DOCUMENT RESUME ED 302 675 CE 051 679 AUTHOR Chisman, Forrest P. TITLE Jump Start. The Federal Role in Adult Literacy. Final Report of the Project on Adult Literacy. INSTITUTION Southport Inst. for Policy Analysis, Inc., CT. PUB DATE Jan 89 NOTE 47p.; For related documents, see CE 051 680-686. PUB TYPE Reports - Research/Technical (143) -- Viewpoints (120) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Adult Basic Education; *Adult Literacy; Delivery Systems; Educational Legislation; Educational Policy; English (Second Language); *Federal Government; Federal Legislation; *Government Role; *Government School Relationship; Illiteracy; Limited English Speaking; *Literacy Education; Policy Formation; Public Policy IDENTIFIERS Job Related Literacy; Proposed Legislation ABSTRACT The Project on Adult Literacy was an independent, nonpartisan research effort that examined the role that the federal government has played in promoting adult literacy and the role that it should play. The project began operation in July 1988 and issued its final report in January 1989. It was discovered that the literacy problem in the United States has two dimensions: the difficulties experienced by all of those with limited basic skills and the difficulties experienced by those with limited proficiency in English. The literacy problems experienced by immigrants and Hispanics are especially pressing. Another important problem identified was the lack of literacy programs in the workplace. The measures required to come to grips with the problem of adult literacy in the near term are neither very expensive nor very difficult. The federal government must address the adult literacy problem from its executive and legislative branches. The President should establish adult literacy (and work force literacy in particular) as a major priority of his administration and should establish a cabinet council on adult literacy. Congress should introduce the Adult Basic Skills Act of 1989, which would build a stronger intellectual base for adult literacy,-promote innovation in training and technology, and reinforce federalism. (MN) ************* ***** ****************t2*********************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************** ***** *********************************** ***** *** or'tart ump The Federal Role in Adult Literacy * * by Forrest P. Chisman Final Report of The Project on Adult Literacy Sponsored by the Southport Institute for Policy Analysis January 1989 U.S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ' PERMISSIC '4 TO REPRODUCE THIS Office of Educational Research and Improvement MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION E CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as receued from the person or organization origirating O Mino: changes have heen made to improve reprocipction quality Poetise view or opinions stated in this docu- TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ment do not reesaanty represent official OERI position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." 2, °Copyright. The Southport Institute for Policy Analysis. 2425 Post Road. Southport. Connecticut 06490, January 1989. INTRODUCTION by Alan Pifer Chairman, Southport Institute for Policy Analysis This report summarizes the findings of the Project on Adult Literacy spon- sored by the Southport Institute for Policy Analysis. The Project is an inde- pendent, nonpartisan undertaking whose purpose is to examine the federai government's role in promoting adult literacywhat it is and what it should be. The Project began operations in July 1988 and will continue its work into 1989. Directed by Forrest P. Chisman, the Project is based in Washington, D.C., and has been supported by grants from nine private foundations and one individual donor. The Southport Institute for Policy Analysis, located in Southport, Connec- ticut, is a nonprofit, tax-exempt research institution established in 1987 to provide objective, nonpartisan analysis of public policy issues in certain fieldsespecially federal social policy. The Institute's involvement in the literacy field is an extension of work conducted by Forrest Chisman and me from 1983 to 1988 in a broad investigation of the future directions of federal social policy. One of the major findings of that enterprise was that enhanc- ing the nation's human resources must be the foremost priority of federal domestic policy in the years to come. Mr. Chisman and I explained that find- ing in our 1987 book, Government for the People (W.W. Norton & Co.). While the need for an independent assessment of federal policy in the adult literacy field was first suggested by the Business Council for Effective Literacy, BCEL has not influenced nor is it responsible for the contents and recom- mendations of this report. We are, nevertheless, most grateful to the Coun- cil for its suggestion. Since neither Mr. Chisman nor I had any special expertise in the adult literacy field, we invited a number of experts on literacy and related areas to become members of an informal advisory group to the Project. Mr. Chisman and his staff not only sought the counsel of these experts, but also inter- viewed more than a hundred other experienced individuals in Washington and around the country and conducted other extensive research. In addi- tion, seven expert consultants were commissioned to prepare background papers on various issues affecting the federal role in adult literacy. The con- sultants met as a group five times in the fall of 1988, and each consultant convened a one-day meeting of about half a dozen experts to provide ad- vice on his or her topic. These deliberations were most helpful to the direc- tor in forming his conclusions, and the consultant: papers are being published by the Institute in conjunction with this repor . The analysis and conclusions of this report are, however, solely those of its author, Mr. Chisman. