The need for the English Literacy Program which provides English as a Second Language to students needing English instruction continues to grow.

The Office of Adult Literacy provides GED Examiner Training Certification workshops, inspects and certifies testing center locations, conducts on-site program monitoring, and provides technical assistance to local testing-center staff members.

During the calendar year 2000, the GED test was administered to 33,761 examinees; 18,703 examinees were awarded GED diplomas, more than 20,018 examinees took the exam to qualify for further education, 9,945 took the exam for employment purposes, and the remainder took the exam for personal reasons.

English Literacy/Civics Education Program
With a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Georgia was one of 32 states funded to launch an initiative to assist adults in gaining citizenship, in addition to acquiring literacy skills. The purpose of the English Literacy/Civics Education program is to help adult learners become active participants in their communities while they develop the knowledge and skills to successfully navigate the realms of education, government, workplace, and other American institutions, such as banking and healthcare. In FY01, the Office of Adult Literacy enrolled 1,281 adults in civics education classes and helped a number of participants obtain U.S. citizenship.

Adult Literacy/TANF Program
The Department of Technical and Adult Education/Office of Adult Literacy and the Department of Human Resources/Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) continued a collaborative agreement, providing adult literacy services for up to 9,157 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants without a high school diploma.

Since the partnership began in March 1999, a total of 9,453 participants have received adult literacy services. Of these, 1,143 TANF participants earned the GED diploma as of June 30, 2001.

EAGLE Awards Program
Celebrating eight years of success, the Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Awards Program recognizes outstanding students enrolled in adult literacy classes. Local teachers in public, private, and volunteer agencies nominate students in each of seven categories of competition. These students compete at county, service delivery area, consortium, and state levels. For one year, the seven state level winners serve as "Ambassadors for Literacy" in their local communities and throughout the state. Ambassadors are then eligible for membership in the Ambassadors' Circle. Circle members promote lifelong learning and serve as motivators to family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors who are in need of literacy services. Members meet semi-annually to plan community and statewide literacy activities. Three Ambassadors (Odessa Whiters, Sophia Johnson, and Elsa Croft) represented Georgia at VALUE's (Voice for Adult Literacy United for Education) Adult Learner Leadership Institute in Columbus, Ohio in July 2001.

2001 AMBASSADORS FOR LITERACY
Sitting (left to right) Odessa Whiters, Sophia L. Johnson, and Maria Elsa Croft.
Standing (left to right) Sarojani Thakoor, Chandru G. Mirwani, Judith Bonheur, and Billy Welch, Sr.

Certified Literate Community Program
The Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP) rallies community support to promote literacy. Forty-five communities have achieved Participant status, and two communities have received Certified Literate Community status. In June 2001, Sandersville/Washington County became the second community to achieve the designation Certified Literate Community. Approximately 25 other communities are in various stages of organizing. CLCP is a business-education-government partnership resulting in improved literacy levels of children, families, and workers in communities. It addresses the twin problems of adult literacy funding and the need to recruit more adult students to participate in literacy programs.
Road signs featuring the "Reading - Key to the Future" logo identify a community as a Participating Certified Literate Community. New CLCP's receive two signs when they reach Participant status.

Workplace Learning Program
Many Georgia businesses have adapted to the fast growth and the economic changes over the past few years and have continued their commitment to workplace learning for employees. In previous years, organizations sponsoring workplace learning programs have been recognized with Gold and Platinum Governor's Awards for Achievement in Workplace Learning. Workplace Literacy in Georgia has touched the lives of thousands of Georgians and, to date, nearly 700 organizations and businesses have been recognized for their participation since 1991.

For FY 02, the Office of Adult Literacy is creating a new recognition program to salute organizations for 5 and 10 years of continuous commitment to Workplace Learning. In addition, organizations and businesses with emerging workplace learning programs are being recognized with certificates for implementing new programs.

Georgia's workplace education program continues to encourage the Georgia Tax Credit for Adult Basic Skills Education program, which provides credit to businesses that offer basic skills education for their employees to enhance reading, writing, or mathematical skills up to and including the 12th grade. The tax credit is an amount equal to one third of the cost of education per full-time equivalent student, or $150.00 per full-time equivalent student, whichever is less, for each employee who successfully completes an approved adult basic skills education program.

Staff Development
Staff development for adult literacy practitioners and supporters is an ongoing process involving every level in the organization. Training sessions adopt a variety of methodologies, from one-on-one and small group tutoring sessions to teleconferences, statewide conferences, computer laboratories, meetings, and videoconferences. In addition to training sites around the state, the Staff and Volunteer Enhancement (SAVE) Center in Warner Robins continues as a major site for many staff development activities.

For Local Program Managers
In FY01 Adult Literacy Directors strengthened their management and administrative skills to operate local adult literacy programs through quarterly training activities. Topics included the National Reporting System (NRS), new English Literacy/Civics Education program, the emerging Health Literacy Pilot Program, the GED PASSPORT system, and increasing skills in building a diverse staff team in local programs.

For Volunteers
The development program for Volunteers, VOLITZ, trained 70 volunteers over an 18 month period in subjects such as volunteer recruitment, selection and placement, resources for volunteers, management of volunteer programs, and volunteer recognition. Seventy percent of the Service Delivery Areas (SDAs) participated in the VOLITZ training program in FY00 and FY01.

For Support Staff
Adult Literacy Support Staff members were provided several opportunities in FY01 to enhance administrative and professional skills. Three staff development sessions were conducted, in which the group shared effective administrative strategies used in day-to-day field operations. "Networking for Success", the opening session for Administrative Professionals Week, was followed by team-building exercises.

For Instructional Staff
Full-time literacy teachers attended quarterly professional development sessions. These opportunities allowed teachers to meet by consortium to address issues pertinent to the state, their region, and local areas, and to share this information with colleagues.

Teachers’ Academy
The annual Teachers’ Academy, an intensive professional development for adult literacy teachers in Georgia, addresses national and state trends in the delivery of adult education services. In 2000, 162 teachers attended the Academy, which focused on the upcoming release of the 2002 Test Series.

Georgia Council on Adult Literacy
The role of the Georgia Council on Adult Literacy (GCAL) is to advise, assist, and serve as an advocate for the work and operations of the Office of Adult Literacy. The Council is a governor-appointed committee that may sponsor and coordinate specific programs to help meet the mandates set forth under Georgia Statute [20-4-11(4)]:

". . . to assist the State Board of Technical and Adult Education in developing goals, objectives, policies, methods, and standards for the delivery of adult literacy programs."

Terry Lawler-Chair Georgians for Better Transportation Beauty P. Baldwin Buford City Schools (Retired) George L. Bowen III Georgia Textile Manufacturing Association Matt Gignilliat Savannah Electric & Power Company The Honorable Emma R. Gresham Mayor, City of Keysville Charlie Hicks Georgia Association of Educators Carol R. King Harambee Child Development Council (Retired)

Barbara Loar DeKalb County Public Library System (Retired) Clara B. Roberts Warren County School System (Retired) Reverend Kenneth L. Samuel Victory Baptist Church Betty B. Williford Elberton Adult Literacy Program Alfred S. Yin International Connection Jean DeVard-Kemp Technical College System of Georgia