TTC attended first-ever national conference on adult education and literacy to represent state and local needs
Jack Glade, Janice Leslie, and Jan Bopp of The Tutorial Center in Bennington and Manchester presented workshops to hundreds of literacy organizations from around the country who attended the first-ever national conference on adult basic education and literacy in Chicago, Ill., the week of March 15.
“With record job losses and demand for services soaring, there has never been a more crucial time for this conference. It will bring greater attention to the adult literacy crisis estimated to impact one in seven adults nationally,” said Glade, Executive Director of The Tutorial Center.
The Tutorial Center is a member of ProLiteracy, the world’s largest organization of adult basic education and literacy programs with 1,200 community based members in the U.S. In Vermont, The Tutorial Center is a member organization of LearningWorks, Vermont’s adult education and literacy system. Glade, Leslie, and Bopp presented two separate workshops on exemplary literacy programs offered at The Tutorial Center.
The conference, co-hosted by ProLiteracy and the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), brought together more than 1,500 education experts; political leaders, including Obama administration representatives; and adult learners to discuss strategies to address funding shortages and increase collaborations as the demand for services continues to grow across the country.
Doing so, they join a roster of presenters that will feature prominent national speakers and advocates who will draw attention to America’s expanding literacy crisis including Brenda Dann-Messier, Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education; Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; Byron Pitts, Chief National Correspondent for the CBS Evening News, “60 Minutes” contributor, author, and champion of personal literacy struggles; Scott Simon, NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host and author; and David Harvey, President and CEO, ProLiteracy.
“This inaugural joint conference marks a historic milestone in adult education, when we bring together top political and industry advocates to try to open America’s eyes to the adult literacy crisis, which affects 32 million adults and their families,” said David C. Harvey, president and CEO of ProLiteracy.