—October 2011

By Jackie Taylor and Ellen Fern

Action items are listed first in this month’s update:

• American Jobs Act (Action)
• WIA Reauthorization (Action)
• Budget and Appropriations (Update)
• Joint Deficit Reduction Committee (Update)
• ESEA Reauthorization (Update)
• Advocacy Workshops & Tools
• 2012 House Calendar and Congressional Visits

American Jobs Act

A few weeks ago, the American Jobs Act was brought to the Senate floor where it died quickly. The only way both Democrats and Republicans…

WIA Reauthorization

On June 17, 2011, the National Coalition for Literacy and several adult education and family literacy organizations submitted their recommendations for the Senate Discussion Draft of the Workforce Investment Act of 2011. Many adult education advocacy groups, such as the Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE),…

To add a preconference to your existing registration,  modify your registration or contact the COABE office if you need assistance (888-442-6223 or info@coabe.org).

Presentations and handouts will be posted here as they are made available.

Effective Advocacy Strategies

Sunday, April 17, 2011

PreConference 8:30 – 11:30 am

Presenters:

• Kathi Medcalf, Past President, Maine Adult

…

The National Coalition for Literacy is pleased to announce that it will hold two public policy advocacy symposia this spring with generous support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The first event will be held in Nashville, TN on March 15, 2011 in partnership with the TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Adult Education, and the TN Association of Adult and Community Education.  Newly appointed Commissioner of the TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Karla Davis, will speak.  The event will take place at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. We are pleased to…

By Jackie Taylor with Washington Partners Ellen Fern and Ellin Nolan

I am pleased to welcome Washington Partners Ellen Fern and Ellin Nolan as public policy consultants with the National Coalition for Literacy. Not only will they bring much needed information and strategic recommendations to the Coalition for advancing adult education, they are also well-known and respected in education circles on the Hill.

Washington Partners has provided the budget and appropriations update below. Read it carefully. Several key factors are coalescing in Congress that will critically…

Symposia

The National Coalition for Literacy is pleased to announce that it will hold two public policy advocacy symposia this spring with generous support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The first event will be held in Nashville, TN on March 15, 2011 in partnership with the TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Adult Education, and the TN Association of Adult and Community Education.  The event will take place at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. We are pleased to be offering this…

The Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy has published two new research briefs. The first examines how the identities of African American men shape participation in adult basic education & literacy programs. The second offers a critical analysis of how a widely used adult literacy curriculum in Turkey portrays men’s and women’s roles and identities.

• African American Men, Identity, and Participation in Adult Basic and Literacy Programs By Brendaly Drayton and Esther Prins
• Reproducing Gender Inequality: A Critical Discourse Analysis of a Turkish Adult Literacy Textbook By Ramazan Gungor and Esther

…

Welcome to Washington Partners, joining our team as NCL policy consultants. After a search for a policy consultant which generated many fine and qualified applicants, the search team agreed that the Coalition would be best served by this firm with its depth and breadth of experience in education policy and reputation for high quality service.

Washington Partners is a full service firm, offering government and public relations services, policy research and analysis, grassroots organizing and advocacy, as well as strategic advice and planning. We are looking forward to learning from their…

By Heidi Silver-Pacuilla

Hello All, we are heading into the end of December, so I’ll start with happy holidays and a wish for a safe, healthy, and more equitable and peaceful 2011.

This has been a busy month for the Coalition.

The elections brought surprises, recounts, and an upset in the newly formed House Adult Literacy Caucus. Follow the fall out of the elections here. We are also monitoring Congress closely to stay on top of shifting funding arrangements that may greatly impact our programs.…

By Jackie Taylor With Heidi Silver-Pacuilla and John Segota

The DREAM Act was passed last week in the House and the Senate is expected to vote on it, with amendments, before the 111th Congress ends. The Migration Policy Institute has just released revised total and state-level estimates of the unauthorized youth and young adults who might be eligible for conditional legal status. Grassroots groups, like the National Council of LaRaza, the