NEWTON, MA | May 5, 2011
Project Director Alex Quinn will present a new adult literacy program, developed by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), at a Capitol Hill briefing of the House Adult Literacy Caucus. The briefing, titled New Partners, New Solutions – 21st-Century Approaches to Adult Literacy, will be held May 12 at 1 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. and hosted by the National Coalition for Literacy and U.S. Reps. Phil Roe (TN) and Rubén Hinojosa (TX). This bipartisan caucus aims to highlight connections among literacy, economics, and health, and to promote local, national, and global adult literacy initiatives.
EDC’s Quinn will discuss TV411’s What’s Cooking?, a new initiative to be featured on TV411.org, a Web resource for adult learners seeking to improve their basic skills within a supportive online learning community. TV411’s What’s Cooking? is a cooking series that showcases the science and math at play in our kitchens, in the news, and in our lives. Topics include the role of bacteria in our food, our bodies, and the world and understanding basic elements by exploring carbohydrates, sodium, and water. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Presenters also include Jennifer K. Foster, senior director for Adult Education and Family Literacy in Illinois, who will describe Shifting Gears, a Joyce Foundation initiative to strengthen postsecondary and skills-development systems. Steve Reder, a professor at Portland State University, will present Adult Literacy, Digital Literacy, and the National Broadband Plan which calls for expanding broadband capacity and access, and training and education to facilitate wider broadband use. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“I am committed to educating both the workers of today and the workers of tomorrow,” said Roe, chair of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee. “This briefing will bring to light important priorities and solutions to help build upon adult education, skills, and credentials.”
“Creating jobs is at the top of the list for America, and we must do all that we can to ensure that those entering our workforce are educated and highly skilled,” said Hinojosa, co-chair of the House Adult Literacy Caucus.
The unemployment rate for adults without a high school diploma in the United States was nearly 14 percent in March, almost twice that for adults with at least some college, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Literacy is essential to the health and viability of our communities and our economy,” said Dr. Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, president of the National Coalition for Literacy which is co-hosting the briefing. “And helping adults obtain the skills they need to further their education and participate in the workforce is a priority of the adult education system.”
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), is a global nonprofit organization that develops innovative programs to address urgent challenges in education, health, and economic development. EDC conducts more than 350 projects in 35 countries. Visit www.edc.org.
