[NLA] CAAL Report: National Coalition for Literacy: Options for the Future

[Gail Spangenberg]

Colleagues,

CAAL recently completed an independent study of the history and 
leadership potential of the National Coalition for Literacy.  The 
report by CAAL's Vice President Forrest Chisman, is titled The 
National Coalition for Literacy: Options for the Future.  It is 
available in pdf format for download from the website of the NCL 
(http://novel.nifl.gov/coalition/index.html) and also from CAAL at 
(http://www.caalusa.org).  The report is part of the Year 2 
activities of the Summit Initiative Task Force of the NCL and was 
funded by NIFL and the U.S. Department of Education.

CAAL examines three options for the future of NCL: (a) to close down 
altogether, (b) to continue on as an informal network with minimal 
leadership capacity, and (c) to reform as a 501(c)(3) organization, 
with paid staff, appeal to fundraisers, direct control of its own 
finances, restructuring of the membership, and a greatly strengthened 
capacity for national leadership.  CAAL strongly recommends option 3 
and provides a blueprint for achieving it.

The NCL will consider the report's recommendations at its upcoming 
quarterly meeting on November 14th.   In the meantime, this posting 
by CAAL is being made as part of a cooperative effort to make the 
report widely available to the adult education and literacy field. 
Comments are welcome and should be addressed to Robbin Sorensen on 
behalf of the Summit Task Force and the Coalition.  Her e-mail 
address is rsorensen at erols.com. Listserv discussion of the report is 
also encouraged.

-- 
Gail Spangenberg
President
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
1221 Avenue of the Americas - 50th Floor
New York, NY 10020
212-512-2362, fax 212-512-2610
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