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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> This is in response to your
comments below in bold </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ralph</FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2>. Thanks for giving the adult learner that kind of
credit.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>All consumers (adult learners) may not be able
to </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>identify the strengths and weaknesses
</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>of programs. However, adult learner
organizations may be able to do </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>so. Some
members of these organizations (former consumers) now hold college degrees, and
some even </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>are teachers. Some are even the
founders of their own ABE programs and are running them
successfully.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Adult learner leaders are even working for
organizations that fund programs and they are doing site visits</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>that actually identify the strengths and weaknesses
of programs. Their decisions are included in determining</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>whether or not a program receives
funding.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Thank you Ralph Yoho for making
the point that, "<FONT face=Arial size=2>...it m</FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>ust be accepted that those who consume adult ed. </FONT></FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2><FONT face=Arial size=2>services </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>are capable of identifying the strengths and
weaknesses of a program." A</FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>dult
learners must be looked at differently, not just by society, but even by those
of you in the field. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Don't underestimate
the potential and the capabilities of the adult learner. Like Ralph,
t</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>ry to </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>include the
adult learner when thinking about solutions for the field of adult
ed..</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>==============================</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ernest Best, Executive Director</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Massachusetts Alliance for Adult
Literacy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>989 Commonwealth Avenue</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Boston, MA 02215-1308</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(617) 782-8956 ext. 13</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>==============================</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>P.S. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>The
Massachusetts </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alliance for Adult Literacy (Mass
AAL) is an organization run by current and former students of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ABE and ESOL programs. During the
previous budget crisis in Massachusetts that </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>threatened to shut down nearly all </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>the programs in the state, Mass AAL and the adult
learners in the state of Massachusetts played a major role in the </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>restoration of funding to our field. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=dwyoho@earthlink.net href="mailto:dwyoho@earthlink.net">Ralph
Yoho</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=nla@lists.literacytent.org
href="mailto:nla@lists.literacytent.org">NLA LIST</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, June 11, 2002 11:00
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NLA] Are there
alternatives?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Art is right: "It's killing us, but it's what we must do to retain
funding." If the NRS is the product of a group in opposition to adult
ed, I wonder if it is time to begin discussing what the alternatives might be
to embrace fully the challenge of accountability, construct a quality
assurance mechanism, and still grow in responsiveness, retention, etc. It
seems to me that if we must take our cues from the business
model, we should begin with the assumption that "the customer is
always right". After all, we work with adults. In this country
adults expect choices and they retain the power to chart their own
course. What would be the implications of an
accountalibity system based solely on learner enrollment, retention, and
learner program evaluation? At the Proliteracy conference in San Diego, I
offered the observation that it is ususual that we are a federally-funded
program that is NOT required to set up consumer watch groups, like the School
Improvment Councils and Title One parent groups in K-12. Those
mechanisms are not adequate, but at least represent a beginning to insure
that "marketplace forces" impact the program. Of course, to begin
discussing this it must be accepted that </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>
<DIV><STRONG>those</STRONG> who consume adult ed services are capable of
identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a program.</STRONG></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> As for testing progress, there are, thankfully, many ways to do
this. The NRS attempts to standardize this process to the point where
participation is discouraged. There has to be another way. I
recognize it is far too early to argue convincingly for changes to
a system barely in place, and the decision-makers will no doubt be the last
ones to see the need to re-examine the NRS, but I think for those of us at the
grass roots, the handwriting is already on the wall. </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Deborah W. Yoho</DIV>
<DIV>Co-moderator, NIFL-Health and</DIV>
<DIV>Executive Director</DIV>
<DIV>Greater Columbia Literacy Council</DIV>
<DIV>921 Woodrow Street, Columbia, SC 29205</DIV>
<DIV>803-765-2555 Fax 803-779-8417 <A
href="mailto:dwyoho@earthlink.net">dwyoho@earthlink.net</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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