[AAACE-NLA] A Business Perspective on the Need for Literacy in Colorado

[DJRosen@TheWorld.com]

AAACE-NLA Colleagues,

"Turning a page on literacy gap," an op ed in the business section of
Colorado's Rocky Mountain News on January 21st by a former deputy chief of
staff and communications director to Gov. Bill Owens, has some interesting
observations and recommendations, particularly since Colorado now spends
no state dollars on adult literacy education.  This may be an opportunity
for adult literacy education advocates in Colorado -- and possibly other
states -- to approach their governors to look at the issue of funding for
adult literacy education through a business perspective, addressing the
need for a competitive state workforce.  Now may be the time for advocates
in Colorado, and in other states, to call for a high level committee to
look at the need (ideally demand) , the services currently available, the
gap, and how much it would cost to fill the gap.

Here are some excerpts from this piece which might be particularly :

"...a recent national study shows is blunting Colorado's, and the
nation's, economic competitiveness."

"Above all, this literacy gap is a human tragedy because it robs millions
of Americans of the chance to lead fuller, more successful and fulfilling
lives. But beyond the loss to each individual, this gap is a serious and
continuing loss to Colorado's - and the nation's - competitive edge. It is
a deep wound to our ability to compete in the world economy since studies
show that these literacy rates lag behind those of our key international
economic competitors.

In fact, there is significant anecdotal evidence that the need for
widespread basic skills training was a key reason that Toyota recently
decided to locate a manufacturing plant in Canada rather than in the
United States. The automaker wanted to avoid the significant training
costs its competitors Nissan and Honda were saddled with at their U.S.
facilities because of inadequate literacy skills."

"This means America's competitiveness has continued to erode. As author
and globalization guru Thomas Friedman and others have chronicled in
detail, the pace of technological change is so great, and the workplace
demands of the high-tech economy have deepened so rapidly, that when we
stand still, we're actually falling backward. And while there is, and
should be, robust competition among the states - and Colorado is an
aggressive and effective competitor - the real challenge comes from other
nations."

"This gap also has implications for governments - such as Colorado's -
that are trying to survive the one-two punch of declining revenues and
rising expenses. Federal statistics show that workers at the lower
literacy rates earn, on average, $28,000 less per year than those who
score at the "proficient" levels. This, of course, translates into reduced
tax receipts. But, at the same time, those with lower literacy rates also
are more likely to have higher health care costs, often borne by the
government, and higher welfare costs. In fact, in health care alone, those
with the lowest literacy rates have health care costs that are quadruple
the national average."

and, most important:

"The legislature also should review the waterfront of Colorado literacy
programs, public and private, to determine their effectiveness and the
adequacy of their funding levels and to promote the best practices."

"By taking a serious look at the state of literacy education in Colorado -
what's good and what needs some help - policymakers would bolster the
ongoing and aggressive efforts of chambers of commerce and economic
development leaders to make our state a magnet for family sustaining
jobs."


The full op ed will be found at:

	http://tinyurl.com/8bkzz


David J. Rosen
Adult Literacy Advocate
DJRosen at theworld.com