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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, In Illinois, more than 1.2 million adults do not 
3have a high school diploma or
equivalency certificate and 
4approximately 2.73 million immigrants speak a language other 
5than
English in their homes; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, In Illinois, adult learners have access to basic 
7education and literacy activities,
high quality career 
8pathways, postsecondary education, and training programs in 
9high demand
occupations; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, With the passage and implementation of the federal 
11Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act of 2014, adult 
12education has a greater emphasis on employability and
technical 
13skills training; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, Illinois now has three exams approved for 
15determining high school
equivalency, giving adult education 
16students more options for testing, including both 
17computer-based
and paper-based testing formats; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Eighty-three adult education providers across 
19Illinois offer programs funded through
the Illinois Community 
20College Board that provide comprehensive instruction to more 
21than
82,000 learners each year; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, "Creating Pathways for Adult Learners: A 
2Visioning Document for the Illinois
Adult Education and Family 
3Literacy Program" was written in November of 2009 and intended 
4to
guide operations for a five year period; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, The Illinois Community College Board has the 
6statutory authority over adult
education and high school 
7equivalency testing; therefore, be it
  
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL 
9ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
10CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Statewide Task 
11Force on the Future of Adult Education and Literacy within the 
12Illinois Community College Board; and be it further
  
 
13    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the 
14following members:
 
15        (1) the Executive Director of the Illinois Community 
16    College Board or his or her
designee, who is to serve as 
17    Chair of the Task Force;
 
18        (2) the Chair of the Illinois Community College Board 
19    or his or her designee;
 
 
 
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1        (3) the Secretary of Education or his or her designee;
 
2        (4) the Secretary of State or his or her designee;
 
3        (5) the State Superintendent of the Illinois Board of 
4    Education or his or her designee;
 
5        (6) the Executive Director of the Illinois Board of 
6    Higher Education or his or her designee;
 
7        (7) the Executive Director of the Illinois Student 
8    Assistance Commission or his or her designee;
 
9        (8) the Executive Director of the Department of 
10    Commerce and Economic Opportunity
or his or her designee;
 
11        (9) the Executive Director of the Department of 
12    Employment Security or his or her
designee;
 
13        (10) the Executive Director of the Department of Human 
14    Services or his or her designee;
 
15        (11) one member of the General Assembly, appointed by 
16    the President of the Senate;
 
17        (12) one member of the General Assembly, appointed by 
 
 
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1    the Minority Leader of the
Senate;
 
2        (13) one member of the General Assembly, appointed by 
3    the Speaker of the House
of Representatives;
 
4        (14) one member of the General Assembly, appointed by 
5    the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives;
 
6        (15) a representative of a statewide association 
7    representing regional
superintendents of schools, 
8    appointed by the Executive Director of the Illinois

9    Community College Board;
 
10        (16) a representative of a statewide association 
11    representing adult and continuing
educators, appointed by 
12    the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College

13    Board;
 
14        (17) a president or chief executive officer of a 
15    community college, appointed by the
Executive Director of 
16    the Illinois Community College Board;
 
17        (18) a member of the philanthropic community, 
18    appointed by the Executive Director
of the Illinois 
19    Community College Board;
 
 
 
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1        (19) a representative of a nonprofit, community-based 
2    organization that provides
adult education programs, 
3    appointed by the Executive Director of the Illinois

4    Community College;
 
5        (20) a representative of a community college that 
6    provides adult education
programs, appointed by the 
7    Executive Director of the Illinois Community College 
8    Board;
 
9        (21) a representative of a local education agency that 
10    provides adult education
programs, appointed by the 
11    Executive Director of the Illinois Community College 
12    Board; and
 
13        (22) a representative of a postsecondary Career and 
14    Technical Education program;
appointed by the Executive 
15    Director of the Illinois Community College Board; and be
it 
16    further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall create a statewide 
18strategic plan for adult education and
literacy that shall 
19consider, but not be limited to, all of the following:
 
20        (1) demographics of the State's population;
 
 
 
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1        (2) the State's economic and educational conditions;
 
2        (3) current and projected needs of the State's adult 
3    residents with low literacy skills,
without a high school 
4    diploma and those who have limited English speaking skills;
 
5        (4) options for adults without a high school diploma;
 
6        (5) the federal Adult Education funding guidelines;
 
7        (6) student pipeline issues, including college and 
8    career readiness, transitions to college
or training 
9    programs, and postsecondary retention, transfer, and 
10    graduation rates;
 
11        (7) curriculum and instruction, professional 
12    development, assessment, and program
design;
 
13        (8) productivity and accountability;
 
14        (9) innovation in approaches to teaching and learning 
15    for adult learners;
 
16        (10) workforce readiness; and
 
17        (11) partnerships involving, Workforce Innovation and 
 
 
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1    Opportunity Act partner
agencies, higher education, 
2    nonprofits, and business; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall seek input from 
4stakeholders and members of the public
on the issues to be 
5reviewed and reported on by the Task Force; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That members of the Task Force shall serve 
7without compensation and the Illinois
Community College Board 
8shall provide administrative and other support to the Task 
9Force;
and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report to the General 
11Assembly and the Governor on or
before January 31, 2018 with a 
12strategic plan for adult education that includes a series of

13recommendations and priority actions to guide the State agency 
14responsible for adult education
and literacy services over the 
15next five years; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That the Task Force is dissolved upon the filing 
17of its final report.