JOB OPPORTUNITIES TASK FORCE

Advocating better skills, jobs, and incomes

SUPPORT SB 650/HB 1130 –Adult Education and Literacy Grants

An investment in adult education is an investment in Maryland’s workforce.

THE CHALLENGE

Nearly 1 million Marylanders need adult education services.

• Adult education includes basic literacy, GED services, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
• One in five Maryland adults lacks a high school diploma or GED.

Maryland contributes less for adult education than nearly every other state.

• Maryland spends just over $2 million on adult education, or $77 per adult education student.
• The average East Coast state spends 6 times as much as Maryland on adult education.

The federal government proposed drastic cuts to adult education funding for FY 06.

• Maryland has historically received 80% of its adult education funding from the federal government.
• The President’s 2007 budget proposed a 74% cut in funding for adult education in Maryland.
• Maryland’s dependence on federal funding puts the state at risk.

THE SOLUTION

The General Assembly should pass SB 650/HB 1130, which would deepen Maryland’s investment in adult education.

• The Superintendent’s Panel on Excellence in Adult Education recently released a report recommending that the State increase its investment in adult education by $26 million over the next five years.
• SB 650/HB 1130 would establish a funding method to ensure that Maryland’s investment in adult education is sustainable.

THE BENEFITS

Adult education pays.

• Adults with high school diplomas earn $7,216 more per year than those who have dropped out of high school, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
• Maryland’s adult education students increase their earnings – as much as 18 – 25% for minimum wage workers – within 18 months.
• Adults who increase their education levels are better able to compete for higher-skilled jobs that pay family-supporting wages.

Investing in the workforce will keep Maryland businesses competitive.

• In a survey of businesses by the University of Baltimore, nearly two-thirds of respondents cited difficulty in finding qualified workers.
• Businesses benefit from increased productivity, comprehension skills, and job satisfaction among workers who complete adult education programs.