Adolescent Literacy and Public Policy

Developing Policy Mechanisms to Address These Literacy Problems

In February 2006, with the support of Carnegie Corporation of New York, The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices gave grants of up to $50,000 to support eight states in their development of literacy plans and policies to improve adolescent literacy achievement. The states selected to receive these grants had submitted proposals outlining benchmarks for performance, including:

• “Development of a state literacy plan;
  
  
• Expanded professional development or certification options based on best practices and research in adolescent literacy;
  
  
• Realigned funding to support adolescent literacy initiatives;
  
  
• Gains in public understanding of and support for a focus on adolescent literacy;
  
  
• Increased press coverage across the state on the impact of adolescent literacy on student achievement and high school graduation rates;
  
  
• An increased number of teachers and principals receiving adolescent literacy instruction training;
  
  
• Improving date tracking and/or reporting for literacy indicators.³

The hope of the National Governors Association and Carnegie Corporation is that the plans and policies these eight states develop will be able to be used as models for the remaining 42 states, three territories and two commonwealths.

While Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey and North Carolina work to develop these literacy plans and policies, the National School Board Association is simultaneously hard at work — also with Carnegie Corporation’s support —to develop state and local policy recommendations.

Grantee Spotlight The National School Boards Association As a September 12, 2005 National School Board Association press release stated, “The National School Boards Association (NSBA) will help local school boards establish policies to clarify and support school districts’ efforts to increase literacy rates among middle and high school students through a new $50,000 grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. NSBA will develop and distribute a policy guidebook for school boards on adolescent literacy. The guidebook will explain the importance of the adolescent literacy issue to state school boards associations and local school boards, and help these leaders develop policies that support reading instruction at the secondary level.” With the new grant, NSBA will focus on two key objectives: Informing state school boards associations and local school boards of the importance of adolescent literacy; Assisting school board leaders in establishing proactive policies to inform and support district efforts to increase literacy levels among middle and high school students.4 The Next Chapter, The National School Boards Association

Next: Additional Policy Resources

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