Connection, Collaboration, Action: Achieving a Literate and Empowered Community in St. Paul

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Connection, Collaboration, Action Achieving a
Literate and Empowered Community in St. Paul

• A Community Forum
• Hosted by SPPS Adult Learning
• And the St. Paul
• Community Literacy Consortium

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History

• Significant attention to adult literacy in
  Minnesota - early 90s
• Creation of Hubbs Center - mid 90s funding
  provided for community efforts
• Creation of Collaborative - 1995
• Transition to Consortium - 1998
• Huge growth in services - 1998-2005

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Mission

• To improve the quality and availability of
  adult literacy services in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Philosophy
SPCLC works collaboratively and
cross-culturally to benefit adults and families
needing literacy services.
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The Consortium serves as a statewide resource for
high quality programming. It is a national model
for effective public/private collaboration to
meet community literacy needs.

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Key Accomplishments
In FY 2006, SPCLC delivered 1,208,334 service
hours to 12,024 students - a 20 increase in
service hours over 2005.
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Key Accomplishments
Comprehensive ABE services including ESL, Adult
Secondary, Family Literacy, Citizenship,
Workplace Education, Technology, and GED/Adult
Diploma, are available in dozens of accessible
locations throughout St. Paul.
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Key Accomplishments

• SPCLC was rated among the top two percent of
  ABE programs nationally, during a recent federal
  site visit.

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SPCLC Members

• Capitol Hill English School
• Communidades Latinas Unidos en Servicio
• East Metro OIC
• Guadalupe Alternative Program
• Hmong American Partnership
• Hmong Cultural Center
• SPPS Adult Learning
• Jewish Community Center

• Jewish Family Service
• Lao Family Community
• Lifetrack Resources
• Minnesota Literacy Council
• MORE Multicultural School for Empowerment
• Neighborhood House
• St. Paul Public Library
• Vietnamese Social Services

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Community Impact

• Priority Listening to community need.
• Response Developing creative programming
  incorporating
  diverse
  perspectives.

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Community Impact

• Result Integrated, community-wide response to
  adult literacy expanded
  definition of adult
  literacy better
  service delivery to
  under-served
  populations.

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Benefits to St. Paul

• An engine for economic growth - meeting employer
  needs.
• Increasing employment - moving
  people into jobs.

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Benefits to St. Paul

• Helping refugees and immigrants - assisting with
  adjustment.
• Major mobilization in response to Wat Tham Krabok
  influx.

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Benefits to St. Paul

• Improving K12 achievement - empowering parents to
  help their children.

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Declining Funding

• Static and declining funding is eroding the
  service delivery and overall effectiveness of
  SPCLC.
• Since 2002, changes in the funding formula and
  lack of legislative allocations have cost St.
  Paul an estimated 4-5 M in ABE funding.

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No More Easy Fixes

• In the face of increasing need, St. Paul has
  creatively raised temporary funding from many
  sources, and stretched available resources
  to the breaking
  point.

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What Next?

• At this point, we have reached a dead end -
  the only way to stop service erosion is a
  significant influx of state funding.

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Who is endangered?

• Native English speakers needing basic skills.
• Students with special needs - learning
  disabilities, hearing impairment, etc.

• New Americans needing English and basic skills.
• Students needing alternatives to the GED.
• Learners transitioning into post-secondary.

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How will the Economy Suffer?

• Employers will not be able to find new hires with
  basic skills to fill entry-level jobs.
• Small businesses will be unable to grow and
  expand without qualified staff.
• New Americans will find the path to employment
  blocked.
• Families on public assistance will face further
  barriers to employment.

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New Initiatives No Longer Possible

• Chronic need for ABE services on the eastside
  cannot be met. A lack of space, teachers, and
  other resources is acute.
• Outreach throughout St. Paul is shrinking.
• Significant waiting lists are developing
  throughout the community.

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What is Needed?

• Community understanding of the tremendous role
  ABE plays in economic development, strengthening
  families, and K12 achievement.
• A recognition by policy makers that erosion in
  ABE services will harm the economy.
• A significant infusion of new ABE funding from
  the State.

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What Can You Do?

• Publicly support ABE - educate others.
• Ask the legislature to provide crucial funding.
• Play a leadership role in advocating for
  additional funding.