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the i Southport Institute for Policy Analysis or of any other organization or per- son associated with the Project. Members of the Project's advisory group were, however, asked to read the report in manuscript form, and the follow- ing have indicated that they concur with the basic directions of its findings and recommendations, although they may not be in full agreement with the author in all respects. They are:* Ernest L. Boyer, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Helen B. Crouch, Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. Paul V. Delker, Strategic Educational Systems Gerald D'Amico, Commonwealth Literacy Campaign, Massachusetts Harold W Howe, II, Harvard University Graduate School of Education Samuel Halperin, The William T Grant Foundation Commission on Work, Family and Citizenship Reatha Clark King, General Mills Foundation Judith Koloski, American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Richard Long, International Reading Association Garrett W. Murphy, Division of Continuing Education Programs, New York State Education Department Michael O'Keefe, Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education Arnold H. Packer, Interactive Training, Inc. Piedad Robertson, Bunker Hill Community College Kathleen Ross, Heritage College Alfredo G. de los Santos, Jr., Maricopa Community Colleges Marian L. Schwarz, Mayor's Office of Youth Services, City of New York James M. Souby, Council of State Policy and Planning Agencies Gail Spangenberg, Business Council for Effective Literacy Michael P. Timpane, Teachers College, Columbia University Diane W. Vines, California State University Peter A Waite, Laubach Literacy Action *Institutional affiliations are listed for purposes of identification only. They do not indicate institutional endorsements of this report. 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF JUMP START: The Federal Role in Adult Literacy A Time for Action Nineteen eighty-nine is the year of opportunity for adult literacy in the United States. A combination of regard for the welfare of individuals, civic values and a growing appreciation of the nation's bottom-line interest in a more skilled workforce has created a coalition of concern that cuts across political parties, ideologies, regions, and all walks of life. The economic aspect of the need to improve literacy in the United States has added a new sense of urgency to longstanding concerns. Seventy-five percent of the American workforce in the year 2000 are adults to- day: they are out of school and most are in the workforce. By the most conservative estimates 20-30 million of these adults have serious prob- lems with basic skills: they cannot read, write, calculate, solve problems, or communicate well enough to function effectively on the job or in their everyday lives. There is no way in which the United States can remain competitive in a global economy, maintain its standard of living, and shoulder the burden of the retirement of the baby boom generation unless we mount a forceful national effort to help adults upgrade their basic skills in the very near future. Mounting such an effort will require overcoming years of neglect. At pres- ent the field of basic skills education is intellectually, institution- ally, and politically weak and fragmented. While there is a great deal of experience-based knowledge to build on, there is too little systematic research or evaluation and diffusion of ideas. For the most part, instructors are poorly supported and inadequately trained. Responsibility for basic skills training is fragmented at all levels of government. At the federal level, the departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services administer major programs, and other de- partments also have responsibilities in the field. Yet, at most, $1-2 billion is available at the federal level, and much less is surely spent. This means that adult literacy has been a very low priority for almost everyone in Washington. iii 6 The federal role in advancing adult literacy must be to help jump start a more substantial national effort than currently exists. Primary responsibility for addressing the problem must remain with state and local governments and with nongovernmental institutions. State governments have a particularly important role to play as coordinators of service delivery systems. But federal programs currently determine the directions of large parts of the national effort, and there are enormous stakes involved for all Americans. The federal government must play a leadership role by energiz- ing other institutions and providing a sense of direction for the Md. A NEW OUTLOOK Before the federal government, or the nation as a whole, can make sub- stantial progress, Americans must adopt a new outlook toward adult literacy. We must realize that there is enormous latent political sup- port for vigorous initiatives in this area from business, labor, all levels of government, and the public at large. But to make good use of that sup- port, we must form a better understanding of how to approach this complex field. In particular, we must understand that: Valuable as it is, school reform will not solve the problem of adult literacythe 20-30 million adults with inadequate basic skills are already out of school; Volunteers alone cannot solve the problem, nor are they a "cheap way out !--but they are one of several essential ingredients in the literacy system, and they need support; while supporting them we must also enlarge and enhance our professional teaching corps; Business alone will not solve the problemalthough business, labor, and the public sector working together in partnerships can accomplish a great deal; Technology is not a dehumanizing factor nor is it a substitute for teachersit is an essential ingredient in any adequate nationwide literacy effort; 3 There is no single ideal service delivery system for literacythe national effort is and must be pluralistic; There are at least two dimensions of the literacy problem: the difficul- ties experienced by all of those with limited basic skills and the difficulties of the 3-4 million Americans with limited proficiency in English (the "ESL population")and our systems for serving the latter are far more refined. But tuzless we invest more to address the language problems of immigrants and of Hispanic-Americans, the nation is headed toward a major. economic and social crisis, be- cause these groups are the fastest-growing segments of our population and workforce. THE NATIONAL FOCUS As we adopt a new outlook on literacy, we must focus greater national attention on the most seriously neglected national priority in this iv 7 field: basic skills of the workforce. Although this is the aspect of the literacy problem with the greatest near-term economic importance, paradox- ically most public and private programs are not available to people who are on the job. Almost all federal resources are targeted on the unem- ployed or other disadvantaged groups. We must not abandon those efforts, but we must build an emphasis on workforce literacy if the nation is to meet the economic and social challenges of the years to come. And we must de- mand systems that help learners attain large gains in basic skills: programs that help people to make major advances at work and in other aspects of their lives, rather than simply nominal achievements. FortUnate ly, the measures required to come to grips with the prob- lem of adult literacy in the near term are neither very expensive nor very difficult, compared with the measures required to tackle other major economic and social problems. The primary need