ADULT
LITERACY
Outreach efforts are targeted at the large number of people in Palm Beach County whose lack of literacy skills make them unemployed or under-employed. Persons for whom English is a second language are recruited for English classes that serve the needs of many nationalities in our county. The U.S. Census Bureau determined that 20 percent of the people living in Palm Beach County in 2003 were foreign born. Among people at least five years old, 25 percent spoke a language other than English at home. The Palm Beach County School District, one of the Literacy Coalition’s many partners, estimates that 29,000 adults learn to speak English each year through English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.
Adult Literacy Student Outreach and Referral provides
information to these adult learners who are in need of literacy services. The
adult students are referred to the many literacy providers in Palm Beach County
who offer the services that the adult learners need.
In 2004:
• 1,500 Literacy Hotline calls were received.
• More than 1,000 adult students were connected
with literacy programs in Palm Beach County.
• Almost 400 volunteers received information
about adult literacy tutoring.
• More than 175 volunteers were trained to tutor
through the Literacy Coalition’s Adult Literacy Tutor Training Course.
• Literacy resources and technical assistance
were provided to 333 community organizations, social service agencies, schools
and faith- based communities during the past year. Countless indirect referrals
were made as well.
