Read about NJALL initiatives and activities in our Spring Newsletter.  Articles include: The Importance of Being Vigilant, NJALL participates in COABE Capitol Hill Day, 2018 NJALL Scholarship Information, 2017 NJALL Award Winners, and much more.

Click here to download your copy.

Thousands of New Jersey adults needing basic reading skills, high school diplomas and English language skills are turned away from programs because of inadequate funding. In addition, businesses in New Jersey cannot find literate and trained individuals for their workplace needs.

It is vital for New Jersey’s economy and for our citizenry that we re-establish state funding for adult education to compensate for reductions in federal subsidies. 

In 2007 35,400 students were served through a robust network of adult education programs.  By 2017 that number had fallen to 16,702.

Providing the necessary state funds to enroll 18,700 more students at $1,000
per student would require a state appropriation of  $18,700,000.  This appropriation would provide invaluable and life changing opportunities for adults with limited skills. Equally important, it would open up employment opportunities for these individuals and for NJ businesses.

NJALL has developed several tools which you can use when asking your elected representatives to support adult education.  Here are several advocacy briefs you can share:

• NJ Adult Ed facts
• Help Eligible Immigrants Become Citizens
• Integrate High-skilled Immigrants

Here are sample letters that you can customize:

• Sample Educator letter
• Sample Student letter

Find your New Jersey State representatives through this interactive map.

For more information about NJALL's advocacy efforts, go to our youtube channel to listen to the March 22 webinar: Potential Changes in Federal 
Support for Adult Education: What They Mean for New Jersey, What they Mean for Advocacy

Look for more information soon about how we can advocate for State funding for adult education in New Jersey.

For the past four years, NJALL has held a learner writing contest. Each year we
receive about 75 submissions from all around the state. We continue to be humbled by students’ willingness to share their ideas, memories and feelings. As is often the case in adult education, some of the things the writers shared dealt with personal experiences that were life-changing or traumatic. We hope that the writing process is a positive one and that participating in the contest has been an encouraging learning experience.

You can read Insight, volume 3 (2017 submissions) here.
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Once again this year we have invited some of the contest winners to present
their work at the annual NJALL conference. The learners read from their winning submissions and then take questions from the attendance. Come to the conference on May 11, to hear these presentations for yourself and meet the 2018 contest winners.

Thanks again to all the writers, teachers and reviewers that made this magazine possible.

Erik Jacobson
Chair, NJALL Learner Writing Contest