National Coalition for Literacy

—An NCL WIA Reauthorization Priority

Article by Art Ellison,  Policy Committee Chair,  National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

An annual federal appropriation of at least $1 billion for adult education would represent the lowest possible figure that would indicate a serious commitment to the needs of undereducated adults in this country. The state grant appropriation level of $614 for FY11 contained in the budget submitted to Congress by the Obama administration would need to be increased by Congress to $386 million in order to reach the $1 billion level for next year.

A [ Read More → ]

By Marsha Tait and Jackie Taylor

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week—Thank You Congressman Polis!

June and early July have been deceptively busy in the public policy arena!

For the second consecutive year, Congressman Jared Polis has led the U.S. House of Representatives in passing bipartisan legislation (H Res. 1472) supporting the designation of the week of September 13, 2010 as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. The resolution, authored by Congressman Jared…

By Marsha Tait

In June, NCL was pleased to award three advocacy “mini-grants” to attendees at the NCL/Dollar General Advocacy Symposium that took place in Columbus, Ohio, April 21.

Awardees were: The Ohio Literacy Network, for their Collaborative Advocacy Project Proposal; the Ohio Association for Adult and Continuing Education for their Statewide Advocacy Symposium for Adult Basic and Literacy Education proposal; and Parma Adult Education Services for their Coalition for Advocacy for the Life‐long Learner (C.A.L.L.) proposal.  All three…

After the North Carolina Grassroots Advocacy Symposium held in fall 2009, advocates find strategic and innovative ways to move adult literacy advocacy initiatives forward.

Earlier this year, two organizations from North Carolina were awarded $5,000.00 Advocacy Grants from the National Coalition for Literacy: Reading Connections and Wake Technical Community College. The purpose of the grants is to support initiatives designed to build the capacity for adult literacy advocacy in the field and increase the impact of the Dollar General Presentation Series. To be eligible for an Advocacy…

NCL held its second public policy advocacy symposium this month in Dublin, OH in connection with the state-wide Partnerships in Transition conference. The symposium was planned by NCL in collaboration with the Ohio Association for Adult and Continuing Education, the Ohio Literacy Network and the ABLE Resource Center Network. Speakers included Jackson Routh from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Dr. Peter Waite, president of NCL, Aketa Marie Simmons, Press Secretary and Education Staff for Congresswoman Fudge, Ed Roberts, Congressional Aide to Senator Brown, representatives of local partnerships and collaborations in OH, and adult student Dawana Martin.

Did you go to Conference? Share what you learned on public policy and advocacy so other adult literacy advocates can benefit from your ideas. Advocacy is a team effort! Tell your colleagues who stayed home to bookmark this space and watch for updates.

If you did not go to Conference, this Blog offers a way you can benefit from the conference afterwards. Session handouts you can download are now available! Just click on the title of the session that interests you and you will find the handouts linked there. Share your comments/questions for any of the…

Popularly known as the “Policy Panel” that has drawn over 400 participants each conference, this preconference provides you an exclusive opportunity to interact with panelists for an in-depth look at the federal legislative issues. National adult education leaders will update you on federal legislative developments in adult education and related areas. Then join roundtable discussions led by panelists, examine how policy affects practice, and target policy change in areas that concern you most. Create a plan; bring it home.

Monday, March 15, 8:30 – 11:30 am

Boulevard C

Panelists:

• Jeff Carter, Policy and Government Affairs Director, ProLiteracy
• Art Ellison,

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The session features practical, hands-on strategies for planning and implementing a successful grassroots advocacy program. Participants will discuss strategies and tactics and create action plans that integrate advocacy with community and business partnerships. Built on the successes from the National Coalition for Literacy grassroots advocacy symposia, with generous support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, you will hear from local and state level advocates on how they have implemented successful advocacy campaigns.

Monday, March 15, 12:30 – 3:30 pm

Boulevard C

Panelists:

• Brenda Brown, Vice President, Adult Education, Middle Georgia Technical College
• Dorothy Ferguson, Coordinator, Adult Education, Middle Georgia

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Thursday, March 18, 9:15 – 10:15 am

Northwest Four (Lower Level)

• Jackie Taylor, NCL Public Policy Committee Co-Chair; Advocacy Co-Chair, Tennessee Association of Adult and Community Education (TAACE)
• Marsha L. Tait, NCL Public Policy Committee Co-Chair           

Handouts:

• Slide Presentation on Advocacy Resources (pdf)
• Advocacy Self Assessment

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