By Marsha Tait, NCL Grant Manager

The National Coalition for Literacy extends it sincere thanks to The Dollar General Literacy Foundation for its continued support for adult education and literacy!

On May 20, the Foundation announced that it had awarded more than $6 million in grants to more than 725 schools, nonprofits and literacy organizations to support adult, family and summer literacy programs.  The Foundation awarded a grant to NCL to create a coordinated response to the OECD Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Report, due to be released in October of this year.  See the PIAAC web page on the…

Friends,

The National Coalition for Literacy is 89% towards reaching its fundraising goal of $20,000.00! March 1 is our deadline to reach $20,000.00. Can you help?

Best-selling author David Baldacci, his wife Michelle, and the Wish You Well Foundation have generously matched online social media contributions to NCL dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000.00!

Additionally, the GED Testing Service is donating $3,000.00, World Education is donating $2,000.00, COABE is donating $1,000.00 and several NCL organizations and friends have committed to get or give $5,000.00+.

We are wrapping up our 30^th…

—Be Eligible to Win a Free Southwest Airlines Ticket to Washington, DC

By Margaret Patterson, NCL Internal Affairs Committee Chair

To kick off and celebrate its 30^th anniversary, the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) has just launched its 2013 membership drive and friendship drive! Organizations joining the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) between January 1, 2013, and February 28, 2013, will be entered into a drawing for a free Southwest Airlines flight to Washington, DC.

Southwest Airlines, a Coalition partner for adult…

—President’s Update

By Marty Finsterbusch, NCL President

Friends,

Best-selling author David Baldacci, his wife Michelle, and the Wish You Well Foundation will continue to generously match online social media contributions to NCL dollar-for-dollar (up to $5,000.00) now through February!

So far, we’ve raised over $2500.00 as a part of this online social media campaign, in celebration of [ Read More → ]

National Coalition for Literacy’s 30^th Anniversary Campaign

Dear Friends,

In 2012, we worked together to achieve some great policy-related successes which furthered our cause by shining a brighter light on adult learners!  Here is just a sampling of what we accomplished:

• Prevented cuts to federally funded adult education programs;
• Increased Congressional knowledge and support for adult

…

By Marty Finsterbusch

An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow – author unknown

As the president of National Coalition for Literacy (NCL), I’m happy to announce that NCL will celebrate its 30-year anniversary in 2013. Starting with an idea for a National Ad Council campaign, a group of adult literacy organizations first came together to focus a national spotlight on literacy for adults who needed basic skills or English language skills. This campaign, which started in 1983, was the first…

By Margaret Patterson, NCL Internal Affairs Committee Chair

When we talk about adult education, growth isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. But the National Coalition for Literacy has been growing over the past several years as we expand advocacy efforts and spread the word about adult education needs to current and prospective members. As 2012 draws to a close, we thought our members and supporters would wish to know how much we’ve grown since 2009. The graph shows that our membership has nearly doubled, from 18 to 33 members, in four years. Although…

Guest Blog Post by Nicole Chestang
Executive Vice President, External Relations, GED Testing Service

At GED Testing Service we are working at both the local and national levels to raise awareness about the importance of investing in and supporting adult education programs across the country. As the workforce continues to change and demand new skills, thousands of jobs go unfilled due to a lack of skilled and prepared adults. We are committed to helping policymakers and others understand that adult education and training programs can help fill that gap.

Yesterday, Randy Trask, president…

Guest Blog by Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education

Thank you to the National Coalition for Literacy for assisting the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) in getting the word out during Adult Ed and Family Literacy Week on the relaunch of the Literacy and Information Communication System—LINCS (http://lincs.ed.gov/), OVAE’s primary dissemination channel for evidence-based resources and publications in the adult education field.  The Department of Education issued a press release about the launch…

Dear Colleagues,

The National Coalition for Literacy is currently accepting nominations for its Annual Literacy Leadership Awards! Nominees must have made a significant contribution to the field of adult education and literacy that is national in scope or has national significance. Nominees may be public policy advocates or policy makers, program administrators, instructors, financial supporters, colleagues, partners, or students.

To nominate a deserving candidate for this award, please fill out the submission form by June 27, 2012. Successful nominees will be notified on/about July 23, 2012.

Submit Your Nomination Here

[ Read More → ]

By Marsha Tait

On May 10, the National Coalition for Literacy was notified that the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded us another year of continued funding in support of our work to cultivate and inform grassroots advocates through the NCL web site and social media tools.  The grant will also support the Annual NCL Literacy Leadership award celebration on September 12 in Washington DC (look for an announcement and award nominations form next week!)

The Foundation received nearly 3,000 applications for funding in this cycle—more than ever before—and awarded more than…

Dear Adult Education & Family Literacy Advocates,

The National Coalition for Literacy was recently made aware that a local California-based organization, the “Coalition for Literacy”, issued an electioneering mailer to local residents advocating that they vote NO on Proposition 29.

This mailer is not from us, we did not send it, we have no affiliation with this organization, and we have no position on Proposition 29.

Thank you to concerned residents of California for bringing this to our attention.

