services (individuals who lack a high school diploma, have limited English skills, or low-literacy levels). Waiting lists for adult education programs in Maryland range from 4,000 to 5,000 potential students a year. Furthermore, adult education students in Maryland receive an average of 69 hours of instruction, far below the 100 to 150 hours of instruction that research indicates are needed for students to make significant learning gains.

Maryland under-funds adult education programs. In 2002, Maryland contributed about $45 dollars per student, approximately the cost of a GED textbook (in comparison, Massachusetts spent $1,506 per student). State funding for adult education decreased from $1.7 million in FY90 to $1.2 million in FY02. During this time period, both federal and local funding for adult education increased. The state contributed 8% of adult education funding in FY02, while federal funds account for 54% and local funds account for 38%. In comparison, the state contributes 41% of the funding for Maryland public schools.

In FY03, adult education received a funding boost of $1.1 million dollars. However, funding remained stagnant in FY04, and the state’s current contribution towards adult education is $2.35 million. Funding for adult education remains inadequate because, unlike secondary and post-secondary education, adult education funding is not based on a formula that takes into account need. Thus, despite the recognition of many state officials of the importance of adult education, adult education funding is still not adequate to meet the needs of adult learners in Maryland.

Policy Solutions:

Increase Funding to Meet the Adult Education Needs of Marylanders

Ultimately, Maryland will need to develop a funding formula to ensure that the state is able to meet the need for adult education. Until that formula is developed, Maryland should establish a new $1.474 million grant program for localities to use to eliminate their adult education waiting lists. This is the amount it is estimated to cost to serve 4,000 students who are currently on the waiting list for adult education services in the state.

Over the long term, the Maryland Task Force to Study Adult Education proposes a three-year phase-in of funding increases with the goal of increasing the percentage of the target population being served from 3-4% to 15-20%. In addition to increasing the target population by 5%, the formula should also take into account the number of students enrolled in adult education the previous year, the number of immigrants entering Maryland the previous year and the number of dropouts reported for the previous year.

Additional state funding should be used to eliminate waiting lists for classes, provide additional classes at a variety of times of day and days of week, and increase the number of instructional hours for students. Funds should be used to remove barriers to participation through the assessment and accommodation of learning disabilities and through providing supportive services such as transportation and child care. The state should also work with local programs to reduce student fees. Finally, funds should be used to enhance adult education teacher credentials.