Advocates Important for Library Literacy Program Successes!

West Palm Beach County Library AdultLiteracy Project was under threat of closure 20 years ago, one of several programs being considered for elimination. The program started in 1985. This week they are celebrating their survival and all of their acheivements this week.

 According to their most recent newsletter,
 

" It was twenty years ago, in the Spring of 1993, that motivated a group of volunteer tutors to do whatever they could to not let the program come to an end. This group of activists incorporated themselves as The Friends of Literacy (later renamed Library Literacy Friends, Inc.), and with great enthusiasm and purpose, put together an effort that made it possible for all of us to be adult literacy tutors today. "

Update on President's Budget

As most of you know, the President released his budget this past week. It looks like literacy is doing a little better than last year according to ProLiteracy.

For fiscal year 2014, President Obama has requested level funding at $595 million for adult basic education and literacy programs as compared to last year's funding levels. This amount includes $74.7 million for English Literacy/Civics Education. With sequestration and continuing resolutions, a level-funding proposal can be considered a modest success when other beneficial programs are being cut.

The president requested a small increase ($3 million) for National Leadership Programs, funding it in FY2014 at $14.3 million. The additional funding would be used for new grant awards to support reentry education models.

In Florida, it doesn't look like this will make much of a difference, since FDOE is only continuing current grants.  If your volunteer program does not have a grant or is not connected with someone who does, you won't get any new money this year.

VALF will be announcing our grant award winners at our annual meeting on May 10 in Captiva. 

How Is Your Literacy Program Preparing for the New GEDTest

The new test is supposed to better prepare adults for careers or college.  Thus literacy programs are starting to prepare adult students today. Of course, students in volunteer adult literacy programs must first gain the basic reading and writing skills before taking the step of passing the GED. It will be important for tutors to blend in computer literacy skills for students who don't have them (often someone 40 years old or older). This might mean you need to include computer literacy for your older volunteers.

It takes between 18 months and 2 years to prepare for the current test.  It will likely be the same or longer, depending on the background of adult learners.  So, adult students enrolling today, will likely be taking the new test.

Share what your program is doing to prepare....  

VALF Annual Meeting -- May 10

I hope to see you at our annual meeting at the Florida Literacy Conference in Captiva. Our meeting will be on Friday, May 10, at 8:30 a.m. One of our board members, Mary Quijano will be presenting the following program.

Session Title: Improving Employability for ELLs: Accent Reduction & Other VALF Tips

Session Description: Attend our VALF (Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida) annual meeting that follows an INTERACTIVE mini-workshop on learning techniques to reduce ELL Students’ accents due to irregular letter sounds, silent letters, skipped syllables, etc., including a list of free/inexpensive Apps for ELL Students (ESL Apps). Attend and have the chance to win a door prize and to learn about VALF activities.

Status of Federal Funding for Adult Literacy

Because a few volunteer literacy programs in Florida get adult literacy funding through the Florida Department of Education, we wanted you to know the latest at the federal level.  Here is an announcement sent out by ProLiteracy to its members on March 27.  Since VALF is a ProLiteracy, we wanted to share this with our members who may not be members of ProLiteracy. It looks like FDOE is only funding continuation grants this year. Over the years, they often do this. It is not surprising that they continue, because funding this year is even more threatened! Do you get directly or indirectly any federal funds for adult literacy?  Please comment below. Dear Member, We want to provide you with important information regarding federal funding for adult literacy and basic education. First, on March 15, the U.S. House of Representatives deliberated HR 803, the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act. This is a step toward reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act, the key piece of federal legislation that funds adult literacy and basic education. The bill passed with a vote of 215 to 202. Five Republicans and 10 Democrats abstained. An alternative bill was introduced by Representative Tierney (D-MA), but it did not pass. HR 803 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions. That committee is not expected to deliberate HR 803 because they are working on their own WIA reauthorization bill. HR 803 includes language that will allow states to consolidate adult education funding with general workforce training, without a provision that the funding be used for adult literacy and basic education. ProLiteracy opposes this language. If there is a vote to reauthorize WIA, we will be asking you to take action. Second, on March 21, Congress passed a continuing resolution that will keep the government funded at FY2012 levels plus the sequester cut for the next six months. We will continue to keep you updated on these and other issues. As always, thanks for everything you do for adult literacy and basic education. Amy Schmitz Director of Marketing and Communications (315) 214-2580 aschmitz@proliteracy.org Michele Diecuch Senior Program and Membership Manager (315) 214-2576 mdiecuch@proliteracy.org
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Literacy Award Date Extended to March 25

Nominate someone or an organization today... Note From the Florida Literacy Coalition.... I just wanted to let you know  that the deadline for the Florida Literacy Award nominations has been extended to March 25. So far we have received  a limited number of  nominations in several of the award categories, including 1) the Excellence  in Education Award, recognizing an outstanding literacy organization or program, and 2) the Flight for Freedom adult learner award, which this year will be accompanied by two round trip tickets courtesy of Southwest Airlines. This provides a great opportunity to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that have supported adult and family literacy.  The awards will be presented at a special banquet held during the annual Florida Literacy Conference in Captiva, FL. The nomination process is fairly simple.  For more information and to submit a nomination, please go to the awards webpage at www.floridaliteracy.org/conference_awardsbanquet.html Good luck, Greg

ACE -- Adult and Community Education, An Option

Adult students are lucky in Florida that you can still attend adult school to get the credits to earn a traditional diploma.  This is not the case in other states.  I know that the Florida Legislature has made this more expensive, but even still, adults in Florida, at least, have the choice.  Go to this directory of adult education to find your local adult education provider. In some counties it is the school system. In others it may the local (used to be called community) colleges.  Ideally adult students would enroll in a class and work with a tutor too.  This provides more intensive instruction but is often not feasible.

It is up to the volunteer literacy program and individual tutors to help adults achieve goals. If that goal is getting a diploma, tutors should introduce adult students to their local adult education provider.  Even better, introduce them to the teacher in their neighborhood.  We all know that it is the people that make a difference.