Washington, DC (September 12, 2008) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) was honored Wednesday, September 10, 2008 by the National Coalition for Literacy with its 2008 Literacy Leadership Award. The event was held at the Library of Congress. The award recognized Hinojosa for his extraordinary contributions to improve literacy in the United States. In particular, Hinojosa was honored for his congressional work in the field of adult education and family literacy.
“I am very proud to receive this award on behalf of all the children in America,” said Hinojosa. “I have seen first-hand the impact on our children, our families and our economy when we don’t ensure that everyone in this country can read. Studies have shown that the leading factor for students dropping out of school is a low level of reading and writing literacy. We need to do something to improve the statistic that 38% of Texans are not literate.”
As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Hinojosa has introduced legislation to greatly expand access to adult education and English as a Second language. The Adults Achieving the American Dream Act (HR 2214) will double the authorization for adult education and Even Start Family Literacy programs and will provide tax incentives to employers who provide their workers access to English as a Second language and GED programs.
“We need to instill a love of reading in our children and make every parent aware of the importance of reading to their children. However, we also need to make sure that the parent’s themselves can read. In South Texas, we have created the South Texas Literacy Coalition to bring community partners together in a more focused and strategic way to improve the reading skills of our kindergarten through 6th grade students and their parents. We are working with organizations like Reading is Fundamental to help these children build their own home libraries. Together we can make a difference,” said Hinojosa.
The National Coalition for Literacy is made up of a variety of national literacy groups including the National Even Start Association, the Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy and the American Library Association.
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