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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 9 No. 1 |
February 2005 |
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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 9 No. 1 |
February 2005 |
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MAIN Members Call for Greater Access to
Higher EducationMAIN can be proud of the work it did in 1997 to help create the Parents as Scholars Program (PaS). Since then, up to 1,000 low-income parents each year have enrolled in Maine colleges. Graduates report wage increases of nearly 50% and many got jobs with access to health care, sick time and vacations. Their average grade point average is 3.4-and they report an increase in the aspirations of their own children. PaS has improved the economic security of the families involved. Read stories of PaS participants.
Unfortunately this same opportunity is not available to all low-income families. Eligibility for PaS is limited to families who qualify for the TANF Program. This leaves out many who want this same kind of opportunity. While the Department of Labor's Career Centers are a helpful source of information, they can only help 1 out of 10 of the low-income or unemployed workers who request education and training.
Far too many Maine workers can't make ends meet. Nearly 25% of Maine workers supporting a family of four don't earn enough to lift their families out of poverty. Of all workers who were in the bottom 20% of earners in 1969, 41% were still there 25 years later.
Access to higher education was identified as a high priority at MAIN's biennial conference this fall. Many talked about the difficulty of trying to go to school with limited financial aid, no help with child care or transportation, and the stress of juggling work, school and family. More help is needed. MAIN and MEJP are watching for opportunities to raise these concerns in this legislative session.If you are concerned - if it affects you,
please contact Crystal Bond at Maine Equal Justice
1-866-626-7059, Ext 205
