[NLA] a proposal to "save" the NIFL

[George E. Demetrion]

Whew!

I was wondering if anyone was going to respond.

Andy's solution is particularly meaningful on this July 4th holiday.  As
quoted:

GIVE THE FUDNING THAT THE NIFL RECEIVES TO DISSEMINATE RESEARCH
INFORMATION ON READING (PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON GRADES K-3) BACK TO THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.  THIS WOULD CONTINUE THE NIFL AS IT WAS
ORIGINALLY CONCEPTUALIZED IN THE NATIONAL LITERACY ACT AND PRESERVE
THESERVICE AND LEADERSHIP IT CAN AND SHOULD PROVIDE THE ADULT AND
FAMILYLITERACY FIELD.  DO IT THIS YEAR.

Sort of a Boston Tea Party for adult literacy education.

I'd like to weigh in  in agreement with Kevin Smith and JoAnn Weinberger.
 Andy Hartman's  message did much to clarify what has been going on.  Now
I think I understand why the National Institute for Childhood Health and
Development (NICHD) is playing such an influential role in the formative
stages on setting policy and defining appropriate methodologies of
research for adult literacy education.  For the life of me, I couldn't
understand why that role wasn't being played by the National Center for
the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL).  Now I think I get it.

A balanced approach to lifelong learning and reading development from
childhood to adulthood is surely commendable, but if the price of
supporting childhood reading as a priority for NIFL is to further
marginalize the already marginalized support for adult literacy
education, then that's an awfully high price to pay.

On the question raised by JoAnn Weinberger, allow me to propose that a
multi-front approach be taken, perhaps something like the following:  

But first, on the importance of coupling the funding issue and the matter
of the NIFL Board.  Specifically:

GIVE THE MONEY BACK AND PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE SLATE OF CANDIDATES FOR
THE BOARD.

Is there broad-based consensus for this action, with the second point at
least implicit on the recommendation of the former Director of the
National Institute for Literacy?  If so, then, as Kevin Smith puts it,
the solution is fairly easy and straight-forward.

Perhaps we might take from 1-2 weeks on the public airwaves to reasonably
determine that as a field we have broad-based consensus on this manner
and in my view, this needs to be a public determination.  Perhaps Jose
Cruz and others could initiate this discussion on NIFL-Urban list so that
the feedback obtained is a broad as possible within the time constraints
imposed by the ticking clock.

If as a result, there is a favorable consensus, then a sharply pointed
action plan can be put into effect based on something like the following:

1.  NCL making the proposal about the funding to the US Department of
Education as Andy Hartman recommends.

2.   Any on this list who can do so, to pick up the phone and call Laura
or Barbara Bush to have them make the case directly to the President. 

3.  Those from the states in particular that have Senators from the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to make contact with
them and copy correspondence  to Senator Kennedy. (On this score I'd be
willing to work with the several other NLAers from Connecticut to try
once again to influence Senator Dodd).  
Committee members are:

Edward M. Kennedy Chair - D- MA
Christopher Dodd --D --  CT
Tom Harkin -- D -- Iowa
Barbara Mikulsi -- D -- Maryland
Jeff Bigman -- New Mexico
Paul Wellstone -- D - Minnestota
Patty Murray  -  D -Washington
Jack Reed --D -  Rhode Island
John Edwards  - D- - North Carolina
Hillary Clinton -- D - New York
Jim Jeffords --I  VT
Bill Frist --R -- TN
Mile Erzi -R - WY
Tim Hutchinson - R - AZ
John Warner -R- VA
Christpher Bond -R- MO
Judd Gregg (Ranking Member - R- NH
Pat Roberts R- KS
Susan Collins -R-ME
Jeff Sessions - R -AL
Mike DeWitt (?) R- OH

4.  And to Nancy Hansen who has Senator Dashelle's ear, as the Majority
Leader of the U.S.Senate (and not just a Senator from a small state),
simply to encourage him to encourage Senator Kennedy to act on the
request and behalf of our field.

The message is simple.

1.  Return the money
2.  Return NIFL to adult and family literacy
3.  Nominate a new slate of board members that reflect the priorities of
adult and family literacy.

I believe all this is doable and is a finite type of action that as a
field, we have the capacity to effectively coordinate and execute.

The key questions are:

Is there a common will for something like this?
Is there reasonable consensus?

If so, an effective action plan can be readily implemented and executed. 


George Demetrion
sophocles5 at juno.com


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