America’s Perceptions of Literacy

1. Summer Webinar August 15, 2013 America’s Perceptions of Literacy

2. Housekeeping Your Participation • Open and hide your control panel • Join audio: • Choose “Mic & Speakers” to use VoIP • Choose “Telephone” and dial using the information provided • Submit questions and comments via the Questions panel

3. Agenda Welcome: Frank Ridzi, LFN President-elect, Central New York Community Foundation LFN Update: Kim Scott, LFN Executive Director 2014 LFN Symposium National Results and Equity Collaborative Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Attendance Awareness Month New Member Spotlight: Sally Fuller, Project Director, The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation Featured Presentation: America’s Perceptions of Literacy Liza McFadden, Executive Director, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Reflections: Peter Waite, Executive Vice President, ProLiteracy Closing: Frank

4. 2014 LFN Symposium Save the Date! February 17-18, 2014 The Symposium will be held once again in partnership with Literacy Powerlineand the National Center for Family Literacy and will take place at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel, in the heart of Penn Quarter.

5. National Results and Equity Collaborative • Initiative adopted by LFN in 2013 • Working in partnership with Choice Neighborhoods, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Center for the Study of Social Policy, Coalition for Community Schools, Promise Neighborhoods Institute, Results Leadership Group and United Way Worldwide. • This initiative will enable us to: • tap into the a growing collective knowledge base, tools and technical assistance to support evidence-based strategies proven to lead to results; • recognize the importance of investing in community capacity – the necessary skills and knowledge – to do the results work; • define a set of common and powerful results and measures to which communities and initiatives add their unique indicators of progress, resulting in a common language about what the most important results are for children, families and communities, and agreement about what indicators are strong predictors of progress; and • measure progress and results with tools that that can translate among different approaches to strategy development, aggregate and geo-map data (population level and individual), connect peers across the country and help coalitions and leaders keep track of collective action in ways that demonstrate both the costs and benefits of improved results.

6. National Results and Equity Collaborative Updates • Scorecard 3.0 is being readied for a September launch and includes some of the enhancements we envision (ability to incorporate population level data, language cross-walk, etc.); • The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has begun expansion so that over the next year, all 130+ communities will have Scorecard 3.0 and 10 hours of TA to use it. This expansion, coupled with the fact that we know that 40 of these communities have four or more national initiatives underway simultaneously, represents a far reaching “laboratory” and opportunity. These national initiatives include Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Choice Neighborhood, Promise Neighborhood, Community School initiatives, literacy coalitions, and United Ways; • We continue to network with allied groups (Child Trends, Urban Institute, Data Quality Campaign, Forum for Youth Investment/ Ready By 21, etc.) to identify complementary opportunities. • We have identified national funders and are in various stages of connecting .

7. National Results and Equity Collaborative Implementation/Funding Needs We are seeking both multi-year implementation funding AND planning funding. As the work evolves, we are increasingly clear on key roles for NREC, including: • Learning and sharing how communities can begin to connect the dots and the data across multiple initiatives (represented by the first set of national partners) that all use the Scorecard but aren’t yet working together to achieve community level results; • Testing and refining ways for initial partners to help communities coordinate strategy work on the ground; • Working with state and local partners/data users to design/develop curated, collaborative and dynamic strategy resource library; • Working with other data users and vendors to create inter-operability processes and incentives; • Creating a dynamic peer-to-peer connection mechanism; and • A business and implementation plan for expanding the NREC beyond the founding partners.

8. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies The Fall 2013 Webinar on October 30th will focus on new data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), to be released in early October. PIAAC is the first seminal data about the literacy skills and competencies of adults in the U.S. in more than 10 years…but how will this new information help us in our day-to-day work?

9. Attendance Awareness Month Did you know that missing just 10% of the school year in the early grades can leave many students struggling throughout elementary school? Or that by 6th grade, missing that much school is strongly linked to course failure and even eventually dropping out of high school? That’s just 18 days — or two to three days per month. Every school day counts, and everyone can make a difference: educators, afterschool programs, mayors, funders, businesses and parents. Join us this September for the launch of the first-ever Attendance Awareness Month. Rally your community around the importance of attendance and its role in academic achievement. Want to get involved? Visit Attendance Works at attendanceworks.org for information.

10. Member Spotlight Sally Fuller Program Director The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation www.davisfdn.org

12. Springfield, Massachusetts is home to Read! Reading Success by 4thGrade, a community campaign with a GOAL: By 2016, 80% of Springfield’s 3rd graders will achieve reading proficiency.

