This PowerPoint presentation is may be customized to include data and local reference information. Introductory overview provides background concepts and statistics, followed by presentation by 3 different approaches.

Approach A: Promote and Support Family Literacy as a Community Value
Family literacy is a community affair. Businesses, hospitals, and other institutions, not just libraries and schools, affect families and their success. Family life and culture are key to developing a value for education and family literacy. Communities that support family learning offer:

• Easy access to a variety of reading material and public places to read
• Innovative, family-centered programs that respect cultural values and build in cultural practices.
• Public figures speak out to raise awareness and advocate for education.

Approach B: Provide A Network of Services for Families To Overcome Challenges
Many adults have low literacy skills and need help to improve the learning environment in their homes. The first priority is to intervene with at-risk families during their children's critical early learning years. This approach would:

• Focus resources on low income families and families with limited English language proficiency
• Provide support services for families by training parents how to foster their child's learning and addressing socialization and behavioral concerns.
• Expand proven programs such as library literacy initiatives and bookmobiles.
• Develop pre-school, and before-and-after-school programs to meet learning needs

Approach C: Encourage Family Responsibility to Utilize Existing Resources
There are already many services to help families develop literacy skills. Parents can and should take responsibility to look out for their family's wellbeing. It is the family's job to find those services that best meet their needs and to choose based on their own values. Families might:

• Participate in cultural activities
• Register for programs and services offered by educational providers and human service agencies in the community
• Organize volunteers to share skills and talents with children or provide tutoring
• Monitor their child's progress at school and communicate regularly with teachers