Mary Shelton-Wiese, Executive Director

810-664-2737 ican@readlapeer.org

Family Literacy Center Family Literacy Center Mission StatementMission Statement

Building Skills and enriching Building Skills and enriching lives through literacy in the lives through literacy in the

Lapeer County areaLapeer County area

What is Literacy?What is Literacy?

The ability to read, to write, to The ability to read, to write, to perform math computations, to perform math computations, to understand the written word, to understand the written word, to speak in one’s native language or speak in one’s native language or in the language of one’s adopted in the language of one’s adopted homeland.homeland.

David C. Harvey, President and CEO of ProLiteracy WorldwideDavid C. Harvey, President and CEO of ProLiteracy Worldwide

Why are literacy skills important?Why are literacy skills important?

Directly impacts an individual’s ability to Directly impacts an individual’s ability to support him or herself and family support him or herself and family (employment, training)(employment, training)

Directly impacts the ability to maintain Directly impacts the ability to maintain good health (access to health care)good health (access to health care)

Directly impacts the ability to raise well-Directly impacts the ability to raise well-educated children who will succeed in educated children who will succeed in school and in the workplace school and in the workplace

21%

27%

32%

17%

3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Per

cent

age

of P

opul

atio

n

1-2 3-5 6-9 10-15 16+

Reading Grade Levels

U. S. National Adult Literacy Survey

Experts recommend that documents for Experts recommend that documents for the general public be the general public be written at the 7written at the 7thth grade level.grade level. Documents about health, Documents about health, medical or safety should be written at the medical or safety should be written at the 55thth grade level. grade level.

Businesses and government web sites Businesses and government web sites regularly present information regularly present information written at written at the 12the 12thth grade level and up reaching grade level and up reaching less than 15% of their intended less than 15% of their intended audienceaudience. .

Reference is William H. DuBay, Plain Language ServicesReference is William H. DuBay, Plain Language Services

Total Population Per County Versus Number of Adults Age 25+ Without a High School Diploma

34,143

93,761

44,448

57,878

5,415

8,750

5,927

7,125

0 50,000 100,000

Huron

Lapeer

Sanilac

Tuscola

Literacy FactsLiteracy Facts

Having a High School Diploma does not Having a High School Diploma does not necessarily mean you have good reading necessarily mean you have good reading skills.skills.

In 2007, 53% of the students at the Family In 2007, 53% of the students at the Family Literacy Center had a 12Literacy Center had a 12thth grade education grade education or higher. or higher. AllAll read at or below an 8 read at or below an 8thth grade grade level.level.

We are allWe are all

gifted, gifted,

average average

or challengedor challenged depending on the depending on the

task at hand.task at hand.

Low-level literacy ~ WHY?Low-level literacy ~ WHY?

Learning Disabilities Learning Disabilities Parents don’t read (no reading materials)Parents don’t read (no reading materials) Family stress or instability, poor nutritionFamily stress or instability, poor nutrition Vision or hearing problemsVision or hearing problems Childhood illnessChildhood illness Changing schools frequentlyChanging schools frequently Reading not a priority (TV, Video games)Reading not a priority (TV, Video games) Getting discouraged, told you can’t do itGetting discouraged, told you can’t do it

Student Education Level at Intake

10%17%

24%24%

17%3%3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

8th9th

10th11th12th

GEDCollege

2008 Student 2008 Student AccomplishmentsAccomplishments 12 students have passed the GED test12 students have passed the GED test

25 students were able to qualify for training25 students were able to qualify for training 30 raised their reading level and 21 raised 30 raised their reading level and 21 raised

their math level (according to follow up TABE their math level (according to follow up TABE testing) testing) Many student avoid follow up testing due to Many student avoid follow up testing due to extreme test anxietyextreme test anxiety

14 found employment14 found employment 12 had other accomplishments (passed 12 had other accomplishments (passed

college entrance tests, completed CNA, etc.)college entrance tests, completed CNA, etc.) Many students are still in our program Many students are still in our program

working toward their goals and building their working toward their goals and building their skillsskills