13. Why? Ensuring that children are proficient readers by the time they enter fourth grade is crucial– it is a strategic point of intervention for addressing education, community health, public safety, poverty and economic development goals. How? By engaging the entire community in collective action in support of early literacy through • a public awareness campaign in Spanish and English • supporting public policy and advocacy work • aligning the work of all – families, schools and community – to increase the quality of children’s language and reading environments across the many settings in which they are growing up, from birth to age 9 • encouraging focused grant making on strategies identified in Blueprint/CSAP • Via Funder Collaborative for Reading Success • Via Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation

14. Our video shares our goal—and how to get there. Click below to watch our video: Our Video

15. New parent-friendly website launched (www.readby4thgrade.com)—linked to social media:

16. Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade is a story of COMMUNITY PARTNERS (and state and national partners). We are learning from each other and learning to align our efforts. Here are just some of Read! Partners and how we are working together. Results Leadership Group As part of the GLR Communities Network, we have participated in the pilot of the Results Scorecard to build our capacity to align the community’s work on grade level reading proficiency to achieve population-level results. We are continuing to convene workgroups in School Readiness, Chronic Absenteeism/ Attendance and Summer Learning to adopt the indicators and understand the strategic planning process that is encompassed by the Results Scorecard, and use this valuable tool to move forward on the critical areas that will result in Springfield’s children reading proficiently by the end of third grade.

17. The Funder Collaborative for Reading Success, supporting the initiative, announces second round of grants totaling $491,000 to nine early literacy and learning programs. http://www.readby4thgrade.com/read/funder-collaborative/

19. Featured Presentation America’s Perceptions of Literacy Liza McFadden Executive Director Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

20. Barbara Bush Foundation for family literacy quantitative detailed report

21. methodology • PSB conducted online interviews among General Population and National Elites • U.S. General Population: Ages 18-64, including statistically significant samples of African Americans and Hispanic/Latino populations.

22. AMERICANS ARE SYMPATHETIC ON LITERACY, BUT THEY NEED MOTIVATION

23. Education is a middle-tier issue for Americans: on the radar but not top-of-mind TOP ISSUES FACING THE U.S. In your opinion, what are the 2-3 most important issues facing the U.S. today? TOP ISSUES FACING THE COMMUNITY In your opinion, what are the 2-3 most important issues facing your communitytoday? Showing All Showing All

24. But Americans do see a need for action on education This tells us that they are willing to act but need motivation – Hispanics/Latino are slightly more concerned than African Americans TRACK OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM Thinking generally about the U.S. education system today, do you believe the education sector as a whole is on the right track or off in the wrong direction? TRACK OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT Thinking generally the school district where you live, do you believe that the school district as a whole is on the right track or off in the wrong direction? Right Track Right Track Showing DC Elites Don’t know Don’t know Wrong Direction Wrong Direction Showing All Showing All • 37% of African Americans say the education system is on the right track, compared to 28% of Hispanics/Latino • 50% of African Americans believe their school district is on the right track, compared to 38% of Hispanics/Latino

25. Literacy is Seen as a middle-tier education issue Americans understand it is still a problem, but our call needs to be clear on why they should act TOP ISSUES IN EDUCATION SYSTEM What do you see as the main issues in the education system that need to be addressed? You can chose up to 2 issues. Showing All

26. Americans understand literacy They are familiar with the meaning of literacy DEFINING LITERACTY Which of the following best describes the term literacy? (Showing All)

27. AMERICANS BELIEVE BASIC EDUCATION IS A RIGHT THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP PROVIDE

28. Nearly all view education as a civil right This resonates very strongly with African Americans and Hispanics EDUCATION A CIVIL RIGHT How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Education is a civil right that all Americans should be entitled to. (Showing All) Agree Don’t know Disagree

29. Nearly all agree that adults ARE ENTITLED TO A SECOND CHANCE AT A BASIC EDUCATION 82% of African Americans strongly agree

30. Americans believe literacy starts at home, but there is community responsibility as well WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILD’S LITERACY? In your opinion, should a child’s school or parents be more responsible for his or her ability to read and write? (Showing All) School Don’t know Parents

31. An overwhelming majority support providing free early childhood, adult education and esl classes • Hispanics/Latino in particular support ESL classes – 86% support SUPPORT/OPPOSE FREE PROGRAMS How much do you support or oppose the following programs being provided free of charge as part of the public education system? Don’t know Support Oppose Early Childhood Education Adult Education ESL Classes Showing All

32. MESSAGING SHOULD START WITH GIVING OUR CHILDREN THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED

33. MESSAGE SCORING METHODOLOGY To easily compare the messages, PSB creates a Summary Index Score for each message comprised of the following components: Net Believability Total % believable – total % not believable 2x Much MoreFavorable Total % Much more favorable towards the Barbara Bush Foundation X2 2x Much More Likely Total % Much more likely to donate to the Barbara Bush Foundation X2 + + SCORE = • Message tables are color coded in order to allow easy identification of the highest and lowest scoring messages: The most compelling phrases have been bolded in dark blue font if in the top 10%; and in blue font if in the top 3rd.

