User:Mwmfoster/National Coalition for Literacy

National Coalition for Literacy

Mission
The mission of NCL is "To advance adult education, family literacy, and English language acquisition in the U.S. by increasing public awareness for the need to increase funding and programs; promoting effective public policy; and serving as an authoritative resource for the field on national adult education issues."

Work
NCL is a member-based organization that advocates for adult literacy and raises awareness of literacy issues in the United States. They advocate for increased funding for literacy programs and federal legislation that supports the advancement of adult literacy.

In 2010, NCL supported Congress as they designated the week of September 13, 2010 National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. During this week, organizations across the country celebrated adult literacy activities and conducted advocacy on behalf of adult learners to increase funding for literacy and ESL programs and increase the number of adult learners that benefit from federal investments in adult education.

History
NCL was developed in 1981 by eleven national organizations that aimed to increase public awareness of the low levels of adult functional literacy and English proficiency in the U.S. It began as an all-volunteer organization and, in 2002, was incorporated as a nonprofit. Today, NCL is managed by a board of directors and is supported by the Dollar General Foundation and the Verizon Foundation.

Members
NCL is a member-based organization with 24 voting and non-voting members. Members organizations are diverse and include Member-based Associations, Research Organizations, Advocacy Organizations, and others.

Voting Members

American Association for Adult and Continuing Education

American Institutes for Research

American Library Association

Center for Literacy Studies

Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE)

GED Testing Service

Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy

International Reading Association

National Center for Family Literacy

National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

ProLiteracy Worldwide

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL)

World Education

Nonvoting Members

Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD)

Center for Applied Linguistics

The Center for the Book

Center for Law and Social Policy

Correctional Education Association

MPR Associates, Inc

National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs

National Center on Adult Literacy, University of Pennsylvania

Senior Service America, Inc.

Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education (SCALE)

Voice of Adult Learners United to Educate (VALUE)