About Us

The Pennsylvania Literacy Corps is administered by the Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE), PA Department of Education (PDE), and supported by a portion of PA Adult Literacy Act (PA Act 143) funds.

The Bureau of ABLE is responsible for the funding and implementation of adult basic and literacy education activities that are consistent with the intent of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)of 1998, and the Pennsylvania Adult Basic and Literacy Education Act. These activities assist adults in obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to attain their goals as family members, workers, and citizens, The PA Literacy Corps is funded under PA Act 143, which supports the implementation of adult literacy programs, training for volunteer tutors, and outreach and support services.

Adult basic education and literacy services include planned programs of instruction designed to develop skills in reading, writing, computation, higher-order thinking and problem solving, English language acquisition, and preparation for a general Educational Development (GED) diploma. Instruction is available through workforce development and workplace literacy, family literacy, and English as a Second Language, corrections education, and special needs programs.

Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs typically provide services for adults who have not attained functional competency at the eighth grade level and show minimal competence in reading, writing, and computation, or who are not sufficiently competent to speak, read, or write English. Instruction includes grade level measures normally associated with grade 0 through 8.9.

General Educational Development (GED) programs prepare adults for a series of tests in writing skills, social studies, science, literature and the arts, and mathematics. Successful completion of the tests results in a diploma that certifies the individual has met high school graduation requirements.

"Without these tutors, we would not have been able to provide one-on-one services to adults as needed, and would have had to utilize a waiting list of adults in need of trained tutors, since prior to Literacy Corps the demand for tutors far exceeded availability."

"Adult learners have gained more than knowledge. As a result of being successful and realizing they can learn, they have increased self-confidence and have realized their capabilities. Some have gone on to college and nursing school while others have obtained jobs. They are no longer afraid to try new things because they no longer fear failure and view education as a positive experience. Because many of our adult learners are also parents, an added benefit is that they pass their new found beliefs about the value of education on to their children." (Adult Literacy Program Coordinator)

Penn State College of Education ©2000
Pennsylvania Literacy Corps
Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy
Dr. Sheila Sherow
208 Rackley Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-3777
sms20@psu.edu