is for leadership: setting clear national goals and reorienting priorities to achieve them. New annual spending at the federal level of $550 million or less would be sufficient to make a quantum leap forward. SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS To jump start a naticnal effort to enhance literacy that is commensurate with the national need, the federal government must adopt measures along the following lines: Executive branch leadership: The president should establish adult literacy, and workforce literacy in particular, as a major priority of his administration; He should appoint a special six-month task force to develop a strategic plan that will specify the nation's goals and the means of achieving them; He should establish a Cabinet Council on Adult Literacy with responsibility for coordinating federal efforts toward meeting nationa: goals: getting the most out of existing programs and launching new initiatives. O Legislative initiatives: To focus national attention on the array of policy issues that must be addressed, the administration and Congress should introduce the Adult Basic Skills Act of 1989. The Act would: Build a stronger intellectual base for adult literacy by: 1) estab- lishing a quasi-governmental National Center for Adult Literacy charged with conducting basic and applied research, providing technical assistance to literacy programs and instructors, and monitoring the field for policy-makers; and 2) requiring the three departments (Labor, Educa- tion and Health and Human Services) with major responsibility in this field to set aside substantial funds for policy research from their existing budgets; Promote innovation in training and technology by: 1) creating a program of matching grants to state and local governments for invest- ments in these essential components of the field (this program should begin on a small scale and escalate gradually over several years up to a ceiling); 2) ensuring that the technology now in place is fully utilized v and available to all who can benefit from it; and 3) creating a literacy leader training program to encourage more young people to make adult literacy a full-time career; Reinforce federalism by: 1) providing governors with an eight per- cent set-aside fund from education and training programs to promote innovative ventures; 2) requiring governors who receive those funds to develop, implement, and monitor state literacy plans that will coor- dinate and upgrade service delivery systems, including upgrading the quality of the teaching force; 3) providing matching grants to states to develop state resource centers that will provide technical support for enhanced state efforts; and 4) allowing states to make greater use of vol- unteer groups and other nongovernmental organizations; Enhance the effectiveness of existing federal programs and place greater emphasis on workforce literacy: 1) In the Job Training Partnership Act by: creating a new title au- thorizing basic skills training for the employed, initially funding the new title to support large-scale system demonstrations in workforce literacy, and loosening up requirements in the present adult programs of JTPA to allow more extensive literacy services; 2) In the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act by: making basic skills competence a major goal of vocational education programs and a requirement for participating in job-specific training, and by funding the adult training and retraining provisions of the Vocational Education Act; 3) In the Adult Education Act by: fully funding the Adult Education Program, doubling its appropriation to meet the flood of demands for ESL services, elevating the director of the program to the level of Assis- tant Secretary, providing the director with responsibility for coordinating Education Department basic skills services, and allowing governors the latitude to appoint any official of their choosing to coordinate state ser- vices under the Act; 4) In the Family Support Act by: requiring welfare agencies to pro- vide basic skills instruction to all participants in the JOBS program who need it, both before they find employment and for some period of time after they are employed; 5) In other federal programs by: fully funding the Even Start fam- ily literacy program, reauthorizing the VISTA program and providing new funds for experiments with innovative uses of volunteers, mandating studies of the basic skills needs of the federal workforce and of industries vital to the national interest and developing programs to meet those needs, and establishing an ongoing government-wide process of program enhancement, through the new Cabinet Coun- cil, aimed at meeting the economic and social requirements of the na- tion for enhanced literacy over the coming decades. vi 9 PART I The Problem, The Opportunity, And The Federal Role I. THE TIME HAS COME. Nineteen eighty-nine is the year of opportunity for adult literacy in the United States. Literacy has become a "hot topic" and high priority for politi- cians at all levels of government, business leaders, civic activists, reformers and ordinary Americans. The nation is poised to make a quantum leap for- ward in addressing the problems of this long-neglected field. And it is im- perative that we seize the opportunity to do soright now, in 1989. Here are the reasons why. Seventy-five percent of the people who will constitute the American work- force in the year 2000 are adults today. They are out of school. Most are Seventy-five percent of beyond school age. Most are working. the American workforce This 75 percent adds up to about 100 million workers. in the year 2000 are adults today and 20-30 Of the 100 million, tens of millions are seriously handicapped in their work million have serious and in their everyday lives by a lack of basic skills. They cannot read, write, compute, solve problems, communicate, or perform other basic intellectual problems with basic skills. functions well enough to gain or hold good jobs, to participate effectively in public life, or to meet many of the challenges of everyday living in an in- creasingly complex world. Experts differ about exactly how many adult Americans are struggling with basic skills problems. The number depends on what standard is employed. Yet by most measures the number is at least 20-30 million, and by many measures it is far higher. To say that twenty million-plus adults have serious problems with basic skills is ik safe and very conservative estimate. For the most part these are not people who are unable to read, write, com- pute, or solve everyday problems at all. They are not the entirely unskilled "illiterates" who have received so much attention from the press. Relatively few Americans fall into that category-3-4 million at most. And although 1 10