[NLA] Where should the AELS "reside"?

[Eileen Eckert]

I agree with Kelly that each major umbrella organization has a particular 
structure and culture (based on particular values and schemas) and that 
these affect programs, teachers, and ultimately learners. Based only on my 
own vagabond existence in the system, I've found that the structure and 
culture has more to do with the individual program; school system, college, 
or workforce development board; and state-level Dept. of Ed., 
Community-Tech. College System, or Workforce Development System than with 
characteristics that are common across states. So a K-12 system might be the 
best place for AELS in one state and the worst place for it in another 
state. Same with colleges.

Having worked in adult and family literacy programs under both K-12 and 
community college umbrellas, my personal preference is for the community 
college system. It definitely has its drawbacks (for example, I routinely 
had to argue with administrators and some faculty that our students were 
"real" students of the college), but a few of the advantages I've seen are 
that paid teachers are more likely to be full-time and tenured (though this 
is still VERY rare) and when they are part-time they are more likely to be 
paid decently (though this, too, is still a big problem). I had more 
students that I knew went on to begin degree programs because we had 
connections with the various college offices and had a full-time advisor 
working in our program. And coming to class on campus can be a glimpse into 
what's possible.

Another advantage of being within the college system is the value colleges 
place on academic freedom. To me, this is some protection against 
reductionist teacher certification requirements that evaluate based on 
things that can be measured but aren't necessarily important and ignore 
things that are crucial but can't be quantified. It also has the potential 
to be some protection against the invasion of standardized testing.

However, there's also marginalization--maybe this is also the case in K-12? 
And when I worked in states where AELS was under the community college 
umbrella, I worked within colleges. I don't know the effects on CBOs.

The only place I think the AELS definitely doesn't belong is the workforce 
development system. It's too punitive, biased toward the wants of business, 
and it is based on the idea that people's only value is as human capital 
(and therefore the only reason to help them become 
literate--semi-literate--is to increase their productivity). But this view 
is based on my unpopular belief that the economy and government were 
creations of humans to serve humans, not the other way around.


>From: Kelly Bruce <bruceke at gse.harvard.edu>
>Reply-To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
>To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
>Subject: Re: [NLA] Where should the AELS "reside"?
>Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 08:50:23 -0400
>
>Hi Deborah and Fellow Listers,
>
>I must respectfully disagree with your comment, Deborah, that, "I think the
>question [where should adult ed. reside?] is moot.  Interesting to talk
>about, but that's all."  I think it is a vital question, as it has
>wide-ranging implications for the field in policy, advocacy, program
>structure, teaching, research, data reporting, etc.
>
>For instance, my assumption is that each major "umbrella organization" (a
>Department of Ed., a workforce cabinet, or a community college system), has
>a particular bureaucratic structure and culture--how does this affect the
>organization of the adult education system, down to the local level, for
>things like hiring practices, facilities, and professional development?
>Are there differences in the perceived "purpose" for adult education from
>system to system (i.e. a state in which AE resides in the K-12 system sees
>AE as remediation; in a workforce cabinet as economic development; in the
>community college system as creating a base of community college students)?
>If there are differences, how do they affect advocacy efforts?
>
>Are states in which AE resides in K-12 or a community college system more
>likely to hire certified teachers? More likely to conduct research?  More
>likely to be open to practitioner research?  More likely to provide
>professional development?
>
>Are states in which AE resides in a workforce cabinet moving toward
>providing services through one-stops?  Do they place a greater emphasis on
>data collection and data matching (with employment figures, public
>assistance figures, and the like)?
>
>I take your point that changes--even if they were desirable--would be
>difficult to make given entrenched interests, but I don't think that should
>stop us from thinking about these questions with an eye to making changes
>if they are warranted (perhaps they are not).
>
>As I continue to learn about the AE system and literacy, I like to think
>about what an "ideal" system and an "ideal" program would be.  Certainly
>one thing I've figured out is that there is no "one size fits all," and
>that is not what I'm suggesting.  Instead, because we know that there are
>many improvements we can make to AE, I'm wondering what bits and pieces of
>the ideal are already out there.  And what junk is out there, too?  And to
>the point, is any of it attributable to the type of umbrella organization?
>Perhaps there are already studies out there that focus on this particular
>issue, and if someone can point me to them, I'm ready pipe down.
>
>Best,
>Kelly
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Kelly Bruce
>National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
>Harvard University Graduate School of Education
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