[NLA] Information: Last Week's National Coalition for Literacy Meeting

[Jon Randall]

During last Thursday's National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) meeting, the
following decisions were made:

1. The Omnibus Literacy Legislation Concept Paper was approved by the NCL
2. The NCL approved appropriations recommendations for Federal Fiscal Year
2003
3. COABE's Sherrie Claiborne agreed to contact state associations and
encourage them to plan for the strengthening of their advocacy
infrastructure using David Rosen's Eight Elements of Preparedness for
State-level Advocacy

Omnibus Literacy Legislation Concept Paper

NCL members made a few minor changes to version 4a before approving it as
the Coalition's recommendation to Capitol Hill. The approved version should
be up on the NCL web site by the end of the week. Our goal is to have a
piece of legislation drafted based on this concept paper. We hope that can
happen shortly after the first of the year. However, the Public Policy
Committee is looking for a volunteer to coordinate this initiative beginning
in January as I will be unable to do so on a pro bono basis.

Appropriations Recommendations for FY03

The NCL approved FY03 appropriations recommendations for six programs. A
letter to the Administration is being prepared now and efforts will begin
soon for Appropriations subcommittee testimony and a "Dear Colleague"
letter. Information on the FY03 appropriations campaign may not be posted to
the NCL web site until after January 1st, but here's the list approved by
the NCL:

1. Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, State Grants ... $1B, which
includes $250M earmark for English Literacy/Civics Education (currently
$540M)

2. Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, National Leadership Activities
... $40M, which includes $25M for capacity building among national networks
that support volunteer, library, adult learner, and community-based literacy
organizations and coalitions; $9M for the Department's ongoing research and
development activities; and $6M for the development of assessment tools and
strategies that identify the needs and capture the gains of students at the
lowest literacy level and a study on the effectiveness of technology and
distance learning in adult and family literacy programs (currently $9.5M)

3. National Institute for Literacy ... $10M (currently $6.5M)

4. Reading First and Early Reading First ... $1B and $90M, respectively
(currently $900M and $75M respectively

5. Even Start ... $300M (currently $250M)

6. Head Start ... $7B (currently $6.6B)

State-level Advocacy

The NCL Public Policy Committee recognizes the critical need for states to
improve their advocacy infrastructure. Massachusetts is an excellent example
of the value of preparedness. We have decided encourage state associations
to plan for the strengthening of their advocacy infrastructure using David
Rosen's Eight Elements of Preparedness for State-level Advocacy. COABE's
Sherrie Claiborne has agreed to undertake this effort on behalf of the NCL
and COABE. She plans to begin by using the association list at
www.alri.org/advocacy.html.  If members of the NLA community know of
associations not on that list, last updated in March 2001, please send
contact information to me via email.


Jon Randall
Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

FedStrategics, LLC
strategic advocacy & public affairs consulting
to charitable organizations
www.FedStrategics.com

8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: (301) 588-5304   Fax: (301) 588-5353
jrandall at FedStrategics.com


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