Adolescent Literacy Initiative for Public Libraries

Summary of the Initiative

Statewide assessments of reading achievement show that the proportion of students proficient in reading declines as they move from elementary and middle school to high school.

In May 2008, the Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning launched a multi-year initiative that will champion high-quality teen services and build momentum behind Wisconsin's drive to create the most literate, well-educated citizenry and workforce in the nation.

This Initiative began with a leadership conference on May 15, 2008. The Leadership Conference included system and resource library directors, system youth services liaisons, and teen services librarians, as well as DPI staff and other invited guests.

Following the Leadership Conference, DLTCL worked with the regional library systems in Wisconsin to arrange for training workshops that addresses the broad issues of adolescent literacy. The training sessions will take place between July 2008 and June 2009. In addition the Division will use this web page to keep librarians around the state up to date on issues related to adolescent literacy and teen services that support school efforts.

Targeted Groups of Adolescents

Primary Targeted Groups. Adolescents who:

1. Live in poverty.
2. Are members of an ethnic minority group.
3. Have disabilities, especially learning disabilities, and/or are enrolled in special education classes or alternative high school programs
4. Use English as a second language.

Secondary Targeted Groups. Adolescents who:

1. Are parents.
2. Are part of the foster care system, especially those who are approaching the age at which they will leave the system.
3. Are involved with the juvenile justice system, or who are inmates in county jails or detention facilities, state juvenile detention facilities, and/or state or federal prisons.
4. Have run away or who have been "thrown away" by their families, or are homeless with their families
5. Have been expelled from their school.

For questions about this information, contact Tessa M. Schmidt (608) 267-5077

Last updated on 2/23/2012 9:39:47 AM