Penn State Receives $6m Endowment To Create Family Literacy Institute
January 26, 2001
University Park, Pa.–As part of a substantial educational spending bill signed by President Clinton in December, Penn State’s College of Education will receive $6 million to establish the Institute for Research in Family Literacy at Penn State–an initiative spearheaded by Congressman William F. Goodling. In his honor, it will be named the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy.

Goodling recently retired from the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and has been a champion of education programs throughout his Congressional career. He has been a nationally recognized leader in the adult literacy community during his 24 years in Congress. David Monk, dean of Penn State's College of Education is in discussions regarding a potential future role for Goodling with the new Institute.

"We will overcome the barriers to greater literacy across America through aggressive research," says Monk. "This Institute, which Mr. Goodling has been so helpful in establishing, guarantees that this research will go forward."

Penn State was selected as the site for the Institute based on its long-term commitment to quality literacy programming. The College of Education is already home to the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, and the two Penn State institutes will collaborate to develop and publish course materials and one or more courses in family literacy to be offered through the Penn State World Campus.

The Goodling Institute will also collaborate with the National Center for Family Literacy, based in Louisville, Ky., to provide high quality, research-based instruction and programs in family literacy, as well as a certificate program with credits applicable toward a Penn State master’s degree in Adult Education or Early Childhood Education. The Goodling Institute will be housed at Penn State’s University Park and York campuses.

Pennsylvania is a national leader in family literacy and one of only a few states to offer such programs on a state-wide basis with support from both federal and state funds. In a recent Penn State report on the statewide evaluation of family literacy programs to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Governor Tom Ridge said, "Education is the ultimate tool of empowerment...and reading is the foundation of a quality education. Family literacy programs literally can turn lives around."

"This is a tremendous opportunity to join forces with the National Center for Family Literacy to conduct research, help providers apply the results to their practice, and promote the value of family literacy," said Barbara Van Horn, senior research assistant in the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy and co-director of the new institute at Penn State. Eunice Askov, professor of Education and director of the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, also co-director.

Family literacy programs provide a unified program of educational services to parents and children. They provide interactive literacy activities between parents and their children and age-appropriate education directly to children. In addition, services include training for parents on their role as the primary teacher of and full partner in educating their children, and adult basic education for parents that leads to economic self-sufficiency.