Adult Literacy Week 2004

Vancouver City Council Meeting:  October 4, 2004

This excerpt from the Mayor's Proclamation of Adult Literacy Week tells us why Adult Literacy is so important...

WHEREAS, success in the 21st century requires higher levels of skill and knowledge than ever before; and

WHEREAS, increasing the productivity of our industries and enterprises is the only path to sustained economic growth and job creation; and

WHEREAS, many Washington employers report that they cannot find the qualified workers they need to expand; and

WHEREAS, our state's economic growth and prosperity therefore depend on our ability to make education and job training universally accessible to adults for all ages and backgrounds; and

WHEREAS, more than 4777,000 adults over the age of 25 in Washington lack the education necessary to lift themselves and  their families out of poverty and to close the skills gaps experienced by local employers; and

WHEREAS, an additional 255,000 new Americans in Washington and English language instruction to gain access to the opportunities our state affords.