[AAACE-NLA] High School Graduates at Levels 3-5

Mon Jul 26 12:42:10 EDT 2004

I'm glad you aren't - "surprised", that is ("...by the number of volunteers serving the target population).  

Your #1 point is also called "validation of their worth".  These "volunteer systems of delivery" provide a service which could *not* be provided if it weren't for these volunteers' giving hearts.  

Which ties to your #2 point:  "...better fund these programs so they have a solid financial foundation so they can focus on service delivery instead of finding funding sources."  You *might* be surprised at the number of hours administrators (such as myself) of CBO's have to spend on gaining headway towards establishing "a solid financial foundation". I know I am not the only one who has to host fundraisers - end to end. There's no end in sight.   

You are absolutely "right on" and correct in your response!  Thanks for your comments.
Nancy Hansen

Fran Tracy-Mumford <fmumford45 at hotmail.com> wrote:

Actually, I would not be surprised by the number of volunteers serving the target population.  We need to (1) recognize these programs as part of our overall system of delivery and (2) better fund these programs so they have a solid financial foundation so they can focus on service delivery instead of finding funding sources.  Fran Tracy-Mumford

From: Nancy Hansen <sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com> 
Reply-To: sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com,National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by AAACE<aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org> 
To: National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by AAACE<aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org> 
Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] High School Graduates at Levels 3-5 
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 15:04:11 -0700 (PDT) 

In response to Fran's paragraph stating the following: 
<< ... The time has come to move away from the 1960's model of having 90% (or greater) part time staffing for our field.  We truly are a field today.   I'd like to have some solid research that substantiates what I have seen and now hold as "truth" from the last 20+ years of working in the field.>> 

I'd welcome a response from the national literacy organization ProLiteracy America to this question.  Additionally:  What's the percentage of literacy services that are provided by NON-paid staff in their over 1,000 affiliate base?  In other words, totally volunteer staffed programs with no salaried staff at all?  I believe Fran would be surprised.  And the numbers will NOT include any of the who-knows-how-many organizations which can no longer afford to be members of the national organization. 

Nancy Hansen 
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council 
A 1 1/2 paid-staff CBO 

Fran Tracy-Mumford <fmumford45 at hotmail.com> wrote: 

You raise excellent questions that have the potential of making a deep impact on public policy.  (NIFL should be the entity to fund research projects that look at the ideal class size for learning in adult education for the various sub-populations.) 

I also want to know "What are the critical elements of a quality adult education instructional program."  Now that I see it in print, this should be the first research project that NIFL undertakes.  A delphi study of this issue would provide the beginning of answers for the field.  Then NIFL could fund projects on specific questions that arise from the results of the delphi study, such as (1) the impact of the administrator/program administrator on program quality and (2) the impact of a part time teachers vs full time teachers on program quality. 

The time has come to move away from the 1960's model of having 90% (or greater) part time staffing for our field.  We truly are a field today.   I'd like to have some solid research that substantiates what I have seen and now hold as "truth" from the last 20+ years of working in the field. 

Fran Tracy-Mumford, AAACE President 

From: AWilder106 at aol.com 
Reply-To: National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by AAACE<aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org> 
To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org 
Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] High School Graduates at Levels 3-5 
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 09:43:51 EDT 

Merle, 

The only answer is organizing.   And knowledge. 

Organizing pulls disparate people together for a common goal.   Knowledge 
gives them an information base from which to work.   You can't do it alone. 

For example, do your legislators know the consequences of deciding on larger 
classes?   Is there any consensus at the state level about what makes up a 
good school? This is where the research base matters.  Legislators can't do it 
all themselves, this is where organizing matters.   While disparate people have 
disparate views, and a group like this can be hard to manage and direct, 
different people pick up different aspects from the environment, they notice 
different things, bring different observations to the table.   By representing 
different levels of government they form a coalition. 

Recently a town north of Boston voted to cut after school programs, including 
sports.   This is not a rich community; what will those kids do after school? 
    What are the effects of cuts in after school programs on long term student 
achievement?   Again, this is where a research base helps.   It is pure 
ignorance to say that schools are only about reading and writing, they are about 
many kinds of accomplishment, and these accomplishments can be self reinforcing. 
   This is social investment and it strengthens communities by increasing the 
opportunities for kids to achieve. 

Fortunately this story was reported in the local newspaper.   When 
organizing, think of the uses of the press, this has been a constant in American 
history, the important news distribution role played by the press.   Again, I'm 
probably preaching to the choir; nice to read your observations. 

Andrea 
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Nancy Hansen, E.D. 
Email:  sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com 

Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council 
Sioux Falls, SD 57104-1314 
Phone: (605) 332-BOOK 
Fax:  (605) 332-9389 

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Nancy Hansen, E.D.
Email:  sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com

Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
Sioux Falls, SD 57104-1314
Phone: (605) 332-BOOK
Fax:  (605) 332-9389

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