Acts granting ABE funding:

• Public Law 102-73, the National Literacy Act of 1991: Provided adult education funding to all states: 1991 – 1997
• Workforce Investment Act of 1998: Adult education is Title II (the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act) within the WIA law. Provides funding to all states:  1998 – present

Current National and State Funding:

• Funding is based on the percentage of the state’s over 16 population who are out of school and do not have a high school diploma or GED. 
• Minnesota's share of the national adult education funding is about 1.3 % of the total national allocation. 
• The national annual allocation is $565 million. 
  • Current federal ABE funding for Minnesota is $6.8 million.
•   Minnesota state funding for adult education greatly exceeds the matching requirements in the WIA law. 
  • Current state ABE funding is $38 million.

How Minnesota Uses Federal ABE Funds:

• 82.5%  Flow thru funding to support all ABE consortia programming and direct services to clients (GED, Adult Diploma, ESL, Family Literacy, Workforce Preparation, Citizenship/Civics)
• 5%  State level admin (i.e.  Minnesota Department of Education Adult Basic Education Office)
• 12.5% Other Programming including:
  • Professional development for ABE educators and administrators
  • Accountability Activities (i.e.  the National Reporting System)
  • Innovation and Best Practices development and dissemination
  • Workforce Education program development and support
  • ABE Technology Services
  • Literacy Volunteer Services
  • Transition to post-secondary initiative