National Coalition for Literacy

By Jackie Taylor

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2011 saw a large upsurge in local activities and events, raising awareness of the important role literacy has in our lives and communities. Thank you to everyone who participated in raising awareness this week and during the month of September.

What were some of the results of your efforts? Here is what we know, what we found online and what advocates sent to us:

• The National Coalition for Literacy tracked numerous news reports, [ Read More → ]

—Gearing Up for National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2011

Article by Jackie Taylor

2011 has posed many significant challenges for education, including adult education and family literacy programs. For the last two years, Congressman Jared Polis has championed a House Resolution dedicating National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. Now in the 112^th Congress, the rules have changed a bit, blocking debates and votes on resolutions that celebrate events.

Nevertheless, Congressman Polis understands how important this resolution is to us, as it serves to…

By Jackie Taylor

Many supporters celebrated National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week September 13 – 19, 2010. Thank you to all who participated, making it such a huge success!

“This week was an opportunity to elevate adult education and family literacy nationwide with policymakers, the media, and the community,” said Spiros Protopsaltis, Senior Policy Advisor with Congressman Polis, during the NCL Literacy Leadership Awards reception on September 15.

Congressman Jared Polis led the US House of Representatives in dedicating this week for two consecutive years. Each year, the House must repeat the process to dedicate the week for adult…

—Raising Awareness and Recruiting Advocates

By Jackie Taylor

September 13 – 19, 2010 is National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. This is a time to celebrate adult and family literacy learners and their successes. Yet we must also take a hard look at the state of adult and family literacy nationwide and ask ourselves, What are we going to do—and do differently—to raise the priority of adult education and family literacy in our country?

Adult education and family literacy is by-and-large an invisible issue advanced by a small group of committed advocates, largely from within the field. We must…

By Jackie Taylor

In the July 2010 Public Policy and Advocacy Update, Marsha Tait and I shared with you information about the field’s recent success in working with Congress to dedicate National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week for September 13-19, 2010. That information is also below for easy reference.

As we gear up for celebration activities, we’d like to hear from you.

What are your plans for raising awareness during National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week?

What activities will you host? What different media venues will you use? (TV, radio, online via Facebook, blogs, Twitter, etc.)
…

Update and Thanks!

Dear Adult Literacy Advocates:

Thank you to all who contacted their Members of Congress in response to alerts on this issue. Your calls made a difference!

Special thanks to advocates in Colorado for their advocacy work with Congressman Polis. Congratulations to advocates in New York, Arizona, Texas, California, Maryland, Kentucky, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, DC, Minnesota, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Tennessee and the Northern Mariana Islands who cinched commitments from House members to co-sponsor the resolution (H. Res. 1472).

If your House Member co-sponsored the resolution, now is a good time to follow up with a note

…

By Jackie Taylor

Many of you are keeping a watchful eye on the horizon for National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2010. Here’s some background and a status update:

Background:

Last year, the House made a one-time dedication for Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. This was a highly successful effort in raising awareness nationwide of the importance of adult education and family literacy in 2009.

This year, Congressman Jared Polis is once again taking the lead in dedicating this high honor for adult education and family literacy in 2010.

Status-to-date:

May…

The US House of Representatives passed H.Res.707, designating Adult Education and Family Literacy Week for the week of October 18, 2009, by a vote of 412-0.  The Resolution does the following:

 Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

 (1) supports the designation of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, including raising public awareness about the importance of adult education and family literacy;

 (2) encourages people across the United States to support programs to assist those in need of adult education and family literacy…