Through 37 Service Delivery Areas (SDAs), the Office of Adult Literacy (OAL) promotes and provides adult literacy programs in all of Georgia's 159 counties. Literacy programs are available to adults needing basic, general, or specialized skills instruction. The Office of Adult Literacy facilitates collaboration among local and state entities to improve adult literacy efforts.
Full-Time Literacy Teachers
With continued fulfillment of the full-time teachers'
initiative, there is a full-time literacy teacher in each of Georgia's
counties. This has increased the accessibility of literacy instruction
and positively impacted student enrollment, enabling communities to expand
literacy services.
General Educational Development
Testing Services
The General Educational Development (GED) Testing Program
is sponsored by DTAE in conjunction with the American Council on Education
(ACE), a private, nonprofit association of colleges, universities, and
education-related organizations. ACE is the regulatory arm between DTAE
and 60 testing sites statewide.
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 calendar year 1998, the GED test was administered
to 31,511 examinees; 17,774 examinees were awarded GED diplomas. More than
8,958 examinees took the exam to qualify for further education, approximately
5,617 for employment purposes, and the remainder for personal reasons.
| GED Participant Status
Calendar Year 1998 |
Credentials Issued by
Age Group in 1998* (Total number issued: 17,774)
|
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Staff Development
Georgia's comprehensive, year-round training and staff development
program is offered to all adult literacy educators in public and private
programs. OAL funds local programs to initiate staff development activities
based upon identified needs. Additional staff development opportunities
are available through the annual Literacy Conference, Workshop Development
Conference, and local mini-conferences, which offer workshop sessions on
topics such as workforce development, community-based literacy, basic adult
education, English and citizenship skills for speakers of other languages,
special needs, student involvement, computers and technology, and advancing
new skills for support staff.
For Administrative Staff
In FY 99, adult literacy directors were trained in various subjects through ongoing staff development and training. This included orientation to the fiscal year as grantees, management skills, communication skills, state technology plan development, and reporting procedures. In addition, adult literacy directors focused on core management skills in a staff development retreat.OAL also provided statewide staff development via the Georgia State Academic and Medical System (GSAMS). The activity addressed procedures for levels of completion, definitions, underage youth, and statistical reporting.
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 literacy teachers in Georgia, addresses national and state trends in the delivery of adult education services. In 1998, 37 teachers attended the Academy, which focused on communication.For Support Staff
Adult literacy support-staff members are provided opportunities to enhance their skills at local and regional staff development activities. A highlight of the year is the workshop track offered at the Annual Literacy Conference. In FY 99 the workshop featured sessions in establishing priorities and goals, maximizing capacities, managing stress, and enhancing organization and productivity.
Tenth Annual Literacy Conference
Georgia's Tenth Annual Literacy Conference, "Mission Possible: Adult
Literacy in Georgia," was convened by BellSouth Senior Vice President and
Conference Chair Carl Swearingen. The event was attended by teachers, business
and community leaders, state officials, service providers, exhibitors,
and past and present literacy ambassadors.
Georgia Governor Roy E. Barnes addressed the audience, pledging support to adult education programs. The State of Georgia also was presented a special award by the American Council on Education for national leadership in lifelong learning, recognizing Georgia's emphasis on technical education, the HOPE Scholarship Program, and GED credentials. The award was accepted by Governor Barnes, Assistant Commissioner DeVard-Kemp, and DTAE Commissioner Breeden.
Executive Director Brenda Sybrant and the Columbus Literate Community Program were recognized for exemplary community involvement and for the commitment to the Certified Literate Community Program in Muscogee County.
Unique this year was the opportunity for exhibitors to conduct seminars for the conference, which highlighted classroom strategies and new software and technology for teachers of adult learners.
Student Assessment
Student performance is measured through both informal and formal assessments.
The system entails student pre-testing, 75 hours of instruction, and post-testing.
One of five formal assessment instruments is administered to place students
into appropriate instructional levels. Informal assessment helps instructional
staff monitor progress and certify attainment of required competencies.
Special Needs Services
Local adult literacy programs are providing hearing-impaired services
to 17 partially deaf and four legally deaf students requiring interpreters.
Staff development workshops highlighting strategies for working with the
hearing impaired are offered throughout the year.
EAGLE Awards Program
The Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Awards
program recognizes students enrolled in adult literacy classes. Local teachers
for public, private, or volunteer agencies nominate students in seven categories
of literacy. These students compete at local, Service Delivery Area, consortium,
and state levels. For one year, the seven winners at the state level 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 meet semi-annually to plan community and statewide
literacy initiatives.
1999 EAGLE Literacy Ambassadors
(left to right) Jessie Beasley, Josie Samford, Elena
Morin,
Dusanka Djuranovic, Misuk Smallwood, Janice Poppell,
Nathan Sickmiller
Certified Literate Community
Program
The Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP) continued to expand
the state's adult literacy efforts. Forty-one communities have achieved
participant status, while another 20 are in various stages of organizing.
The CLCP is a business-education-government partnership working to improve
literacy levels of children, families, and workers in entire communities.
It also addresses adult literacy funding and the need to recruit more adult
students. Road signs featuring the 'Reading-Key to the Future' logo identify
a community as a Participating Certified Literate Community.
