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Reading is a basic skill needed for success. In today’s economy it is more necessary than ever as dislocated workers vie for minimal positions.
“I am extremely proud of Newton County’s accomplishment of reaching a goal of helping 5,962 adults improve their literacy,” says Janet Hodges, Executive Director of Newton County READS. “Becoming a certified literate community has been a true community effort with the quality programs available at DeKalb Technical College and the Newton READS’ community.”
The Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP) promotes literacy in Georgia by involving entire communities. By making literacy a community-wide commitment, a broad variety of community resources are mobilized to promote and support literacy training. The CLCP is a business-education-government partnership resulting in improved literacy levels of children, families, and workers in an entire community.
The purpose of the CLCP is to harness the power of communities. It addresses the twin challenges of scarce adult literacy funding and the need to recruit adult students in greater numbers. The CLCP is important because it enables communities to improve their literacy rates, fosters a collaborative approach and mobilizes all community resources to fight illiteracy. The program began in 1990 with five pilot communities. Currently the CLCP has 56 programs: 42 Participants and 14 Certified Literate Communities. Approximately twenty-five other communities are in various stages of organizing programs.
The Office of Adult Literacy provides a full-time Certified Community Program Executive Director who is responsible for providing technical assistance to communities as they develop the structure to attain Participant and final certification. A community that is accepted into the program will receive certification twice, first when the community meets the eight criteria for becoming a Certified Literate Community Participant (which includes a numeric goal of serving 50% plus one of the target population) and later when the community meets all qualifications for achieving the designation Certified Literate Community.
For more information go to www.newtonreads.org or www.dekalbtech.edu.
Photo ID (l to r): Dr. Josephine Reed-Taylor; DeKalb Tech Executive Vice President Larry Teems; CLCP Executive Director Billie Izard; DeKalb Tech Vice President of Academic Affairs Tanya Gorman; President Robin Hoffman; Dean of Adult Education Martha Coursey; Newton READS Executive Director Janet Hodges; READS Board Chairman Greg Shy; TCSG State Board Member Dr. Sandra Reed; Laura Bertram; TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson; and TCSG State Board member Dean Alford.
