1 of 23

AN UPDATE ON �ADULT EDUCATION �ADVOCACY �IN NEW JERSEY�

2 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • 11% of the population between 18 and 24 does not have a high school diploma

​

  • 10% of the population over the age of 25 does not have a high school diploma

​

Source: US Census

3 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • A high school diploma is associated with –
    • Better health outcomes
    • Improved educational outcomes for children
    • Employment
    • Increased wages
    • Etc.

​

​

​

4 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • Other Considerations
    • Sentenced individuals with more educational attainment were more likely to receive probation.
    • Sentenced persons with more educational attainment were more likely to receive a sentence below the applicable guideline range.
    • Federally sentenced individuals with more educational attainment received sentences that on average were further below the applicable guideline range than those with lower educational attainment.

​

Source: United States Sentencing Commission

​

​

5 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • Literacy Skills 21% at PIAAC Level One or less

“Adults at this level can be considered at risk for difficulties using or comprehending print material. Adults at the upper end of this level can read short texts and understand the meaning enough to perform simple tasks. Adults below Level 1 may only be able to understand very basic vocabulary or find very specific information on a familiar topic. Some may struggle with this and may be functionally illiterate.”

​

​

Source: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, 2017

6 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

​

  • Numeracy Skills 30% at PIAAC Level One or less

“Adults at this level can be considered at risk for difficulties with numeracy. Adults at the upper end

of this level can understand how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and can perform basic one-step

mathematical operations with given values or common spatial representations. Adults who are

below Level 1 may only be able to count, sort, and do basic arithmetic operations with simple whole

numbers and may be functionally innumerate.”

​

​

Source: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, 2017

7 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • 13% of the population speaks English less than very well.

​

Source: US Census, American Community Survey

8 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • Speaking English well is associated with -
    • Better health outcomes
    • Improved educational outcomes for children
    • Employment
    • Increased wages
    • Etc.

9 of 23

THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION� IN NEW JERSEY

  • Other Considerations
    • Nurul Amin Shah Alam

Mr. Alam was nearly blind and spoke no English.

He had been arrested for trespassing after he ended up on a woman’s porch holding the curtain rod he was using as a cane. The police tased and beat him.

Later, ICE took him into custody. They subsequently left him five miles away from his home in freezing weather with no way to contact his family.

He froze to death.

​

​

10 of 23

WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT?

  • It is difficult to say.

​

  • Last assessment suggested around 3% of adults who would benefit from educational services were receiving them.

​

Source: Jacobson, E. (2013). Investing in New Jersey’s Adult Learners. Trenton, NJ: State Council on Adult Literacy Education Services, New Jersey.

​

11 of 23

FUNDING

  • FY26 WIOA Title II: $19,806,426

​

  • Required State match = 25%

​

  • Very limited additional State funding

​

12 of 23

FUNDING ISSUE #1: VULNERABILITY

  • In the summer of 2025, the Trump Administration illegally withheld WIOA funds that had already been appropriated by Congress. In New Jersey, this led to widespread disruption. Programs were cancelled and teachers were laid off.

​

  • In the future, there is no guarantee that WIOA will be funded at current levels, or at all.

13 of 23

FUNDING ISSUE #1: VULNERABILITY

  • Other States Funding

- Massachusetts: 75% of adult education budget is from the State

- New York: 69% of adult education budget is from the State

- Minnesota: 10/1 ratio of State to Federal funding

​

​

14 of 23

FUNDING ISSUE #2: ACCESS

  • WIOA is focused on workforce development, which prevents some adults from receiving services:
  • People developing foundational language and literacy skills (including those not literate in their native language)
  • People with learning disabilities (including those who have aged out of support systems)
  • People who already have work
  • People who have aged out of the workforce
  • People who are out of status
  • People in the re-entry process
  • People are getting ready to start the re-entry process

15 of 23

ADVOCACY GOAL #1

  • Increase the percentage of students being served from 3% to 10%

​

This requires support for learners not currently in or not eligible for the system.

​

  • Limit vulnerability to changes in Federal funding policies

This requires additional State funding.

​

16 of 23

SYSTEM COORDINATION

  • State legislation created the State Council for Adult Literacy Education Services

“The purpose of the council shall be to facilitate Statewide and local policy development, planning and oversight in consultation with the stakeholders in the area of adult literacy education. The responsibilities of the council shall include, but not be limited to:

    • developing a broad-based Statewide master plan, which integrates and coordinates all adult literacy programs. At a minimum, the plan shall address service delivery, consolidation and coordination, funding and accountability, staff development and training, technology and advocacy. The plan shall include a proposal to consolidate the State supported literacy programs;

d. developing appropriate performance standards and impact measures and Statewide benchmarks to measure the entire system and programs of adult literacy services;

e. developing a Statewide strategy to facilitate and improve professional development and information sharing for practitioners and policy makers and to promote the availability of services to learners, employers, and service providers;

g. recommending strategies to broaden adult literacy efforts so that literacy levels of the entire family are improved

​

​

​

​

17 of 23

ADVOCACY GOAL #2: �COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW

  • Revive SCALES

​

  • Ensure that SCALES is empowered to carry about the tasks assigned to it by law

​

  • Ensure that SCALES receives the support necessary to carry out the tasks assigned to it by law

18 of 23

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT �IN OTHER STATES

  • Massachusetts: System for Adult Basic Education Support (SABES)
  • Minnesota: Adult Education Support Network
  • New York: Regional Adult Education Network ((RAEN)
  • Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Adult Education Resources (PAAER)

19 of 23

NJALL CURRENT ACTIVITIES

  • Drafting various versions of background documents and asks/demands

​

  • Working with a consultant/lobbyist on an advocacy strategy

​

  • Meeting with legislators/administration
    • Senator Gord Johnson
    • Governor Sherrill’s Office: Carolina Montes (labor), Michael Illiano (education)
    • More to come soon

20 of 23

NJALL CURRENT ACTIVITIES

  • Creating an informational resource to tailor messages
    • State representative / programs in their district
    • District / success stories

​

  • Planning regional meetings

​

  • Collecting information from other states
    • Budget
    • Professional Development Systems

​

  • Revising Website

21 of 23

NJALL CURRENT ACTIVITIES

Recruiting people that want to be involved in our advocacy work

22 of 23

CONTACT

NJALL njallmail@gmail.com

​

Erik Jacobson ejlearningjustice@gmail.com

23 of 23

THANK YOU