[NLA] Thursday Notes, 3/14/02

[David Joost]

The "Skills Gap" report from NAM advises that adult literacy should be
made a top priority but at the same time suggests that no additional
funding is necessary to impact the 90 million Americans in need of
greater literacy skills. It is outrageous to suggest that the adult
literacy problem will be meaningfully impacted by level or reduced
funding and expecting "home study" and "e-learning" to save the day.
Without a reliable adult education and literacy system that is fulltime,
year-round and professionally organized, our national will never achieve
the adult literacy levels of its international competitor nations. This
is the same kind of "spend-nothing-do-nothing-and-it-will-all-work-out"
"head-in-the-sand" thinking that has caused the torrential exodus of
manufacturing jobs from out this country.

David Joost
President
Texas Council for Adult Education Cooperative Directors

> "Tilghman, Rose" wrote:
> 
>                      From the Division of Adult Education and Literacy
> 
>                               Office of Vocational and Adult Education
> 
> Editor: Sarah Newcomb
> Production: Rose Tilghman
> 
> March 14, 2002
> ___________________________________
> 
> 2000 Data Drive
> EL/Civics
> 
> The Immigration and Naturalization Service has posted its 2000
> state-by-state analysis of immigration patterns, making that data
> available for calculating states' English Literacy/Civics (EL/Civics)
> allotments for July 1. The new data affect the states' allotments by
> updating current immigrant populations and recent increases in
> immigration. These elements drive formula funding for states'
> EL/Civics programs. Congress set aside the funds in appropriations
> legislation over the last several years. See
> http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/aboutins/statistics/IMM00yrbk/ExcIMM00/Table17.xls
> 
> NAM: We Need
> Adult Literacy,
> English Literacy
> 
> The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recommends that
> improving adults' literacy skills be a national priority. A NAM
> survey, The Skills Gap: 2001, reports a continuing gap in workers'
> skill levels. What's missing for both job applicants and employees?
> Employability skills such as attendance, timeliness, work ethic and
> other qualities are lacking; with reading, communication and math
> skills ranking second. Other NAM recommendations include immigration
> policies incorporating initiatives to meet cultural and language skill
> needs of immigrants. Immigrants are the main source of labor growth.
> See
> http://www.nam.org/Docs/CenterforWorkforceSuccess/23975_NAMSkillsGapforPress.pdf
> 
> Money Smarts
> For Free
> 
> How much do your learners know about finances? The Money Smart
> Training Program can help. It includes lesson plans, overheads and
> materials for students--and it's free from the Federal Deposit
> Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Material is written at the sixth grade
> level. Ten units on bank services, consumer rights, saving, credit,
> home ownership and more can be ordered from the FDIC. See
> http://www.fdic.gov/news/publications/moneysmart  Download order form
> and fax to 202/942-3098. Allow three weeks to ship.
> 
> DAEL Jobs
> Now Available
> 
> Join us! We're recruiting for two key positions: a Chief for the
> Program Improvement Branch; and a Program Specialist to lead the
> Community Technology Centers (CTC) program.
> 
> ØThe branch chief manages development and implementation of policies
> and strategies that improve access to--and quality of--adult education
> services. The branch chief provides guidance and leadership to a team
> of Program Specialists, as well as to staff of both the Community
> Technology Centers Program and English Literacy/Civics Demonstration
> Program. The branch handles issues such as adults with disabilities,
> family literacy, English language instruction, and program
> improvement.
> 
> ØThe CTC lead position provides expertise in evaluating CTC programs
> at the federal, state and local levels. He or she will manage all
> phases of the competitive grant process as well as technical
> assistance, policy analysis and a cross-Department team. For more, see
> http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/wfjic/jobs/VW1048.HTM and
> http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/wfjic/jobs/VW1039.HTM respectively.
> 
> _______________________________________________________________________________________________
> 
>     A Fact Sheet from the Division of Adult Education and Literacy
> 
>                Office of Vocational and Adult Education
> 
>              OVAE Homepage http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/
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