Peggy McGuire, M.A., 
Senior Research Associate, National Consultant, and
NIFL-Program Leadership and Improvement List Moderator
Center for Literacy Studies
The University of Tennessee
111 5th Street, PO Box 16
Mount Gretna, PA  17064
717-964-1341 (landline/fax)
215-888-6507 (cell)
mmcguire at utk.edu
 

________________________________

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Marie Cora
Sent: Tue 6/6/2006 6:12 AM
To: Assessment at nifl.gov
Subject: [Assessment 346] FW: [AAACE-NLA] Results of Literacy PresidentQuestions Survey



Dear Colleagues,

The following post/update is from David Rosen.
marie cora
Assessment Discussion List Moderator
_____________


AAACE-NLA Colleagues,

The Literacy President survey was conducted in April and May, 2006. 
Participants selected their top eight questions from an online survey 
of twenty possible questions to ask the candidates for President in 
2008.  The questions from the survey came primarily from 
practitioners, in response to a series of requests on the AAACE-
National literacy Advocacy electronic list, and also from questions 
on the 2004 Literacy President survey.

1666 people responded.

. Practitioners: 82.7%
. Learners (e.g. adult new reader, adult education program graduate) 
6.3%
. College or university students in adult education: 3.8%
. Other: 10.8%

. Female: 82.2%

The top 12 participating states in order of the most participants, were:

1. Pennsylvania:   193
2. Tennessee: 142
3. Washington: 140
4. Massachusetts: 104
5. Kansas: 99
6. Illinois: 97
7. California: 95
8. Ohio: 80
9. Georgia: 65
10. Virgnia: 61
11. New Jersey: 52
12. Minnesota: 49

Taking into account both the number of people who selected a given 
question and its assigned priority it was difficult to determine the 
top five questions.  Instead, I have listed the top seven questions. 
Note that questions 6 and 7 were close in number of votes  and that 
they had a higher percentage of people choosing them in their top 
three priorities.

Top Seven Questions

The Working Poor.

1. In 2000, 6.4 million American adults were classified as the 
"working poor." The majority -three-fifths- worked full-time but 
remained in poverty. To make a "living wage" many of these adults 
require further education and training. For many, the lack of a high 
school diploma and strong literacy skills is a barrier to the 
training needed to obtain a job with a living wage. What will you do 
to address this issue?

Total respondents who chose this:                         790
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     43%

2. Priority of Adult Education

As President, will you make adult education and literacy one of your 
top three educational priorities?

Total respondents who chose this:                         710
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     74%

3. Professional Development and Support for Teachers

Given the importance of adult literacy education and its impact on 
the workforce, what will you do to ensure sufficient training, 
salaries, and benefits for adult basic education teachers?

Total respondents who chose this:                         683
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     32%

4. Competitiveness in a World Economy

A recent government survey indicates that 93 million individuals are 
at risk at home, at work and in the community because of low levels 
of literacy. What new investment in adult education will you make to 
increase access for the unemployed, new immigrants and other at risk 
populations in order to keep our nation competitive?

Total respondents who chose this:                         673
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     51%

5. Adults Left Behind

What role should the federal government take in providing services 
for adults and out-of-school youth who have been "left behind" by the 
educational system in their states?

Total respondents who chose this:                         652
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     41%

6. Intergenerational Literacy

Children who do not get an education now will become adults who need 
literacy skills. Then, as parents, they are unable help their 
children with schoolwork. Without strong parental support for 
education, children of these individuals may also be left behind. 
What do you see as the role of adult education programs in addressing 
this intergenerational literacy issue?

Total respondents who chose this:                         645
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     44%

7. Funding

Do you believe that Adult Education and Literacy services (including 
English language learning and family literacy) should be available to 
all residents who need and seek those services? If so, are you 
willing to support an increase in funding that would eliminate long 
waiting lists for these services?

Total respondents who chose this:                         641
%age which chose this as one of top 3 priorities:     46%


Comments from participants:

There were 135 participants who chose to comment on the questionnaire 
or its process:

. Twenty two said they thought the questions were good, that it was 
hard to choose, that all the questions are important, that all should 
be asked.

. Nine said the survey was hard to complete, cumbersome, complicated, 
time-consuming, difficult mechanically.

. Nine said we shouldn't ask yes/no questions.  One said we shouldn't 
ask open-ended questions.

. Three said the questions should be shorter.

. Three objected to the wording of some of the questions, which 
appeared to them to include illegal immigrants.

. Two said the questionnaire was too hard for some students.


David J. Rosen
Adult Literacy Advocate
DJRosen at theworld.com








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