Chair Stevens Questions Adult Literacy Funding and Integration Proposal
Chair Althea Stevens asks if DYCD is discussing the $20 million Education for Integration and Equity proposal with OMB to support immigrant adult literacy students.
Um, really quickly.
Uh, this might be Bob over here, so get ready.
This is adult literacy.
Um, just have some questions around there.
And I know who works for what.
The New York City Coalition of Adult Um Literacy has responded to the threats with a 20 million proposal for the mayoral administrators to create a new fund um stream for immigrant adult literacy students called the education for integration equality.
Are those conversations with OMB um to add this new funding stream into the adopted budget?
Have you guys started having those conversations?
Oh, we didn't swear them in.
Thank you, Bobba, for being honest.
Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before this committee and to respond honestly to council member questions?
You may get I do, sorry.
I'm sorry, could you restate the last part of the I was asking um, you know, the adult coalition has been asking about this 20 million dollars proposed for additional funding for um for uh um immigrant adult literacy students?
Um have you guys started to have those conversations with OMB already around this funding?
Uh uh there hasn't been a pointed conversation with OMB at this time, as you're aware the administration had to deal with a significant uh budget crisis, but we are having internal conversations and talking with LAC about the nature of the proposal.
The adult literacy um forward initiative is currently funded by council, which was created in partnership with the um expertise of providers.
It focuses on meeting the community needs with the with an innovation and holistic approach to adult literacy.
Is DYCD open to adopting aspects of this program for DYCD's RFP adult literacy program?
We're happy to continue to support the council's pilot.
As you'll recall.
There was a prior um iteration before adult literacy Forward.
And for our part, we believe that we learned from that model as well as a pilot that we did.
That's why we cre increased uh to a significant sent the price per participant under the current literacy model.
So we currently like and abide by the model that we have, and we'd be happy to continue to receive support from the councils we have in prior years to expand the number of slots made available under the model.