1/ This total excludes $142,100 in obligations incurred in 1984 for activities carried out by the U.S. Information Agency in 1983. TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1985. VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION WITNESSES OBERT M. WORTHINGTON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION AUL V. DELKER, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADULT EDUCATION, OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION eROY A. CORNELSEN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION ALLY H. CHRISTENSEN, DIRECTOR, BUDGET SERVICE, OFFICE OF PLANNING, BUDGET AND EVALUATION AWRENCE L. BROWN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY AND VOCATIONAL ANALYSIS, OFFICE OF PLANNING, BUDGET AND EVALUATION Mr. NATCHER [presiding]. At this time, we take up the budget reuest for Vocational and Adult Education. We have before the comittee Mr. Robert M. Worthington, the Assistant Secretary for Voational and Adult Education. It is a pleasure to have you back before the committee. Before ou tell us how much money you think we should put in this bill, ell us who you have there with you at the table. INTRODUCTION OF WITNESSES Mr. WORTHINGTON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On my left is Dr. LeRoy Cornelsen, Director, Division of Vocaonal Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education; and Ir. Paul Delker, Director, Division of Adult Education, Office of ocational and Adult Education. On my right is Mrs. Sally Chrisensen, Director, Budget Service, Office of Planning, Budget and valuation; and Mr. Lonny Brown, Director, Division of Elementay, Secondary and Vocational Analysis, Office of Planning, Budget nd Evaluation. Mr. NATCHER. Thank you, Mr. Worthington. SUMMARY OF BUDGET REQUEST Mr. WORTHINGTON. I will summarize my statement and submit he entire statement for the record. The President's 1986 budget request includes $738.5 million for ocational education, and $100 million for adult education. These re the same amounts as appropriated for fiscal year 1985. Our total fiscal year 1986 request of $838.5 million is thus frozen t the prior year's level. First, a quick look at vocational education. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION BASIC STATE GRANTS For the fiscal year 1986, $738.5 million is to be expended under the recently-enacted Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act This legislation targets 57 percent of each State's basic grant on six special populations: the handicapped; the disadvantaged; adults who need training and retraining; single parents and homemakers participants in programs to eliminate sex bias and sex stereotyp ing; and institutionalized criminal offenders. Under the new legislation, 43 percent of basic State grants not used for these six groups is available to States for improvement, innovation, and expansion, but not for maintenance of existing voca tional programs. While the total which we have requested for vocational educa tion would be frozen at the 1985 level, we have proposed one major shift in funding. That is, $31.6 million, previously appropriated for consumer and homemaking in fiscal year 1985, would be appropri ated under basic grants for 1986. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION NATIONAL PROGRAMS We are requesting $8.3 million for national programs in research and data systems. Of this amount, $6.3 million would be available to support the special research projects called for under Section 402 of the Perkins Act, and to continue support of the Curriculum Co ordination Centers. The research projects will address a wide range of topics, includ ing sex bias and stereotyping, model vocational programs in correc tional facilities, and vocational teacher shortages and surpluses. Also, this $6.3 million vocational research budget includes ap proximately $1.2 million to fund the first year of the mandated Na tional Institute of Education assessment of vocational education. The remaining $2 million in national programs funds would pro vide for continued support of the National and State Occupationa Information Coordinating Committees. ADULT EDUCATION REQUEST For adult education programs in fiscal year 1986, we are also re questing that funding be held at the 1985 appropriation level. Thi would provide $100 million in Federal support, to be expende under the recently reauthorized Adult Education Act. Amendments to the Act include the authority to support adul education services provided by private, for-profit organizations and the extension of eligibility to persons who are below age 16 bu above their State's compulsory school attendance age. We estimate that even with Federal aid to adult education frozer at the 1985 level of $100 million, the budget will provide services to at least as many persons as in recent years. Our estimate of 2.4 million to be served in 1986 is based on data collected by the Na tional Association of State Directors of Adult Education. We attribute some of the increase to gradually rising levels o non-Federal support for adult basic education, now reported by the States to be 56 percent of all program expenditures. rivate sector and volunteer support for adult literacy result of the President's Adult Literacy Initiative, to increases in numbers of individuals served, within the Federal appropriation. my colleagues and I will be happy to answer your our vocational and adult education budget. t of Mr. Worthington follows:] |