South Gwinnett News

Reps. Lucy McBath of Georgia and Frank Mrvan of Indiana joined with Senators Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Todd Young of Indiana to re-introduce the Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success (WORKS) Act. The legislation aims to aid American workers by investing in adult education, which currently serves approximately 1.1 million people. Despite this, there are over 43 million adults needing literacy programs and about 62.7 million requiring numeracy assistance.

Rep. McBath emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, "With so many adults at low literacy and numeracy rates, it is crucial that we provide them an option to gain the skills they need to succeed." She added, "No adult or family should be left on the sidelines, and the expertise available through these programs often mean the difference between a job that supports a family and struggling to make ends meet." Rep. Mrvan echoed these sentiments, expressing pride in cooperating with his colleagues "in introducing this legislation to expand educational opportunities for adults and improve the ability of all individuals to reach their academic goals."

The Adult Education WORKS Act proposes updates to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to advance access to adult education services. Key aspects include increasing funding for adult education to $1.35 billion by 2029, including adult education providers in workforce planning, and promoting digital literacy within these programs. The act also seeks to foster the professionalization of the adult education field and bolster coordination between adult education and workforce development programs.

Additional provisions promote public libraries' involvement in workforce development and support innovation through pilot projects. These measures aim to ensure comprehensive skills development for adult learners across the United States.

The legislation has garnered support from several organizations, including the American Library Association, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Coalition for Adult Basic Education, National Coalition for Literacy, National Skills Coalition, ProLiteracy, TESOL International Association, and the Urban Libraries Council.