RE: Adult Education

I have been lurking on the discussion since Monday, and today Mary's comments on adult literacy moved me to post a message. I am a library director and a school board member in a city
with an estimated 36% of adults reading below the 4th grade level.
Adult education is wonderful and I have firsthand knowledge of classes that our adult school had to cancel due to funding caps. But the problem is deeper. Many adults will not go to what they preceive as an "educational institution" for help in improving reading and writing skills. Thus was born a national and statewide campaign that has libraries and community based organizations providing literacy services. The state funding for these adult classes has no correlation to the one-on-one or small group instruction that libraries and cbo's provide, thus we have to look elsewhere for funding. The Plan should address the educational services being provided by libraries and cbo's throught the state, and distribute federal and state dollars in an equitable manner.