Workplace-Learning Program
Numerous organizations and companies help employees improve basic skills
(reading, writing, language, etc.) through workplace program services.
To recognize these efforts, the Governor's Awards for Achievement in Workplace
Learning were initiated in 1992. Throughout the last seven calendar years,
377 Gold Awards and 130 Platinum Awards have been presented.
The Gold Award identifies organizations that have implemented workplace-learning programs. The Platinum Award recognizes organizations where 85 percent or more of the employees have achieved at least at a minimum of an eighth-grade skill level in reading comprehension, language arts, and/or mathematics.
Businesses may benefit by providing or sponsoring employee basic skills education, according to the Georgia Tax Credit for Adult Basic Education.
Adult Literacy/TANF Program
The Adult Literacy/TANF Program was officially established on March
1, 1999, through a collaborative contract in which the Georgia Department
of Human Resources' Division of Family and Children Services requested
that the Office of Adult Literacy provide adult literacy services to 2,015
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants (under age
20) and 7,228 secondary TANF participants (over age 20). This adult literacy
program is being implemented through the 37 SDAs and with the hiring of
92 full-time adult literacy TANF teachers. DFCS data projected 151 of 159
counties with potential referrals.
Enrollment
Enrollment in English literacy programs has steadily increased.
English Literacy Programs
| Enrollment in Adult Literacy
Programs
State Governed Technical Institutes With Literacy Programs |
FY 99 | |
|
|
||
| Albany Technical Institute | 1,343 | |
| Altamaha Technical Institute | 860 | |
| Appalachian Technical Institute* | 1,954 | |
| Athens Area Technical Institute | 4,560 | |
| Augusta Technical Institute | 2,350 | |
| Carroll Technical Institute | 2,593 | |
| Coosa Valley Technical Institute | 2,183 | |
| DeKalb Technical Institute | 14,745 | |
| East Central Technical Institute | 1,242 | |
| Flint River Technical Institute | 949 | |
| Griffin Technical Institute | 2,036 | |
| Heart of Georgia Technical Institute | 1,353 | |
| Lanier Technical Institute | 2,996 | |
| Middle Georgia Technical Institute | 1,657 | |
| Moultrie Area Technical Institute | 1,771 | |
| North Georgia Technical Institute | 1,576 | |
| North Metro Technical Institute | 1,537 | |
| Northwestern Technical Institute | 1,370 | |
| Ogeechee Technical Institute | 848 | |
| Okefenokee Technical Institute | 1,076 | |
| Sandersville Regional Technical Institute | 636 | |
| South Georgia Technical Institute | 1,453 | |
| Southeastern Technical Institute | 609 | |
| Swainsboro Technical Institute | 632 | |
| Thomas Technical Institute | 1,468 | |
| Valdosta Technical Institute | 1,654 | |
| West Georgia Technical Institute | 875 | |
| Public School Systems With Literacy
Programs
|
||
| Atlanta City School System | 5,846 | |
| Bibb County School System | 3,259 | |
| Chatham County School System | 2,699 | |
| Clayton County School System | 1,627 | |
| Cobb County School System | 4,699 | |
| Decatur County School System | 808 | |
| Glynn County School System | 1,208 | |
| Muscogee County School System | 3,591 | |
| Institutionalized | 11,576 | |
| Locally Governed Technical Institutes
With Literacy Programs
|
||
| Gwinnett Technical Institute | 6,021 | |
| Colleges With Literacy Programs
|
||
| Dalton College | 2,143 | |
| Additional Literacy Program Providers | 705 | |
|
|
||
| Total Enrollment | 100,508 | |
| * Formerly Pickens Technical Institute | ||
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 TransportationBeauty P. Baldwin
Buford City Schools (Retired)George L. (Roy) Bowen III
Georgia Textile Manufacturing AssociationMatt Gignilliat
Savannah Electric & Power CompanyThe Honorable Emma R. Gresham
Mayor, City of KeysvilleCharlie Hicks
Georgia Association of EducatorsCarol 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 ChurchBetty B. Williford
Elberton Adult Literacy ProgramAlfred S. Yin
International ConnectionJean DeVard-Kemp
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
Interagency Council on Adult
Literacy
The Interagency Council on Adult Literacy facilitates leadership and
cooperation among government agencies for the purpose of increasing, improving,
and coordinating adult literacy efforts throughout Georgia. A working committee
comprised of middle managers from state agencies assists in identifying
specific population groups in need of literacy services and is responsible
for developing strategies, ideas, and suggestions for review by interagency
council members. Members include representatives from technical and adult
education, primary and secondary education, corrections, labor, human resources,
public telecommunications, higher education, and juvenile justice.
Kenneth H. Breeden
Commissioner, Department of Technical and Adult EducationAudrey W. Horne
Commissioner, Department of Human ResourcesOrlando Martinez
Commissioner, Department of Juvenile JusticeStephen R. Portch
Chancellor, Board of RegentsLinda C. Schrenko
State Superintendent, Department of EducationMichael Thurmond
Commissioner, Department of LaborClaude L. Vickers
Executive Director, Georgia Public BroadcastingJim Worthington
Commissioner, Department of Corrections
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