Newsletter - September 2020
The Voice of Adult Education
Dear MCAE Community,

I hope you had a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. Read on for lots of adult education news and updates from around Massachusetts and beyond. As we move into a new school year, MCAE is your voice for adult education. Reach out to me if there’s something you need or want to share – a challenge, a question, or a success story! Stay safe and be well.
Rachel Gwaltney, MCAE Director
MCAE News and Updates
Invest in Our Recovery
On Monday, our partners at Raise Up Massachusetts held a wonderful Rally for a Just Recovery on the steps of the Massachusetts State House to remind lawmakers of the many critical issues on the table as we fight toward economic and community recovery from the pandemic. Watch some video from the rally here.

Have you signed on to the Invest in Our Recovery campaign? The message is clear: tell lawmakers to invest in our recovery, rather than cutting vital public services. Massachusetts can and should raise significant new revenue from corporations this year to invest in public services that improve public health, grow our economy, and reduce racial inequities. Learn more and sign the petition for this campaign.
Adult Education in the News

Check out the recent news story from WBUR “Online Adult Ed has Challenges, But You Can’t Beat the Commute,” featuring local programs, learners, and staff at Jewish Vocational Service and Catholic Charities, as well as MCAE Board Chair Roberta Soolman.

Know-Your-Rights Training Series
MCAE is co-sponsoring a series of free, online Know-Your-Rights trainings. These 30-minute weekly segments on Wednesday evenings cover a variety of topics, including food assistance, voting rights, and unemployment. There are new sessions coming in September and October, and you can watch recordings of past trainings here, including:

Housing & Tenant Rights (July 22)

Unemployment Insurance (July 29)

COVID-19 Worker Health & Safety (August 2)

Emergency Paid Leave & Sick Time under FFCRA (August 9)
Massachusetts News and Updates
Get Involved in Adult Education and Family Literacy Week
September 20-26!

  • Remind state lawmakers that Adult Education MUST be a priority when Massachusetts finalizes the FY21 budget, expected to come in October. Learn more about the message and how to raise your voice here.
  • Submit a video to COABE and share your students’ perspectives on adult education and their personal journeys.
  • Participate in our social media storm September 20-26 using hashtag #AdultEdLiteracyWeek and share why adult education matters to Massachusetts. Our complete Social Media Guide for Adult Education and Family Literacy Week will be out next week.

Watch for more information and resources coming over the next two weeks.
State Budget Update
At the end of July, the House and Senate passed and Governor Baker signed a $16.53 billion interim budget to keep Massachusetts funded through October. Legislators are meeting informally about the FY21 budget, and it's important for ABE supporters to stay vocal about our needs.

Let your legislators know how important it is to fund ABE! MCAE has revised our budget ask and is calling upon the Massachusetts legislature to maintain appropriations for adult basic education at $41.05 million for FY 2021, level funding from FY20. Learn more and find out how to contact your legislators here.
Emergency Paid Sick Time
The Emergency Paid Sick Time bill has been reported favorably out of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee and now moves to the Joint Ways and Means Committee. Keep telling lawmakers to pass this important legislation to protect vulnerable workers during the pandemic.
National News and Updates
New Reports From the Field
What are We Learning About Remote Education?
World Education and partners released a report “What We Learned: Adult Education’s Response to Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning” detailing issues related to state and national leadership, learner experiences, partnerships, and what the future may hold for distance learning.

Adult Numeracy Data
The National Center for Education Statistics released a new Data Point report entitled “Adult Numeracy in the United States.” This report summarizes what data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) show about adult numeracy in the United States. Among the findings: sixty-three million U.S adults possess low numeracy skills in English.
Federal funding
As the federal appropriations process gets moving, the House Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Committee recently proposed funding for adult basic and literacy education state grants at $663,955,000, a $7,000,000 increase from FY20. Keep letting your federal representatives know that Adult Education funding needs to be a priority.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats included $1 billion for Adult Education in the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA), while the Senate Republican's proposed COVID-19 relief package, the HEALS Act, does not include dedicated funding for Adult Education programs. Negotiations between Congressional parties and the White House are underway right now. Urge your representatives to include $1 billion for Adult Education in the final COVID-19 relief package.
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