Students & Families Adult Education Adult & Community Learning Services
Adult and Community Learning Services

Reading Pilot Alert

October 17, 2008

Dear ABE Directors:

Yesterday Governor Patrick announced a series of cuts to balance the FY2009 budget, some of which impact the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and public schools in your communities. The cuts reflect difficult realities here in the Commonwealth and across the nation as revenues decrease and costs increase.

The ABE FY2009 budget line item #7035–0002 has been cut by $million. This $1 million is essentially the increase we were to receive this year. Although this is sad news that will have an impact on our plans for the year, we are committed to minimizing the impact on students.

In the meanwhile, there is one impact of the cut that we know to be certain: we will not be able to fund the Reading Research Pilot. Please discontinue working on your application if you were planning to apply for this funding. I apologize to those of you who have devoted time and energy to your application.

For information on the Commonwealth budget, visit http://www.mass.gov/?pageID.

Despite our latest challenge, I know that you will continue to focus on improving curriculum and instruction and helping our students acquire the skills they need to succeed. Now's the time to remember how much we've learned from our students about resiliency and the ability to hang in there!

Thank you again for the outstanding job you do on behalf of adult learners every day.

With Literacy In Mind,
Anne Serino

Anne Serino
State Director
Adult and Community Learning Services
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148