Texas Association of Adult Literacy Councils

Our Mission:
TAALC connects and equips nonprofit literacy programs that serve adults in Texas.

Our Vision:
That Texas literacy nonprofits will have resources so that adults will have quality opportunities to improve basic skills and function effectively in society.

Since 2002, TAALC has held an annual conference in Austin in early August to provide training and networking opportunities for its members.

If your organization serves the literacy needs of adults through the services of trained volunteers, TAALC is your organization. Formed in 2000 as a grassroots effort of literacy providers, TAALC seeks to network the strengths of programs all over Texas and to provide resources and benefits. The TAALC membership provides one voice and a unified force for the cause of adult literacy.

TAALC HISTORY

On April 24, 1989, Texas Adult Literacy Laubach (TALL) was officially incorporated in Austin, Texas, as a 501©(3) non-profit organization of the national Laubach Literacy Action (LLA). Articles of Incorporation were signed by the State Library Literacy Specialist, who spearheaded the project; the Executive Director of Angelina County Literacy Council; and the Executive Director of Literacy Advance of Houston. TALL’s purpose was to address the needs of established and evolving literacy programs through communication, education, and public awareness. TALL’s goals were to provide state-of-the art training and a marketing strategy in the areas of funding and advocacy.

Since its inception, TALL has been active and successful in the literacy field, establishing diversity geographically and in size and types of providers. TALL grew to a Board of 21 members who were predominantly Texas Laubach affiliates. In August 2000 at a joint conference held by Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and LLA in Nacogdoches, Texas, a Task Force of representatives from LVA and LLA was formed. It was entitled Texas Association of Adult Literacy Councils (TAALC) which had a purpose and goals similar to TALL’s.

On August 24, 2001, at another joint meeting of the two organizations in San Marcos, Texas, the TAALC Task Force agreed to operated under the name of TAALC and to retain the 501(c)(3) status of TALL. They elected two members from each organization to serve on the Executive Committee. Today they continue to expand on the original TALL structure under TEA guidelines. They operated in cooperation with the new national ProLiteracy America, which resulted from the merger of Literacy Volunteers of America and Laubach Literacy International. Participants include city and county libraries, community colleges, universities, school districts, reading coalitions, community-based literacy councils, faith-based literacy programs, and student leadership organizations.