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Sun Jan 8 12:31:42 EST 2006
The Relationship with LiteracynAmerican businesses lose more than $60
billion in productivity each year due to employees' lack of basic skills
U.S experts on workplace literacy have estimated the direct and indirect
costs of illiteracy on the American Economy to be $225 billion a year in
lost productivity.
Approximately 20 percent of American workers are limited by low literacy
levels and 75 percent of unemployed adults have reading and writing
difficulties.
The number of companies reporting skilled worker shortages almost doubled
between 1995 and 1998, from 27% to more than 47%.
Elementary teachers reported: -90% of children showed gains in overall
school performance -2 out of 3 children talked more positively about school
and learning -60% were reading more books when parents participated in
family literacy programs.
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2>Below is a letter being a=
dapted by NYC programs who want to weigh in on the lack of adult educators a=
mong Bush's nominees. Please feel free to use this letter in any way y=
ou wish, changing, editing, adding, etc. The letter is followed by som=
e statistics compiled by LAC that you may want to weave into your arguments.=
In writing this letter, I tried to be mindful of the Bush priorities=20=
folks on the list have observed, including family literacy and immigrant ESO=
L classes. For addresses for those at the top of the list, go to NIFL'=
s web site at www.nifl.gov. Those who think the letter should go elsew=
here should post addresses of others in government who can be helpful.
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>To: Pr=
esidentGeorge W. Bush
<BR>Honorable Roderick Paige<B>, </B>Secretary,U.S. Department of Education=20
<BR><B>Honorable Elaine Chao, </B>Secretary,U.S. Department of Labor
<BR><B>Honorable Thomas Thompson</B>,Secretary, U.S. Department of Health &a=
mp; Human Services
<BR>And Other Members of theInteragency Management Group
<BR>=20
<BR> Weare writing wit=
h regard to nominations for the Board of the National Institutefor Literacy=20=
(NIFL). While weappreciate the inclusion of literacy experts and natio=
nally recognizedresearchers on reading among the nominees, we are concerned=20=
that no one withparticular expertise in adult literacy appears on the list.=20=
In order to effectively advance NIFL=E2=80=99smission, we feel that it=
s Board mustinclude individuals who have experience and expertise in adult,=20=
family andworkplace literacy.
<BR>
<BR>The intent and language of the legislationthat created the NIFL, includi=
ng the authorization for an Advisory Board, isclearly focused on adult and f=
amily literacy. There are many respected researchers, policy makers, p=
ractitioners, andsuccessful adult students whose presence on the Board would=
ensure that NIFL=E2=80=99swork continues to reflect its purpose and the fin=
dings of research and practicein our field. The current list ofn=
ominees, many of whom we would be happy to have as advisers, needs the balan=
ceof those who have devoted their professional lives to ensuring that Americ=
anscontinue to have the opportunity to learn, regardless of age.
<BR> While adult educa=
tors have much tolearn from and share with those who understand how children=
learn to read,write and compute, we work with a population challenged in wa=
ys that childrenare not. Adult literacy students mustfind the time to=20=
study and attend classes while fulfilling the demands of work,family, religi=
ous and community obligations. Many of those who come to ourprograms left sc=
hool early to begin working, due to family hardships; othershad undiagnosed=20=
learning disabilities that hindered their progress.
<BR>Still others are immigrants to ourcountry who did not have the opportuni=
ties for schooling that are available inthe United States. In fact, th=
emajority of those who attend adult education programs funded through Title=20=
IIof the Workforce Investment Act are enrolled in English for Speakers of Ot=
herLanguages (ESOL) classes. They come toour programs after long days=20=
in garment factories, hotels, or othermanufacturing and service jobs. =
MostESOL classes have long waiting lists, due to the desires of thousandsimm=
igrants to learn English and gain citizenship. It is the adult literac=
y system that is charged with providingthe means to help new Americans achie=
ve these goals.
