RALEIGH: November is National Family Literacy Month. The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) is proud to be a major part of the literacy efforts in North Carolina.

Improving literacy levels in the state is an appropriate and important mission of the NCCCS, the third largest community college system in the United States. In addition to literacy, the System is the state’s primary agency for delivery of job training and adult education programs.

In a continuing effort to improve literacy standards, the North Carolina Family Literacy Consortium, an organization designed to help build sustainable support for family literacy programs across our state, was established under the auspices of the North Carolina Community College System last year. In 35 Family Literacy Programs across North Carolina, community colleges partner with local schools, Smart Start, Even Start, Head Start and other early childhood programs to help families.

"The essence of family literacy is that parents are supported as the first teachers of their children," says Katie Waters, NCCCS Family Literacy Consortium Coordinator. Waters adds, "Working with the parents of children in partnership with early childhood programs is important to breaking the cycle of illiteracy in our state."

Family literacy refers to a continuum of programs that addresses the intergenerational nature of literacy, the entire family working and learning together. There are four primary target areas in Family Literacy: (1) interactive literacy activities between parent and child; (2) training in parenting activities; (3) literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency; and (4) age appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences.

Family Literacy programs vary from one community to another as each program works to meet the needs of the participants and the community as well. In some areas Family Literacy is one component of a larger adult education program. In other areas, Family Literacy is a separate program.

Emerging research studies assert that children's motivation to succeed in school is influenced by the educational achievement of their parents. Parental involvement in their children's schools influences student achievement, attendance, motivation, self concept and behavior. Parents who read to their children, have books in their home, exhibit a positive attitude toward school and establish high achievement goals for their children tend to have higher achievers than parents who do not.

Adults who have not mastered the basic skills cannot model appropriate literacy behavior and often pass on to their children the attitudes and abilities that keep them from breaking the cycle of illiteracy. The NCCCS provides the basic adult education resources needed so parents can model good education habits for their children.

The statistics are improving gradually. According to the 1990 Census, 1.4 million (29.8%) of North Carolina’s adults had not completed high school. This was down from 1.7 million (39.1%) in the 1980 Census. However, the more disturbing statistic from the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) shows that 50% of North Carolina’s adults perform at a "below adequate level" in information processing skills. Only ten other states have performance levels lower than North Carolina.

The North Carolina Community College System is committed to improving the literacy statistics in North Carolina.

For more information on Family Literacy, contact Katie Waters at the NCCCS, (919) 733-7051, ext. 465 or contact your local community college for the local Family Literacy program.

-NCCCS-

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