Mrvan, Young team up to bolster federal support for adult education programs

The congressman for Northwest Indiana and the state's senior senator are working together to try to expand and improve adult education programs in the Hoosier State and across the country.

Bipartisan legislation filed Wednesday by, among others, U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, and U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., seeks to update the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by providing more federal financial support for adult education, along with new pathways for adults in need of literacy or numeracy training to access it.

Specifically, the Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success (WORKS) Act would increase adult education funding to $1.35 billion by 2029, better integrate adult education with workforce development initiatives, promote state certification of full-time adult educators, incorporate digital literacy into adult education, and expand the role of public libraries in workforce development programs, among other provisions.

In a statement, Mrvan said he was proud to join U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Georgia — a Joliet, Illinois, native — and their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to expand educational opportunities for adults and to improve the ability of all individuals to reach their academic goals.

"Let us continue working together in a bicameral and bipartisan fashion to enhance educational and economic opportunities for everyone in our communities," Mrvan said.

Young agreed that working across party lines in both the Senate and the House is the best way to enhance adult education in Indiana and other states.

"It's critical that all Hoosiers have the tools necessary to succeed in the modern economy — and that starts with strengthening adult education," Young said. "Our bipartisan bill would bolster critical services for adult learners, while also making important updates that ensure participants are prepared for the 21st century workforce."

McBath was quick to thank her Hoosier colleagues and other members of Congress for getting behind her plan and working to advance it toward the desk of Democratic President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

"No adult should be left on the sidelines, and the skills available through these programs often mean the difference between a job that supports a family and struggling to make ends meet," McBath said. "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."

The legislation also is supported by the American Library Association, Coalition for Adult Basic Education, National Coalition for Literacy, National Skills Coalition, ProLiteracy, Center for Law and Social Policy, and the TESOL International Association.