NLA Discussion: Grassroots Advocacy

[David J Rosen]

Art and Beth,

I think there are some implications for public policy in the messages you 
have posted. I would be interested to see what you think they are.

You both are probably aware that the National Workplace Education Program
-- which provided federal public funds as incentives to start workplace
education partnerships -- ended a few years ago; it ended with not even a
whimper from business or labor.  Nothing has replaced it at the national
level.  Some states (Massachusetts, for example) have continued to support
workplace education partnerships with business and labor using state
funding.  I wonder if you -- or others on the NLA list -- think the
climate of business opinion about workplace literacy education has
changed, that businesses might support public legislation for workplace
education? And/or do you think we need state workplace education
programs?  Should these receive some public funds to encourage employers?

Art and Beth -- did you have other public policy recommendations in mind
when you posted these messages?

David J. Rosen
<DJRosen at world.std.com>

On Tue, 3 Apr 2001, Art LaChance wrote:

> 
> Beth,
> 
> A few weeks ago I was asked to help out at a local manufacturing plant.  They
> were having difficulty replacing quality inspectors (food processing) and had
> decided to *train* some lower level workers for the jobs.  They asked if I 
> would do a reading/math assessment on a small group of selectees and
> provide management with evaluation.
> 
> Out of 15 *top* worker-bees selected for the promotion, only three had the
> reading skills that would allow them to *understand* the written requirements 
> of quality assurance directives.  Only one had the math skills.  The group
> was split between Hispanic and Anglo, and the Hispanic's capability for
> verbal English was very limited.
> 
> Almost immediately, within days actually, the plant hired a bi-lingual
> person to help establish a basic skills training program within the
> plant.  1300 workers, 24/7.
> 
> This is the second small manufacturing plant in this particular community to
> feel the pinch of failing product quality and inability to find academically
> qualified inspectors.  The first one (200 employees) took advantage of
> NAFTA and left town.
> 
> The illusion that most of our business/industry employers, and society in
> general, have is that the people they hired must have at least minimum
> academic skills because; they went to *school*, didn't they??  The second
> illusion is: that we can provide academic profiency in a classroom that
> meets for two hours a week?
> 
> Art
> 
> 
> Art LaChance
> Gilmer Learning Center
> Ellijay, GA
> 
> 
> 
> Beth Thompson wrote:
> 
> > Nancy,
> >
> > Thank you for your powerful post, and the posts it has been generating have
> > been great.  I am carefully following the responses regarding advocacy on
> > the legislative level, and I hope people will continue to respond to David's
> > and your specific questions regarding this issue.
> >
> > I wanted to ask about another facet of advocacy, since a local unified front
> > among practitioners, board members, legislators, and employers is as
> > important as a national effort among practitioners.
> >
> > You asked:
> >
> > "This is another area I'd like to see others input ideas into discussion on
> > the NLA.  I have hit a roadblock.  I'd like, as an example, for the TANF
> > people to give credit to a New Reader who has enrolled in our program and is
> > being tutored every week.  But I don't know how to approach it.  I know that
> > mandated education is required of TANF recipients yet their job training
> > *books* are too high level!  Who WRITES these manuals anyhow??  How can a
> > non-reader be expected to participate in something such as this which is
> > doomed to failure??  They do.  If somebody has a boiler-plate contract or
> > policy they are using with their welfare offices, I would love to see it."
> >
> > Though this does not directly address TANF issues, it does address
> > employment. This statement caused me to think of the following:
> >
> > In my area, I have run across two types of large companies that employ
> > immigrants.  One is the type of plant that not only doesn't need immigrants
> > to speak English, it serves the company's interests better if they don't.
> >
> > The other is the plant that would like to employ immigrants, but they need
> > immigrants with more English skills.
> >
> > Last year, when I was setting up my internship, I contacted a plant manager
> > who wanted to employ more immigrants (with English skills) for some
> > financial help for my internship (which I got).  I also wanted to bring in
> > his H.R. director for a discussion with my students during one of their
> > lessons.  She brought along with her a series of questions that all
> > applicants have to answer in writing as part of the interview process.  The
> > discussion with her was great; it galvanized the students.
> >
> > Later, I took a better look at the questions.  There was no way my students
> > would be able to fulfill this the requirements of this screening process,
> > and yet I suspected that the level of English required for the job did not
> > need this level of English literacy skill.  I developed a problem-posing
> > lesson for the students, where they critically looked at WHY they were being
> > asked to do this task in the first place.  We discussed strategies about how
> > they could assert themselves during the interview, saying, "I can't write
> > the answers to these questions in English, but I can give you oral answers,
> > and I can do the job."  The alternative would be not applying for the job at
> > all. They had nothing to lose.
> >
> > I'm supposed to go back to two plants, once I have my M.A., and discuss
> > English issues with them regarding hiring processes.  I am intending to
> > conduct a problem-posing session asking them why these screens are there if
> > they want to hire immigrants who couldn't possibly display that type of
