Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i5FI7F927204; Tue, 15 Jun 2004 14:07:15 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 14:07:15 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <40CF3A00.2030401@webster.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Jeri Levesque <levesqjr@webster.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1861] Championing Family Literacy to LEA's X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 2269 Lines: 43 Dear List Members: Many of of us have worked very hard during the past two years to advocate for family literacy in order to leverage federal Even Start funding. Though we are a resilient group, the administration's tepid support for family literacy has taken it's toll. The attitude of many dedicated practitioners seems to be apocalyptic, "not if they defund Even Start, but when they defund Even Start it will be the death of family literacy." To counter this pessimism, the Family Literacy Alliance and NCFL enthusiastically focused on strategies to highlight the notion of advocacy. We were all charged to become front-line champions of family literacy. Perhaps it is time to heed the words of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, "there's no place like home" i.e., local education agencies' funding streams. It is very disheartening to see local Even Start programs struggle to secure and maintain support from their local school school districts all the while they are preparing preschool children at-risk and educating their parents who "fell through the cracks." Maybe it's time to champion family literacy as a key component of local school districts' efforts to make adequate yearly progress. That seems to be the litmus test for valuing any education program in the era of NCLB. Does your program have a marketing plan? Do you have a slogan or "theme song" that captures the interest of local educators? Could we combine our collective imaginations and come up with a simple message that appeals to School Boards? The environmental protection campaign began with a simple mantra, "think global act local." The current federal educational reform concentrates on the progress of a single child. Forest fires are prevented by the thoughtful actions of a mythical bear and you. Got milk? Could we begin exchanging success stories from the field about local programs that successfully bonded with their local school district? What was the base message that captured the fiscal commitment of your Board of Education, Superintendent or building principal? More than 32,000 Even Start families are enrolled in LEA's, what is their impact on school success? Best, Jeri Levesque, Ed.D. Evaluation Coordinator, Missouri Even Start
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