NLA Question: Senate bill on reading and literacy

[David J Rosen]

NLA Colleagues,

A May 29th National Institute for Literacy _Policy Update_ mailed
out by Alice Johnson includes some information about a reading and
literacy bill in the U.S. Senate.  This legislation, if enacted, would
provide an extra $210 million per year for three years to improve reading
and literacy skills of children and families.  One of the three activities
is improving in-service instructional practices for teachers, including
adult education and literacy instructors.  According to the policy update,
the Senate bill calls for each state to develop a "State Plan to Improve
Teaching and Learning of Reading and Literacy Programs."  Plans would
include assessment of professional development needs of teachers,
including those in adult education and family literacy.

This is the first attention I have seen to funding for adult education
staff development since the (now largely disappeared) funding for State
Literacy Resource Centers.  It is refreshing to see this need beginning to
be recognized again.

Alice, or anyone else, do you have  more information about how this is
doing in the Senate, more specifics on its provisions, and whether it will
be conferenced with H.R. 2614, a similar bill which passed the House?

David J. Rosen
NLA List Moderator
<DJRosen at world.std.com>