National Literacy Act of 1990

Summary

Comprehensive Illiteracy Elimination Act of 1989 - Title I: Literacy Coordination - Literacy Coordination, Research, and Dissemination Act of 1989 - Establishes the Cabinet Council for Literacy Coordination. Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish in the Department of Education an Office on Literacy, to be administered by a Director. Requires the Director to: (1) coordinate the administration of literacy programs within the Department; and (2) work with the Cabinet Council for Literacy to coordinate the related programs of other Federal agencies. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary), through the Office on Literacy, to make a grant to establish and operate a nonprofit National Center for Literacy, with a Director of the Center. Requires such grant to be awarded on a competitive basis, and to be limited to not more than five years (renewable). Allows the Center to use such grant funds for: (1) basic and applied research; (2) technical assistance; (3) an information clearinghouse; (4) policy analysis and program evaluation; and (5) a model demonstrative program of remedial training and placement. Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory committee to advise the Secretary and the Director of the Center on policy issues and on Center selection and operation of major research and demonstration projects. Requires the Director of the Center to report annually to the Congress and the Cabinet Council. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1991 through 1995 for the Center, limiting the amount which may be used for its model demonstration program. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to pay the Federal share of costs of establishing and operating State literacy resource centers. Limits the amount and duration of such grants. Allows each State to contract on a competitive basis with a volunteer or community-based or other nonprofit organization to operate such a State center. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1991 through 1995 for such purpose. Title II: Workforce Literacy - Workforce Literacy Act of 1989 - Amends the Adult Education Act (AEA) to authorize appropriations for FY 1991 through 1995. Earmarks funds to train professional teachers, volunteers, and administrators, emphasizing minority teacher training and training of teachers to recognize and better serve illiterate individuals with learning disabilities and low-level reading abilities. Provides that, if a majority of the illiterate population assisted under basic program provisions of AEA has been served, the authorization of appropriations for each of the succeeding fiscal years during FY 1991 through 1995 shall be equal to that for the fiscal year in which such determination is made. Provides that adult education programs for which AEA grants have been made to States shall be carried out by public or private nonprofit entities only if the applicable local educational agency has been consulted and has had an opportunity to comment on the application. Requires State educational agencies receiving such basic State grants to assure direct and equitable access to Federal funds to local educational agencies, public or private nonprofit agencies, community-based organizations, and institutions which serve educationally disadvantaged adults. Grants preference to those organizations which will serve adults with a reading ability below the fifth grade level. Raises from 20 percent to 25 percent the limit on the portion of a State's grant allotment earmarked for high school equivalency certificate programs. Requires that at least ten percent of funds received under provisions for business, industry, labor, and education partnerships for workplace literacy be used for research, teacher training (including learning disabled identification and teaching), and technical assistance. Extends the authorization of appropriations for such provisions through FY 1995. Directs the Comptroller General to update, within 18 months, a 1975 study of the adult basic education program. Title III: Families for Literacy - Families for Literacy Act of 1989 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to extend through FY 1995 the authorization of appropriations for Even Start programs operated by local educational agencies. Establishes a Families for Literacy program under which the Secretary may make ten demonstration grants to nonprofit entities (or consortia of businesses, nonprofit entities, and local educational agencies) to pay 80 percent of the cost of establishing intergenerational learning programs (emphasizing literacy skills) for children aged three and under and their parents. Directs the Secretary to give priority to applicants whose programs serve hard-to-serve populations. Sets forth program requirements for staff teams and community advisory councils. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a contract with the Corporation for Public broadcasting to produce and disseminate a family literacy program to assist parents in improving their knowledge and skills regarding early childhood education, language development, and literacy. Authorizes appropriations for: (1) FY 1991 through 1995 for the Family Literacy Program demonstration grants; and (2) FY 1991 for the family literacy program public broadcasting contract. Title IV: Books for Families - Books for Families Literacy Act of 1989 - Amends ESEA provisions for the inexpensive book distribution program for reading motivation to require the contractor (the Reading Is Fundamental organization), beginning in FY 1990 and thereafter, to: (1) give priority to programs which target rural and urban areas with large concentrations of economically disadvantaged children and students; and (2) report annually to the Department of Education on the number and description of such individuals. Amends the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) to extend through FY 1995 the authorization of appropriations for making specified grants under title VI (Library Literacy Programs) of LSCA. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1991 through 1995 to make grants for model library literacy centers and for the inexpensive book distribution program. Authorizes the Secretary, under LSCA, to make grants to State and local public libraries to establish model library literacy centers. Requires the Secretary to establish a peer review panel to assist in establishing criteria for awarding such grants. Authorizes the Secretary, under LSCA, to contract with the Reading Is Fundamental organization to promote the establishment of reading motivation programs which include the distribution of inexpensive books. Requires such contract to provide for: (1) giving priority to programs which target rural and urban areas with large concentrations of economically disadvantaged children and students; (2) increasing access to children's books for parents of newborns through children aged five; and (3) developing motivational materials to reach parents most disconnected from the education community, by making children's books available in specified types of places. Title V: Students for Literacy - Students for Literacy Act of 1986 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend through FY 1995 the authorization of appropriations for: (1) the Student Literacy Corps; and (2) College Work-Study (CWS) programs. Exempts literacy training programs and the creation and placement of literacy jobs for students from specified caps on CWS funds. Sets the Federal share of the compensation of students employed in literacy work-study training programs at 100 percent. Title VI: Volunteers for Literacy - Volunteers for Literacy Act of 1989 - Amends the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to provide that, whenever they do not exceed a specified amount the funds for the VISTA Literacy Corps shall supplement and not supplant specified VISTA services provided in FY 1989 to address the problem of illiteracy. Establishes service-learning literacy programs. Authorizes the Director of the ACTION Agency (the Director) to make grants to and contracts with public and private nonprofit entities to enable students in secondary schools, secondary vocational schools, and postsecondary schools to serve as volunteers in projects addressing illiteracy. Gives priority to projects using peer tutoring and involving partnerships to meet a wide range of needs. Requires the Director to make grants and contracts for a program of full-time volunteer service to be known as University Year for Literacy, which establishes and supports innovative ways to use full-time students enrolled in higher education institutions as volunteers: (1) in addressing the problems facing illiterate and functionally illiterate individuals; and (2) in assisting organizations which combat illiteracy and those problems. Gives priority to individuals pursuing a course of study related to a career in a field addressing the problem of illiteracy. Authorizes the Director to make grants and contracts to provide training and technical assistance to increase the effective use of full-time and part-time student volunteers to combat illiteracy. Authorizes the Director to provide technical and financial assistance to nonprofit organizations conducting operations in several areas or States that are engaged in, or wish to become involved in, activities to solve the problems of illiteracy. Authorizes the Director to provide technical assistance in obtaining, training, and integrating volunteers to employers who have established or wish to establish worksite literacy programs. Establishes a program of literacy challenge grants. Authorizes the Director to award such grants to eligible public agencies and private organizations for a portion of the costs of community or employee literacy programs that include use of volunteers. Establishes a Retired Senior Volunteer Literacy Program (which may be jointly administered with other Retired Senior Volunteer Programs). Authorizes the Director to make grants to establish such program to enhance the role of senior volunteers in addressing the problem of illiteracy. Extends through FY 1995 the authorization of appropriations for the VISTA Literacy Corps. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1991 through 1995 for specified programs established under this Act.

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Documents

7 official files

• Reported to Senate (text)

  Reported to Senate · EN

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• Referred in House (text)

  Referred in House · EN

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• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

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• Engrossed in Senate (text)

  Engrossed in Senate · EN

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• Passed Senate amended

  summary · EN · 6 February 1990

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• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 9 November 1989

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 13 July 1989

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