Title II of the Workforce Investment Act

1
Title II of the Workforce Investment Act

• Adult Basic and Family Literacy Education
• In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

2
Introductions

• Dr. Brian Barnhart, IU 13 Assistant Executive
  Director
• Title II Representative to the WIB
• Sandy Strunk, Program Director for Community
  Education at IU 13
• Beth Crosby, Adult Education Supervisor at IU 13
• Kaylynn Hamilton, Director of WERC
• Cheryl Hiester, Executive Director of the
  Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon

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The Workforce Investment Act

• Title 1 Workforce Investment Systems
• Title 2 Adult Education and Family Literacy
• Title 3 Workforce Investment Related Activities
• Title 4 Vocational Rehabilitation
• Title 5 General Provisions

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How is Title II Different?

• Administered by the U.S. Department of Education,
  Office of Vocational and Adult Education
• Eligibility age, school status, literacy
• Focus on learning as the desired outcome for ALL
  participants
• Emphasis on serving those with the lowest levels
  of literacy
• A diversified portfolio of educational strategies

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The Legislative Purpose of Title II

• It is the purpose of this title to provide adult
  education and literacy services to
• (1) assist adults to become literate and obtain
  the knowledge and skills necessary for employment
  and self- sufficiency
• (2) assist adults who are parents to obtain the
  educational skills necessary to become full
  partners in the educational development of their
  children and
• (3) assist adults in the completion of a
  secondary school education.

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Three-fold Charge for Title II Providers
Family literacy classes in our schools
Knowledge and skills parents need to support
their children.
Basic skills and GED Preparation
Contextualized work-based foundation skills
Knowledge and skills for secondary credential.
Knowledge and skills for employment.
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A Parent is a Childs Most Important Teacher

• Low literacy is a multi-generational problem. In
  fact, a mothers educational level is the single
  biggest predictor of a childs school success.

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The 4 Components of Family Literacy
Early Childhood Education
Adult Basic Education
Parents learning together
Parents as teachers
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Education and Vocabulary Usage

• Education Levels (words used with toddlers)
• Parents in poverty 600 words an hour
• Parents with professional jobs 2,100 words an
  hour
• Vocabulary Levels (5-year-old child)
• From a low-income family 5,000 word vocabulary
• From a middle-class family 20,000 word
  vocabulary

Ref Education Week, September 25, 2002
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Family Literacy Makes Good Economic Sense
For every 1 we invest in these early
childhood programs, we get 10 back in reduced
welfare rolls, fewer health care costs, and less
crime.
President-elect, Barack Obama
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Work-based Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills Framework
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Contextualized Learning

• WorkABLE
• supports the statewide network of WorkABLE
  agencies focused on classroom applications of the
  Foundation Skills Framework 
• WorkABLE in Lancaster County
• support allied healthcare initiative
• foundation skills, including Using Technology,
  especially needed to effectively participate in
  job search

13
PA Workforce Improvement Network
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The WERC Professional Development Center

• ABLE Coalition Support
• coordination and communication of Title II
  services with workforce development partners
• Professional Development Opportunities
• opportunities, including training and technical
  assistance, that address
  work-based foundation
  skills instruction

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Adult Basic Education and the Preservation of our
Democracy

• "Above all things I hope
• the education of the common people will be
  attended to, convinced that on their good sense
  we may rely with the most security for the
  preservation of a due degree of liberty."
• Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1787

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The Face of Low Literacy in Lancaster County

• People seek services for many reasons
• 50 - 60 of our students are working
• Low literacy isnt always obvious
• The need exceeds capacity October over 200
  students in Lancaster waiting for services
• GED economics

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Title II Providers in Lancaster County
Investing in our Economic Future

• Literacy as a community asset
• Literacy as a prerequisite for skills training
• Literacy in an increasingly
• flat world
• Literacy as a foundation
• for economic success

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By Supporting Family Learning

• Children learn more, faster, better
• Parents adequately support their families
• Taxpayers save money

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By Supporting Workplace Learning

• Incumbent workers climb career
• ladders
• Workplace productivity increases
• We bridge the gap
• between employee
  skills and workplace demands

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By Supporting an Informed Citizenry

• Communities prosper
• Health care costs are reduced
• People will make better financial decisions
• Recidivism decreases

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What YOU Can Do as a WIB Member

• Advocate for increased funding
• Advocate to preserve the three-fold purpose of
  adult and family literacy education
• Be involved in the education of
• YOUR children
• Understand all parts of the
• workforce investment system

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Contact Information
Cheryl Hiester The Literacy Council of
Lancaster-Lebanon 38 W. King Street Lancaster, PA
17603 [phone]
Dr. Brian Barnhart Sandy Strunk Lancaster-Lebanon
IU 13 1020 New Holland Avenue Lancaster, PA
17601 [phone]
KayLynn Hamilton Workforce Education Research
Center Institute for the Study of Adult
Literacy 208 Rackley Building University Park, PA
16802 [phone]
Beth Crosby Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13 Lancaster
CareerLink 1016 N. Charlotte Street Lancaster, PA
17603 [phone]