The purpose of a state report card is to provide the general public and policymakers with information to assess and improve post secondary education in each state. "Measuring Up 2008" is the fifth in a series of biennial report cards that evaluates states in six overall performance categories: (1) Preparation for post-secondary education…

Many countries have recently launched massive programs to promote nation-wide adult literacy, but while these efforts have been commendable, it has been observed that neo-literates who acquire literacy through such programs have great difficulty in retaining it; hence an urgent need to develop suitable programs of post-literacy and continuing…

This volume is part of a series that is designed to promote stronger ties between the educational resources in the Northeast and Midwest and the economic development process. The discussion identifies steps that businesses, education communities, and public policymakers can take to define literacy standards and raise basic competency levels in…

Many countries have recently launched massive programs to promote nation-wide adult literacy, but while these efforts have been commendable, it has been observed that neo-literates who acquire literacy through such programs have great difficulty in retaining it; hence an urgent need to develop suitable programs of post-literacy and continuing…

This document contains a Congressional hearing on the scope of the problem of adult and juvenile illiteracy and programs that are attempting to meet the problem. Testimony includes statements, prepared statements, letters, and supplemental materials from individuals representing the Department of Education; National Institute of Education;…

This memo is designed to assist Wisconsin's Special Committee on Employment Disincentives in reviewing the issue of adult illiteracy. Section A provides information on the extent of illiteracy in the United States. Section B discusses selected literacy programs at the federal, state, and local levels. Results are provided of a study of federal…

Adult illiteracy is a major social problem in America today; it is disproportionately high among the poor and minorities. Among the complex causes of illiteracy are ineffective schooling, intergenerational transmission of literacy or illiteracy (reinforced by poverty and discrimination), and rising standards of functional literacy. Beyond the…

A survey of volunteer programs in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy instruction in Illinois is reported. The report begins with a review of literature concerning ESL literacy volunteerism, most of which is descriptive and program-specific. The statewide survey results are then summarized, giving an overview of ESL volunteer programming.…

This report of the 40th anniversary meeting of the Unesco Institute for Education (UIE) discusses the Institute's program which has consistently reflected a concern with education as a lifelong phenomenon. Current priorities are the promotion of literacy and adult basic education, the extension of educational opportunities to children and young…

According to U.S. Census data, in rural Pennsylvania, 37% of adults did not complete higher school, and 21% did not go beyond 8th grade. As a consequence of present demographic and literacy trends, the proportion of the workforce with low levels of basic skills is growing. At the same time, a changing labor market is creating new jobs that demand…

This report summarizes the results of a feasibility study of the Bay Area Literacy Referral Network (BALRN), a local literacy referral system established in 1985 by the coordinators of the 13 Bay Area literacy projects, which in turn were established by the California Literacy Campaign initiated in 1983. Funded with Library Services and…

The states should expand their efforts to provide literacy education to state employees, regardless of the type of job they hold or where their job is located. Every government agency whose employees work with or have contact with persons likely to need literacy education should assume identification and referral responsibilities. Likewise,…

The purpose of this publication is to inform the literacy field of the effect that recent political changes in the U.S. Congress could have on the literacy and adult basic education (ABE) fields, how the various legislative processes work, and how individuals in the literacy field can participate in the legislative process. The various steps in…

Many countries have recently launched massive programs to promote nation-wide adult literacy, but while these efforts have been commendable, it has been observed that neo-literates who acquire literacy through such programs have great difficulty in retaining it; hence an urgent need to develop suitable programs of post-literacy and continuing…

A November 1993 conference in Seattle, Washington, is recommended as a national model for initiating change in public policy as it impacts adult learning disability and literacy issues. Participants included a coalition of federal, state, and local policymakers and agencies as well as adults with learning disabilities and persons providing…