Hi All - in response to the various comments related to evaluating community literacy impact this is a challenging issue.  From my work with coalitions it is clear that it is easy to track and measure discreet items:
Marketing and Outreach
Funding and ROI
Learner gain by fundibg stream
Training and PD
Advocacy
However, the long term impact related to the data collected is difficult to asses.  Most coalitions try to measure both organizational progress as well as progress of member programs.  But we cannot at this point measure apples and apples across any community wide effort.  Indeed we end up with apples, bananas, plums, grapes and pomegranites!   There are two pilots that have been funded to begin to address this issue - in Cleveland and in Baton Rouge but they are in the very early stages.  

I was invited to present with Dr. Ray Hart, to the NIFL board this month to share some ideas about community literacy and the opportunties for central tracking systems.  I'd be very pleased to hear any ideas you may all have.  One project that I worked on provided a stipend to all the commuity partners to encourage them to share data.  Are there other good ideas you may have?

Margaret
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld.

-----Original Message-----
From: DSKostrub at aol.com

Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:44:02 
To:specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 374] Re: Additional questions to consider


In a message dated 6/25/2007 12:06:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, margeryfreeman at yahoo.com writes:
In response to Margery's question, we are making an attempt in this direction during the coming year by forming:
 
A Haitian Advisory Panel
Hispanic Advisory Panel
African-American Advisory Panel
Faith-Based Advisory Panel
 
These will meet at least twice a year.  We will share with these Panels what we and the providers are currently doing and then mainly listen to them to understand what they see as the real needs, in which areas, best ways to meet those needs, etc.  We want them to direct our efforts.
 
We have an Adult Learner Leadership Board with learners nominated from about 28 literacy programs.  This board meets several times during the year.  The learners develop further leadership skills and they provide a valuable focus group to let us(and providers) understand how to better serve them.
 
Darlene Kostrub
www.pbcliteracy.org <http://www.pbcliteracy.org> 

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