Funded by the Professional Development Support for Nonprofit Adult Literacy Organizations grant from the Texas Workforce Commission, regional symposia provide free professional development for volunteers and staff of nonprofit, community-based organizations.
Your local symposium is an excellent place to learn and network with other literacy providers in your region, and a great source of professional development for volunteer instructors.
QUICK LINKS FOR THE CENTRAL TEXAS SYMPOSIUM:
Click on any of the links below to go straight to that section, or simply scroll down the page.
BASIC DETAILS
The 2025 Central Texas Literacy Symposium is co-presented by the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas and Literacy Texas.
The symposium has the theme “Literacy Matters: Empowering Every Adult” and will be held on:
Thursday, April 17, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM (CT)
Check-in for registered participants will open at 8:00 AM.
This symposium is offered free of charge to Texas nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy. See Symposium FAQs for more information.
SYMPOSIUM FAQs
Click on a question to see the answer.
A: Literacy Texas does have an annual conference! It’s held every summer.
Our regional symposia are separate to the conference.
Each symposium:
- Takes place in a different Texas region to help minimize travel
- Has a local focus
- Is free to attend
- Is generally a single day (some symposia are 2 days)
- Includes workshops for both classroom instructors and program administrators
- Is the primary training Literacy Texas offers for literacy volunteers
- Offers 5+ hours of professional development
A: Anyone interested in adult and family literacy in Texas is welcome at the symposium. The people who will gain the most are instructors at community-based adult and family literacy organizations and nonprofits.
Volunteer tutors and teachers are especially welcome!
When we create the symposium program, we use the broadest definition of “literacy”, to include all of Adult Foundational Education: adult basic education, English as an additional language, high school equivalency, digital literacy, and workforce readiness, along with other kinds of teaching and learning.
Two words: LOCAL + FREE!
Each symposium program focuses on the local needs of the region. When you complete our Annual Survey every year, we use the results to invite speakers and presenters on topics you said you particularly wanted and needed.
Furthermore, registration is free. You won’t need a large budget for travel or an overnight stay, in the vast majority of cases. We hope that many folks from the same organization can come to the symposium – there’s no limit on how many people can attend from one place. It’s a lot harder to send lots of people to conferences, since we know costs stack up pretty quickly.
A: The symposium is free to attend. Literacy Texas will cover the costs of your tuition, any meals and snacks offered, materials, and other resources.
Please be aware that in recent years, between 25% and 40% of registrants are no-shows at our training events. Every one of these costs us money (since we’ve already paid for food, materials, and more).
If you’ve registered for a Literacy Texas event but then find you can no longer attend, PLEASE get in touch to cancel your registration.
A: Yes! Literacy Texas offers PD credit in conjunction with TCALL.
Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event. Complete the survey after the training is finished to give your details and get your certificate. Surveys will be sent via email in the days following the training.
LOCATION
This symposium will be held at TCEA, 3100 Alvin Devane Blvd, Building B, Austin, TX 78741.
Map and directions are coming soon.
FREE ONLINE REGISTRATION
This session has reached capacity and is no longer accepting new registrations
Registration for this session has now closed
REMINDER: CHECK YOUR SPAM
Every online registration will generate an automated email response with further information. If you don’t see it arrive, please check your junk mail!
Online registration has now closed – but we have a few spots available for last-minute registrants! Call us on 972-926-3155 to make arrangements.
PD CERTIFICATES
Someone who completes the full session will receive 5.5 hours of PD credit.
Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event. Complete the survey after the training is finished to give your details and get your certificate. Surveys will be sent via email in the days following the training.
PROGRAM, SESSIONS, & SPEAKERS
Sessions and speakers are pending; details will be added here as they’re confirmed.
Planned session topics include:
- Teaching Adults: English Language Skill for the Classroom
- Storytelling for Adult Education
- Teaching Adults: Math & Numeracy
- Teaching Adults: Low-Literate Reading
- Data Monitoring and Evaluation: How to Show Impact
- Students With Special Learning Needs
- Empowering Adults: Workplace Skills Alignment
- Pathways to Citizenship
- Retention/Persistence for AEL
- Teaching Adults: Integrating Technology into Lessons
Schedule will be kept as current as possible but is subject to change; check back here for updates
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM: CHECK-IN, BREAKFAST
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM: WELCOME, OPENING REMARKS
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Session 1 (90 min)
Title of Session
Session description pending.
PD Category (assigned by TCALL): TBD
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
Title of Session
Session description pending.
PD Category (assigned by TCALL): TBD
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Session 2 (90 min)
Title of Session
Session description pending.
PD Category (assigned by TCALL): TBD
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
Title of Session
Session description pending.
PD Category (assigned by TCALL): TBD
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: WORKING LUNCH
Keynote: “Title”
Session description pending.
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
1:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Session 3 (90 min)
Title of Session
Session description pending.
PD Category (assigned by TCALL): TBD
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
Title of Session
Session description pending.
PD Category (assigned by TCALL): TBD
Location: Pending
Name, Organization
Bio pending.
3:20 PM – 3:30 PM: FAREWELL & DOOR PRIZES
EXHIBITORS
Information about exhibitors at this symposium is coming soon.
[List of exhibitors with links embedded in their names]
DOWNLOADS
Download or print a flyer to display at your location or send to others who may be interested in attending the symposium.
Downloadable PDF flyer for this symposium is coming soon.
Download a printable copy of the symposium program. [link whole sentence to PDF]
Printable PDF copy of the symposium program is coming soon.
SPECIAL THANKS TO -
Literacy Coalition of Central Texas
[name of any sponsors or other partners – as many as relevant, new line for each]
The Texas Center for Advancement of Literacy & Learning (TCALL)
The Texas Workforce Commission
STAY IN THE KNOW -
Or get news directly from Literacy Texas:
Checked/updated: 3/13/25
Thank you so much for your interest!
This event is now over.