<BR>Whether native born or immigrant, alladults who seek literacy are profes=
sing their belief in the American Dream, andacting on that belief by fitting=
education into their hard and busy lives. They deserve to have their=20=
interests- aslearners who are also workers, parents and community members-re=
presented onNIFL=E2=80=99s Board.
<BR> The field of adul=
t literacy is rich inrespected institutions, careful research, dedicated tea=
chers and determined,persistent students. The undersignedbelong to or=20=
are familiar with key professional organizations in the field thatcan sugges=
t nominees to balance the proposed slate with professionals from ourfield. &=
nbsp;It is critical that the onlyfederal agency dedicated exclusively to the=
needs of adults who seek to improvetheir literacy have a Board that include=
s researchers, practitioners,administrators, and learners intimately familia=
r with adult literacy issues. Our institutions, like the learners wese=
rve, have issues and constraints unique to adult education. For exampl=
e, the amount of public fundingallocated per adult student is less than 10%=20=
of that provided for K-12 learnersannually. Helping adult learners, wh=
ocome to school voluntarily and with the pressures of adult responsibilities=
, topersist as learners is a challenge unique to adult education, as is thec=
reation of curriculum that reflects and supports adults as workers, parents,=
and citizens.
<BR>=20
<BR> If ever there was=
a time wheneducators could afford to be concerned only with the needs of th=
ose aged 16 orbelow, that time is surely past. Mostbusinessmen will at=
test that in order to remain competitive, our industriesneed workers who are=
lifelong learners. Adult literacy is the first rung on the ladder of=20=
lifelonglearning for those who did not learn to read and write as children,=20=
and it isthe foundation of the critical skills needed for democratic partici=
pation.
<BR>=20
<BR>Perhaps most importantly, parent literacy andeducation level is the sing=
le strongest predictor of educational success amongchildren. In this s=
ense, every missedopportunity to provide expert direction to adult literacy=20=
has the unfortunateresult of undermining the efforts of our K-12 schools. &n=
bsp;Conversely, listening to the experts whowork with adult learners, and to=
adult learners themselves, pays off in theworkplace, the home, the communit=
y and the K-12 classroom.
<BR>=20
<BR>We ask that the NIFL Board reflect theimportance of adult literacy educa=
tion specifically, by giving adult educationresearchers, practitioners and s=
tudents a voice in the future of the NIFL. Only this kind of inclusion=
will preserveNIFL=E2=80=99s unique mission of supporting access to quality=20=
literacy education acrossthe lifespan.
<BR>=20
<BR>=20
<BR>Sincerely,=20
<BR>Waitinglist numbers for ESL (which should indicate need):
<BR>Compiled for a Senate hearing in March, 96:
<BR>California 4000
<BR>Colorado 3000
<BR>Florida 200 (for ESL)
<BR>Illinois 1846
<BR>Massachusetts 15000
<BR>New Jersey 829 (ESL)
<BR>New York (they reported 1100, but a 99 count by me in NYC for all servic=
es
<BR>came up with
<BR>an estimate of 11000)
<BR>Pennsylvania 500
<BR>Virginia 500
<BR>Washington 3000 (ESL)
<BR>
<BR>From the NAEPDC web site:
<BR>
<BR>The Relationship with LiteracynAmerican businesses lose more than $60
<BR>billion in productivity each year due to employees' lack of basic skills
<BR>
<BR>U.S experts on workplace literacy have estimated the direct and indirect
<BR>costs of illiteracy on the American Economy to be $225 billion a year in
<BR>lost productivity.
<BR>
<BR>Approximately 20 percent of American workers are limited by low literacy
<BR>levels and 75 percent of unemployed adults have reading and writing
<BR>difficulties.
<BR>
<BR>The number of companies reporting skilled worker shortages almost double=
d
<BR>between 1995 and 1998, from 27% to more than 47%.
<BR>
<BR>Elementary teachers reported: -90% of children showed gains in overall
<BR>school performance -2 out of 3 children talked more positively about sch=
ool
<BR>and learning -60% were reading more books when parents participate=
d in
<BR>family literacy programs.
<BR></FONT></HTML>
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