Five New Cities Added to National Hispanic Family Literacy Program

The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) – the organization that pioneered the concept of raising the literacy level of parents and children simultaneously – today announced five new cities in the Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP).

Today’s new cities are Las Cruces, N.M.; Las Vegas; Long Beach, Calif.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Springdale, Ark. That brings the total number of TFLP cities to 25 and represents an additional $3 million investment from Toyota in the program, which is the first nationwide project of its kind to focus on the needs of Hispanic and other immigrant families. Since 1991, Toyota’s commitment to NCFL programming has exceeded $36 million.

Created by NCFL in 2003, TFLP increases basic language and literacy skills among Hispanic and other immigrant families, and provides parents with the skills they need to help their children succeed in school. It serves children in kindergarten to third grade and their parents.

TFLP is unique because it not only brings parents and children together in a classroom but also includes programming that is culturally relevant to the populations served.

Statistics show the investment couldn’t come at a better time. The nation’s largest and fastest growing minority group is also the only one that has experienced a decline in literacy in the last 15 years – contributing to Hispanic dropout rates that are four times higher than those for whites. However, the dropout rate for Hispanic students who speak English well is only 16 percent, compared to 59 percent for Hispanics who do not.

Results from the TFLP programs already implemented include:

* Significant literacy gains by adults with 54 percent improving literacy scores by at least one level. This has contributed to an improved understanding of basic oral and written instructions in English, reading a note from a teacher, setting up a doctor’s appointment, and displaying basic computer literacy skills (word processing and sending email);
* Children in the program exceeded peers in such areas as academic performance (79 percent), motivation to learn (86 percent), attendance (96 percent), classroom behavior (91 percent), and involvement in classroom activities (88 percent).
* 92 percent of parents stating they are better able to help their child with homework; and
* 91 percent of parents stating their child’s grades have improved.

“NCFL has pioneered a proven formula and delivery of family literacy services that not only works for the participants, but for the betterment of the communities,” said Sharon Darling, president and founder of NCFL. “The program’s expansion into 25 cities is a result of the impressive gains made by the thousands of TFLP participants since 2003.”

NCFL announced today that Toyota will fund another round of five cities for the program, for a total of 30 cities. Those applications will be accepted in December and awarded in 2009.

“The expansion of the Toyota Family Literacy Program into 25 cities since 2003 is a tribute to NCFL and educators throughout the nation who have made it a success,” said Patricia Pineda, group vice president, philanthropy, at Toyota Motor North America. “Through the dedication of NCFL, we have seen first-hand how the program has improved the literacy skills of thousands of children and their parents across the nation.”
Since its inception in 2003, the Toyota Family Literacy Program has been implemented in large and small cities – those with a long history of large Hispanic populations and ones that are seeing a new influx of immigrants. The 25 cities are:

Chicago
Washington
Los Angeles
New York
Providence, R.I.
Chelsea, Mass.
Denver
Detroit
Santa Paula, Calif.
Shelby County, Ala.
Chula Vista, Calif.
Orlando, Fla.
San Antonio Wichita, Kan.
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Salt Lake City
Burien/Seattle
Mesa, Ariz.
Miami
Oakland, Calif.
Las Vegas
Las Cruces, N.M.
Long Beach, Calif.
Memphis, Tenn.
Springdale, Ark.
ABOUT NCFL:

The National Center for Family Literacy, founded in 1989, is the worldwide leader in family literacy. More than 1 million families have made positive educational and economic gains as a result of NCFL’s work, which includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of volunteers. For more information, contact 1-877-FAMLIT-1 or visit www.famlit.org.

ABOUT TOYOTA

Since 1991, Toyota and NCFL have forged successful programs to promote family literacy in the United States. Today, the Toyota/NCFL partnership accounts for 241 family literacy sites in 47 cities and 29 states. As part of this partnership, the Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year award has been presented annually since 1997 and recognizes individual teachers’ contributions to improving literacy among youth and adults. Additional information on Toyota’s commitment to improving education nationwide is available at www.toyota.com/about/our_commitment/philanthropy/education. “

• At-risk Hispanic students get a hand up in after-school program at Bonnabel – Louisiana
• Yeri Lopez: Student loan rules hamper best and brightest
• The University of Panama indefinitely suspended classes on Wednesday after confrontations between students and police during a protest against alleged U.S. involvement in plans to build new military installations.
• Over the last 3 years, high schools that received the lowest marks from the city have been the ones with the highest percentages of poor, black and Hispanic students, despite an evaluation system that was meant to equalize differences among student bodies, according to an analysis by The New York Times of school grades released this week.
• Hispanics are 9% of the Virginia’s schoolchildren, but 5% of gifted students.
• Deporting undocumented students affects the chances for legal return if Congress doesn’t address it in immigration reform bill
• Hispanic Graduate Students Benefit from Online Education Grant – University of St. Thomas in Houston strives to improve retention and graduation rates for Hispanic graduate students. UST received a $2.8 million education grant to offer two options
• Speaking Out: Students Support Latino Studies Program – Cornell University
• A Chicago City Council committee wants federal officials to halt deportation proceedings against immigrant students. – The Human Relations Committed on Friday approved a resolution urging the Department of Homeland Security to allow immigrant students to stay in the U.S. – Rigo Padilla
• Oregon universities try to recruit more Latino students – In 2007, Latinos made up nearly 12% of the 12th-grade class and less than 6% of freshmen in the university system. About 20% of first-graders that year were Latino.
• Contentnea-Savannah K-8 School officials have worked to make sure their school’s English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ needs are met. The school received 12 mini-laptops last month to help those students with their online ESL courses.- Kinston, North Carolina
• Officials at U.T. Permian Basin are hoping to making this weekend’s Hispanic Youth Summit a regular event. – More than 200 high school students from around the Basin and Big Bend have been in Odessa for the Summit.
• Ill. Board of Education Chair Ruiz, State Senator Lightford & State Representative
• More than 1,200 students are registered to attend the 10th Annual Latino Youth Conference hosted by the Latin American Association in Atlanta.
• Texan Students Debate Financial Aid for Illegal Immigrants
• The scheduled appearance next week of an anti-illegal immigration activist at a student-sponsored forum on the University of Nevada, Reno campus is causing outrage among some faculty, students and members of the community.
• Undocumented students mobilize to win legal status
• An exchange program between the University of Guadalajara and the University of Alberta is at risk because Edmonton students are hesitant to study in Mexico given the ongoing drug wars in parts of the country, Mexican students say.
• A southwest Ohio Hispanic group has published a book it hopes will help students better understand Hispanic and other immigrant groups and curb anti-immigrant sentiment. – The Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA
• Hispanic students face language barrier challenges in Maryland