Polis Legislation Recognizes Efforts, Calls for Stronger Adult Education & Family Literacy

Press Release

Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), for the second consecutive year, led the U.S. House of Representatives in passing bipartisan legislation supporting the designation of the week of September 13th as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. The resolution, authored by Polis, recognizes the importance of adult education and family literacy programs to the success and wellbeing of those who strive to improve their and their children's education.

"To rebuild our economy and meet the President's goal of becoming global leaders in college graduates by 2020, we must help the 14 percent of American adults who are illiterate," said Polis. "Those struggling to find or hold on to a job are largely low-skilled workers who have trouble with basic reading, writing and math tasks. Adult education and literacy programs work with these adult learners as well as new immigrants striving to learn English and help them better themselves, their families and communities, and we should all support their work throughout the nation."

According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, there are approximately 90 million adults with "basic" or "below basic" literacy skills and approximately 30 million of these individuals are at the lowest levels of literacy. Adult education and literacy programs provide millions of Americans with the skills needed to lead productive and self-sufficient lives, boost their academic achievements, and engage in our twenty-first century workforce. These programs emphasize basic skills such as reading, writing, math, English language competency, and problem-solving techniques, and help adult learners obtain the skills they need to become employed, retain a job, get a promotion, transition to postsecondary education, participate in a training program, read to their children and fully participate in their education, learn the English language skills necessary to succeed in their new home country, and achieve economic self-sufficiency for their families.

Family literacy programs work with parents without a high school diploma or GED and their young children to help break cycles of illiteracy and poverty that plague some of our nation's most vulnerable families. Most importantly, they provide parents with the knowledge and skills they need to be their child's first and most important teacher and to be full participants in their child's education. For children, family literacy programs help ensure that children start school ready to learn and on an equal footing with their peers.

"Family literacy programs help break cycles of poverty and illiteracy that affect some of our nation's most vulnerable families," said Polis. "This is exactly the type of investment this country needs more of: programs that invest in our nation's future, the children, while supporting families' efforts to move up the economic ladder through training, education and hard work."

Supported by the National Coalition for Literacy, the National Adult Education and Family Literacy week is an opportunity for educators, advocates, and participants in these important programs to elevate adult education and family literacy nationwide with policymakers, the media, and the community. It is important for states, localities, schools, libraries, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, consumer advocates, institutions of higher education, labor unions, and businesses to all work together to support increased access to these adult education and family literacy programs. The outreach which occurs during this week is critical to reaching many of those who would benefit from these programs.

"Education is the key to American progress and prosperity yet 90 million adults in this country lack the literacy skills needed to reach their full potential, including many recent immigrants and unemployed workers," said Polis. "Whether you are new to this country, going back to school, or starting over after being laid off, these programs help American workers gain the skills and higher education credentials they need to get jobs and achieve economic self-sufficiency for their families."

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