February 15, 2005
Dear [Sen. / Rep. NAME]:
President Bush’s 2006 budget proposes dramatic cuts in WIA Title II adult education and family literacy funding. This combined with the proposal to consolidate education and job training programs into a block grant (WIA Plus Consolidated Grant) would devastate adult education in New York State.
With more than 40 million adults nationwide falling into the lowest level of literacy skills, our country cannot possibly compete in the global marketplace. While our leaders tout that no child will be left behind, they propose to take away the educational resources for these adults to succeed as parents, workers and citizens. Our adult education program has served thousands of adults seeking to improve their lives.
Based on the 2000 census, over 20 percent of adults 24 years and over in our area do not have a high school diploma. According to the New York City Department of City Planning, one in four adult New Yorkers does not speak English well. Education can help these families leave the welfare roles and become self-sufficient. It can equip students with the skills to be contributing members of the community as workers, voters, and taxpayers. Parents, as first teachers of their children, can become positive role models.
We can provide story after story of individual successes, but the numbers tell the larger story. We cannot abandon our adults to a life without opportunity. Research shows that improved reading, writing and math skills lead to better jobs, placing less burden on social services, health services and the penal system.
I implore you to do everything you can to insure that WIA Title II does not suffer the devastating cuts proposed in President Bush’s budget. These proposed cuts do nothing to serve your constituents but rather close doors to the most vulnerable in our society.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
[TITLE & PROGRAM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]