DOCUMENT RESUME ED 268 496 CS 008 390 TITLE illiteracy in America. Joint Hearings before the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives and the Subcommittee on Education, Arts and fAumanities of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session, August 1; October 1, 3, 1985. INSTITUTION Congress of the U.S., Washington, D.C. House Committee on Education and Labor.; Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education. PUB DATE 86 NOTE 244p.; Serial No. 99-61. Document contains small, marginally legible print. PUB TYPE Viewpaints (120) -- Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Literacy; *Community Role; Employer Attitudes; *Government Role; Hearings; *Illiteracy; *Literacy Education; Program Content; Program Development; Reading Instruction; *School Role; *Social Problems IDENTIFIERS Congress 99th; *United States ABSTRACT Consisting of testimony and prepared materials presented to a joint session of House and Senate subcommittees, this report deals with the problem of illiteracy in the United States. The report contains statements from Richard C. Anderson, director of the Center for the Study of Reading; Samuel L. Banks, president of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, Inc.; Herman Brown, professor of psychology at the University of the District of Columbia; Thomas G. Sticht, president of Applied Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, Inc.; Woodrow Evans, adult education student; David P. Gardner, president of the University of California; Jonathan Kozol, author; Donald A. McCune, California State Department of Education; Renee Poussaint, reporter and volunteer tutor; Mrs. Elliot Richardson and Ruth Graves, representing Reading Is Fundamental; John C. Manning, president of the International Reading Association; Monika Sullivan, adult basic education student, and Helen Whelan, coordinator and counselor at the Fairfax County Adult and Community Educationprogram; Mrs. Sidney Savage, president of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia; Representative Robin Tallon of South Carolina; William S. Woodside, chairman of the American Can Company; and Senator Edward Zorinsky of Nebraska. In addition, the report contains prepared statements froma number of witnesses from the business, education, and political communities, as well as supporting materials, including letters, newspaper articles, pamphlets, and journal articles. (FL) ILLITERACY IN AMERICA JOINT HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY, AN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Ci OF THE coCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION ANDLABOR %ce HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND HUMANITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-NINTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION AUGUST 1; OCTOBER 1 AND 3, 1985 WASHINGTON, DC Serial No. 99-61 Printed for the use of the Committee onEducation and Labor and the Senate Subcommittee on Education, Arta end Humanities U 11. DEPARTMENT OP IOUCATiON Office of Educations) Rimeerch end Improverm U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATN CENTER (ERIC) WASHINGTON : 1988 56-587 0 )(Thedocument has boon reproduced received from the person or comenfrat originating it 0 Minor changes hove been made to oldt reproduction clumsy 2 Pointe Orem or 000MIREEMIEd_101hie 55-587 0 - 86 . 1. mint do not MomMarde redneorm .41 COMMITTEE ON EDUC ..41 AND LABOR AUGUSTUS F.HAWKINS, California. Chairman WILLIAM D. FORD, Michigan JAMES M. JEFFORDS, Vermont JOSEPH M. GAYDOS, Pennsylvania WILLIAM F. CODDLING, Pennsylvania WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY, Missouri E. THOMAS COLEMAN', Missouri MARIO BIAGGI, New York THOMAS IL PETIU, Wisconsin AUSTIN J. MURPHY, Pennsylvania MARGE ROUKEMA, New Jersey DALE E. KU DER, Michigan STEVE GUNDERSON, Wisconsin PAT WILLIAMS, Montana STEVE BARTLETT, Texas MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California ROD CHANDLER, Washington MAJOR R. OWENS, New York THOMAS J. TAUKE, Iowa FREDERICK C. BOUCHER, Virginia JOHN K McKERNAN, Js., Maine CHARLES A. HAYES, Miura RICHARD K. ARMEY, Texas CARL C. PERKINS, Kentucky HARRIS W. FAWELL, Illinois TERRY L BRUCE, Illinois PAUL B. HENRY, Michigan STEPHEN J. 9OLARZ, New York MERVYN M. DYMALLY, California DENNIS E. ECKART, Ohio TIMOTHY J. PENNY, Minnesota CHESTER G. ATKINS, Massachusetts SUBODIDEITEZI ON ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY,AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AUGUSTUS F. HAWKINS, California, Chairman WILLIAM D. FORD, Michigan WILLIAM F. DOODLING, Pennsylvania DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan HARRIS W. FAWELL, Manois PAT WILLIAMS, Montana ROD CHANDLER, Washington FREDERICK C. BOUCHER, Virginia JOHN R McKERNAN, Js., Maine MAJOR R. OWENR New Yak RICHARD K. ARMEY, Texas MATTHEW G. MARTINET, California