adult literacy

Let’s Have More Readers AND More Coders

/ The Old Crank

Readers of this blog know that I’m very sympathetic to the view that policymakers, from the President on down, do not pay nearly enough attention to U.S. adult literacy rates. So I really appreciate the sentiment behind arguments like this one—especially the idea that we’d get a bigger payoff if we focused our efforts (and dollars) on those in poverty and/or those who are struggling the most.

But I don’t understand why encouraging kids to take up computer programming can’t be part of this efforts. I feel pretty confident that Computer Science Education Week is not the reason we have low adult literacy rates in this country. It’s true that literacy skills are important foundational skills for other disciplines, including computer programming. But that doesn’t mean that they have to literally come first, before anything else. For some computer-loving reluctant readers, literacy instruction in the context of learning about computer science and programming is probably going to be a really good way to reach them. I’m as pro-literacy as you can get, but I don’t want to be in a position of debating whether kids should be learning coding or reading. The question is whether we are providing all children with opportunities to learn about whatever it is that grabs them—and yes, preparing them with the foundational skills to take advantage of those opportunities, but also, I think, continuing to embed sound literacy instruction into every discipline as they move along.

It’s also worth noting that the latest estimates we have about adult skills (Iglesias is using the old NAAL data in his post) show that adult math skills are an even bigger problem than adult literacy, and so encouraging interest in computer science or other math-related subjects might be prudent for this reason as well.

Notice Anything Missing in the President’s Speech Today?

/ The Old Crank / 2 Comments

Less than two months ago, the results of an international survey (PIAAC) revealed that American adult literacy and numeracy skills lag significantly behind those of adults in most other developed countries. Approximately 36 million U.S. adults were estimated to have low skills. These are adults who lack sufficient skills to succeed in higher education or training, and thus are often stuck in dead-end, low-paying jobs.

A report issued along with the initial results noted that “countries with lower skill levels risk losing in competitiveness as the world economy becomes more dependent on skills.” Less than a month ago, a followup report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (which administered the survey) called for “concerted action” by the U.S. to address this problem, warning that without such action “the skills of adults will fall further behind other countries.”

Today, the President gave a major address on the economy here in Washington. During the speech, he offered what he called “a road map that I believe should guide us in both our legislative agenda and our administrative efforts,” and listed policy areas “where you should expect my administration to focus all our efforts” over the rest of his term. One of those areas, not surprisingly, included education. In light of those very recent PIAAC findings, you might be curious about what the President had to say specifically about the nation’s 36 million low-skilled adults during this part of his speech:

Step two is making sure we empower more Americans with the skills and education they need to compete in a highly competitive global economy. We know that education is the most important predictor of income today, so we launched a Race to the Top in our schools, we’re supporting states that have raised standards in teaching and learning, we’re pushing for redesigned high schools that graduate more kids with the technical training and apprenticeships, the in-demand high-tech skills that can lead directly to a good job and a middle-class life.

We know it’s harder to find a job today without some higher education, so we’ve helped more students go to college with grants and loans that go farther than before, we’ve made it more practical to repay those loans and today, more students are graduating from college than ever before.

We’re also pursuing an aggressive strategy to promote innovation that reins in tuition costs.

We’ve got to lower costs so that young people are not burdened by enormous debt when they make the right decision to get higher education. And next week, Michelle and I will bring together college presidents and nonprofits to lead a campaign to help more low-income students attend and succeed in college.

But while — applause — while higher education may be the surest path to the middle class, it’s not the only one. We should offer our people the best technical education in the world. That’s why we’ve worked to connect local businesses with community colleges, so that workers, young and old, can earn the new skills that earn them more money.

And I’ve also embraced an idea that I know all of you at the Center for American Progress has championed, and by the way, Republican governors in a couple of states have championed, and that’s making high-quality pre-school available to every child in America. Cheers, applause.

We know that kids in these programs grow up are likelier to get more education, earn higher wages, form more stable families of their own. It starts a virtuous cycle, not a vicious one. And we should invest in that. We should give all of our children that chance.

In other words: nothing. No mention of those 36 million low-skilled adults at all, and nothing in the speech suggested that the President is planning to propose any major new initiatives to address the needs of those adults anytime soon, despite the dire warnings we heard just a few weeks ago about how the failure to act will have such a detrimental effect on our economy.

You can read the full transcript of President Obama’s remarks here.

Letter to the Editor: “Adult Education Overlooked”

/ The Old Crank

Letter to the editor published in the November 21st edition of The Bangor Daily News:

I write to expand on John Rohman’s Nov. 12 letter about Early Childhood education funding and the education-economy connection, specifically on behalf of another often-overlooked part of that picture: adult education.

Adult education’s impact is clear when we read about adult diplomas and equivalencies. And thanks to the foresight of state government, we are seeing the positive impact of adult education’s state-funded Maine College Transitions Program, reducing the need for developmental-level college classes.

Perhaps less obvious is the impact of our adult literacy work and the benefits that improving adults’ basic skills has on those around them, particularly adults parenting young children. A bottom line is that well-prepared parents can actively support their children’s development, including school-readiness during the critical 0-5 years. (my emphasis)

Literate parents are not only essential but may eventually reduce the need for ongoing increased funding addressing educational deficiencies. However, it is critical to note that funding for adult education begins at home. Statewide, 42 percent of funding for programs comes from locally raised taxes. State subsidy reimburses certain expenses, providing 22 percent of adult education funding.

Local support provides direct student services and indirect benefits to the community. A recent study by Franklin County Adult Education and University of Maine at Farmington calculated that $1 invested in GED programming returned $7 through increased earning ability and participation in the economy. So to use Rohman’s words in a different way: Even though our political and fiscal climate makes additional spending unattractive, investing in [adult education] will benefit our communities and our businesses both today and in the future.

Bonnie Fortini
Roque Bluffs

More on San Antonio’s Foolish Decision to Cut Its Adult Education Investment

/ The Old Crank

The San Antonio Express-News has been doing a good job covering San Antonio’s shortsighted decision to close the city’s Community Learning Centers. Here’s the latest, from columnist Josh Brodesky:

The city that has made national news for its investment in pre-K education is getting out of the adult-ed biz.

“The city does not place a priority on adult literacy,” Carolyn Heath said. “Kids are cute. Adults have baggage. Adults are complicated. Its ugly. Its messy.”

For years, the city has operated adult learning centers. It would handle building operations and education providers would provide the teaching. The centers serve about 8,000 students a year.

But at the end of the year, the city is calling it quits. The move will save millions of dollars over the next two years, and potentially send thousands of students scrambling.

Of course, that two-year savings will end up costing the city much, much more in the long run, while simultaneously sabotaging it’s investment in early learning. It isn’t a question of priority—you have to do both.