[NLA] Meeting Adult Literacy Needs: Reality vs Rhetoric

[comingjo]

I hope Tom Sticht's posting (Meeting the Education and Literacy Needs of
Adults in the United States: Reality vs Rhetoric)leads to a productive 
dialogue in this forum.

An official in the Department of Education told me that when "A Nation at 
Risk" came out, it dominated the planning in the Department.  Somehow, as Tom 
points out, this document did not have an impact on the Adult Education and 
Literacy System (AELS).  Another official told me that after the release of 
the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), the AELS did not benefit 
because no one came forward with a plan to improve and expand the AELS to 
address the educational need identified by NALS.

In about 18 months, the findings of the 2002 National Assessment of Adult 
Literacy (NAAL) will be released.  This will offer another opportunity to 
focus attention on the need for AELS services.

When our field reacts to the year-to-year battle for resources, we usually do 
OK, but often we are just fighting to keep what we have. We need a strategic 
initiative that prepares to take advantage of the release of the 2002 NAAL.

The NAAL will provide estimates of the size and a description of the 
population that lacks strong literacy and math skills, but we need:

1.  a way to describe these findings that moves away from the false "90 
million illiterates" statement to one that provides a truthful description of 
an important educational need,

2.  an objective evaluation of the existing services,

3.  a simple and clear plan (federal, state, and local) to improve and expand 
AELS services.

And then we need someone, or a group of people, who can sell the story that 
comes out of this effort.

How could we do this?

John Comings

John Comings, Director
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu

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