BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Literacy Texas - ECPv6.17.5.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Literacy Texas X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.literacytexas.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Literacy Texas REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20250309T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20251102T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20260308T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20261101T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20270314T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20271107T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20280312T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20281105T070000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260930T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260930T153000 DTSTAMP:20260909T130334Z CREATED:20260805T195612Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T130334Z UID:8968-1790776800-1790782200@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:The Expert Edge: Introduction to Plain Language DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/expert-edge-sep-2026/ LOCATION:Online Event – Zoom CATEGORIES:Literacy Texas Events,Online Event,The Expert Edge,Training ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/EE-GOOGLE-Plain-Language-1200x300-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261006T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261006T110000 DTSTAMP:20260909T133909Z CREATED:20260824T190320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T133909Z UID:9259-1791280800-1791284400@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:2026 Focus Group - Classroom Instructors DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/2026-focus-group-instructors/ LOCATION:Online Event – Zoom CATEGORIES:Focus Group,Literacy Texas Events,Online Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/GOOGLE-DATELESS-Focus-Groups-1200-x-300-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261008T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261008T140000 DTSTAMP:20260924T222604Z CREATED:20260924T113816Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260924T222604Z UID:9725-1791464400-1791468000@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:Best of Texas: Work Partnerships in the Community DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/best-of-texas-oct-2026/ LOCATION:Online Event – Zoom CATEGORIES:Best of Texas,Literacy Texas Events,Online Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/GOOGLE-BEST-Work-Partnerships-in-the-Community-1200-x-300-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T153000 DTSTAMP:20260925T213359Z CREATED:20260806T170642Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T213359Z UID:9025-1792137600-1792164600@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:2026 DFW Literacy Symposium DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/symposium-dfw-oct-2026/ LOCATION:Tarrant County College – Southeast Campus\, 2100 Southeast Pkwy\, Arlington\, TX\, 76018\, United States CATEGORIES:Literacy Texas Events,Symposium,Training ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/GOOGLE-DFW-Symposium-DATELESS-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261020T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261020T103000 DTSTAMP:20260902T215633Z CREATED:20260806T164832Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T215633Z UID:9013-1792486800-1792492200@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:What Leaders Need: Team-Building & Staff Development DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/leaders-oct-2026/ LOCATION:Online Event – Zoom CATEGORIES:Literacy Texas Events,Online Event,Training,What Leaders Need ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/WLN-Tri-State-Google-DATELESS-1200-×-300-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261106T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261106T153000 DTSTAMP:20260925T213643Z CREATED:20260925T041053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T213643Z UID:9759-1793952000-1793979000@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:2026 South Texas Literacy Symposium DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/symposium-south-texas-nov-2026/ LOCATION:DoubleTree McAllen\, 1800 S 2nd St\, McAllen\, TX\, 78503\, United States CATEGORIES:Literacy Texas Events,Symposium,Training ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/GOOGLE-SOUTH-TX-DATELESS-1200x300-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261112T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261112T140000 DTSTAMP:20260924T222419Z CREATED:20260806T160015Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260924T222419Z UID:8998-1794488400-1794492000@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:Best of Texas: Language\, Literacy\, and Learning Disabilities DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/best-of-texas-nov-2026/ LOCATION:Online Event – Zoom CATEGORIES:Best of Texas,Literacy Texas Events,Online Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/GOOGLE-BEST-Language.-1200-x-300-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270727 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270729 DTSTAMP:20260817T013406Z CREATED:20260817T012508Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T013406Z UID:9114-1816646400-1816819199@www.literacytexas.org SUMMARY:2027 Literacy Texas Annual Conference DESCRIPTION:Author: Katie Welch\, Ph.D.