Adult Education And Literacy In Kentucky

Adult Education And

Literacy In Kentucky

Research Report No. 296

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION Frankfort, Kentucky August 2000 i

ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY IN KENTUCKY

TASK FORCE ON ADULT EDUCATION

Governor Paul E. Patton, Chair Senator Walter Blevins, Vice-Chair Representative Brent Yonts, Vice-Chair

Representative Scott Alexander Senator Lindy Casebier Representative Barbara Colter Ms. Debra Fischer Representative H. "Gippy" Graham Senator David Karem Dr. Cheryl D. King Ms. Rebecca Sue Knisely

Representative Charles Miller Senator Tim Shaughnessy Representative Charles Siler Senator Robert Stivers Dr. Jonell Tobin Mr. John Underwood Senator David Williams

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION STAFF

Sandra Deaton Audrey Carr

CONSULTANT TO THE TASK FORCE

Aims C. McGuinness National Center for Higher Education Management Systems

Research Report No. 296

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION

Frankfort, Kentucky August 2000

Paid for from state funds.

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FOREWORD

Over the past decade, Kentucky has taken bold steps to improve its total system of public education with the passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act in 1990 and the Postsecondary Education Act in 1997. However, much remains to be done to educate adults who missed the opportunities now provided young students. Adult illiteracy is a fundamental barrier to every major challenge facing Kentucky, including early childhood education, education reform, economic development, and improving the health and well-being of Kentucky's families and communities. Approximately one million Kentucky adults, many of whom are in the workforce, lack the basic skills necessary to function more effectively in their jobs or as members of their communities.

In response to the need to improve educational opportunities for adults, the 1998 General Assembly adopted SCR 126 (Appendix A) to establish the Task Force on Adult Education and charged it to develop recommendations and an implementation plan for raising the literacy level and educational attainment of Kentucky's adults who have not graduated from high school or who have poor literacy skills. The task force was chaired by Governor Paul E. Patton and included six senators, six representatives, and five members appointed by the Governor.

The task force completed its work in August 1999 by accepting this report that was drafted by the consultant to the task force, Dr. Aims McGuinness, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. The 2000 General Assembly unanimously adopted Senate Bill 1 in response to the recommendations and appropriated new funds. A summary of SB 1 is included in Appendix B.

Staff support to the task force was provided by Sandra Deaton, Charles Bush, Ethel Alston, Audrey Carr, Jonathan Lowe, and Lora Hawkins. The manuscript was edited by Charles Bush and Tom Lewis.

Staff members of the Department for Adult Education and Literacy were most helpful in providing information and assistance in the course of this study.

The Capitol Frankfort, Kentucky June 2000

Robert Sherman Director

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