Family Literacy

Family literacy is an allowable AEFLA activity, as specified in WIOA Section 203 -- provided local programs attempt to coordinate with programs and services that are not assisted with AEFLA funds before using Title II funds.   Cultivating partnerships is key to offering family literacy programs and services, in any form.

WIOA Section 203(9) defines family literacy activities as "activities of sufficient intensity and quality to make sustainable improvements in the economic prospects for a family that better enable parents or family members to support their children's learning needs," and programs should integrate the four key components of family literacy:  Early Childhood Education / School; Adult Education and Literacy; Interactive Literacy Activities; and Parent Education.  The term ‘family literacy’ was first used by the U.S. educator Denny Taylor in 1983 to describe literacy learning activities involving both children and their parents.  Regardless, family literacy is based on a time-deep and culture-wide educational tradition: intergenerational learning.