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TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
Call Your Legislators TODAY to Put ABE
on Their Budget "Wish Lists" for FY 2019
With the holidays now behind us, state policymakers will soon begin to work in earnest on the Commonwealth's budget for FY 2019. In particular, Governor Baker is required by law to submit his plan for revenues and expenditures no later than Wednesday, January 24.
Consequently, the time is
NOW to contact your elected officials to urge them to make renewed investments in adult basic education one of their top budget priorities this year.
FY 2019 Budget Request = $34.5 million
To start to reverse a nearly two-decade long decline in the real value of state funding for ABE,
MCAE is urging Massachusetts budget writers to appropriate $34.5 million for adult basic education for FY 2019, a nearly $5 million increase over the current year.
MCAE has now communicated this request to every member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate and will meet face-to-face with a number of key legislators in the coming weeks.
Calls, Calls, and More Calls
You can help to draw more attention to MCAE's budget request and to explain to state legislators the positive impact additional funding for ABE would have in your community. As soon as possible, please take 5 minutes and:
- Click here to find your legislators and their phone numbers.
- Call your state representative and state senator and ask them to please support $34.5 million for adult basic education (Line Item 7035-0002) in FY19. Specifically, ask them to please include a $34.5 million appropriation for ABE on the budget "wish lists" they submit to legislative leadership.
- Remind them that an investment in ABE is an investment in Massachusetts, in its people, and in its future economic success.
- Share with them the impact that additional resources would have in your program, in your classroom, and in the lives of their constituents.
- Remember: you may only be able to reach an aide to your representative or senator, but you should still make your request to them, as they serve as your legislator's "eyes and ears".
- Encourage them to attend MCAE's Legislative Briefing on Tuesday, January 16. The full details on the event are below.
- Let MCAE know you called. Email MCAE's Director, Jeff McLynch, at [email protected] or call him at 617-482-6223.
MCAE Legislative Briefing: January 16, 2018
To help legislators understand the need for, and the value of, further investment in ABE, MCAE will host a briefing on Tuesday, January 16, at 11 am in Room 428 of the State House in Boston. The briefing will feature Michele Diecuch from ProLiteracy, Tye Graham of Eastern Bank, and Christine Tibor from the Framingham Public Schools discussing the latest research on ABE as well as the vital contributions adult learners can make to Massachusetts' workforce and economy.
Please note that, due to space constraints, attendance at the event is limited to elected officials and their staff.
Budget Resources
MCAE has prepared a few resources to help you understand the state budget process and to help our elected officials understand the basics of ABE. Those resources are available via the links below as well as through MCAE's
website. Please share these items with anyone you think might be interested!
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NEXT MCAE PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING
JAN. 19, 2018
10 a.m. to 12 noon
World Education
44 Farnsworth St
Boston, MA
via videoconference:
Picknelly Education Center Holyoke, MA Contact Sarah Schmidt [email protected] for exact room location |
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