Bill Overview
Title: Adult Education WORKS Act
Description: This bill expands adult education and literacy activities provided through state and local workforce development programs.
Sponsors: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Target Audience
Population: Adults needing education and reskilling
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill pertains to adult education and literacy activities.
- It is part of workforce development programs, so it targets adults who are in the workforce or seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce.
- It aims to provide opportunities for education and reskilling, primarily benefiting adults without a high school diploma or equivalent, and those needing additional skills training.
- According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, there are approximately 773 million adults worldwide who are illiterate, with a significant number of them being in countries with developed economies where workforce development programs are actively implemented.
Reasoning
- We are considering a mix of both impacted and non-impacted individuals to reflect the variation in the population.
- Budget limitations imply the policy can only cover a part of the target population in the US, so we also simulate people who will not be affected.
- The workforce development focus and targets adults requiring basic literacy or reskilling to improve job prospects, hence the representation of diverse occupational backgrounds.
Simulated Interviews
Retail Worker (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy could really help people like me get the skills we need to move into better-paying jobs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Unemployed (San Antonio, Texas)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Getting access to education programs will help me focus on a stable career in tech.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Construction Worker (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 37 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional training would enable career advancement and open up management opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Factory Worker (Rural Kentucky)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative may provide the training I need to adapt to new roles as the economy shifts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Freelance Artist (Miami, Florida)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Formal education could vastly improve my marketability and earning potential.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Office Manager (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy is more helpful to those without foundational skills, which isn't quite my situation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Mechanic (New York, New York)
Age: 59 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I could benefit from reskilling opportunities this policy introduces, but at my age, it's somewhat of a gamble.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Administrative Assistant (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support the policy, though my primary need is a specialized tech program rather than basic reskilling.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Customer Service Representative (Charleston, West Virginia)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to adult education programs could be transformative by providing the stepping stone needed for nursing school.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (San Francisco, California)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It might be difficult to utilize these programs in retirement, even if I wish to rejoin the workforce.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 2: $1550000000 (Low: $1230000000, High: $1860000000)
Year 3: $1600000000 (Low: $1260000000, High: $1920000000)
Year 5: $1700000000 (Low: $1340000000, High: $2040000000)
Year 10: $1900000000 (Low: $1520000000, High: $2280000000)
Year 100: $2500000000 (Low: $2000000000, High: $3000000000)
Key Considerations
- The budget for existing adult education and workforce programs serves as a baseline for the expected additional costs.
- Estimating costs accurately depends on the scalability and speed of expansion in the programs.
- Initial implementation phases focus heavily on setup and coordination, which can be resource-intensive.