[NLA] Discussion: Learning for the Future --Innovation or Was teful Duplication?

[Ellison, Art]

In addition to the concerns over duplication of effort with this project
there are  several other issues that should be raised.
  The assertion in the grant that the goal "is to make quality adult
education programs accessible to far more adults than currently receive
services", when the current administration wants to level fund adult
education programs for the next fiscal year, is political hypocrisy at the
most extreme level.
 The third objective of the grant to "ensure that the current
federal/state-based adult education system is connected to faith-based
organizations, empowerment and enterprise zones,............." raises a host
of issues around providing funding for religious organizations. All states
are already required under Title II, WIA to insure that "all eligible
providers have direct and equitable access to apply for grants". This
emphasis on connecting to faith-based organizations has much more to do with
the national political scene than with adult education, but as we know,
politics are part of everything that we do in this field.  
  I have been asking for clarification for three weeks from OVAE on the
background of MPR Associates, Inc., as well as the cost of the contract and
the source of funding. None of this information has been provided. Thanks to
David Hayes for digging out some of the background on MPR Associates.
  The state directors will be meeting in Charleston next week prior to the
COABE conference where these issues will be pursued.  Art Ellison, NH
Department of Education 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	David J. Rosen [SMTP:DJRosen at theworld.com]
> Sent:	Tuesday, April 30, 2002 9:36 PM
> To:	nla at lists.literacytent.org
> Subject:	[NLA] Discussion: Learning for the Future --Innovation or
> Wasteful Duplication?
> 
> NLA Colleagues,
> 
> I received an e-mail (see below) about a new project  of the U.S.
> Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE),
> a Web-based adult learning and literacy "resource kit."  I wonder if
> others on the NLA electronic list received this e-mail, and if anyone had
> the reaction I did.  
> 
> This appears to me to be a duplication of services which are already
> provided by the National Institute For Literacy's LINCS project and its
> partners, such as the American Library Association, Canada's National
> Adult Literacy Database, and others.  
> 
> I wonder if the new OVAE leadership is not aware that: 
> 
> *  the USDE is one of the the three U.S. Government agencies that sponsor
> the NIFL;
> *  NIFL's Literacy, Information and Communications (LINCS) project has
> already catalogued and made available the kinds of full-text documents
> this Learning for the Future (LFF) project is seeking and that LINCS has
> powerful search engines and reviewed special collections which make it
> easy to find the best and most relevant documents;  and 
> *  many of the documents that the LFF  project would like to find and
> catalogue, unfortunately, don't exist in our critically underfunded field.
> (You can't catalogue a lot of solid adult education research and proven
> curricula models if they don't exist.) 
>   
> Have I missed something here, or is OVAE out of touch with the needs and
> realities of the field? Let me hear what you think.
> 
> I have copied this message to Kathy Chernus at MPR, Inc, the person who
> sent me the letter on behalf of OVAE. Perhaps she would like to see your
> reactions, or to join the discussion. 
> 
> 
> David J. Rosen
> NLA List Moderator
> 
> 
> [The National Literacy Advocacy (NLA) is an independent electronic list;
> it is not sponsored by any organization. Its nearly 700 subscribers
> include adult literacy/basic education/ESOL practitioners (teachers,
> tutors, administrators, librarians, curriculum developers, researchers and
> others,) adult learners and others who are interested in the field of
> adult literacy education.]
> 
> -------- Original Message -------- 
> Subject: 	Invitation from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education
> 
> Date: 	09 Apr 02 10:06:39 -0400	 
> From: 	Kathy Chernus <kchernus at mprinc.com>
> <mailto:kchernus at mprinc.com> 	
> Reply-To: 	Kathy Chernus <kchernus at mprinc.com>
> <mailto:kchernus at mprinc.com> 	
> To: 	David Rosen <djrosen at world.std.com> <mailto:djrosen at world.std.com>
> 
> 
> 
> April 9, 2002
> 
> 
> Dear Mr. Rosen:
> 
> On behalf of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), U.S.
> Department of Education, we are writing to share some information with you
> about a new adult learning and literacy initiative, Learning For the
> Future
> (LFF), and to invite you to participate in this effort.
