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ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor Ch. 305
CHAPTER 305
(Senate Bill 384)
AN ACT concerning
Adult Education and Literacy Services - Waiting List - Funding
FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor to increase a certain appropriation in the
State budget for certain fiscal years for the State Department of Education to
distribute as Literacy Works grants in order to reduce the waiting list for certain
adult education and literacy services; requiring the Department, in consultation
with the General Assembly, to establish an ongoing method of funding adult
education and literacy services to reduce a certain waiting list; requiring the
Department to submit a certain report to the General Assembly on or before a
certain date; and generally relating to funding for adult education and literacy
services.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Education
Section 5-218
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2004 Replacement Volume and 2004 Supplement)
Preamble
WHEREAS, The economy of Maryland needs an educated workforce to be
competitive; and
WHEREAS, An estimated 613,640 Maryland adults do not have a high school
diploma; and
WHEREAS, High school dropouts who earn a high school diploma can earn an
extra $7,000 in annual income; and
WHEREAS, The literacy level of a parent is the best predictor of a child's
literacy achievement; and
WHEREAS, The National Adult Literacy Survey reports that 20% of
Marylanders function at the lowest literacy level; and
WHEREAS, Maryland provides adult education and literacy services to only 4%
of the target population; and
WHEREAS, Each year, over 16,000 Maryland adults apply to take the GED test
and 45% fail the test due to lack of preparation; and
WHEREAS, Over 88,000 foreign-born residents who "do not speak English well"
or "at all" entered the State since the last census was taken; and
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