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Agency: Dade County Public Schools
Project Director:
Ms. Carrie B. Mickey
Project Title: Literacy for Quality Program
Goal: To pilot an exemplary model partnership which provides job-based workplace literacy training to businesses in Dade County in order to upgrade employees' literacy skills, prepare them for changing work requirements, and further their career.
Background: A needs assessment of the six targeted companies in Dade County indicated that 60 to 100 percent of their employees are below the fifth grade level in English and have not completed high school. Approximately, 60 percent of these employees were born in other countries. Teachers of ESOL and workplace literacy in Dade County Public Schools have not received formal training in methods, materials and delivery of workplace literacy instruction that are industry-specific.
Agency: Taylor District Schools
Project Director:
Bryant J. Russell
Project Title: Workforce Taylor
Goal: To enable adult teachers and volunteers to receive the necessary training for developing and implementing WFL programs designed to address the documented needs of employees functioning below the eighth grade level in basic skills as measured by the TABE.
Background: In June 1991, the TABE was given to 100 industrial employees of which 55 percent scored below the eighth grade level in basic math and language skills. A survey of eight local industries revealed that five are willing to participate in a workforce literacy (WFL) program. Rural Taylor County has a definite need for a WFL program. The total workforce in Taylor County is 9,203. Eighty-one percent are employed in manufacturing and construction.
Unlike other recently funded 353 workforce grants, such as the Workforce Gadsen project, which targeted agricultural employees, and the Panacea Storefront project which addressed the literacy needs of the local fishing community, this project will address the literacy needs of manufacturing and construction workers in a rural county. There is a need for recruitment and training of teachers and volunteer tutors for the implementation of this project.