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E*Literacy

Volume 1, Issue 1                                                             September 1, 2001

Welcome to the National Institute for Literacy's electronic newsletter, a new monthly publication full of the latest information on activities to move adult and family literacy from the margins to the mainstream.

CONTENTS

NIFL Director Andy Hartman Announces Departure

NIFL Director Andy Hartman announced on August 29 that he has accepted a position as Director of Policy and Research for a new "think tank"/advocacy organization focused on improving the lives of children and families in Colorado. In announcing his departure, Hartman said, "I have loved working at the NIFL. It has been a privilege and joy to work with such a talented, dedicated staff. I believe that the NIFL has grown and matured during the time I have been Director, and it has begun to fulfill the vision the field had for it in the National Literacy Act. One of the great things about working on literacy has been the passion, intensity and commitment of the community of people working together to build a literacy system this country needs and deserves. I will miss being a part of that important effort at the national level."

By law, NIFL's Advisory Board, led by Mark Emblidge, executive director of the Virginia Literacy Foundation, will recommend a new executive director to the NIFL's Interagency Group. The Interagency Group - Secretary of Education Rod Paige, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and Secretary of Labor Tommy Thompson - is responsible for appointing the new director.

NIFL-NICHD-ED Collaborate on Adult Reading Research

As part of the extension of the Bill Goodling Even Start Family Literacy program last year, Congress set aside $6 million ($2 million annually for 2001-2003) for research on the most effective ways to help adults improve their reading skills and how parents can support their children's literacy development. These funds were directed to the NIFL, which will carry out this important research in partnership with the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the U.S. Department of Education.

On August 21-22, a group of prominent researchers and practitioners met at the NIFL to discuss the important teaching and learning issues related to this research. The information will be used to develop a research agenda later this fall. The results of this multi-year program of research will provide the evidence necessary to develop the most effective reading instruction possible for adults.

International Literacy Day Celebrations Planned

The International Literacy Network (ILN), a consortium of international and national literacy organizations, including the National Institute for Literacy, is sponsoring an International Literacy Day celebration on September 7 at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. The celebration, which is open to the public, will include acknowledging UNESCO's International Literacy Day award winners, unveiling a progress report on the National Literacy Summit, and launching a new on-line national directory of literacy programs. (See next article for details.)

Other related events include a National Book Festival hosted by First Lady Laura Bush at the Library of Congress on September 8 and a two-day symposium for ESL teachers on September 5 and 6, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

For more information - including ideas for International Literacy Day events in your community; writings by learners, and local, national, and international literacy statistics - visit: /nifl/literacy_day/ild_current.html

New Online Literacy Directory Coming Soon

As part of the NIFL's ongoing work to help connect adults and families to local literacy programs, the National Institute for Literacy and its partners will launch America's Literacy Directory (ALD) - a new online version of the National Literacy Hotline (1-800-228-8813 or 1-800-552-9097 TDD) - on September 7, 2001.

The ALD will list up-to-date information on thousands of literacy programs across the U.S. Potential students, volunteers, funders, and others interested in literacy will easily find programs through the ALD, which will include current addresses, phone numbers, program information, and more.

The ALD is a joint project of the National Institute for Literacy, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Labor, and Verizon.

For more information, visit: /lincs/whats_new/whats_new.html

Grant Applications and Funding Information Available Online

As part of its ongoing work to assist the literacy field in accessing and utilizing information technologies, LINCS, has recently added three new features for practitioners. LINCS (www.nifl.gov/lincs/) is the National Institute for Literacy's state-of-the-art Internet-based information and communication system. The first new feature, a Grants Database, was created in response to the many practitioners who have contacted the Institute for information on grants and funding. It includes current information on nearly 400 funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, and the government, and is organized by the date applications are due. Visit: /cgi-bin/lincs/search/gsearch/dbsearch.cgi?action=Show%20Results

In addition to the Grants Database, LINCS recently added two other new features:

Hawaii and New Jersey Adopt Equipped for the Future

All students in state-funded adult, family literacy and Even Start programs in Hawaii will soon learn through the Equipped for the Future (EFF) model, thanks to the adoption of EFF Standards by Hawaii's educators. The Hawaii Department of Education Community Schools for Adults and the Hawaii Family Literacy Consortium, also housed at the Department of Education, both recently adopted EFF as Expected School-wide Learning Results. EFF is a standard-based adult learning system reform initiative coordinated by the NIFL with partners in 27 states. EFF is developing adult literacy standards and will enable the field for the first time to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

In New Jersey, the State Council for Adult Literacy Education and the State Employment and Training Commission (SETC) have adopted EFF as "the strategic framework for adult education throughout the workforce investment system." According to Henry Plotkin, Executive Director of the SETC, EFF provides a common language and a common set of results that focus services to adults across all state departments in the workforce system, including the Departments of Corrections, Education, Labor, and Human Services. Training in EFF has already begun for regional Workforce Investment Boards. This fall a statewide interagency team will begin raising awareness about EFF and five to seven service providers will be identified as pilots to model implementation for the rest of the state.