STEVE GUNDERSON, Wisconsin CARL C. PERKINS, Kentucky (Ex Officio) STEPJ7r2N1 J. SOLARZ, New York DENNIS E. ECKART, Ohio (U) 3 COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah,Chairman ROBERT T. STAFFORD, Vermont EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Mamachusetts DAN QUAYLE, Indiana CLAIBORNE PELL, Rhode Island DON NICKLES, Oklahoma HOWARD M. METZENBAUM, Ohio PAULA HAWKINS, Florida SPARK M. MATSUNAGA, Hawaii STROM THURMOND, South Carolina CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut LOWELL P. WEICKER, Ja., Connecticut PAUL SIMON, Minois MALCOLM WALLOP, Wyoming JOHN F. KERRY, Mamachumetts CHARLES E. GRASSELY, Iowa RONALD F. Docasm,Staff Direetor &Imam 0%. Mama,Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, Arra AND HUMANITIES ROBERT T. STAFFORD, Vermont,Chairman ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah CLAIRBORNE PELL, Rhode Wand DAN QUAYLE, Indiana EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Bfamachusetts LOWELL P. WEICKER, Ja., Connecticut CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut MALCOLM WALLOP, Wyoming SPARK M. MATSIJNAGA, Hawaii STROM THURMOND, South Carolina PAUL SIMON, Minois POLLY GAULT,Professional Staff Member DAVID V. EVANS,Minority Professional Staff (1M 4 CONTENTS Iturzaccv IN ANIZIUCA Hearings held in Washington, DC, on: Pace August 1, 1985 1 October 1, 1985 75 October 3, 1985 133 Statement of: Anderson, Richard C., director, Center for the Study of Reading, Univer- sity of Illinois; Samuel L Banks, national president, Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, Inc., accompanied by Herman Brown, professor of psychology, University of the District of Columbia; and Thomas G.Stec'ht, president, Applied Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, Inc., adjunct research profaner, U.S. Naval Post- graduate School, Monterey, CA 102 Evans, Woodrow, adult education student, Baltimore, MD 138 Gardner, David P., president, University of California 84 Kozel, Jonathan, author, Illiterate America, Byfield, MA 148 McCune, Dr. Donald A., director, Adult, Alternative, and Continuation Education, California State Department of Education 143 Poussaint, Renee, WJLA-TV, Washington, DC 140 Richardson, Mrs. Elliot, chairman of the board, Reading is Fundamental, accompanied by Ruth Graves, president, Reading is Fundamental; John C. Manning, professor of education, University of Minnesota, and presi- dent, International Reading Anociation; and Monika Sullivan, adult basic education student, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA,accompa- nied by Helen Whelan, Learning Center coordinator and placement counselor, Fairfax County Adult and Community Education 50 Savage, Mrs. Sidney, president, Literacy Council of Northern Virginia 170 Tallon, Hon. Robin, a Representative in Congress from the State of South Carolina 133 Woodside, William S., chairman and chief executive officer, American Can Co., Greenwich, CT 3 Zorinsky, Hon. Edward, a U.S. Senator from the State of Nebraska 77 Prepared statements, letters, supplemental materials, et cetera: American Society for Training and Development, prepared statement of 71 Anderson, Richard C., director, Center for the Study of Reading, Univer- sity of Illinois, prepared statement of 104 Banks, Samuel L., national president, Association for the Study of Afro- American Life and History, Inc., supervisor, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore City Public Schools, prepared statement of 107 Dodd, Hon. Christopher J., a U.S. Senator from the State of Connecticut, prepared statement of 197 Evans, Woodrow, prepared statement of 188 Gardner, David Pierpont, president, University of California, prepared statement of 87 Hawkins, Hon. Aug-istus F., a Representative in Congress from the State of California and Chairman, House Committee on Education and Labor: Opening statement of, August 1, 1985 45 Opening statement of, October 1, 1985 75 "Illiteracy: The Gut Issue Our Schools are Reluctant to Face", article by Charles M. Richardson 238 Kennedy, Hon. Edward M., a U.S. Senator from the State of Massachu- setts, prepared statement of 71 Kozel, Jonathan, prepared statement, with attachment 152 Mactier, Ann, member, Board of Education, Omaha Public Schools, pre- pared statement with attachments 213 IV. 5 VI Prepared statements, letters, supplemental materials, et ceteraContinued Manning, John C., Ph.D., prepared statement on behalf of the Interna- tional Reading Association 56 McCune, Dr. Donald A., California State Department of Education, pre- pared statement of 146 Merrill, Robert E., vice president, Virginia Taxpayers Association, pre- pared statement of 211 National Education Amociation, prepared statement of 208 Richardson, Mrs. Elliot L, prepared statement of 52 Rogue, Hon. Awilda Aponte, secretary, Puerto Rico Department of Educa-Educe- tion, prepared statement of 206 Savage