> > schooled English literacy, and yet would have other L1 and English language
> > skills that would qualify them for the work, or at least qualify them for
> > training programs.  And, they should look at their training programs.  Are
> > they requiring a level of schooled English literacy for a training program
> > which would not be needed for the actual job tasks?
> >
> > This year, in the course of my research for my thesis, I ran across
> > literature about employment literacy vs. job literacy:  how and why
> > employment literacy is set up as a screening process for jobs which don't
> > require that level of schooled English literacy.
> >
> > After reading your post, it occurred to me that if a program like yours has
> > an active board, perhaps board members could make contacts with employers
> > and discuss screening policies with them.  (Maybe they themselves are
> > employers and haven't even considered their own screening practices.)
> > Besides finding jobs where you could place your students, a valuable asset
> > that could come out of this is finding highly-placed company officials who
> > will help you in your advocacy on the legislative side.  They may also help
> > you attack the employment literacy screening issues that seem to be inherent
> > on the TANF side.
> >
> > I have found a fellow advocate in this plant manager, not only because he
> > has principles regarding true equal access to employment opportunity, but
> > because it is also in his company's best interests not only to revisit their
> > employment literacy requirements but advocate for better English language
> > training.
> >
> > This is a project in progress.  I would be very interested in learning if
> > other practitioners have made contacts with employers who have turned out to
> > be partners in the legislative advocacy process and if they have any
> > suggestions for how to get this started on a local level.   Again, it seems
> > board members could take off some of the work load, and they have more
> > contacts.
> >
> > Beth Thompson
> > 507.359.6781
> >
> > Just the other night, as we gave New Board Member Orientation, one of those
> > members asked, "Which state legislator is on the side of literacy?"  None as
> > far as *I* know.  He felt as a local BOD, we should work to change that as
> > our community literacy BOD -- at least to tell them important information
> > about the impact tutoring can have on individuals' families and lives.  So
> > it
> > looks to me as though my board is going to grab the attention of local
> > district representatives and discuss fair funding.  They also have been
> > asked
> > to participate by coming to our upcoming Literacy Breakfast PR /Fundraising
> > event.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nla-approval at world.std.com [mailto:nla-approval at world.std.com]On
> > Behalf Of sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net
> > Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2001 5:33 PM
> > To: nla at world.std.com
> > Subject: NLA Discussion: Grassroots Advocacy
> >
> > David,
> >
> > You put out several challenges which would be well for *all* of us to
> > advocate and take action about.  True.  However, if the grassroots literacy
> > folks" are *any*thing like ME, the answer is going to be, "I don't have a
> > good strong network of people who will partner with me to get this done in
> > *my* state."  At least that's the answers you will find from me below.
> >
> > In order to advocate-for-change, there has to nation-wide unity, in my view.
> > Because my "one-small-voice" in the state of S.D. is NOT going to get
> > anything accomplished when there isn't even unity in the *state* among
> > literacy providers!   So regarding your 5 points individually:
> >
> > " 1. ...number of full-time jobs which offer  fair salaries and benefits in
> > our field... personally been involved in helping to increase public funding
> > in your state ..."
> >
> > In the state of S.D. there are barely a handful of literacy
> > coordinators/directors who are even *salaried* -- much less are they being
> > offered "fair salaries and benefits".  There are too many literacy programs
> > operating on shoe string budgets with little financial options for making
> > change.
> >
> > 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?  I don't believe
> > we will.  The local council support for paying adequate salaries also has
> > to be there and if the other literacy providers don't believe in giving a
> > salary, no matter how minimal, to their directors, how will the
> > gov't. entity view that?  I predict not favorably.  And in the
> > *mean*time, I'm sitting here with some 45 volunteer tutors and 20 board
> > members with NO other paid staff but me!!  (And, David, you do NOT want
> > to know what MY salary is!  It's not adequate compared to what other
> > E.D.'s are getting in other Sioux Falls non-profits, let's put it that
> > way.)
> >
> >  "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.
> >
> >  "3. ...welfare reform policy in your state (because it has driven students
> > out of education -- or because it has mandated education) what are you
> > doing to change that?"
> >
> > This is another area I'd like to see others input ideas into discussion on
> > the NLA.  I have hit a roadblock.  I'd like, as an example, for the TANF
> > people to give credit to a New Reader who has enrolled in our program and is
> > being tutored every week.  But I don't know how to approach it.  I know that
> > mandated education is required of TANF recipients yet their job training
> > *books* are too high level!  Who WRITES these manuals anyhow??  How can a
> > non-reader be expected to participate in something such as this which is
> > doomed to failure??  They do.  If somebody has a boiler-plate contract or
> > policy they are using with their welfare offices, I would love to see it.
> >
> >  "4. If you think that 'accountability' in adult education (or in K-12) has
> > become madness, has turned education into mind-numbing bean counting, what
> > are you doing to change that, to make accountability meaningful?"