> 
> The USDOE's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), under the
> leadership of Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico, is committed to finding
> new
> ways to expand and strengthen adult education programs to ensure that the
> millions of American adults who function at the lowest levels of literacy
> have the opportunity to improve their reading, mathematics and problem
> solving skills.  Learning For the Future is designed to draw on the
> collective wisdom and work of researchers and practitioners in the areas
> of
> building community partnerships, adult learning theory, adult basic
> education
> (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), adult secondary education (AS
> E)
> ,
> GED and workforce development.  MPR Associates, Inc. is partnering with
> the Department on this initiative.
> 
> Learning For the Future
> 
> 	LFF's goal is to make quality adult education programs accessible to
> far
> more adults than currently receive services, especially those who perform
> at the lowest levels of literacy. The following objectives will guide LFF
> in the first year of the initiative:
> 
> S Strengthen the capacity of communities to deliver high quality adult
> basic education, GED preparation, and English as a Second Language (ESL)
> training;
> S Ensure that the current federal/state-based adult education system is
> connected to faith-based organizations, empowerment and enterprise zones,
> local literacy councils and other volunteer organizations, library
> organizations, and workplaces; and
> S Encourage providers to collect and analyze learner performance data so
> they can accurately assess the impact they are having on raising literacy
> levels, earning a GED,
>  or 
> other goals adults may have, and improve
> curriculum and instruction as a result. 
> Several products will be developed and activities undertaken to
> accomplish these objectives.  The initial step will be to create a set of
> tools
> that will provide support to communities that are eager to meet the
> learning
> goals of adults, especially those with low literacy skills.  These will be
> available in a web-based resource kit housed on OVAE's website.  
> 
> Web-Based Resource Kit
> 
> 	There are a number of different ways that you may wish to
> participate in
> Learning for the Future.  Our immediate need is to locate materials, such
> as research, toolkits, "how-to's," and websites that would be useful to
> communities interested in developing or strengthening their adult
> education/workforce development programs.  The kit will include complete
> articles
> or tools if appropriate, the URLs for resources that are available
> directly
> on-line, and links to other websites for those that are eith
> er avai
> lable
> for purchase or in print only. 
> 
> Some of the topics for the resource kit that are under consideration
> include:
> 
> S Effective community partnerships, including how to form, fund and
> sustain them;
> S Recruitment and quality assurance for ABE, ASE, GED and ESL teachers;
> S Learner recruitment, motivation and retention;
> S Adult learning theory and its application to adult basic education;
> S Models of effective teaching methodologies;
> S Strategies for assessment and instruction for low literacy adults,
> adults with limited English speaking skills, and those with learning
> disabilities;
> S Definitions and examples of quality curricula;
> S Technology-based instruction;
> S Professional development for adult education teachers that enhances
> learner achievement;
> S Workforce development; and
> S Program evaluation using learner outcome data.
> 
> Plans for the website also include site profiles that highlight both
> proven practices a
> nd commo
> n challenges for a group of community-based adult
> education programs.
> If you are familiar with any research, user-friendly toolkits, "how-to's"
> or websites that you think should be considered for inclusion in the
> resource kit, please complete the attached from and return it to: 
> 
> MPR Center for Curriculum and Professional Development
> Attn: Adult Education Resources
> 2401 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 410
> Washington DC, 20037
> Telephone: 202/973-0244
> Fax: 202/466-6996
> 
> If you prefer, you can e-mail your suggestions to me at
> kchernus at mprinc.com <mailto:kchernus at mprinc.com>.
> 
> The resource kit will be a living document that continues to grow and
> change with new information and materials. The first edition of the
> resource
> kit will be launched in the next few months.  We will let you know when it
> will be available on-line and will send you periodic updates on the
> progress of the initiative.
> 
> We think this is an opportunity to 
> help adult
>  education and workforce
> development practitioners meet the special needs of adult learners by
> making
> relevant research and usable tools more accessible.  We hope you agree. 
> Thank you for considering this request.  
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Kathy  Chernus
> 
> 
> 
> Kathy Chernus
> Senior Associate
> MPR Center for Curriculum and Professional Development
> 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
> Suite 410
> Washington, D.C. 20037
> 202-973-0244 
> 
> 
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