The federal government has recognized that literacy is a public policy issue since 1991 when the National Literacy Act established the National Institute for Literacy. Since that time, the Institute has been the primary government agency working on literacy issues. Along with the U.S. Department of Education's Division of Adult Education and Literacy, the National Institute for Literacy has led the national effort to create a literate citizenry.

Contents

Guides to Resources

National Institute for Literacy

http://www.nifl.gov/

The National Institute for Literacy is a federal agency which provides leadership on literacy issues, including the improvement of reading instruction for children, youth, and adults. In consultation with the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, the Institute serves as a national council on current, comprehensive literacy research, practices, and policy.

Highlights of the Institute's website include:

• Programs and Services. Information and links to literacy information for Early Childhood, Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, Research, Program Previews.
• America's Literacy Directory (listing of literacy programs by geographic area)
• Featured Resource (a link to full text of a major recent resource)
• Signup for receiving email news updates
• What's New (information on webcasts and agency reports)
• Publications for families and educators (including full text online and ordering information by phone, email or fax for paper copies)
• FAQs about literacy
• Literacy Fact Sheets (facts and statistics pulled from more than 50 research studies with links to digests of some major studies)
• National Literacy Hotline information
• Literacy Information and Communication System-LINCS (online information and communication for adult and family literacy including literacy in the news, funding opportunities, teaching and learning, events calendar, jobs in literacy, and multi-media center)
• Discussion lists (literacy-related online discussion lists and how to subscribe)

U.S. Department of Education's Division of Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL)

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/index.html

The Division of Adult Education and Literacy promotes programs that help American adults get the basic skills they need to be productive workers, family members and citizens.

For information on early childhood literacy resources, see the Early Childhood Education guide to resources.