The House of Representatives today is expected to approve its version of welfare reform, designed to increase state flexibility. The bill reflects Administration priorities and contains superwaiver provisions that include adult education. Also in the waiver are parts of the Social Security Act, parts of WIA Title I, Wagner-Peyser activities, some housing and homelessness programs and others. Excluded from the waiver in the House version are Adult Education and Family Literacy Act provisions on maintenance of effort and supplementing and not supplanting federal funds. The next stop is the Senate which may change provisions of the bill. View at http://www.house.gov/rules/pryce_018.pdf.

English Literacy (EL) learners accounted for 42 percent of all adult education participants in Program Year (PY) 2001, up from 38 percent PY 2000. We may see an increase in PY 2002 as a result of additional foreign residents learning English to apply for citizenship. The Immigration and Naturalization Service says the applications for citizenship more than doubled in the wake of September 11. Adult basic education learners accounted for 37 percent of all learners in adult education programs in PY 2001. This is the same percentage as in PY 2000. Federal adult education funds served 2.7 million adults in PY 2001, only a small fraction of the 90 million in need of better literacy skills to get good jobs, participate in our democracy and care for their families.

We're looking for expert peer reviewers for the FY 2002 Community Technology Centers (CTC) competition. Field Readers need to be available from July 8 to August 9, 2002. They should be knowledgeable about the principles of education and instructional technology, familiar with strategies for establishing and expanding community technology centers, and well-versed in use and integration of technology as a learning tool. Reviewers can participate via phone or online. For more, contact William Saunders.

You can get a free computer literacy course for advanced or high intermediate English Literacy (EL) students with minimal computer skills at www.literacynet.org/nvesl/. The 32-hour course offers a foundation in using the PC for word processing, test taking, and Internet navigation. EL subject matter is integrated into the lessons, promoting improved language competency in reading, listening, and writing. Each lesson is designed as a two-hour session. There are four additional hours built in for CASAS testing or make-up time. Thank instructor Brett Patchen at bdp60@yahoo.com.