For more information on EFF, visit: http://eff.cls.utk.edu/resources/default.htm.

NIFL Releases Report on English Literacy and Civics

Promising practices for assisting English language learners are highlighted in the National Institute for Literacy's latest publication: English Literacy and Civics Education for Adult Learners. This 25-page special policy report also provides an overview of the federal English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/CE) initiative demonstration projects, background information on English literacy and civics education in the U.S., and a description of the English language learner population today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the immigrant population in the U.S. grew more in the 1990's than in any previous decade, now totaling almost 11 percent of the population. The Census also found that nearly one in five Americans over the age of five does not speak English at home. Of that population, 43 percent, the majority of whom are of working age, report speaking little or no English.

For copies of this report after September 12 visit: /policy/esl.pdf or call toll-free (800) 228-8813.

Bridges Leaders Tape TABE for Learners with LD

Thanks to leaders of the Arkansas Bridges to Practice project, CTB McGraw-Hill, publisher of the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education), has agreed to allow the taping of two TABE test forms.

The tapes will replace the current practice of program staff reading the test to students with learning disabilities to accommodate for these disabilities. The new tapes will help programs ensure consistency and objectivity in administering the tests. The Arkansas Adult Literacy Resource Center, which recently completed the training of LD trainers for the southern states, is now taping the TABE tests and is continuing a research study on the use of audiotapes of the TABE with adult learners.

Bridges to Practice is the Institute's initiative to improve literacy programs' ability to teach adults with learning disabilities. In addition to funding the creation of the first-ever, research-based comprehensive guide to assisting adults with LD, Bridges to Practice is training a corps of "master trainers" for training state and local social service providers in how to effectively assist adults with LD.

For more information on learning disabilities and literacy, visit: http://slincs.coe.utk.edu/special_collections/learning_disabilities/whats_new.html

Legislative Update

When Congress returns to work September 4th after a month-long break, two of the first items of business - the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and federal education funding - will directly affect adult and family literacy programs.

Most of the ESEA bill (H.R. 1) targets improving the education of children. Because improving a parent's education level often generally improves their children's educational attainment, several ESEA provisions offer opportunities for adults to learn alongside their children, to attend classes in the same buildings as their children, to access the latest in technology, and to study and learn through distance learning where there are no local opportunities to enroll in traditional classrooms. The ESEA bill also contains President Bush's Reading First and Early Reading First initiatives, which both aim to improve early literacy skills for preschool children and reading literacy skills for children in kindergarten through third grade. Members of the House and Senate have already begun to negotiate the final version of this bill. They will likely make this piece of legislation their first priority when they return to work September 4th. For details, visit: /nifl/policy/updates/01-08-24.html.

As soon as the ESEA bill is finalized and sent to the President, Congress will turn its attention to setting funding levels for federal education programs for fiscal year 2002. In April, President Bush recommended funding adult education and literacy programs next year at the same level they are funded at this year. (For details, please see April 19, 2001 Policy Update: /nifl/policy/updates/01-04-19.html). With the recent tax cut and the shrinking federal surplus, Congress may be reluctant to approve any increases in adult education and literacy.

Upcoming Legislative Action

Literacy in the News

BALTIMORE, Aug. 23 - According to PRNewswire, Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. is accepting a $35,000 donation from Verizon Information Services on behalf of the Baltimore Reads Book Bank. Baltimore Reads works to improve reading skills of disadvantaged children and adults by instilling the love of reading and learning. The check will be presented at "Cal Ripken Jr. Back to School Book Drive Night" at Camden Yards. In addition to Ripken's donation, Orioles fans are bringing new and used books to the ballpark to be donated to needy families.

Read this article and more literacy articles in the news at:
/lincs/whats_new/flash_1_2000.html

Calendar

Be sure to check out LINCS' calendar of upcoming events, including conferences, seminars, and training sessions at: /cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi. Information on events thru July 2002 is available. September events include:

September 5
National Symposium on Research and Practice for Adult ESL Practitioners:
/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi?item_number=2206&view_day=on&day=1

September 13
National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs:
/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi?item_number=2091&view_day=on&day=1
PEPNet 2001 Institute:
/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi?item_number=2089&view_day=on&day=1

September 19
Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities:
/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi?item_number=2152&view_day=on&day=1

September 23
Adult and Community Educators of Florida's annual conference:
/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi?item_number=1987&view_day=on&day=1

Literacy E*News is published monthly by the National Institute for Literacy. The National Institute for Literacy is an independent federal organization leading the national effort toward a fully literate nation in the 21st century. The Institute's mission is to improve the national adult literacy system by building capacity and improving quality through strategic public-private partnerships at the state, regional, and national level.

Editor: Alice Johnson (ajohnson@nifl.gov)

For more information, contact:
National Institute for Literacy
1775 I Street, NW
Suite 730
Washington, DC 20006-2417
202-233-2025
http://www.nifl.gov

This issue of e*literacy is available online at: /nifl/eliteracy/01_09_01.html