Literacy Action Inc

Programs: See schedule o for complete program accomplishment description. Literacy action is the oldest, largest, and leading adult basic education nonprofit in the southeast. Professional, trained adult-education teachers provide the full continuum of education courses needed by undereducated adults. The 2014-2015 class of students represented the following statistics: on average 80% of those entering were at or below the 3rd grade literacy level, 60% were aged 20 to 50, 70% were african-american, 68% were women of which 40% were also head of household, almost half had school aged children living in their home, 19% were employed, and almost all were low-income, with 93% living below the poverty level for the atlanta area. All of literacy action's classes are provided free of charge and are delivered in three 15-week semesters per year. They are taught by professional paid instructors in two- and three-hour classes meeting twice weekly (sometimes three and four days as well). There are six levels of reading and writing, four levels of math, three levels of esl, and electives such as health literacy, financial literacy, extensive reading, work skills, life skills, soft skills, and computer training. With a typical class size of 15-18 students, in fiscal year 2015 (july 1, 2014 through june 30, 2015), over 200 different classes served over 1200 adults at grade level equivalencies of 0 through 12. Classes are offered at 100 edgewood and at satellite locations throughout the atlanta area. Literacy action's programs are open to any adult in the atlanta area, however the typical enrollment by county reflected: fulton county (85%), dekalb county (11%), and the remaining 4% drawing from cobb, clayton, cherokee, douglas, fayette, floyd, franklin, haralson, henry, gwinnett, and rockdale. The curriculum uses the orton-gillingham instructional approach, a phonics-based methodology to reading instruction used with dyslexic children and adults, at all grade levels, distinguishing literacy action. Additionally, the focus is on decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to build skilled readers. Content for skill development focuses on family, finance, health, work-skills and civic engagement and is based on real-life needs of the adult learner. The program's purpose is to break the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy -- where parents are able to help their children with homework, where workers are prepared to enter the job market and succeed, and where families can use education to leverage themselves out of poverty and become self-sufficient. Literacy action is also a part of several studies with higher education institutions and is currently a participant in a five-year study on low-level adult learners sponsored by the u. S. Department of education. On average, students move two grade levels in a 12-month period.