34. NURTURING OUR CHILDREN WITH THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE IS THE MESSAGE THAT RESONATES MOST • PSB tested 6 messages that relate to education and literacy issues WINNING MESSAGE TOP-TIER MESSAGES MIDDLE-TIER MESSAGES BOTTOM-TIER MESSAGES *Score= Net Believability + 2* much more favorable + 2* much more likely

35. messagingOverview • We compared the six messages we tested for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy with other messages in PSB’s Message Cloud database. This revealed that all six messages are very compelling – even the bottom-scoring message: TM TM TOP MESSAGE: CHILDREN BOTTOM MESSAGE: FAMILIES 81st PERCENTILE 93rd PERCENTILE

36. Messages should be backed up with information on programs and the local impact of literacy • Providing information about how donations and programs impact the community help to motivate action EFFECT OF INFORMATION ON LIKELIHOOD OF DONATION If a non-profit organization that promotes literacy were to tell you about each of the following, how much more or less likely would you be to donate? More Likely Less Likely The effect literacy has on the economy, public safety and health The extent of the literacy problem The effect literacy has on your own community Information on the programs that donations help to support Stories about people that donations have helped Statistics about the impact that donations have Showing All

37. RECOMMENDATIONS

38. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD Raise awareness of the cause. Support for literacy programs is strong, but Americans just are not thinking about it right now. It needs to be brought to mind. 1 Messaging should start with giving our children a chance to succeed with the fundamental civil right of literacy. 2 Messaging can also emphasize the need to give adults a second chance, which they deserve and which will support the economy. 3

39. an effective messaging campaign, Starts with a narrow focus, then moves broader • It begins focused on the child and widens to the economy and nation:

40. MESSAGE ARCHITECTURE UMBRELLA MESSAGE Literacy is essential to having a chance at success. Giving our precious children this basic education should be a fundamental civil right. And adults who lack basic skills deserve a second chance – it’s not just good for their families, it’s good for the economy. • CHILDREN AND CIVIL RIGHT • PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT THEME • ADULTS AND ECONOMY • Children are a precious resource that should be nurtured • They deserve basic education and skills • It is a fundamental civil right, providing equal chance to succeed • Good education starts at home • We should help parents and grandparents take an active role in their child’s education • Puts them on the path to success • Adults should be given a second chance at a basic education • This helps their families and it affects us all • A healthy economy relies on educated workers, and we need a 21st Century workforce PROOF POINTS • Local community impact • Information on programs supported by the Foundation • Facts and figures about the impact of literacy on economic and societal issues SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

41. Over half don’t think public schools and non-profit literacy organizations have what they need

42. Appendix iii RIGHT TO EDUCATION

43. Majority think adults should be entitled to free public education

44. MAJORITY THINK ADULTS SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION • 89% think that adults who want a second chance at pursuing high diploma should be entitled to it, with the majority in favor of free public education • 82% of African Americans strongly agree GRANTING ADULTS A SECOND CHANCE IF YES] You indicated that you agree that all adults who want a second chance at pursuing a high school diploma or GED should be entitled to getting the education they need. In your opinion, how should the second chance be made available to them? (Showing All)

45. BUT Americans split on whether free education should Be available to ALL or JUST U.S. citizens African Americans and Hispanics/Latino are more likely to say that all should have access to free education regardless of country of citizenship

46. Key findings AND RECOMMENDATIONS AMERICANS ARE SYMPATHETIC ON LITERACY, BUT THEY NEED MOTIVATION 1 • They see a need to do something to improve education and literacy • But these are not top-of-mind issues • JOB #1: Putting the issue in front of them through a high-visibility communication campaign • Conversation #1: Barbara Bush Foundation joins 100% Literacy

47. Key findings AND RECOMMENDATIONS THEY BELIEVE BASIC EDUCATION IS A RIGHT THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP PROVIDE 2 • Americans see basic education as a civil right • They also believe that adults deserve a second chance • They think the public education system has a role in all types of literacy programs • Conversation #2: Barbara Bush Foundation: Let’s convene the world thinkers.

48. Key findings AND RECOMMENDATIONS 3 MESSAGING SHOULD START WITH GIVING OUR CHILDREN THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED • CORE MESSAGE: Literacy is a right that provides equal opportunity, which our children deserve. • From there, we can talk about helping parents stay involved in their children’s literacy • We can also talk about adults getting a second chance, linking it to the economy and the need for skilled workers • Conversation #3: The new conversation with schools

49. Reflections: Peter Waite • What have we heard? • What have we learned? • What can we take away with us as we move forward in improving literacy for adults, children and families? Peter Waite Executive Vice President ProLiteracy

50. Closing: Frank Ridzi Thank you for attending! Any further questions/comments please contact Kim Scott Phone: 315.857.6960 Email: kim@literacypowerline.com Website: funders.literacypowerline.com