The Network for Public Education is very fortunate to have successfully persuaded Marla Kilfoyle, former national executive director of the BATS, to join us as our national coordinator of grassroots activities.
This is the first newsletter of our grassroots groups, created by Marla.
If your group wants to join, please contact Marla, so she can list your activities.
The link is in the newsletter.
Our followers are located in every state. Be sure that your state joins in the Network.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Hey, it’s a sharp looking newsletter. Thanks.
LikeLike
Hello Diane: I thought this was the best place to forward this post from the National Literacy Association AAACE to its members regarding current bills that concern adult education. CBK
(ALL FORWARDED BELOW)
AAACE-NLA Colleagues,
I have reviewed the proposed Digital Equity Act of 2019 and believe it can be very helpful to adults who need digital literacy skills. It would provide new federal funds to states to make available to community anchor programs such as adult basic skills providers. Below is an email I received as a member of the National Coalition for Literacy. Please contact your two Senators by MONDAY APRIL 8th and urge them to so-sponsor the bill. Also, please consider joining the National Coalition for Literacy as an individual member, as I have done, and you can participate in its public policy committee and receive important updates. David/David J. Rosen/djrosen123@gmail.com
Begin forwarded message:
From: Deborah Kennedy deborah.kennedy@key-words.us
Subject: [NCL Members] Ask Your Senators to Cosponsor the Digital Equity Act of 2019
Date: April 5, 2019 at 2:20:05 PM EDT
To: “NCL Members” members@lists.national-coalition-literacy.org
Cc: Ben_merkel ben_merkel@murray.senate.gov, hart_clements hart_clements@murray.senate.gov
Colleagues, Early next week, Senator Patty Murray (WA) will introduce the Digital Equity Act of 2019. This important legislation seeks to increase access for communities that lack high-speed digital connectivity. The National Coalition for Literacy and several of its members have assisted with development of the legislation to ensure that it makes specific reference to the communities and learners that we serve.
Senator Murray’s office is actively seeking cosponsors for the bill, and I hope you will support that effort by contacting your Senators to urge them to co-sign and support this bill. I’m attaching information about the bill and a message from Hart Clements in Senator Murray’s office for your reference. Feel free to refer your Senator’s staff to Ms Clements (hart_clements@murray.senate.gov) and her colleague Ben Merkel ben_merkel@murray.senate.gov) if there are questions.
Thank you for your active advocacy for this key legislation! Cordially, Deborah/Deborah Kennedy
Senior Consultant / Owner, Key Words/President, National Coalition for Literacy
office: 202-364-1964 (September-May)/office: 603-293-2402 (June-August)/www.key-words.us
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org
Cosponsor the Digital Equity Act of 2019/Deadline to cosponsor as an original: April 8th
Senator Murray invites your bosses to cosponsor the Digital Equity Act of 2019, a bill aimed at addressing gaps in broadband internet adoption that affect historically overlooked and underserved populations, including members of a racial or ethnic minority group, individuals with disabilities, rural communities, and low-income households. This bill complements, but does not duplicate, existing federal broadband programs administered by the FCC, USDA and others.
Summary: The bill would establish two grant programs administered by NTIA –
· State Capacity Grant Program
o Formula grant program available to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to build out capacity for digital inclusion activities at the state level. Includes a five-percent tribal set aside.
o In order to receive capacity grant funds, States must craft a State Digital Equity Plan which identifies need and sets digital equity-related objectives. Once awarded capacity grant, States can use funds to execute plan and subgrant to organizations within the state for digital inclusion efforts.
o Authorized at $120 million per year for capacity grants and an additional $60 million for state planning grants.
· Competitive Grant Program
o A nationally competitive grant program to support digital inclusion initiatives undertaken by individual organizations and/or coalitions.
o Allowable uses include targeted digital inclusion efforts, skills training and other workforce development programs, the construction and operation of public computing centers, and making technology available to covered populations at low or no cost.
o Authorized at $120 million per year. Current Cosponsors: Sen. King/Endorsed by:
· American Library Association
· Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC
· Competitive Carriers Association
· Chief Officers of State Librarians Association
· Consortium for School Networking
· National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors
· Next Century Cities
· National Congress of American Indians
· National Coalition for Literacy
· National Consumer Law Center on behalf of their low-income clients
· National Digital Inclusion Alliance
· National Hispanic Media Coalition
· National League of Cities
· National Parent Teacher Association
· Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network
· New America’s Open Tech Institute
· Public Knowledge
· Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition
The bill text is attached, along with a one-pager and section-by-section. If your boss is interested in cosponsoring or if you have any questions, please reach out to Ben Merkel (4-9484, Ben_Merkel@murray.senate.gov) or Hart Clements (8-6692, Hart_Clements@murray.senate.gov).
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “AAACE-NLA” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to aaace-nla+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to aaace-nla@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/aaace-nla.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aaace-nla/23499721-0D81-4DFA-AF83-FDFD62680479%40gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
—
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “AAACE-NLA” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to aaace-nla+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to aaace-nla@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/aaace-nla.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aaace-nla/23499721-0D81-4DFA-AF83-FDFD62680479%40gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
National Coalition for Literacy Members mailing list
Members@lists.national-coalition-literacy.org
To unsubscribe: http://lists.national-coalition-literacy.org/mailman/listinfo/members_lists.national-coalition-literacy.org
LikeLike
BEWARE!
I have nothing against digital literacy, just BEWARE.
Ever wondered about Pluto’s classification as a planet? Well, as stupid as it is … politics.
LikeLike
Thanks to Marla Kilfoyle for the superb NPE newsletter.
LikeLike
NPE could not have made a better choice than Marla. She will engage the masses!
I hope NPE will consider microgrants to activists who have become leaders in their communities. It would go far in achieving NPE’s goals in communities across the country. A little bit of money could go a long way, and individual, independent organizers have no access to resources.
LikeLike
If we had deep pockets we would do that. There are many worthy organizations and individuals and we can’t afford to fund them.
On the other hand, when we do a major report, like “Asleep at the Wheel,” co-authored by Carol Burris and Jeff Bryant, presented to Congress a day before DeVos testified on the budget, we are able to fund all our own expenses without asking for support from anyone else. No foundations, no corporations.
LikeLike
Great newsletter! It is very heartening to see all these groups nationwide taking action to preserve our public schools. And an excellent way for groups to see what others are doing and collaborate. It’s that voice for public schools Chiara so often says we need to counter the drone of ed-deform that often as not comes from pubsch admin itself. When the govt sells out our public goods to privatizers, the public has to step up – and here they are!!
LikeLike