March Meeting Notes

Date: March 7, 2007, 1:00 p.m.
Location: U.S. Department of Education, Secretary’s Conference Room, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C.
Participants:

Call to Order

Dan Miller, U.S. Department of Education, opened the meeting by thanking everyone for attending. He then asked guests to introduce themselves.

Interagency Activities Update

Dan Miller gave an update on current activities and work accomplished by the Interagency Group. As many members will recall, Secretary Spellings charged the group with delivering four products: an interagency website containing literacy information, a compendium of federal resources available to combat illiteracy, a directory of foundation support for literacy work and a guide to stimulate private/public partnerships for literacy. On March 1st the Office of Vocational and Adult Education and MPR Associates brought together business philanthropic heads to develop business guides. It is anticipated that by late September or early October the business guide should be ready for distribution. When this item is released, all four deliverables of the Interagency Group will be complete.

In December, 2006, the Departments of Education and Labor brought together business leaders from the major business sectors employing adult learners and conducted a dialogue focused on identifying gaps in the existing public education/workforce training system and possible remedies. The Business Round Table was a very successful event, leading to the creation of an action agenda.

Earlier this month (March), the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) conducted a first discussion about joint NAAL activities and investments in secondary analysis of the data. The group looked at the short-term investments that agencies can undertake immediately as well as long-term joint investments in the future. Lynn Ready, National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), welcomed other agencies to join this effort. Dan Miller is the main point of contact for this effort.

Overview of NAAL Comprehensive Report

A presentation was given by Steve Gorman, National Center for Education Statistics, on the results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy Comprehensive Report. Main areas covered in the presentation: 1) Demographic Characteristics and Literacy, 2) Education and Literacy, 3) Employment, Earning and Job Training, 4) Family Literacy, and 5) Community and Civic Involvement.

The report’s results are based on a stratified, random sample of households across the United States. More information on the report is available at http://nces.ed.gov/naal/. In the upcoming months, NCES plans to release a series of companion reports, including one on the state of literacy in correctional institutions. A Web cast is being planned and will be announced on the National Institute for Literacy Web site at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/NAAL2003.html.

Shared Youth Vision

Dan Miller introduced Gay Gilbert, representing the U.S. Department of Labor, as the convener of the multi-agency federal shared youth vision partnership. The Shared Youth Vision initiative was an initial strategic collaboration with the following agencies: U.S. Department of Justice (Justice), U.S. Department of Education (ED), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This coalition was started by DOL in response to a White House report on disadvantaged youth.

The initiative began in 2004 and focused on the state level. At the state level it is clear that there is not enough collaboration regarding youth programs. Policy opportunities and how the program would be supported was a focus for the partnership as it has grown. The partnership presently includes: four offices of the U.S. Department of Education, two agencies within the HHS, HUD, Justice, DOL, the Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Corporation for National and Community Security.

Report by Gay Gilbert—The Web site is currently being updated, and can be accessed at http://www.doleta.gov/ryf/.

A number of states have received technical assistance from the deferral team in creating a vision of coordinating services for youth. Sixteen States have been chosen to participate in a pilot project to demonstrate the various ways a collaborative can be developed, strengthened and become self-sustaining. A federal helpdesk with an 800 telephone and web support systems has been established for 16 pilot States.

America’s youth face multiple and life-threatening challenges. Strengthening the State capacity to effectively address these challenges is essential for social and economic reasons. The partnership focuses on leveraging resources and building a youth-focused vision for the States.

HHS/DAEL Proposal

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is working to craft a project that will identify best practices in the field of coordination between adult education and TANF programs. These programs, along with the outcomes, will serve as models across the United States.

Member Agency Updates on Literacy Activity

Lynn Ready, NIFL, reported that a survey was circulated to many of the inter-agency members to determine what literacy research projects are occurring. This information was synthesized to determine what research gaps currently exist with the goal of developing a coordinated research agenda for literacy. The research agenda is still in the development phase.

Scott Richardson commented that today’s NAAL presentation would be useful for and upcoming Americorps and VISTA event. The Corporation for National and Community Service is working on the Youth Development and Leadership Summit. The Summit, aimed at developing policy, is limited to 200, and will be held in Washington, D.C. More information on the youth summit can be obtained from Rhonda Basha, Department of Labor: basha.rhonda@dol.gov.

Jeff Schwartz explained that the Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal/state partnership. Programs are allocated to state partnerships, but within 13 states there are state basic literacy acquisition projects. A study, Development and Progress of the Appalachian Higher Education Network, will be released in the summer by the University of Kentucky. The study looked at the effectiveness of this model, focusing on transition rates from high school to college. The study can be accessed at http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeld=2214. The Appalachian higher education network has 10 centers. $10 – 12 million annually is spent on education programs. Grants are reviewed to affirm that the programs, which are centered on early literacy for young children, will work well.

Abby Swetz from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences reported that grants from the Institute are primarily focused on the youth and high school community.

Donni LeBoeuf reported on the DOJ’s after school and young children programs where children view Shakespearean plays to create their own play, which has been evaluated as very successful. The Richmond team is looking to also implement this program. North Miami Beach gangs are also a focus for the Service. This program is also used in Milwaukee and East LA.

Gay Gilbert asked if the group could meet again with the business roundtable results. Maria Flynn suggested by September they should be able to meet, noting that literacy is a problem area where regions could be helped if they can realize this as an opportunity.

Next Steps

Next meeting will be held late September/early October.

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