\, Literacy Texas Executive Director \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As my two sons get older\, I find myself periodically sorting through their outgrown clothes\, toys\, and\, yes\, even occasionally their books. This summer\, we were doing one such cleanout\, and I was struck by how many of the books I was sorting through had a mailing label from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. \nAlthough my boys are both teenagers now\, I still remember the joy of checking the mail when they were little and discovering what new title had been sent to us that month. \nSurrounded by a stack of books\, I recalled fond memories of rocking with my babies and reading to them. Some of the books I still have memorized because we read them so often! \nThose sweet babies became squirmy toddlers and then talkative preschoolers\, but even as they grew\, one constant remained: Dolly’s books. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As we collectively grieve the passing of beloved literacy champion Dolly Parton\, I am struck by how one person could make such a lasting impact on children’s literacy. \nBy now\, her story has been well told. Her father\, while a very intelligent man with a lot of “horse sense\,” as she called it\, never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. Dolly wanted to make sure others in her community did not suffer the same fate. \nSo\, in 1995\, she decided to use her earnings to make a difference\, establishing the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. What began as a local effort ultimately grew to distribute more than 330 million books to children around the world. \nWhat a precious gift to those families—including mine! \n \n \n \n While Dolly’s work inspires us\, it also reminds us that there is still so much work to be done. \nAs of 2026\, Texas ranks 40th out of 50 for adult literacy. The adult literacy rate in our state is 81%\, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. \nThat’s nearly 1 in 5 adults in Texas who need literacy education! And yet\, federal funds only serve about 3% of that need. Tens of thousands of Texans are on waiting lists for basic education in any given year. \nThese statistics should sober us and\, like Dolly\, should also move us to act. \n \n \n \n At Literacy Texas\, we aim to help bridge the gap for the 97% of Texans whose needs are not being met through federally funded programs. We support adult education programs across the state that do not receive federal dollars—programs run by libraries\, churches\, and nonprofits. \nOur belief is simple: if we strengthen the quality of these community-based programs\, we can help ensure that all Texans have access to excellent instruction in ESL\, GED\, adult literacy\, and citizenship classes. \nMany of these programs are taught by volunteer teachers and funded solely through the generosity of fellow Texans. That’s why Literacy Texas\, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission\, provides free training to equip these teachers and program administrators with the tools they need to offer engaging instruction and build strong\, sustainable programs. \n \n \n \n The research is clear: a parent’s literacy level is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s educational success. And while putting children’s books into homes is a wonderful start\, we must also ensure that the parents who retrieve those books from the mailbox have the skills and confidence to open them\, read them\, and share them with their children. \nDolly once said\, “The seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” \n \n \n \n I love that image of planting seeds. Dolly planted millions of them. One book\, one mailbox\, one child at a time. My own family was fortunate enough to receive some of those seeds\, and years later\, the books stacked in my house are a tangible reminder of just how far one person’s decision to act can reach. \nHere in Texas\, there are still millions of adults—and millions of families—whose futures can be changed through literacy. We may not all have Dolly’s platform or resources\, but we can follow her example. \nWe can teach a class. \nVolunteer with a local program. \nAdvocate for literacy. \nSupport the organizations doing this work. \nOr simply recognize that adult literacy is not only about changing one person’s life. Its impact reaches into homes\, workplaces\, communities\, and ultimately the next generation. \nDolly showed us what can happen when we see a literacy need and decide to do something about it. \nMay we keep planting seeds\, Texas! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Find us on socials \n \n \n \n Literacy Texas is on Facebook! And we’d love to have you join us. Events\, articles\, recommendations\, and celebrations of literacy across the great state of Texas. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n go to the Literacy Texas page on Facebook URL:https://www.literacytexas.org/calendar/2027-conference/ LOCATION:Embassy Suites by Hilton Grapevine DFW Airport North\, 2401 Bass Pro Drive\, Grapevine\, TX\, 76051\, United States CATEGORIES:Annual Conference,Literacy Texas Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.literacytexas.org/wp-content/uploads/2027-conference-GOOGLE-blue-on-white-1200x300-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Literacy Texas":MAILTO:info@literacytexas.org END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR