ProLiteracy
Sunday, 10 January 2010 18:52 | 
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By Alison Werner, Senior Writer
ProLiteracy is the world’s largest organization of adult basic education and literacy programs. Its network of 1,200 member organizations in the United States provides adults with instruction in basic literacy, GED preparation, math, and English as a second language. ProLiteracy provides member organizations with resources, training, and professional development. Its goal is to ensure that adult learners receive the best instruction possible.
“That’s how we directly reach adult learners,” says David Harvey, President and CEO of ProLiteracy. But ProLiteracy does more than reach adult learners. It strives to listen to adult learners and to advocate on their behalf.
ProLiteracy’s Student Advisory Council, composed of seven current or former adult literacy learners, serves as a voice for adult learners. (Council members serve a three-year term. Learners are welcome to apply to serve on the Council when a vacancy is available.) The Council has been responsible for organizing student rallies at ProLiteracy’s annual conferences and for writing the adult learner bill of rights. The Council not only advises the ProLiteracy staff, it also reports directly to Harvey to ensure that adult learners play a direct role in ProLiteracy’s work. “The Advisory Council gives a lot of input into the advocacy work of ProLiteracy,” Harvey says.
Today, ProLiteracy’s staff is often in Washington, DC speaking to Congress and policymakers to ensure that the needs of adult learners and literacy organizations are met. According to Harvey, there are three major issues at the federal level about which adult learners in the United States should be concerned:
- Adult learners should be concerned about how much money the federal government is giving to adult education and adult literacy. Every year, Congress makes decisions on how much or how little money these programs will receive. These programs rely on this money to have the resources to serve adult learners. According to Harvey, “This is the first year we’ve seen an increase [in federal money] in 12 years.”
- Adult learners should pay attention to President Obama’s American Graduation Initiative. The Initiative is a 10-year, $12 billion plan to invest in community colleges and give them the resources they need to modernize and better assist students. Harvey says ProLiteracy would like to see this initiative better connect community colleges to adult basic education and the adult literacy world.
- Adult learners should follow Congress’ actions on the Workforce Investment Act. Title II of the act, also known as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, is the largest source of federal funding for adult literacy and adult education. “This is a very important issue being debated in Congress right now that adult learners should be aware of,” says Harvey. ProLiteracy encourages learners to write to their Members of Congress to tell them to vote to reauthorize the act.
Adult literacy programs have been hit hard by the current economic climate. “Programs across the country have been inundated with people looking to improve their basic literacy skills. While at the same time, [literacy] organizations have seen a decrease in private funding,” says Harvey. Today, federal money is more important than ever. And so is ProLiteracy’s advocacy work to ensure literacy programs throughout the country get the funds, attention, and support they need.
But, ProLiteracy is also looking to the future and how best to serve adult learners and prepare them for the workforce. “Computer literacy is absolutely essential as our economy continues to evolve and as basic definitions of literacy evolve,” says Harvey. “If you aren’t computer literate you are at a disadvantage.” But making sure literacy programs can integrate the latest technology and provide computer literacy instruction requires money and support. And this is where ProLiteracy’s advocacy work will continue to be important.
For more information about ProLiteracy, visit www.proliteracy.org.