NLA Discussion: Smaller state strategies, waiting lists

[sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net]

In a message dated 04/02/2001 2:04:29 PM Central Daylight Time, 
sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net writes:

<< Nancy wrote:
 
 > As far as increasing public funding is concerned:  I would love to read 
how 
 > others in smaller states got that message *across* to their state
 > hiarachy!  If we don't know the How, are we ever going to be able to do
 > anything solid as far as "taking action" is concerned?  
 
 How about if we hear from the smallest state -- Rhode Island --
 the only state, as far as I know, which has adult literacy education as a
 legal right?  (I know Rhode Islanders are still working on making funding
 for this a reality, but it is a law on the books. That's an important
 beginning.) 
 
 And let's hear from Vermont, a smaller state with an important national
 policy leader -- Senator Jeffords.
 
 And how about other, smaller states?  Tell us about your efforts to
 organize to advocate for adult literacy. Lurkers, now is the time for us
 to hear from you, too.
   
Nancy responds:

I agree.  Let's HEAR it!  I want to know what that law looks like.  What does 
it address?  How was it written and who supported it for it to become law?  
AND, Rhode Islanders, I would like to know just exactly HOW you are working 
on getting the funding in place.  Funding seems like as critical an area as 
passing a law because a law without money behind it doesn't have much teeth!  
How can it have any impact if there isn't money to "take action" and carry 
out the law?

 >  "2. ... long waiting lists for students ... what are you doing to change 
 > that?"
 > 
 > I do my utmost to focus on NOT having a "long waiting list" at any given 
time 
 > of the year.  What do I do when that list starts to develop?  I call 
matched 
 > tutors who may take a second New Reader and get my behind out the door to 
 > recruit other new tutor volunteers, and train them as immediately as is 
 > possible.  Additionally, I encourage the learners on the Short List to 
enroll 
 > in other educational programs in the interium, work on-line with Council 
 > staff until their tutor is trained  -- at least twice in the first month 
-- 
 > and/or develop personal reading/writing projects for them to do 
independently 
 > while they wait.  Even if it is as simple as rote-learned vocabulary to 
 > accomplish their goal of reading a book to their pre-school child!  It's 
 > worth that effort.
 
 It is tough to say to a prospective adult learner, "I'm sorry, we don't
 have a tutor or a class for you right now."  You and I, and nearly
 everyone entered this field to help adult learners.  But I have learned
 from experience that waiting lists -- when there is also organized 
 advocacy for those who are waiting  -- increases resources to provide
 better services.  Serving all who knock on our door -- with what meager
 resources we happen to have -- will give us, as Bob Bickerton put it,
 thanks for doing the Lord's work.  It will not help us to improve our
 programs' services to students. So, Nancy and others, I believe that as
 part of a larger advocacy effort we may need to have waiting lists because
 students waiting for services get legislators' attention. When we have
 their attention, we explain that we must serve the students we do enroll
 well.  We explain that with more resources we can do a good job serving
 more who need services.  But without more resources, we explain that we
 must refuse to keep enrolling large numbers and seeing a serious decline
 in per student investment (see Tom Sticht's messages on this posted
 here) and we refuse to tolerate a 70% annual national drop-out rate in
 adult education programs which is due, I believe, in large part, to
 inadequate funding of services.
 
Nancy responds: 

David, I find this such an incomprehensible idea.  To me withholding services 
because we *say* we don't have enough money to provide enough tutors is 
disgusting.  It's like holding a gun to the head of the already 
underpriviledged who, it has been stated on this NLA, are already 
unempowered.  Finally they have the courage to make that call and to set an 
appointment only to be told, "I'm sorry, we don't have a tutor or a class for 
you right now."  

This would demoralize an adult whose life, when they arrive at the literacy 
door, generally is in crisis -- what was it someone said that rung true -- 
that they are at a pivotal moment in their lives.  And at that 'pivotal 
moment' I'm going to shut that door they thought they'd overcome the fear to 
OPEN?!?!  

Sorry, David.  I can't go with that value system. I don't care HOW students 
waiting for services get legislators' attention!  It doesn't wash with 
*me*!!!  It is *not* going to matter whether I have a well-oiled and 
syncronized networking system with ANY legislator -- no matter how powerful 
that legislator IS, I don't believe withholding services to impress them is 
what I will *ever* be willing or able to do to, as you put it, "serve the 
students we do enroll well" and lip-service to that legislator that by 
his/her provision of "more resources we can do a good job serving more who 
need services" ... bull.  

Bob B made a comment about "doing the Lord's work" did he?  Well, I hope it 
wasn't condescendingly given because I believe in the Lord's work.  Picture 
for a moment -- you are making the ultimate trip to those golden gates 
someday and St. Peter comes to the gate, prepares to open it to the multitude 
waiting -- you among them -- and says, "Sorry.  We have no space for you.  
You will have to wait."  And it doesn't matter a'tall that you've "done the 
Lord's work" ..... how does it feel?  

Nope.  For the development of a human being, in the best way I can offer it, 
I will *do* so, resources or no.  Financially we may not be the best off in 
the country, but in making life changes, we are the richest of all peoples. I 
canNOT tell *any* of our New Readers that there is no hope when hope has been 
given.  Their individual stories who wait for our next tutor training are 
each touching.  

I honor their wishes for confidentiality, but I will tell you this -- You 
expect that I will turn away a young 20 year-old man who has just come from 
the hospital??  He has been given a ride by the Mom because he needs to get a 
driver's license for our state.  The mother of his children is so ill that he 
is in fear the task of raising his little kids may fall on his shoulders.  He 
carries in one hand a baby carrier with a 9 month old inside.  A beautiful 
baby he is.  And this dark haired father tells me his heart broke the night 
before when he couldn't read a story to his older child and then realized he 
also couldn't read the recipe on the back of a box to fix his that child's 
favorite supper - macaroni and cheese.  He sat before me with tears streaming 
down his face, pain and suffering in his eyes.  

And I am to say, "I'm sorry, we don't have a tutor or a class for you right 
now."??  You *are* kidding, right?  I surely hope you are.  Can't buy into 
that whole value system.  Sorry.  Nobody will ever be able to convince me of 
that.

Nancy Hansen
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net


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