[NLA] Discussion: A Local or urban model system of adult education and literacy services

[David J. Rosen]

Thank you, Margery, for reminding us that an education and literacy 
system must be local, in a community or city, as well as state or 
national. I agree that the local system  -- and programs within it -- is 
the level which matters most to students.  

Perhaps you, or others, might like to describe a model system at the 
community or urban level.  What would a system of adult education and 
literacy services at this level look like if it met adult learner needs 
well?  What kinds of programs and services should be included in the 
local system, and why? CBO's? Volunteer programs? LEA's? Community 
colleges? Jails? Others? What are the advantages or disadvantages of 
having a diverse provider system at the local level? How does a planned 
community system increase resources for all programs  -- or does it? 
Where is such urban or community planning for adult education and 
literacy taking place in the U.S.. or elsewhere? I hope to hear from my
Massachusetts Colleagues who are involved in adult education community 
planning. Let's also hear from adult learners.  What would a model 
system of adult education and literacy look like in your community?.  


David J. Rosen, Director
Adult Literacy Resource Institute
Boston, MA     and
NLA List Moderator
<DJRosen at the world.com>

Margery Freeman wrote:

>Dear All,
>
>    I've enjoyed the extensive discussions about the scope and location of
>our adult education and literacy system.  It seems to me that we might begin
>with the student, who cares not a whit about what funding stream supports
>the class/program s/he is in.  I think that when we put the student in the
>center of this discussion, then we can create a comprehensive, interactive
>system that allows the student to choose the program that best suits
>him/her.
>
>    In New Orleans, for the past year, we have been working on a literacy
>initiative that is going to emerge as a new Literacy Alliance of Greater New
>Orleans.  We've met monthly, with lots of sub-group discussions as well, to
>figure out what's in place, what best practices we might want to adopt, what
>the market (student, business, community) needs are.  I mention this
>initiative because we have rooted it in a belief that all the players need
>to be part of
> this Alliance. The great thing about this experience is that
>all of the players ARE participating:  School systems, community/technical
>colleges, prison/parole programs, Even Start, CBOs, workplace programs, etc.
>    We did some research and discovered that if our new Alliance actually
>combines resources and experience, there are untapped millions of dollars of
>both public and private monies that could come into the literacy community.
>    Our experience - the close relationships we've formed with one another
>and the knowledge we've gained about our various systems, programs,
>funding - convinces us that only when we build a comprehensive system can
>our voice be loud and strong enough to change the prevailing attitudes about
>adult education and literacy.
>    Finally,  my experience with a local community-based literacy program
>tells me that there are lots of programs like ours:  We have a million
>dollar budget, that includes $$ from the 
>DOE (Tom's Title II money), DOL
>(workplace ed), DSS (TANF $$), AmeriCorps, private businesses (fee for
>service contracts), United Way, foundations and donations from
>individuals/businesses.  We dream of the day when we will have a
>comprehensive adult education and literacy system in which these various
>funding sources are so well connected that we don't have to prepare a dozen
>different statistical reports each year!
>    Margery Freeman
>YMCA Educational Services
>833 Howard Avenue, Suite 300
>New Orleans, LA 70113
>(504) 482-0334; 504-566-7323
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Debbie Yoho" <dwyoho at earthlink.net>
>To: "NLA LIST" <nla at lists.literacytent.org>
>Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 1:34 PM
>Subject: [NLA] On David Rosen's Model
>
>
>>On the whole, I think the organizational model David Rosen proposes is a
>>good one.
>>
>>But in what way could we insure that in such a model, the local community
>>is actively and substantially involved in the suggested processes?
>>
>>I believe the strength of the CBO's (which I would view as complementary,
>>not supplementary, to the AELS) is their direct ties to the local
>>community, including, for example, the role of volunteer boards of
>>directors who raise money and set policy for program implementation. I
>>
>have
>
>>seen precious little attention by our state's school district adult ed
>>programs to what might be called the "public relations" necessary for our
>>work.  Most think of public relations as advertisements and posters.  I do
>>think it is possible to create a system that blends professional
>>
>leadership
>
>>with grass roots support and leadership, although I wonder on how big a
>>scale.
>>
>>
>>Deborah W. Yoho
>>Co-moderator, NIFL-Health  and
>>Executive Director
>>Greater Columbia Literacy Council
>>921 Woodrow Street, Columbia, SC  29205
>>803-765-2555   Fax  803-779-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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