[NLA] Discussion: CBO's as Key Players

Tue Feb 25 20:18:02 EST 2003

Debbie:  In brief because of the late hour - thank you
for the working definition of a "CBO".  

I agree that it is not useful to categorize by funding
source, but I also feel that a CBO and "voluntary",
however Gail put it, shouldn't be segregated and
seperated either.  Unless there are a great <many>
CBO's who <do> use all paid staff.  (Yes.  Our agency
is 501 (c) 3.)

You concluded with:
<< To summarize, is your program actually barred from
> applying for WIA funds,
> or did decision-makers in the program choose not to
> participate?  I think
> the answer has policy implications.>>

We were not given choices by our <AELS decision maker>
as to the testing tool our program was expected to
use.  Slossen was denied, in fact. So were our
Literacy Council Dolch scores. Our state has chosen
TABE, like it or lump it.  Our state has chosen the
NRS.  Like that or lump it as well.  

So, the answer to the above question?  We chose not to
participate.  And yes, it was due to what I have
stated before many times, and as you wrote in this
post, "the trauma of subjecting adult learners to a
paper and pencil standardized test". (If I might add
"timed" before "test".)  I am very glad that you agree
with <that> particular judgement call on my part.  Our
"decision maker" disagrees with the both of us.  

If our CBO had been given a choice of how to document
outcomes and achievements, to be accountable regarding
our adult learners, we <would> have participated.  We
already <are> accountable to our community-based
funding sources. In fact, with a March deadline, I am
right <now> preparing for our allocations request for
2004 to one of them.   As part of that "package" I
have to account for the outcomes of our learners'
educational programs in 2002. 

Thanks for your interest in defining CBO's and the
policy implications of local decision-makers within
AELS.  The policies <should> be impacted by programs
like this one, even though perhaps the CBO is
miniscule in the Big Picture. I feel we likely
represent many others who choose not to speak. 

Nancy Hansen

--- "Deborah W. Yoho" <dwyoho at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
> Nancy:  In my experience, the working definition of
> a "CBO" is an
> organization designated as a 501 c 3 entity by the
> IRS, and as such, is
> governed by a volunteer board of directors.  Funding
> sources are not part
> of the definition.  In my opinion, it is not useful
> to categorize various
> entities providing adult education by funding
> sources, because most if not
> all receive funding from a variety of sources.  (I
> have made this point
> before when rejecting Tom Sticht's definition of the
> "AELS" and will not
> belabour the issue here again.) Many CBO's receive
> funding from national
> sources, (in my case, for example, from a Pfizer
> grant), and a 501 c 3 is
> not restricted to work "within the boundaries of a
> city/community".
> 
> Your underlying implication, however, that the term
> "CBO" implies a
> connection to the community is of course valid.  The
> Board of Directors is
> one such connection.  But a CBO may deliver services
> entirely through paid
> staff, and without the use of volunteers, although
> in my experience this
> would be the exception rather than the rule. 
> However, since all 501 c 3's
> have a volunteer Board, they might be called, and
> see themselves, as
> "voluntary" organizations.  Gail's point that CBO's
> are extremely varied is
> also important. 
> 
> Your ongoing concern about the fact that your
> organization is not eligible
> for WIA funds continues to puzzle me.  Reading
> between the lines of some of
> your posts, it appears that the reason is the
> requirement to use the NRS,
> which requires assessment, and that in your case the
> state requires a TABE
> on each learner.  You have made important points
> about the trauma of
> subjecting adult learners to a paper and pencil
> standardized test, (and I
> agree with you on this) so I assume the
> organization's ineligible status is
> partly by choice; you have decided to opt out of the
> accountability
> requirements (the testing).  Is this correct? Also,
> is the TABE the only
> test the state allows?  We have a choice, and my
> agency uses the Slosson,
> which is orally and individually administered with
> careful sensitivity to
> the learner.  We have had no problems with it,
> though I get criticized for
> using it because it does not check comprehension,
> only vocabulary, but we
> have other friendly ways of checking comprehension,
> and also use a number
> of other techniques to complete what I call an
> assessment (as opposed to
> just a test for NRS purposes.)
> 
> To summarize, is your program actually barred from
> applying for WIA funds,
> or did decision-makers in the program choose not to
> participate?  I think
> the answer has policy implications.  Thanks, Debbie
> Yoho 
> 
> > [Original Message]
> > From: <Nashansen at aol.com>
> > To: <nla at lists.literacytent.org>
> > Date: 02/22/2003 6:13:33 PM
> > Subject: Re: [NLA] Discussion: CBO's as Key
> Players
> >
> > NLA subscribers and particularly Gail:
> >
> > In an email posted before David Rosen's interlude,
> Gail Spangenberg wrote:
> >
> >  << Also, I really don't favor 
> > lumping voluntary and CBO programs into one
> category.  Voluntary are 
> > just that, but CBOs are extraordinarily varied in
> purpose and type. >>
> >
> > As a starting point, define what the state CBO
> looks like in your
> experience. 
> >  There seems to be a difference of opinion here as
> to whether or not a 
> > Community-Based Organization is a CBO or a
> "voluntary" group.  Define the 
> > difference in your view.  
> >
> > In my view and only my view, Adult Education, if
> funded by federal
> funding 
> > trickled down through one department or another of
> the state's
> government, 
> > doesn't feel as though it >should< be called a
> community-based
> organization.  
> > CBO's function through supportive resources
> identified within the
> boundaries 
> > of a city/community including instructors as well
> as funding.  Please
> explain 
> > if I'm off-base on this.
> >
> > Nancy Hansen
> > Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
> > sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com  AND
> > Nashansen at aol.com
> >
> > In a message dated 02/14/2003 2:32:23 PM Central
> Standard Time, 
> > srobinson at doe.state.vt.us writes:
> >
> > << Let me say that in some states CBOs are the
> Adult Education
> >  System!
> >  Sandra Robinson >>
> > _______________________________________________
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> 
> 
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=====
Nancy Hansen, E.D.
Email:  sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com

Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
Sioux Falls, SD 57104-1314
Phone: (605) 332-BOOK
Fax:  (605) 332-9389

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