Adult & Community Education
Comprehensive Family Literacy

OVERVIEW

The Broward County Public Schools’ Career Technical and Adult/Community Education Family Literacy Programs provide opportunities for parents and children to learn together. These programs bring parents who want to learn English or obtain a high school diploma together with their preschool to 5th grade children. Parents study for their GED and/or learn English, and improve employability skills. While improving their skills, parents actively participate in supporting their children’s learning and success in school.

The federal definition of Family Literacy services is defined as: “Services that are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in a family and that integrate all of the following activities:

(a) Interactive literacy activities between parents and their children.
(b) Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children.
(c) Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency.
(d) An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences.”

For the past 16 years, in accordance with the federal definition, the Broward County Public Schools’ Career Technical and Adult/Community Education Department seeks out funding and provides curriculum support to establish and enhance Family Literacy throughout the district. These local programs offer…

• A chance for parents and children to be actively involved in learning together,
• A place to enhance children's self-esteem, language development and school readiness/academic skills,
• An opportunity for parents to improve basic skills or English proficiency, and to enhance parenting skills,
• A supportive environment to meet and work with other families,
• A staff familiar with local community resources to help provide assistance, when needed, and
• Special activities, events, and field trips designed to promote family literacy.

In order to qualify, interested adults must: be at least 16 years of age; have a child registered in the preschool/elementary school in which the Family Literacy program is located or have a child to enroll in a Family Literacy community school program; need to master basic skills, earn a GED and/or learn to read, write or speak English; and be available to regularly attend class during program hours.