[NLA] The flagship reform effort in the U.S.

[Eileen Eckert]

In the Equipped for the Future Content Standards book, EFF is described as a 
starting place for standards-based system reform. This description implies 
that EFF is seen as NIFL's flagship--its purpose is more comprehensive than 
any other NIFL effort. In characterizing EFF as NIFL's flagship effort, it 
seems to me George is asking for some answers from NIFL about the 
institute's goals and use of resources. Tom's description of the limited 
impact of EFF on the adult and family literacy system does not seem to me to 
be in conflict with George's remarks, but rather it is evidence that the 
field needs some information from NIFL about the goals of the institute, how 
it is using resources to meet those goals, and how it is measuring its 
effectiveness. If EFF is the flagship, why is that not reflected in its 
budget, why is there so little activity on the EFF listserv, why has there 
been no move to formally evaluate EFF? George was talking about the intent 
of EFF; Tom's talking about the actual effects--and it looks like there's a 
big gap between the two. Both George's and Tom's remarks indicate that at 
the level of federal policy and administration, there is a lack of coherence 
about what is to be done and how.

Programs are now required to be "accountable" for both their goals and 
objectives and for the impact on learners. Why is it that we have people 
with a long history and a great deal of knowledge about adult and family 
literacy resorting to speculation about the motives and activities of the 
same federal agencies that require accountability from local programs? Where 
is the accountability from DOE, OVAE/DAEL (thanks for the acronyms, Tom, I 
don't even know what they all stand for--what's DAEL?), and NIFL? How do 
they fit together? Don't we have a right to expect them to fit together, or 
at least to be moving in that direction?


Eileen

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