Ask Congress to Help Release Adult Education Funds for ESL Students

As a part of our holistic approach to integration in the US, World Relief has long provided Adult Education services to our newly arriving refugee and immigrant neighbors. Through these services, over 4,000 adult students across the US receive crucial English language support, cultural orientation, financial literacy, digital literacy, and job and career readiness training each year. We walk alongside newcomers with practical, relational support that affirms their dignity and helps them flourish.

Without this intentional, compassionate support, too many are left behind. That’s why World Relief provides these direct services and partners with churches, volunteers, community organizations and other local stakeholders to help individuals overcome these barriers and pursue long-term success. On June 30th, the Department of Education informed our programs that the funding that had been promised to arrive on July 1st would be withheld until it was reviewed by the Trump Administration. This is the first time in history that this congressionally approved funding has been withheld from state and local education programs, even though this funding would do the important work of educating and caring for both children and adult learners. The funding is crucially needed: according to the National Immigration Forum, 59 million adults (1 in 5 Americans) read at or below beginning literacy levels, which costs the economy $300+ billion yearly. Adult education programs serve 1 million students annually; 60% of participants are immigrants and refugees rebuilding their lives as essential workers. While the Trump Administration released 1.4 billion dollars of this funding on July 18th to support after school programing for K-12 learners, funding for adult learners and K-12 English language learners is still frozen.

We urge you to ask your U.S. Senators and Representatives to call the Office of Management and Budget to release the funds now, and to champion increased investment for adult education for the upcoming fiscal year. Our learners and families need you to raise your voice.