Group Will Recommend Best Ways to Invest Adult Literacy Funding Increases & How to Streamline Delivery of Services
Governor Donald L. Carcieri yesterday unveiled the formation of an Adult Literacy Task Force, which will develop a comprehensive plan to create an integrated, high-quality adult literacy system in Rhode Island. The governor made his announcement at the 2003 Cities Count Summit at the State House.
"In order for our residents to succeed in the workplace, they must be equipped with knowledge," Carcieri said. "We know that adult literacy is one of the greatest challenges we face. Imagine not being able to read a job application. Imagine not being able to follow directions for your child's prescription. This is the case for too many Rhode Islanders. We have to change that. That's why I have proposed to triple state funding for adult literacy programs in our state. That's step one."
Carcieri continued. "Now we must develop a comprehensive plan to invest these new resources and create an integrated, high quality adult literacy system which empowers Rhode Islanders to achieve economic security, support the needs of both their families and employers, and become active participants in their communities. To enable us to achieve this goal, I am very pleased to announce today that I am establishing a Task Force on Adult Literacy."
The task force will be asked to create a plan within the next month to determine how best to utilize the additional $1.4 million that the governor included in his budget for adult literacy programs. The group also will be asked to present recommendations by September on ways to coordinate services among state agencies, establish the state's management capacity, identify gaps in the delivery system and formulate solutions, and develop quality standards for curricula.
The governor's policy director, Jeff Grybowski, will chair the task force, which will be comprised of members of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Office of Higher Education, the Human Resources Investment Council, the Department of Human Services, the Economic Development Corporation and the Adult Education Commission. The Task Force will seek input from adult literacy providers, the business community, adult learners and stakeholders.
In making his announcement, Governor Carcieri also noted several of the education and economic development initiatives in his budget proposal, including $600,000 to redesign Hope High School in Providence; $5 million for the Met School and charter schools around the state; $5 million for the Neighborhood Opportunity Program; and setting a goal to create 20,000 jobs over the next four years (or 6,400 more jobs than what was projected by the November 2002 Consensus Economic Forecast).