AEFL Week 2023
From September 18th-22nd, scaleLIT joined organizations across the country in celebrating Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week. Each year, AEFL Week gives us the opportunity to amplify the impact of adult education and family literacy within our communities and among our elected officials.
Today, a persistent gap in education creates barriers for the over 40 million adults in the United States with low literacy, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. One in five parenting adults struggles to read communication from their child’s teacher, while one in four adults has difficulty navigating websites and using digital tools at work. This gap emphasizes the critical need to support literacy programs nationwide and to make them a policy priority, two things we focus our advocacy on at scaleLIT. With our members, we’re amplifying the need for increased resources and stronger policies that advance adult education.
Throughout the week, we highlighted various events to spread this message. At our September In-Service Learning Circle, scaleLIT members heard from Cynthia Peters, World Education adult education advocate and editor of The Change Agent, which publishes the perspectives of adult learners, giving them a platform to share their experiences in adult ed in their own words.
Dozens of adult learners, partner organizations, friends, and elected officials also answered our call for photos and videos amplifying the impact of adult education in their own lives. Adult learners and instructors shared their success stories and reflections through “Adult Education Matters to Me Because . . .” writing submissions. One learner wrote, “Adult education matters to me because you are never too old to learn anything. Education gives me the power and knowledge to have a better life.”
Learner and instructor submissions were also entered into a raffle for a $150 gift card. Congratulations to raffle winners Javonnie Davis from The Learning Center and Dena Giacometti from Skills for Chicagoland’s Future! Thank you to everyone who submitted writing and videos and pitched in their voice to support adult education and family literacy.
Elected officials including Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Chicago City Clerk Anna Vasquez, and Alderman Byron Sigcho-López also shared videos supporting the essential work of adult education programs. Alderman Sigcho-López shared, “I hope that together, we can be and build the movement to support and increase opportunities for adult education. It is never too late to learn - we are ALL learners and educators.”
To finish out the week, scaleLIT hosted our Social Media Day of Action, where we shared the stories and COABE named scaleLIT one of the Top Social Media Amplifiers for #AEFLWeek2023, as we helped this year’s #AEFLWeek contributions achieve record online engagement.
Year after year, AEFL Week serves as a reminder of the many ways that adult education changes lives every day! We're grateful to everyone who worked with us to make AEFL Week 2023 a success. Uplifting adult education is essential in strengthening our communities, creating equitable opportunities, and building a future that works for everyone.
