GOVERNOR BUSH ANNOUNCES NEARLY $9 MILLION FOR LITERACY
    EFFORTS
    �
    ~~Grants available to Front Porch Family Literacy and Community Technology
    €
    Programs~~
    €
    TALLAHASSEE
    - Governor Jeb Bush today announced the availability of $8.8
    million in federal Adult Education grants designed to help eliminate adult illiteracy and
    align with the state's goals of economic development and a skilled workforce. These
    funds will enable adult education components to be added to Front Porch Florida and
    Digital Divide programs --key parts of the Governor’s efforts to improve literacy through
    the
    Just Read, Florida!
    initiative.
    “Adult literacy is vital to our efforts to ensure that every child is reading at grade
    level by 2012,” said Governor Bush. “Too often parents are not able to read to their
    children. Instilling a love of reading among parents and kids will benefit them
    throughout their lives, opening new doors of opportunity for them.”
    “Competing for high-quality jobs in today's society requires literacy skills and
    technological knowledge,” said Jim Horne, Secretary of the Florida Board of Education.
    “We hope that providing funding to existing computer labs and Front Porch Florida
    communities will help give more adults the opportunity to a better education.”
    The Florida Department of Education plans to award the $8.8 million over two
    years through its Division of Workforce Development. An estimated $3.6 million will be
    available on a competitive basis to 16 existing Front Porch communities through the
    Front Porch Family Literacy Program
    . An estimated $5.2 million will be available
    through the
    Community Technology
    P
    rogram
    .
    “The support and promotion of family literacy is critical to the continuing
    education of Florida's students,” said Education Commissioner Charlie Crist. “These
    grants will serve to provide the necessary resources to those needing them, and will work
    to encourage families to read, learn and grow together.”
    The
    Front Porch Family Literacy Program
    , in the Department of Community
    Affairs Office of Urban Opportunity, is aimed at improving the literacy levels of adults in
    the Front Porch Florida communities. Parents will be encouraged to further their
    education and become more active in the education of their children. Support services,
    including childcare, transportation, tuition, and books, may be provided to assist adults
    who are willing to pursue their educational goal on a full-time basis. Eligible applicants
    may be a public or private non-profit entity, local educational agency, community-based
    organization, volunteer literacy organization, institution of higher education, library,
    public housing authority, or consortium of these organizations. Charter schools may
    apply, but must submit their application through their sponsoring agency.
    Aligned with the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative, the
    Community Technology
    Program
    is designed to help underserved adults succeed in the digital age. The intent is
    to provide parents or caregivers with easy access to and training on the use of computers
    by establishing computer labs in local communities. The objectives of the project are to:
    ??
    Work directly with parents or caregivers to promote digital literacy
    and positive development;
    ??
    Develop relationships with local schools and non-profit organizations;
    ??
    Provide adults with the opportunity of acquiring a GED through online
    distance learning; and
    ??
    Provide adults with the ability to assist their children with reports
    through the use of the Internet.
    To be eligible for
    Community Technology Program
    funding, potential applicants
    must operate a digital divide program that is currently in existence. Sample eligible
    programs with current digital divide efforts include PowerUP, First Serve and
    Department of Juvenile Justice computer lab sites. A list of such eligible sites is
    available by logging onto www.flamentoring.org.
    The Florida Department of Education, Division of Workforce Development, will
    be accepting applications until 5:00 pm EST June 17. Copies of the application can be
    obtained by logging onto www.flamentoring.org or www.firn.edu/doe/workforce, by
    calling 850-414-6987, or by writing to:
    Greg Downing
    €
    Department of Education
    €
    Division of Workforce Development
    €
    325 West Gaines Street, Room 730
    €
    Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
    €
    For more information on education reform and reading efforts in Florida visit
    www.myflorida.com and access the
    Just Read, Florida!
    page. Families interested in
    accessing adult education anywhere in the state should call the Florida Literacy Coalition
    at 1-800-237-5113.

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