Workplace members,
I'm forwarding this message from the AALPD list because it seems like a
positive, non-partisan way to be involved in a way that will increase the
attention given to adult literacy.  See below for ways to suggest
specific questions about workplace literacy.  I hope you will be interested in
participating.
Donna Brian, moderator
Workplace Literacy Discussion List
djgbrian at utk.edu



>===== Original Message From Jackie Taylor <tayl465 at bellsouth.net> =====

AALPD Members:
The message from the Literacy President Group (below) provides information on
how members of the adult education community can be active participants in the
2008 Presidential election. Literacy President 2008 is a non-partisan endeavor
to increase national awareness of adult literacy regardless of who is elected.
The Literacy President Group's task is to ensure that the issue of adult
literacy is prominent in the party platforms and in the platforms of all
Presidential candidates through the state primary elections and the general
election in November, 2008.

Please share this opportunity with teachers and programs in your area. Feel
free to contact me if you have questions.

Jackie Taylor, Chair, AALPD


Begin forwarded message:

From: Leila Plassey <leila.plassey at ncldc.net>
Date: March 4, 2006 11:16:08 AM EST
To: members at national-coalition-literacy.org
Subject: [NCL Members] Message for NCL Members on Launch of
Literacy President Campaign

Members,
We hope that everyone will actively contribute and access the questions
created by the Literacy President Campaign for 2008.

Best,
Leila

Dear Colleague,

For the 2004 Presidential election the Literacy President Group generated the
questions below that we sent to all the U.S. President final candidates.

We received replies from both the Bush and Kerry campaigns.  We published
these responses on the Literacy President Web page.

  http://www.litpresident.org/

We are now gearing up for the 2008 Presidential election.  We are starting
early so we can reach candidates who will be campaigning for the New
Hampshire, Iowa, and other early state primaries.  The goal is to reach each
candidate many, many times in key early primary states, so that adult literacy
is on their campaign agenda, and so that for whomever is elected, regardless
of political party, adult literacy will be a priority.

To participate in this process, please begin by looking at the questions
below.  Then post questions on the AAACE-NLA discussion list that you would
like to be one of the five that we present to the candidates’ campaigns.  Over
the next three weeks we will receive and discuss questions on the AAACE-NLA
discussion list.  Then we will produce an edited list of questions for your
reaction and discussion. Then we will have an on-line poll – a vote – to
determine the best five questions.  Anyone who is or has been an adult
education student, practitioner or advocate may vote. There may be other
questions added by the National Coalition for Literacy.

If you have questions to suggest for the Presidential  candidates, please post
them to the AAACE-NLA list.  If you have questions about this process, please
post them here, or e-mail David J. Rosen, djrosen at theworld.com .  If you would
like to subscribe (free) to the AAACE-NLA discussion list, go to

 http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/aaace-nla

and scroll down to "Subscribing to AAACE-NLA" and follow the simple
directions.

We hope you will share this announcement with your colleagues.  We are eager
to have hundreds, perhaps thousands of students, practitioners and advocates
participate in this process.

For the Literacy President Group,

David J. Rosen
Jackie Taylor
David Collings
Marty Finsterbusch
Silja Kallenbach
Art Ellison
Greg Smith
Lennox McLendon

------------------------
Literacy President Questions from 2004 Campaign

These five questions, generated using a process like the one described above,
were sent to the Presidential campaigns in the summer of 2004:

1. Access to Quality Programs

What should be the commitment of the federal government, if any, to ensure
that all adults in the United States have guaranteed access to quality
programs to improve their academic skills, regardless of income, location,
age, and national origin?

2. Full Funding

What will you do to ensure full funding for adult education and literacy
programs?

3.   Training/re-training for the New Economy

Many U.S. workers function at low literacy levels. Some of these voters watch
their jobs being "outsourced" to foreign countries, but are not being given
adequate access to the training and education that will allow them to function
in the new "global, knowledge-based economy."  How would your administration
re-focus priorities to address the disappearance of the American dream for the
90 million US citizens functioning at the two lowest literacy levels who
cannot compete without additional education?

4.  Intergenerational Literacy

Children need education.  Those who do not get education now will become
adults who need literacy skills.  If you teach adults, they will help their
kids.  What are you willing to do to improve adult literacy programs?

5.  National Adult Literacy Initiative to Address Issues of the Working Poor

Since it is the goal of this nation to create "new" jobs, employ the "working
poor" in "better" jobs as an ongoing goal of the Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Welfare Reform) and to help
colleges and universities manage their growing adult student population
seeking new skills, what steps would you propose as a national adult literacy
initiative to help address these issues?


The National Council of State Directors of Adult Education added the following
two questions.

6. Health Literacy

What should be the commitment of the federal government, if any, to ensure
that all adults in the United States have the capacity to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate
health care decisions?

7. English for Speakers of Other Languages

What should be the commitment of the federal government, if any, to ensure
that immigrants have opportunities to learn the English language and civic
participation roles so they are able to realize the opportunities and fulfill
the responsibilities of living in this country?
 -----




_______________________________________________
Members mailing list
Members at national-coalition-literacy.org
http://national-coalition-literacy.org/mailman/listinfo/members