Return-Path: <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id fA1MF6022478; Thu, 1 Nov 2001 17:15:06 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 17:15:06 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <010001c1632b$2e35b5e0$cd607b83@educ.kent.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Dianna Baycich" <dbaycich@archon.educ.kent.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:34] November news from the National Institute for Literacy X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 7305 Lines: 153 The latest issue of e*literacy, a monthly electronic newsletter from the National Institute for Literacy, is now available at: www.nifl.gov/nifl/eliteracy/01_11_01.html. The table of contents and first few articles are posted below. Take note of the article on alternative assessments. ************************CONTENTS************************* NICHD-NIA-NIFL INVEST $3.3 MILLION IN ADULT AND FAMILY LITERACY RESEARCH NIFL AND LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE NEW COLLABORATION NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES TAKES ON ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENTS OF ADULT LITERACY LINCS UPDATES GRANTS AND FUNDING INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: CONGRESS MOVES FORWARD ON EDUCATION FUNDING BILLS LITERACY IN THE NEWS: GED CHANGES COMING IN JANUARY COMING SOON: PREVIEW OF UPCOMING NIFL PUBLICATIONS CALENDAR: NOVEMBER CONFERENCES AND EVENTS ********************************************************* NICHD-NIA-NIFL INVEST $3.3 MILLION IN ADULT AND FAMILY LITERACY RESEARCH Research that will help develop the most effective reading instruction possible for adults and children - including identifying or designing the most effective program structures and models of service delivery - will result from a new $3.3 million investment in literacy research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), in partnership with the offices of the Department of Education. NIFL's contribution towards this project uses funds appropriated by Congress last year specifically for this activity, which was in addition to NIFL's base funding. On October 26, a request for applications (RFA) was published soliciting research to develop new knowledge about adult literacy learning and critical influences on the instruction and development of literacy competencies in adults and young children through adult and family literacy programs. NICHD, NIA, and NIFL intend to commit approximately $3.3 million in FY 2002 to fund eight to 10 new grants in response to the RFA. The research priorities build on a recent series of meetings sponsored by NIFL, NICHD, the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), and the Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), and Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). For more information on the RFA, visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-02-004.html. NIFL AND LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE NEW COLLABORATION In a joint project designed to improve the training of those who work with adults with learning disabilities, the NIFL and the national office of the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) have agreed to offer joint professional development activities for trainers in the NIFL Bridges to Practice program. Bridges to Practice is a set of research-based materials designed for education, social services, employment, and vocational rehabilitation providers who work with older youth and adults with learning disabilities. This project will include the following: · NIFL will sponsor a one-day pre-conference training session an upcoming LDA conference. The training session will meet the requirements for trainers who wish to add to their certification portfolio. · Bridges to Practice trainers will interview LDA members across the US for a series of publications and new modules of Bridges to Practice training. · LDA members will serve as resource persons for Bridges to Practice trainers, which will include participating in and answering questions from trainees in Bridges to Practice training sessions. · The public will have access to LDA members' expertise via audio and video clips of them that will be posted on NIFL's website. For more information on literacy and learning disabilities, visit: http://slincs.coe.utk.edu/special_collections/learning_disabilities/ and http://www.ldaamerica.org NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES TAKES ON ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENTS OF ADULT LITERACY On October 27, the National Academy of Science's Board on Testing and Assessment convened the first meeting of a new Committee on Quality Measures for Alternative Assessments of Adult Literacy. This was an important step in making it easier for states to use Equipped for the Future (EFF) standards and still meet the reporting requirements of the National Reporting System (NRS). Sponsored by the Division on Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL) of the Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and NIFL, the Committee is conducting an independent review of the state-of-the-practice in order to provide guidance on the design, development, and administration of performance assessments that can lead to the reporting of valid and comparable results on the NRS. DAEL will draw on the work of the Committee to issue guidance to State Directors of Adult Education who use alternative assessments to measure and report learning gains through the NRS. NIFL will draw on the Committee's work to assure that performance assessments developed to measure progress on EFF Standards are consistent with quality standards put forth by DAEL and of the highest quality. This project complements field research currently underway in the EFF/NRS Joint Data Collection Project, which aims to improve NRS level descriptors for ABE and ESL for each of the EFF Standards. Taken together, both projects provide the quality tools needed for states to use EFF Standards and performance assessment methods to validly and reliably measure and report learning gains on the NRS. The Committee is chaired by Bob Mislevy, a member of the Board on Testing and Assessment and a national expert in assessment design. Other members of the committee bring expertise in assessment design, particular content domains (such as reading and math), and knowledge of adult literacy field. They are: Judith Alamprese, Lyle Bachman, Bob Bickerton, John Comings, Susan Cowles, Neal Schmitt, and Catherine Snow. Leaders from EFF and the Department of Education also participated. For more information on this committee and its work, visit: http://www4.nas.edu/webcr.nsf/5c50571a75df494485256a95007a091e/3abc212fd2247 60085256ada004c76a8?OpenDocument For more information on EFF standards, visit: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/eff/. LINCS UPDATES GRANTS AND FUNDING INFORMATION LINCS' Grants Database has recently been updated to include over 400 grant and funding resources that are currently available to literacy programs. New funding opportunities listed include: · The Chicago Tribune Charities' Reading and Literacy Special Initiative - This initiative supports reading and literacy programs for both adults and children. Eligible programs include ABE, ESL, GED, and family literacy. To read the grant announcement, visit: http://www.rrmtf.org/communities/ctc.htm · The Hands-on English Mini-Grants Program - This initiative awards small grant to ESL teachers and tutors for innovative classroom projects. To read the grant announcement, visit: http://www.handsonenglish.com/minigrants.html To continue reading e*literacy, please click here: www.nifl.gov/nifl/eliteracy/01_11_01.html
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