Senators Jack Donahue, Robert Adley and Ben Nevers have been named "State Senator of the Year" by the Louisiana Literacy Alliance
State Representatives Cedric Richmond, Pat Smith and Austin Badon have all been named "State Representatives of the Year" by the Louisiana Literacy Alliance
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is being recognized for his outstanding contributions in the public policy arena with regard to his Senate Bill 297 which transfers the adult education program to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
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is being recognized for his active role in ensuring that funding for the adult literacy program was included in the state's budget.
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of Bogalusa is being recognized for his outstanding leadership as chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Representative Cedric Richmond is being recognized for his outstanding contributions in the public policy arena with regard to his House Bill 1055 which transfers the adult education program to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
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is being recognized for her active role in ensuring that funding for the adult literacy program was included in the state's budget.
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is being recognized for his outstanding leadership as chairman of the House Education Committee.
Please take a moment to email them to offer your congratulations on this honor and to personally thank them. Tell them a little bit about your program so that we continue our education efforts around the state.
The Louisiana Literacy Alliance formed in January, 2010 so that adult literacy advocates will have a voice in governmental decisions that affect the field and adult learners. Adult education received a 66% mid-year cut in state funds from the Department of Education.
Adult literacy advocates in the region and around the state are mobilizing to ensure that the proposed move is informed by all affected stakeholders and is accompanied by sufficient state resources. Follow all the updates on twitter: www.twitter.com/literacyLA
Become a member and advocate for the right to education for all of our community.
News:
June 21 - Budget cuts restored. Amendment by Senator Robert Adley. Emails sent to House Education and Finance Committee members to encourage protection of these funds during conference. This would be second year not meeting the federal match; which will affect future federal dollars.
SB 297 signed into law by Governor - adult education moves from Department of Education to Louisiana Community and Technical College System. And "fully funded." (right now that still means minimally funded, but it's a start!)
June 18 - Senate Finance Committee cut adult education 32%. Urgent emails sent by advocates to Senators and Committee members.
May 27 - SB 297 - passed the House unanimously, moves to Governor
May 26 - HB 1055 - passed House, moves to Senate
May 18 - SB 297 - passed House Education Committee (see details below)
HB 1055 - scheduled for House debate on Wed, May 26 (see details below)
May 12 - HB 685 - passed the House unanimously. Increases age that youth can enter adult education programs from 16 to 17. 16 year olds can be served if in an adult incarceration facility or court-ordered to attend plus have a child.
April 21 - HB 1055 - similar bill as SB 297 - passed out of the House Education Committee unanimously. Only comment is that adult education is moving to a system with a governing board that has no diversity. It is currently on the "Return to Calendar" list of House Bills.
April 14 - SB 297 - to move adult education from Department of Education to the Louisiana Community and Technical College passed the Senate unanimously on April 14. It now moves to the House Education Committee. The Louisiana Literacy Alliance is neutral on this bill and HB 1055; we have testified that we want enough resources transferred over for this to be successful and the practitioners and learners want to be a part of the conversation and decision making process.
Advocacy Day Update
Thanks to everyone for a successful Adult Education Awareness Day at the Louisiana Legislatureon Wednesday, April 14.
About 90 advocates participated in the day, and over half were students and graduates of adult basic education programs! After our rally and information session, we walked from the Pentagon Barracks to the Capitol in our blue t-shirts that read “Learning Equals Earning.”
We tracked one-on-one meetings with over 40 legislators from the house and senate to share the message about the importance of adult basic education. If you met with a legislator and we did not mark it down, can you let us know who to add to our list?
Resolutions designating the day as Adult Education Awareness Day were read in the House by Rep. Austin Badon and in the Senate by Rep Ben Nevers.
We also had 3 tables in the Rotunda with information about adult education and the recent budget cuts and gave away LAPCAE bags to everyone who stopped by the table. LAPCAE also was able to hang their banner at the top of the center of the Rotunda! At the table we also got to network with other groups who were at the capitol including the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association, members of the LCTCS, truancy support organizations, and others.
Many people and organizations came together to make this happen. Thanks go to: Greater New Orleans Foundation Community Impact Fund, Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans staff and board, Greater Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition staff and board, LAPCAE Board, Youth Empowerment Project/NOPLAY, Checkmate Strategies, Speaker of the House staff, and the teachers, administrators, volunteers and students from adult basic education programs around the state!
This is just the beginning. If you were not able to attend, please send letters or emails to your legislators. If you did participate, please send follow up letters or emails to your legislators to continue the relationship. We will also be following up with them to visit your program after the legislative session is ended.
9:00am – early arrivals may sit in committee meetings
10:30am – advocacy training, t-shirts and early lunch – Pentagon Barracks
11:30 – 2:30 – visits to legislators and committees
2:30pm - depart
Where: Pentagon Barracks – Lt. Governor’s Apartment - 859 North 3rd Street
Walking distance to Capitol
We have display tables in the rotunda between the House and Senate
Parking lot available 5th Street & Lakeland, up 3rd Street, around Capitol
Quick Directions from NO: I-10 West to I-110 North; exit North St, Right on 3rd Street
Who: Adult literacy students are joined by advocates, teachers, and other literacy stakeholders from throughout the state.
Why: Adult Education Awareness Day at the Capitol not only empowers students to participate in the legislative process, but also forwards an incredibly important issue in the Louisiana State Legislature.
1. Please bring students with you on the 14th. It is a very important time to represent adult education with the move to the LCTCS system and more pending budget cuts.
2. Help prepare students for the Day at the Capitol by discussing the legislative process and agenda for the day before the big event.
3. Please collect letters from adult learners who cannot attend to give to their legislators.
4. If your program has students attending whose native language is one other than English, please bring a staff person or volunteer to help translate.
March 24 - Legislation has been filed:
HB 1055 and SB 297 will move administration of adult ed from Education to Community/Technical College System
HB 685 increases age a youth can drop out and go to adult ed from 16 to 17
