Literacy Texas Partners with ProLiteracy for U.S. Conference on Adult Literacy

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Literacy Texas Partners with ProLiteracy for National Adult Literacy Conference
Focus is on Building a Stronger, More Unified Field
“New Challenges, Powerful Solutions”
April 2, 2011, Syracuse, N.Y. – Literacy Texas is pleased to announce its partnership with ProLiteracy and 21 regional and national organizations representing business, safety, volunteers, and workforce development to launch the first U.S. Conference on Adult Literacy, Nov. 2-5, 2011 in Houston, Texas.
“For too long, the United States has been resigned to reaching only a fraction of the 30 million adults in need of basic literacy, math and English language skills because federal and state efforts have been severely limited and drastically underfunded,” said David C. Harvey, ProLiteracy president and CEO. “USCAL will bring together a truly diverse set of national organizations to support the community based adult literacy and basic education response to this national crisis. By working together, we can create more urgency and innovation in the field – something that is needed now more than ever in a down economy.”
In addition to hearing from prominent speakers, USCAL attendees will participate in professional development, advocacy work, and literacy training. The participation of partners from fields such as consumer safety, job development, and English as a Second Language are participating to help local organizations build new collaborations among different education and social service sectors in order to meet growing demand.
Conference offerings will address a variety of issues including:
• Creating successful collaborations to expand and improve services;
• Advocating for adult literacy in communities, libraries, corrections, and workforce development programs;
• Supporting adult learners as leaders and transitioning them to the workplace and post-secondary education;
• Using technology to enhance learning and digital literacy;
• Managing literacy programs in difficult economic times;
• Recognizing literacy as a human right and the connections between literacy, social justice, and social change; and
• Examining literacy in a global context.
Conference partners anticipate attendance from all 50 states and U.S. territories as well as countries from around the world.
“Literacy Texas and ProLiteracy share in the belief that literacy empowers people to make a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. As an enthusiastic partner with ProLiteracy in this first ever U.S. Conference on Adult Literacy, we encourage Texas literacy programs to join us in Houston,” said Debbie Johnson, Literacy Texas Executive Director. “Texas is a great state for the conference and it is true what they say about Texas – everything is bigger. There is a big need for literacy services in Texas – 3.8 million people need literacy training and there is a big group of dedicated people who are working towards helping these people.”

For more information about submitting session proposals and exhibitor and registration information, frequently check USCAL.org.
National partners to date:
American Library Association (ALA)
Association of Adult Literacy Professionals (AALPD)
Correctional Education Association
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
Home Builders Institute (HBI)
Home Safety Council
Houston READ Commission
Interweave Solutions
Jobs for the Future (JFF)
Literacy Funders Network
Literacy Powerline
Literacy Texas
National Association of Adults Special Learning Needs (NAASLN)
National Coalition for Literacy (NCL)
National Forum on Information Literacy
ProLiteracy Council of State Organizations
Senior Service America
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
The Coalition of Lifelong Learning Organizations (COLLO)
Voice of Adult Learners United to Educate (VALUE)
Women Expanding Literacy Education Action Resource Network (WE LEARN)
World Education