Counterportraits from a qualitative study of family literacy at a homeless shelter illustrate the impact of institutionalized racism on parent narratives about neighborhoods, communities, and schools. Black parents privileged Whiteness through "minority majority storytelling" (Solórzano & Yosso, 2002) to make sense of their lives in…

In the current context of extensive national and cross-cultural migration, the education of migrant and refugee children is an important and critical consideration. In the U.S., the education of migrant children--who move with their farm worker parents within states, across state borders and sometimes across national borders--brings challenges…

The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) continues to build and expand opportunities for adult education students to transition into college and the workforce. Through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the ICCB will better align services with the core partners to assist students in accessing career pathway instructional and…

This document contains Illinois' State Plan for Adult Education and Family Literacy under Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 for July 1, 1999, through June 30, 2015. The plan is comprised of the following sections: (1) Eligible agency certifications and assurances; (2) Description of the steps to ensure direct and equitable access;…

The development of this policy guide was prompted by a variety of needs and issues in the field of adult education as related to adult students who have special learning needs. After many years of workshops and policy committee meetings, the resulting document reflects the growth in awareness for special needs students by both practitioners and…

This article discusses the findings of an ethnographic research study exploring the experiences of Puerto Rican women attending a family literacy program in Chicago. In particular, the study investigated the repositories of knowledge and information available to participating women that figured into the development of their notions about…

Because family literacy programs are new, the definition of such programs and program models are still evolving. Broadly speaking, two criteria differentiate family literacy programs from other literacy programs: (1) the program is conceptualized around the concerns of the family as a unit; and (2) there is, at minimum, an implied educational…

The "Fiscal Year 2008 Illinois Community College System's Performance Report" contains summary information about state and common institutional outcome indicators. External comparative benchmarks are cited whenever possible using the latest available data--national reporting typically trails what is available at the state level.…

Economic and demographic changes are dramatically increasing the need for adult education, basic literacy, and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs. Millions of Illinois residents lack the level of literacy skills needed to obtain good jobs, perform well on the job, and function well in an increasingly complex society. Addressing the scope…

A variety of articles about family literacy efforts in Illinois is provided in this special report prepared by the Illinois State Library, intended for librarians, adult educators, teachers, and family literacy practitioners. Articles contained in the report are: "Family Literacy: A Definition" (Cyndy Colletti); "Why We Need Family…

The mission of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), as the state coordinating board for community colleges, is to administer the Public Community College Act in a manner that maximizes the ability of the community colleges to serve their communities, promotes cooperation within the system, and accommodates those State of Illinois…

The Illinois Community College Board has developed this Provider Manual as an easy reference to: (1) existing laws and regulations, both State and Federal; (2) best practices in the field of Adult Education; and to (3) act as a desk reference for both new and existing program administrators. The Manual describes: (1) the purpose of the Federal…

Economic and demographic changes are dramatically increasing the need for adult education, basic literacy, and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs. Millions of Illinois residents lack the level of literacy skills needed to obtain good jobs, perform well on the job, and function well in an increasingly complex society. Addressing the scope…

This report, the fourth in a series describing an ongoing investigation of Illinois family literacy programs, documents the work and organization of a group that studied and developed state policy in the area of family literacy. The report includes the following: (1) the position paper that outlines the findings of the family literacy policy group…

Seven model family literacy programs in Illinois were monitored for one year to determine successful program components and characteristics and to assist local programs in developing and implementing practical evaluation systems. Six were networking programs each of which involved several agencies, and one program was designed on a center-based…