Literacy – Spanning the US :: Philadelphia PA :: Myrtle Beach SC :: Auburn AL

Literacy: Spanning the US

@PHLWorkforce

Adult Education Isn’t A Priority in the FY21 Budget — But It Should Be

Generocity: 5.20.2020 by Amy Ballard & Bryce Bayer

The new budget for the City of Philadelphia makes one thing clear: adult education is not a priority.

To participate in society and have opportunities for the future, education is crucial. However, in the FY21 budget, the Office of Adult Education (OAE) was completely slashed. For the past 37 years, staff from this office connected learners with the diverse programs around the city, ranging from English as a Second Language (ESL) and citizenship, to high school equivalency and workforce development.

They offered professional development for educators and training for volunteers. OAE celebrated and prioritized adult learners and shouted the message that education, no matter your age, is a right.

This cut leaves adult education programs around the city disconnected just as we begin to imagine the post-pandemic rebuilding of our communities and workforce. It is abundantly clear that the reverberations of this pandemic will be felt most by those with the fewest resources, including our adult learners. Losing OAE is salt in the wound during an already profoundly painful time.

Education as a whole is underfunded and undervalued, and adult learners feel the brunt of that. However, even though adults are often forgotten in the rhetoric of education programming and funding in Philadelphia, these learning communities are robust and growing.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on (7) readability formulas:

Grade Level: 12

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 17-18 yrs. old

(Twelfth graders)

Palmetto Literacy 

Council

Literacy Council Says Quarantine Doesn’t Have To Close Book On Learning

My Horry News: 5.29.2020 by Ettie Newlands

Michelle Jaruwannakorn had never heard of dyslexia when her son was diagnosed with it back in Ohio.

Dyslexia is a general term for disorders involving difficulty learning to read or interpret letters and other symbols, and does not affect general intelligence.

Since being tutored at the Palmetto Literacy Council [PLC], 9-year-old Aaden has started to actually enjoy reading.

Aaden’s Seaside Elementary School teacher told his mother the literacy council could help with his problem, and that’s exactly what happened.

“At first, Aaden would only read with me, but now he reads to his younger brother and sister and he’ll read with his Dad too,” Jaruwannakorn says.

When the Palmetto Literacy Council closed on March 17 because of COVID-19, there were 20 students between the ages of 5 and 55 matched with tutors. Eight were about to be matched, and there were about 30 people on a waiting list.

Since the closure, about three or four of the current students were willing to be tutored online.

Only one of those is an adult.

Executive director Dodi Hodges says the other adults don’t have access to the internet.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on (7) readability formulas:

Grade Level: 9

Reading Level: standard / average.

Reader's Age: 13-15 yrs. old

(Eighth and Ninth graders)

@LeeCoLit

Lee County Literacy Coalition Receives $10,000 Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Support Adult Literacy

Auburn Chamber: 5.28.2020

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded Lee County Literacy organization a $10,000 grant to support adult literacy. This local grant is part of more than $8.6 million in grants awarded to more than 950 schools, nonprofits and organizations across the communities Dollar General serves.

“Imagine for a moment, what it would be like not being able to read. For some this is a reality. On any given day, we are always improving. LCLC is grateful for the support of the Dollar General Foundation”. – Patricia Butts, executive director.

By increasing adult literacy rates, Lee County Literacy Coalition (LCLC) positively affects poverty, K-12 test scores, economic prosperity, emotional and physical health. Programs include one-to-one tutoring for reading, writing, math, computer, and GED preparation to adults in Lee County and neighboring counties as well as financial, health and computer literacy workshops. While learner gain is the primary goal for all LCLC programming, getting, keeping, and advancing in a job are a close second. LCLC's Leveraging Technology for Literacy Project will introduce adult learners to applications to improve overall literacy.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on (7) readability formulas:

Grade Level: 11

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old

(Tenth to Eleventh graders)