NOT our Mailer: Proposition 29

By Margaret Patterson

The National Coalition for Literacy is now 31 organizations strong – and growing! Now that its 2012 membership drive has ended, the Coalition is delighted to welcome 7 new associate members:

Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy, New York, NY

DC Learns, Washington, DC

GED Testing Service, Washington, DC

Literacy Connections, Poughkeepsie, NY

Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education, State College, PA

R-Ally: Research Allies for Lifelong Learning, Vienna, VA

Wider Opportunities for Women, Washington, DC

[ Read More → ]

—A guest blog post by Randy Trask, CEO, GED Testing Service

As most of you know, nearly 800,000 adults take the GED^® test each year on their path to better jobs, training, and education. Unfortunately, there are dishonest businesses online that offer fake GED^® and high school diplomas, taking advantage of these well-intentioned adults.

GED Testing Service, in conjunction with ACE, has filed a federal lawsuit to shut down a network of fraudulent websites that are unlawfully using the GED^® trademark. These sites mislead adult learners and award false high school equivalency and GED^®…

“And the winners are…”

We love to hear this phrase, and hope to be one of the lucky winners. And it’s just as much fun to give away a prize as to win it. To launch its 2012 membership drive, the National Coalition for Literacy held a random drawing for one of two tickets from Southwest Airlines, the Coalition’s newest partner for adult education advocacy, earlier this month.

Thirteen organizations who joined or renewed between December 8, 2011, and January 30, 2012, were entered…

The following article was originally published on the Florida Literacy Coalition’s Blog, January 10, 2012. Thank you to FLC for allowing us to cross post.

Those who know me, know that I do not like to write unless I have to.  That being said, when the Florida Literacy Coalition, asked me to write this blog, I was hesitant to say yes. Even today, it’s very hard work and time consuming for me. They asked me to write what it means to me to be the first adult learner to be voted as President…

By Marty Finsterbusch

2011 has been a very productive and energetic year with the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL). I believe our advocacy helps to make adult literacy a greater priority in this country. Here is a recap of NCL’s accomplishments for 2011 and ways you can become involved in 2012:

• For the first time in the National Coalition for Literacy’s history, an adult learner is now the president of it. Those most impacted by literacy issues should be directly involved in the solution. Marty Finsterbusch, executive director of Voice of

…

By Margaret Patterson, Internal Affairs Chair

The National Coalition for Literacy invites you to participate in its 2012 membership drive. As you recognize in your organization’s work, the need for advocacy for adult education has never been stronger, and the National Coalition for Literacy needs your participation to expand and achieve its advocacy goals. Like you, Coalition members and associates are committed to furthering adult education.

Because we know budgets are stretched and we want as many member organization delegates to participate as possible, organizations who join between December 8, 2011, and January 30,…

We are proud to announce that Southwest Airlines is now the official airline of the National Coalition for Literacy! Southwest Airlines, through its dynamic Community Affairs and Grassroots philanthropic work, gives back to the community by championing causes that matter most in the daily lives of their customers. Southwest recognizes the importance of adult literacy in shaping virtually every major issue important to adults and their families in the United States.

Nationally, one in seven adults will not be able to complete a job application, an elections…

The National Coalition for Literacy is hosting its Quarterly Meeting on December 8, 2011, at the Phoenix Park Hotel (Georgian Room) in Washington, DC. We’re thrilled to welcome several presenters as well as legislative staffs joining us for a Hot Topics Legislative Panel.

The Meeting fee is $30.00 to help cover the cost of the meeting space.

RSVP Here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCLMtg-LegPanel

Please RSVP by November 28 to reserve your seat, after which we will open the legislative panel up to others who would like to attend.

NCL Quarterly Meeting…

By Marty Finsterbusch

Many new changes have occurred in 2011 within the National Coalition for Literacy’s (NCL’s) infrastructure that I believe will make a positive impact on adult literacy in this country. For the first time in the National Coalition for Literacy’s history, an adult learner is now the president of it. The NCL has also restructured its membership to allow more organizations to become part of this great movement. The NCL will be launching its new annual Membership Drive in November, please check back on the [ Read More → ]

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Middle school students at Our Lady Queen of Peace in House Springs, Missouri donated a portion of the proceeds from their fundraiser to Sink Ignorance to the Coalition. This was part of their unit on social justice and in recognition of link between poverty and literacy. See the letter describing their study and what they learned.

Their interactive website and videos document how the inquiry project progressed and what the students learned about the many…

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The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) is honored to be the recipient of a generous gift from the late Roxanne Shelton. Ms Shelton bequeathed to NCL a portion of her estate to fund advocacy work on behalf of adult learners. As a volunteer tutor in Colorado and a clinical social worker, Ms. Shelton believed in people – and in the power of a helping hand. We are deeply indebted to her gift of over $11,400 and will be able to use this money to enhance our outreach, strengthen our federal advocacy, and keep the issues of adult learners in…

By Heidi Silver-Pacuilla

NCL held its first-ever Congressional Hill Briefing on May 12 in co-sponsorship with the House Adult Literacy Caucus. Thank you to Jennifer Foster, Steve Reder, and Alex Quinn who came to DC to present on their cutting-edge projects and thank you to all who attended. It was great to have so many people there to discuss 21^st Century Solutions to Adult Literacy. That we had both co-chairs there to talk about these issues, take our questions, and provide guidance for our advocacy work was a real benefit. Check out the [ Read More → ]