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For the first time since 1992, more than 2,000 cases of measles were diagnosed in the United States in 2025, the majority of which were diagnosed in Texas. Appalachia, deciding that Texas had gotten enough attention, stepped up to seize defeat from the jaws of decades-long victory, with South Carolina seeing 311 cases in 2025, and 481 in JUST the first month of 2026.

The new reality of the Trump Regime has forced the Appalachian Learning Initiative to make a tough decision: How do we continue to report accurate data related to educational outcomes, social determinants, public health, and social assistance utilization if the sources of those data are no longer reliable?

The Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI, like "apply") is bringing attention to the recently released "Skinny Budget," released by the Office of Management and Budget on May 2nd, 2025, which proposes cutting $729 million in Adult Education funding from the federal budget. This proposal would result in the total elimination of all funding for adult education allocated under the U.S. Department of Education through the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title

As of the most recent data release, more than 3 out of every 5 adults aged 16-65 (60.9%) living in Maryland's Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th-grade level. In addition to reading proficiency issues, nearly 3 out of every 4 adults (72.3%) struggle with basic math.

The Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI, pronounced like "apply") released its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024 on April 16th, 2025.

As of the most recent data release, nearly 3 out of every 4 adults aged 16-65 living in Kentucky's Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade level. In addition to reading proficiency issues, nearly 4 out of every 5 adults struggle with basic math. Kentucky's Appalachian counties tend to have significantly higher incidence and prevalence rates of both infectious and non-infectious diseases and health behaviors, and face substantial barriers to health and learning.

As of the most recent data release, more than 3 out of every 5 adults aged 16-65 living in Georgia's Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade level. In addition to reading proficiency issues, nearly 3 out of every 4 adults struggle with basic math. Georgia's Appalachian counties tend to have significantly higher incidence and prevalence rates of both infectious and non-infectious diseases and health behaviors, and face substantial barriers to health and learning.

The Appalachian Learning Initiative has launched the first iteration of its latest tool: The Appalachian Advocacy Toolkit

Nearly 2 out of every 3 adults living in Alabama's Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade level