2013 Literacy Texas Annual Conference Facts About Literacy Reading is BIG in Texas

Literacy Texas

Resources

TCALL Directory of Literacy Providers

Looking for a literacy program in your community, visit the TCALL Directory of Literacy Providers and call the Literacy Hotline: 800-441-READ (7323).
If you would like your program to be in the TCALL Directory of Literacy Providers, complete this form.

Texas GED information can be found at this link

GED 21st Century Initiative: Moving from GED® test to a career and college ready assessment system

The GED 21st Century Initiative will transform the GED® test into a comprehensive program that will prepare more adult learners for postsecondary education, training, and careers. The program’s structure includes three major components which are labeled Prepare, Perform and Progress. Within these components are:

  • Nationally accessible preparation programs designed to prepare more adults more quickly to perform on the new GED® exam;
  • A GED® assessment system based on 21st century skill requirements including alignment with emerging Common Core state standards and certifying not just high school equivalence but also college- and career-readiness;
  • A transition network that supports and links adults with postsecondary education, training and career opportunities—providing them a chance to earn a sustainable living wage.

    • The Initiative will contribute to the nation’s vital goal to build a globally competitive workforce by ensuring more adults, who previously dropped out of high school, become college- and career-ready through this new GED® program.
    Please read about the GED 21st Century Initiative, and about the new assessment system on the GED Testing Service® website:

  • Read the fact sheet about the new Initiative
  • Review the framework for the Initiative
  • Visit the new GED Testing Service microsite
  • FAQs about the new Initiative
  • Overview of the new GED assessment
  • Find a local GED testing center near you

    • Background information about the new GED Testing Service structure:

    Read the press release about the new GED Testing Service structure
    Watch video address to the field from Nicole Chestang (YouTube video)
    FAQs about the new GED Testing Service

    The GED Testing Service has created TICalc to provide more information about the online calculator that will be used in the GED 2014.

    Thank you, Elizabeth Thompson for presenting Preparing for the GED 2014 at the Literacy Texas Annual Conference, 2012.

    Volunteer Training Initiative

    Reimbursement funds for professional development are made available to community-based providers through a partnership with Literacy Texas and the Volunteer Training Initiative administered by the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning (TCALL). Contact Literacy Texas at Lori.Donley@literacytexas.org for more information.

    Financial Literacy

    Check out Financial Literacy Now, an ongoing campaign of The McGraw-Hill Companies, at www.financiallitnow.org or follow the campaign on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FinLitNow.  Thanks to The McGraw-Hill Companies for granting Literacy Texas funds for Financial Fitness Festivals across Texas.  A Financial Fitness Festival RFP is announced annually on the Literacy Texas Listserv in the Spring.

    Workforce Literacy

    Workforce literacy is preparing and helping adult learners who are attending Adult Basic Education, GED or English as a Second Language classes to get a job or a better job.  Most adult learners are “underemployed.”  There are many ways to help adult learners move to that better job.

  • Literacy Texas has released a Request for Proposal (RFP)that seeks four literacy programs or coalitions, who work with adult learners, to host a one-day WorkReady! training for volunteer literacy instructors and tutors.  The application is due by March 5, 2012.  For additional information contact gloria.moritz@literacytexas.org.  WorkReady! was developed by a national literacy expert, funded by a grant from Verizon and implemented by Literacy Texas. It guides administrators and instructors of literacy programs through a process of infusing workforce literacy into the standard literacy curriculum.
  • Working with your local workforce development board: Read the Report, Assessing the Robustness of the Relationships between Local Workforce Development Boards and Adult Basic Education Providers

  • The Texas Workforce Investment Council announced the results of the 2012 Research and Survey of Adult Education Providers in Texas.

    Thinkfinity Literacy Network

    The Thinkfinity Literacy Network (TLN) features content specific to the adult and family literacy communities. It offers teachers, volunteers,  parents, community groups, adult students and program administrators free online courses, best practices, program assessment tools, teaching and learning tools, model programs that demystify technology for parents, and abundant research highlighting the importance of literacy development across the life span. All TLN content is free and is developed and approved by leading literacy experts like the American Library Association, National Center for Family Literacy and ProLiteracy. For more information, visit www.thinkfinity.org,  and click on Thinkfinity Literacy Network.

    The National Center For Family Literacy (NCFL)

    The National Center for Family Literacy has a new set of multi-media resources that will help people unfamiliar with navigating the U.S. college system gain access and information necessary for preparing and succeeding in college and beyond.  Five distinct resources, produced with support from MetLife Foundation, are available free of charge at www.famlit.org/myfamilygoestocollege. The resources have a special emphasis for Hispanic parents who are learning the English language, first generation college students, as well as community and college leaders and policy-makers. 

    New Readers Press

    New Readers Press is a publishing division of ProLiteracy, the world’s largest nonprofit organization of adult basic education and literacy programs. Our goal is to provide high interest, low-reading level materials for adults and young adults,  to help members like Literacy Texas, as well as non-members, perform their literacy work more effectively. Member organizations receive a discount on most publications in our catalogue. Visit New Readers Press for links to a video, demos and sample pages of some new publications designed to help you in your work in both literacy and ESOL.

    Education Web Resources

    Government Organizations and Initiatives

    Texas Workforce Commission

    Texas Workforce Commission
    The Skills Development Fund is Texas’ premier job–training program providing training dollars for Texas businesses and workers. Administered by the Texas Workforce Commission, success is achieved through collaboration among businesses, public Community and Technical colleges, Local Workforce Development Boards and economic development partners.

    For the next two fiscal years (September 1, 2009 – August 31, 2011), TWC has $90 million in Skills Development Funds to support high quality, customized job training projects across the state. Grants for a single business may be limited to $500,000.  Got to http://www.twc.state.tx.us/svcs/funds/sdfintro.html to learn more.

    Nonprofit Organization Information

    Texas Assocation of Nonprofit Organizations

    Supporters of Literacy

    Other Weblinks

    Managing Stress To Improve Learning - Hosted by the New England Literacy Resource Center
    Vocabulary.com - Master the words that are essential to academic and business success.
    English Vocabulary Exercise - Focuses on both general vocabulary building and academic vocabulary building.