Response to Boston Globe editorial on higher education investment

I COULD not agree more with your editorial’s call for additional investment in higher education (“A ‘Vision Project’ for higher ed,’’ May 5). However, the Vision Project appears to miss a major gap in the Commonwealth’s higher educational system. Tens of thousands of low-skilled, low-wage adults want to attend college to access better jobs. But limited English skills and time, weak academic skills, and few financial resources mean they find it nearly impossible to get into and succeed in our community colleges, let alone our four-year institutions.

Our adult education system focuses most resources on lower-level adult learners, leaving a huge gap between English and high school equivalency programs and college readiness. Several organizations like the Jewish Vocational Service run college “bridge’’ programs to help adult learners get into and succeed in college, but these are few and far between, and almost entirely privately funded. These efforts also need serious public investment, or the Commonwealth’s educational vision will leave thousands behind.

Jerry Rubin