Adult Education and Family Literacy Week!

By Grassroots DC, on September 17th, 2015

In the District of Columbia, we focus a lot of attention on our public and charter schools. Adult education get much less attention. But many of DC’s adult learners are products of the District’s public school system. Listening to their struggles could tell us a lot about what’s missing in DCPS. So, what follows is an article cross-posted from Southeast Ministry’s blog that details why this issue is important from the point of view of adult learners themselves. Below that is a flyer that gives details for next week’s Adult Education and Family Literacy Week and lets you know how you can get involved.

Visioning as a Vehicle for Change

On Wednesday, September 9, our learners were led by Samantha Davis, Senior Advocacy and Community Engagement Specialist at So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.), in a visioning session that got our learners in a discussion about some of the barriers they face on a daily basis, as well as potential solutions.

Some of the barriers that were mentioned by our learners included affordable housing, transportation, homelessness, child care, and violence in the communities they live. Other barriers that were identified by SEM learners were access to more educational programs and the fact that the new GED exam is computer-based. Another barrier that was identified was time, specifically the times that certain programs begin and end, since adult learners are often fitting their education around their work schedules that often change.

To address the barriers that were named, SEM learners brainstormed possible solutions. There was a great deal of discussion around the possibility of having more computer training available for adult learners who do not have the sufficient computer skills necessary to complete the new computer-based GED exam. The class also discussed the idea of having transportation designed specifically for adult learners to programs throughout the District, in order reduce the burden of having to find their own way to classes.

For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.

Download pdf of flyer HERE.

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Celebrating Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2014

By Liane Scott, on September 19th, 2014

The Washington DC metropolitan region is one of the nation’s highest-skilled economies. By 2018, 71 percent of all jobs in the District of Columbia will require at least some training beyond high school. Despite this, 62,000 adult DC residents never received a high school diploma or general equivalency degree (GED) and even more need to upgrade their basic English, math and computer literacy skills. Reggie, in the video below, was in that position.

Strategies for addressing literacy issues in the DC region will be highlighted during this week’s Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 22-22, 2014. The purpose of the week, which is celebrated nationwide, is to raise awareness of adult education and family literacy issues, provide critical information to stakeholders and policy-makers, and advocate for increased access to relevant programs. The DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition which is a wide coalition of community nonprofits who provide adult education services and their partners will host three events in DC as well as an essay contest for adult learners.

The theme for the week’s events, “Making Connections”, underscores the idea that adult literacy impacts many areas of the community including health, children’s education, workforce development, transportation, social services and more. Key leaders and policy-makers will be part of the following events:

Understanding the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Monday, September 22, 2014 9:00am-10:30am PNC Bank 800 17th St NW Advocacy Day and Adult Education Panel Wednesday, September 24, 2014 10:00 am-1:00 pm Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW DC-AFLC Big Tent Meeting Friday, September 26th 9:00am-11:00am Thurgood Marshall Center 1816 12th Street NW

Low-literacy is a root cause of poverty, homelessness, and other social challenges our region faces. Adult basic education and family literacy programs provide the crucial bridge for adults to increase their skills and begin to break the cycle of poverty.

For more information, please contact:

Evita Smedley Adult & Family Literacy Coalition esmedley@southeastministrydc.org Riley Grime Adult Education & Family Literacy Awareness Group rgrime@southeastministrydc.org

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The DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition Asks the Mayoral Candidates…

By Liane Scott, on March 31st, 2014

The DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition, an advocacy group dedicated to advancing adult education as a vital component of the District’s education system, hosted a mayoral candidates forum in March. They asked twelve questions listed below, which cover not only adult education but also employment, poverty, health care, human rights, etc. Three of the candidates provided written responses to these questions, which you can find at the following links: Jack Evans DCAFLC Responses | Reta Lewis DCAFCL Responses | Tommy Wells DCAFCL Responses

1. USA Today and other sources have recently noted D.C to be the most literate cities in the nation, yet nearly 20% of DC adults are functionally illiterate, many of whom have a high school diploma. Why do you believe this is the case and what will you do as mayor to address this issue?

2. As mayor, how will you support research and development of computer literacy training for adults?

3. DOES and UDC-CC offer a wide range of workforce development programs but these programs all require an 8th grade reading and math skill level (in English). According to data from OSSE AFE, 90% of DC adult learners are below this level. What can the city do to help adults get the skills they need to access the training programs that will help them secure family-sustaining jobs?

4. Not everyone who is homeless lacks the education or skills needed to obtain a job. However homelessness poses significant barriers to employment coupled with discrimination from the employer. How can you help the” job ready” homeless population overcome barriers to employment and work with employers to rid discrimination?

5. I have been volunteering for two years and I have not been able to get a job due to my disability. How will you ensure that all residents who want to work are able to obtain employment, specifically those with a disability?

6. The conditions in shelters are inhumane. People looking for shelter are treated like animals. As mayor, how do you plan to change conditions in shelters?

7. What steps will you take to increase affordable housing units for the low-income population (under 40% AMI)?

8. How will you ensure affordable housing is accessible for residents who are seniors or have disabilities?

9. HHS and CMS are considering making changes to the 6 protected drug classes in the Medicaid Part D Prescription drug benefit. Specially, they are considering removing anti-psychotics by 2015, anti-depressants by 2016, and immunosuppressants thereafter. The District has spent the last 30 years de-institutionalizing mental health facilities and integrating people with physical and intellectual disabilities into the community. As a candidate for mayor, what is your position on this proposed change?

10. Our city has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control. How do you plan to address the issue of HIV/AIDS as mayor?

11. How do you plan to collect and use community input to make decisions on public programs/policies?

12. As mayor, how do you plan to address the issue of systemic racism in education, housing, and literacy?

. . . → Read More: The DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition Asks the Mayoral Candidates…

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Another Mayoral Candidates Forum Worth Attending…

By Grassroots DC, on March 10th, 2014

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