[AAACE-NLA] Reply to Debbie Yoho in 51-6

[CALL4Literacy@aol.com]

Thanks to Deborah and Kevin.
 
Yours are fundamental points that need to be made.  Our field has lost  a 
number of battles over the past 20 years, many by default and some by  continuing 
to surrender on key points...some most notably related to learner  progress 
measures/accountability and even, to some extent, our own rationale for  why we 
are doing what we are doing.  I remember the disappointment  expressed when 
we saw, some 15 years or so ago, the shift go from "literacy as  right" vs. 
literacy that was in response to certain interests.  
 
I am a big believer in evolution. We have to remain strategic in  making 
change happen, stay united in generating key messages and communicating  them, 
and, at the same time...play the game.
 
That being said, I have to ask a question that has been asked before.   Maybe 
someone can point me in the right direction.  I am looking for data  that 
will tell us the financial cost of low-level literacy to our nation per  student. 
 Or...how much do we save taxpayers, theoretically, every time  someone 
attains their GED, or simply progresses in reading? Or how much is lost  in wages?  
How much do we save in health costs?
 
Do you see how ridiculous these computations get after awhile?  
 
We simply need to get back to generating resources that make for equal  
footing for all....and give greater credibility to the notion that ours is a  land 
of opportunity.
 
Now...does anyone have that data?
 
Jose
 

Jose L. Cruz
Chief Executive Officer
San Diego Council on Literacy
_jcruz at literacysandiego.org_ (mailto:jcruz at literacysandiego.org) 
_www.literacysandiego.org_ (http://www.literacysandiego.org) 
 



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