[AAACE-NLA] Action: NIFL Director Letter Sign-on - March 4th Deadline!

[Daphne Greenberg]

Action: NIFL Director Letter Sign-on - March 4th Deadline!



Colleagues:



We understand that a new, permanent National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)
director will be chosen this year, possibly as soon as the end of June.  We
also understand that the NIFL Advisory Board is currently drafting selection
criteria for a national search that will be launched in 1-2 weeks.



If you scroll down, below you will find two letters, one addressed to the
NIFL Advisory Board, one to the Interagency Group that governs NIFL. They
contain suggested guidelines for selecting a new director. These guidelines
were originally drafted by the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) and
signed by 12 Representatives and 18 Senators from last winter, 2002 (To see
the historical documents go to: http://savenifl.org/congress_letter.html

http://savenifl.org/senate_letter.html)



Since we understand everyone is busy, we have come up with a simple way for
us to voice common concerns with those who govern NIFL.  Follow these steps:



1) Scroll down and read the two letters



2) If you agree with the content of the letters and would like us to send
them on your behalf, send an email to newNIFLdirector at yahoo.com that reads:
"Please add my name to both NIFL Director letters." Be sure to include your
name, City/town and state.  Though you may choose not to do so, it is
important to include a title and organizational affiliation.  Our titles
give credibility to our statement.



It is important that we speak with one unified voice - adult and family
literacy advocates and professional organizations, the NCL, and legislators
who all believe a permanent NIFL director should be fully informed in adult
and family literacy practices and committed to the NIFL mission and
functions described in the National Literacy Act of 1991 and Workforce
Investment Act of 1998.



Below are the letters:



====================================================

1) This letter will be sent to the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of
Education, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Health &
Human Services, who head the Interagency Group:



As the NIFL Board begins its search for a permanent Executive Director, we
would like to take this opportunity to share with you our views regarding
the qualities needed for this critical position.  We respectfully ask the
Interagency Group to include the criteria described below when reviewing the
Advisory Board's recommendation.



The mission of the NIFL, as originally set out in the National Literacy Act
of 1991 and maintained in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, is to
provide leadership primarily in the fields of adult and family literacy.  As
the NIFL is a resource for basic education instruction for all ages, and as
the NIFL Advisory Board has impressive backgrounds in early childhood and
post-secondary education, it is most important for a new NIFL Director to
have expertise in research, development, and policy on adult and family
literacy issues.



Over one year ago, twelve members of the House of Representatives and
eighteen Senators wrote you sharing their concerns regarding the NIFL
Directorship and requested that you consider several qualities as guidelines
when selecting a NIFL Director.  We ask that you strongly consider these as
criteria, that you select a NIFL Director who is:



- conversant in adult education issues, research, and the diverse array of
providers that comprise the delivery system;



- passionate about building an adult learning system that integrates
services;



- knowledgeable of the variety of models and collaborative arrangements; and



- articulate in describing how adult literacy and language education
enhances pre-K-12, post-secondary, and vocational education, job training,
health care, welfare reform, economic development, and post-prison success.



We encourage you to hire a permanent director of NIFL who has a strong
commitment to and track record in adult and family literacy, and is
committed to preserving the mission and functions of the NIFL as outlined in
the 1991 and 1998 legislation.



===================================================

2) This letter will be sent to the NIFL Advisory Board:



As you begin your search for a permanent Executive Director, we would like
to take this opportunity to share with you our views regarding the qualities
needed for this critical position.  We respectfully ask the NIFL Advisory
Board to include the criteria below when considering candidates to recommend
to the Interagency Group.



The mission of the NIFL, as originally set out in the National Literacy Act
of 1991 and maintained in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, is to
provide leadership primarily in the fields of adult and family literacy.  As
the NIFL is a resource for basic education instruction for all ages, and as
the NIFL Advisory Board has impressive backgrounds in early childhood and
post-secondary education, it is most important for a new NIFL Director to
have expertise in research, development, and policy on adult and family
literacy issues.



Over one year ago, twelve members of the House of Representatives and
eighteen Senators wrote the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Education,
the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services, sharing their concerns regarding the NIFL Directorship and
requested that they consider several qualities as guidelines when selecting
a NIFL Director.  We ask that you strongly consider these as criteria when
you review candidates for recommendation to the Interagency Group.



We ask that you recommend a candidate for a NIFL Director who is:



- conversant in adult education issues, research, and the diverse array of
providers that comprise the delivery system;



- passionate about building an adult learning system that integrates
services;



- knowledgeable of the variety of models and collaborative arrangements; and



- articulate in describing how adult literacy and language education
enhances pre-K-12, post-secondary, and vocational education, job training,
health care, welfare reform, economic development, and post-prison success.



We encourage you to make a recommendation for a permanent director of NIFL
who has a strong commitment to and track record in adult and family
literacy, and is committed to preserving the mission and functions of the
NIFL as outlined in the 1991 and 1998 legislation.

====================================================



As a reminder, in order for us to send these letters on your behalf:



By Thursday, March 4, send an email to newNIFLdirector at yahoo.com that reads:
"Please add my name to both NIFL Director letters." Be sure to include your
name, city/town and state.  Though you may choose not to do so, it is
important to include a title and organizational affiliation.  Our titles
give credibility to our statement.





Thanks!



Daphne Greenberg

Center for the Study of Adult Literacy

Georgia State University



Jackie Taylor

Vice-Chair

Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers



David J. Rosen, Ed.D.

Adult Literacy Advocate

Boston, Massachusetts



David Collings

List Moderator

AAACE-NLA