THE LITERACY COOPERATIVE OF GREATER CLEVELAND

THE LITERACY COOPERATIVE WORKS TO INTEGRATE LITERACY INTO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ALIGN PROGRAMS AND PARTNERS THAT WILL ASSIST OUR RESIDENTS IN CONNECTING TO TRAINING TO FILL THE JOBS IN DEMAND AND TO ASSIST OUR PARTNERS WITH TOOLS THAT PREPARE INDIVIDUALS FOR TRAINING. TLC HAS CONVENED A CONSORTIUM OF ADULT EDUCATION PROVIDERS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLABORATE ON AN INDUSTRY-BASED CURRICULUM FOR HEALTHCARE, MANUFACTURING, HOSPITALITY, CONSTRUCTION, AND IT. WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO TRAIN ADULT EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTORS AND TO EVALUATE HOW THE CONTEXTUALIZED CURRICULUM COMPARES TO TRADITIONAL ADULT EDUCATION CURRICULUM. RESULTS HAVE SHOWN THE USE OF CONTEXTUALIZED CURRICULUM HAS REDUCED COMPLETION TIME OF LESSONS AND INCREASED LITERACY LEVELS IN LESS TIME TO MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT OR TRAINING. IN 2018, TLC CONVENED A LITERACY SUMMIT TO BRING TOGETHER MORE THAN 100 REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO BEGIN DEVELOPING A TWO- GENERATION APPROACH THAT SUPPORTS FAMILY LEARNING AND PARENTS AS FIRST TEACHERS. THIS RESULTED IN ASSEMBLING A WORKING GROUP OF 28 STAKEHOLDERS TO PROMOTE 2GEN POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND PACTION PLAN WITH THE GOAL OF FOSTERING STRATEGIES YIELDING 2GEN IMPLEMENTATION AND SUGGESTS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ACTION PLAN. TLC IS CONNECTING ALL OUR INITIATIVES TO INTRODUCE AND PROMOTE, TO OUR COMMUNITY'S SERVICE PROVIDERS, TWO-GENERATIONAL STRATEGIES. ADDRESSING BOTH GENERATIONS THROUGH A POWERFUL TWO-GENERATIONAL APPROACH GIVES THE GREATEST PROBABILITY OF ACHIEVING IMPACT. WE ADVOCATE FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS: 1) RESOURCING IDEAS FOR ENGAGING EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ADULT EDUCATION PARTNERS, BUILDING STAFF CAPACITY, AND STREAMLINING PRIORITIES 2) STRENGTHENING THE CORE INCOME AND WORK SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION 3) INCENTIVIZING PROGRAMS THAT BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION IN LIFE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, INCLUDING CHILDCARE AND TWO-GENERATIONAL STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT PARENTS IN BOTH EMPLOYMENT AND RAISING CHILDREN 4) DEVELOPING A COUNTYWIDE TWO-GENERATIONAL PRACTICE THAT SUPPORTS FAMILY LEARNING AND PARENTS AS FIRST TEACHERS

DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY (DPIL) IS A UNIQUE BOOK GIFTING PROGRAM THAT MAILS A BRAND NEW, AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOK TO ENROLLED CHILDREN EVERY MONTH FROM BIRTH UNTIL FIVE YEARS OF AGE, INSTILLING A LOVE OF BOOKS ANDROGRAMS THROUGHOUT CUYAHOGA COUNTY. THE COMMITTEE CREATED A COMMUNITY FAMILY READING FROM AN EARLY AGE. SINCE 1995, DPIL HAS GIFTED OVER 260,000,000 BOOKS TO CHILDREN REGISTERED FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE. THE PROGRAM IS REPLICATED IN OVER 2,000 COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, UK, CANADA, AND AUSTRALIA BY A SPECIFIED GEOGRAPHIC AREA SUCH AS A COUNTY, CITY, OR ZIP CODE. ALL CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE RESIDING IN THE SPECIFIED AREA THAT IS FUNDED, ARE ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL. THERE ARE NO INCOME RESTRICTIONS. THE PROGRAM IS NOW AVAILABLE STATEWIDE IN OHIO. SINCE 2017, TLC HAS BEEN THE LOCAL AFFILIATE MANAGING THE PROGRAM IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY WHERE MORE THAN 82,000 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN SERVED. CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 39,000 CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM. FAMILIES ENROLLED IN DPIL RECEIVE REGULAR EMAILS FROM TLC THAT SHARE USEFUL PARENTING TIPS AND VALUABLE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS IMPORTANT DATES FOR PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION. TLC HAS ALSO CREATED AND SHARED VIRTUAL EARLY LITERACY VIDEOS AND WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS FAMILIES ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE NEWSLETTERS, DIRECT EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, VIRTUAL EVENTS, VIDEOS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. THE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION'S RECENT WORK IN THE ADULT LITERACY FIELD SHOWED THAT ADULTS ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES. WE USE OUR CONNECTIONS TO FAMILIES TO INFORM THEM OF IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE RESOURCES. THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM POSITIVELY IMPACTS THE FOLLOWING: -FAMILY READING FREQUENCY -LOCAL LIBRARY USAGE -CHILDREN REQUESTING TO BE READ TO -KINDERGARTEN READINESS -SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND SUSPENSIONS -GRADE LEVEL READING IN THIRD GRADE