Changes to City’s Funding Formula Leave Adult Education Providers Struggling
Lack of Funding Forces Program Closures and Layoffs
Changes to the city’s funding formula for adult education programs have left some community organizations with decades of experience without contracts to continue their classes—for the time being. Six organizations that weren’t funded reported waiting lists with thousands of people.
The Impact on Providers
Tiziana Perkins, a student at St. Nicks Alliance, hopes to pass her last remaining science test to earn a diploma through a High School Equivalency (HSE) program. "I’ll be graduating in August," she said. "As for the program, it helped me build more confidence; believing in myself and having a village that I was looking for for a long time."
For years, the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) has worked with community-based organizations (CBOs) and educational institutions to develop an adult literacy system for New Yorkers over the age of 16, offering a range of literacy, English, math, and other classes.
The Changes to the Funding Formula
In the last two fiscal years, the baseline budget for DYCD’s adult literacy programs was set at $11.8 million, funding that’s doled out to CBOs that bid on contracts through requests for proposals (RFPs). The last fiscal year that ended June 30 included additional funds for these programs, totaling $16 million. After a struggle during this year’s budget negotiations, advocates and lawmakers secured $27 million—including a one-time $10 million infusion funded by City Council initiatives—for fiscal year 2025, which started July 1.
For this batch of funds, DYCD used a new formula for its RFP that focused on awarding organizations within "Neighborhood Tabulation Areas" (NTAs)—geographic communities with low English proficiency and educational attainment and high poverty rates, based on census data.
The Problems with the New Formula
Under the new rules, CBOs inside of an NTA are prioritized, and only one organization within each NTA can win grant money. While providers say the new RFP language looks good on paper, in practice, they argue, it oversimplifies the complexities and nuances of adult literacy programs, which by definition serve economically disadvantaged people.
The Impact on Communities
The funding snafus come as providers of these programs have seen increased demand for classes, especially after more than 210,000 new immigrants arrived in the city in the last two years, 64,300 of whom remain in its shelter system.
Conclusion
Without additional funds, providers fear that applicants to their ESOL programs will remain on the waitlist for over a year. They emphasized that those who cannot access ESOL or GED classes face greater barriers to civic participation, engagement in their children’s education, access to post-secondary education, and workforce training pathways.
FAQs
Q: What is the reason behind the changes to the funding formula?
A: The city’s Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) used a new formula for its RFP that focused on awarding organizations within "Neighborhood Tabulation Areas" (NTAs).
Q: What is the impact of the new formula on providers?
A: Six organizations that weren’t funded reported waiting lists with thousands of people, and several providers have had to cancel programs and lay off staff.
Q: What is the impact on communities?
A: The funding snafus come as providers of these programs have seen increased demand for classes, especially after more than 210,000 new immigrants arrived in the city in the last two years.
Q: What is the city doing to address the issue?
A: The city has secured $27 million for adult literacy programs, including a one-time $10 million infusion funded by City Council initiatives, and is considering additional funds from the City Council.
Q: What is the future of adult education programs in the city?
A: Providers are hoping that the extra funds from the City Council will allow them to bring their adult programs back to life, and are waiting to hear from the city about the future of their programs.