> >
> > Is it even worth the yap to try?  (for adult ed madness)  I view it as being
> > too doggone late to get the "powers that be", who had control over the
> > design
> > of the NRS and other recordkeeping systems, to listen to us.  They didn't
> > listen before.  Why would they listen now?  As they say:  It's a done deal!
> > I feel it's going to be 3-5 yrs. before they will wake up to the reality the
> > accountability standards aren't working.
> >
> > "5. ... state adult education services ... narrowed to only
> > employment-related education, ... no support for basic reading and
> > writing, family literacy, adult biliteracy,  citizenship and civics
> > education and for other education ... (for) adult learner purposes and
> > goals as they define them..."
> >
> > What will I do?  The first point is:  How many literacy organizations across
> > the NLA have their adult learners' specific "purposes and goals" written
> > down on hard copy?  Are there active Adult Learner Advisors in the
> > communities to whom we speak?  Have we allowed our learners to envision a
> > different future for themselves?  When they know everything is "tied to
> > the shortage of bucks" how far will they let their dreams/hopes/goals
> > flow?  My opinion?  Not very!
> >
> > I think a concentrated, unified effort at every state governmental level is
> > the only way the feds will get the message and change the trickle-on-down
> > level of monies.  So, tell me, where is our Union of sort?  I don't think we
> > have one.  I think there are too many divisions existing among us .... it
> > doesn't take much looking on the NLA to find people who can't even agree on
> > the Margins to Mainstream outcomes feasibility!  Then there's the latest
> > who-ha about philosophical vs. policy postings.
> >
> > I really am unsure that advocating can even happen locally because the
> > message I'm getting from our state Dept of Labor official is that she
> > doesn't
> > have control over these criteria.  And our Council is way out in the
> > boondocks from the decision-making happening in the U.S. Capitol.  The
> > literacy effort is going to need the help of those in Washington, DC, area
> > because none of us have funds to adequately provide programming, much less
> > host the travel of local folks to go to the Capitol.  Most are volunteers,
> > remember!  We could consider the option to organize groups to make appts.
> > with the local office staff of our Senators and House of Representatives.
> >
> > Just the other night, as we gave New Board Member Orientation, one of those
> > members asked, "Which state legislator is on the side of literacy?"  None as
> > far as *I* know.  He felt as a local BOD, we should work to change that as
> > our community literacy BOD -- at least to tell them important information
> > about the impact tutoring can have on individuals' families and lives.  So
> > it
> > looks to me as though my board is going to grab the attention of local
> > district representatives and discuss fair funding.  They also have been
> > asked
> > to participate by coming to our upcoming Literacy Breakfast PR /Fundraising
> > event.
> >
> > Lastly ...
> >
> > So, David!  You tell ME <how> "the NLA list" truly *can* "help subscribers"
> > to accomplish your three points?  (Points being  1) Link thought to action,
> > 2) Act, not alone, but with others: adult learners and practitioners
> > together, forging a common agenda, and to  3) Be effective in bringing about
> > policy changes to improve adult literacy education.)
> >
> > The available financial resources are too diverse.  I cannot take the same
> > actions, create a same agenda, express that our learners have the same needs
> > and thus policies as Massachuetts can, as an example, due to the lack of
> > money, in <part>.  How many others are there out there on the NLA who have
> > budgets withOUT money for advocacy, as an example?  Budgets for such tasks
> > would *not* be funded by our United Way **here** I am certain!   can't even
> > get funds to send a *group* of learners on a leadership education
> > opportunity
> > being offered by the VALUE organization in July.  (Send one person and they
> > get overwhelmed.  Send several and networking occurs.)  You think the
> > funders
> > are going to say it's Okay to travel and stay over during our state
> > legislative session (to say <nothing> of going to D.C.!)?  I don't think so.
> > That is all a pipe-dream.
> >
> > Nancy Hansen
> > Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
> > sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE FROM the NLA list, send an e-mail message to
> > majordomo at world.std.com
> > Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) unsubscribe nla
> >
> > To SUBSCRIBE TO the NLA list, send an e-mail to majordomo at world.std.com
> > Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) subscribe nla
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE FROM the NLA list, send an e-mail message to
> > majordomo at world.std.com
> > Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) unsubscribe nla
> >
> > To SUBSCRIBE TO the NLA list, send an e-mail to majordomo at world.std.com
> > Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) subscribe nla
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> To UNSUBSCRIBE FROM the NLA list, send an e-mail message to
> majordomo at world.std.com
> Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) unsubscribe nla
> 
> To SUBSCRIBE TO the NLA list, send an e-mail to majordomo at world.std.com
> Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) subscribe nla
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 



---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To UNSUBSCRIBE FROM the NLA list, send an e-mail message to
majordomo at world.std.com
Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) unsubscribe nla

To SUBSCRIBE TO the NLA list, send an e-mail to majordomo at world.std.com
Skip the header. In the body of the message type (only) subscribe nla
---------------------------------------------------------------------------