Your Government, Your Taxes, Your Choices : A Curriculum for ABE Students

Adult Basic Education Budget Issues and Advocacy

Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Basic Education
http://www.mcae.net
(800) 339-2498
From their website: "The Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Basic Education is a statewide membership organization of educators, adult students, and others who support equal educational opportunities for adults." Organizes advocacy for adult basic education issues.

NELRC Civic Participation and Civics Collection
http://www.nelrc.org/cpcc/index.htm
Many resources, including the NELRC Civic Participation and Community Action Sourcebook, which offers "narrative accounts and skill-building activities." Categories are: Finding Connections to Communities and Issues, Holding Decision-Makers Accountable, Building Community by Helping Others, Expressing Ourselves and Educating Others, and Organizing for Change.

Systems for Adult Basic Education Support
http://www.sabes.org
Information and lessons related to budget issues. Under Resources, click Massachusetts ABE Budget Issues.

The Civic Center at E-Square
http://www.alri.org/esquare/civic/meet.htm
A collection of sites developed by students and teachers, including a virtual visit to the state house by an ESL class.

Your Government, Your Taxes, Your Choices: A Curriculum for ABE Students
http://www.mcae.net/curriculum/
To access this curriculum online.

Government

Citizen's Guide to Massachusetts State Services
http://www.state.ma.us/sec/cis/ciscig/guide.html
Information about state services, agencies, and contacts

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Website
http://www.mass.gov/
Click Your Government to find information on elected officials and voting, state agencies, and other related topics.

Massachusetts Elections Division
http://www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/eleidx.htm
1-800-462-VOTE
Information on elected officials, elections, voting, ballot questions, and other related information.

Massachusetts League of Women Voters
http://www.ma.lwv.org/
617-523-2999
From their website: "Dedicated to promoting informed and active citizen participation." Information about voting, government, and candidates at the local, state, and federal levels.

Project Vote Smart
http://vote-smart.org/
Information at both local and national levels on government, issues, and elected officials (including contact information and positions). The offer a Voter's Information Hotline: 1-888-VOTE-SMART (1-888-868-3762). Teaching materials are available.

The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
http://http://www.mass.gov/legis/
Information about legislative branch of Massachusetts, including contact information for legislators.

The Outreach and Technical Assistance Network EL Civics Collection
http://www.adultedteachers.org/
Many lessons for English language/literacy learners. You must register (free) to access resources. On the Quick Jump menu, click EL Civics.

You're in the Driver's Seat: Guide to Massachusetts Government
by Gerald W. Howland. (Stephen Greene Publisher, 1986)
Curriculum about government and its processes.

General Information on Taxes and Advocacy

Citizens for Tax Justice
http://www.ctj.org/
From their website: "Citizens for Tax Justice is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to fair taxation at the federal, state, and local levels."

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center
http://www.massbudget.org
From their website: "MBPC provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, that affect low- and moderate-income people in Massachusetts." Reports and budget monitors, fact sheets, and information on advocacy.

Responsible Wealth
http://www.responsiblewealth.org/
Information and advocacy on issues related to the increasing wealth gap.

United for a Fair Economy
http://www.faireconomy.org
Phone: 617-423-2148
Dedicated to "narrow[ing] the vast gap between the very wealthy and everyone else" via education and advocacy. They have publications, curricula, a research library, information on activism, and links to other sites.

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
http://www.ctj.org/itep/index.htm
From their website: “ITEP's mission is to keep policymakers and the public informed of the effects of current and proposed tax polices on tax fairness, government budgets and sound economic policy.”