Literacy and targeted populations reports

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has announced the release and availability of seven Occasional Papers on Literacy and Targeted Populations prepared by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).

As part of the work of the Interagency Coordinating Group on Adult Literacy, ETA and the Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) initiated the development of four occasional papers based on the secondary analyses of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) data (http://nces.ed.gov/naal/). ETA also initiated the preparation of three additional occasional papers to better understand literacy needs of different population segments served through the public workforce system.

As part of the MOU between ETA and OVAE, AIR examined the literacy of non-native English speaking adults, America's young adults, female welfare recipients, and incarcerated adults nearing release from prison. The findings in occasional papers suggest that service delivery strategies should include elements of adult education such as adult basic education, English as a Second Language, and computer skills training to assist these populations with entering employment or making employment transitions.

Training and Employment Notice 20-10 provides additional background and furnishes a short description of each paper. All papers are available at the ETA Occasional Paper Series Web site at http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm.

Direct links to the individual papers appear below:

Overcoming the Language Barrier: The Literacy of Non-Native-English-Speaking Adults

Preparing Youth for the Future: The Literacy of America's Young Adults

Gaining the Skills for Employment: The Literacy of Female Public Assistance Recipients

Preparing for Life Beyond Prison Walls: The Literacy of Incarcerated Adults

Building Career Ladders for the Working Poor Through Literacy Training

Workers in Declining Industries: Literacy's Role in Worker Transitions

Survival Literacy Training for Non-Native-English-Speaking Workers