CLCP FAQs

The mission of the Certified Literate Community Program is to mobilize every resource available to a community into a literacy campaign that functions within state certification guidelines and will result in a literate community. A CLCP develops written plans appropriate to that community that will lead to the achievement of the following common goals:

1. To secure the commitment of all leading public and private community organizations to the literacy campaign.
2. To create and sustain public demand for a literate community.
3. To achieve new enrollment annually and retain existing enrollment to the extent necessary to achieve the designation, Certified Literate Community.
4. To assess and document progress and to recognize publicly the incremental economic, social and cultural benefits of literacy skills improvements achieved within the community.
5. To develop a program that is capable of being sustained for the community to achieve and exhibit its ability to maintain the designation, Certified Literate Community.

CLCP is a local solution, not a state or federal solution. Created in 1990 by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and the Georgia Council on Adult Literacy (GCAL), CLCP asks a community to establish a non-profit collaborative to promote, support and enhance local community literacy efforts.

By making literacy a community-wide commitment, the twin problems of scarce funding and the need to recruit adult students in greater numbers are addressed. The purpose of the CLCP is to harness the power of communities through a coalition that mobilizes all local resources to fight illiteracy. It is a business-education-government partnership resulting in improved literacy levels of children, families and workers throughout entire communities.

As a coalition, CLCP is not necessarily a service provider but rather an umbrella organization that brings all sectors of a community together with all literacy providers to map out the best use of resources already available as well as how to acquire the additional resources necessary to meet local literacy needs.

CLCPs are about economic development, workplace skills, parents able to help their children with their homework, adults able to understand and follow prescription medicine directions for themselves and their children, individuals being able to read a map or road sign, immigrants acquiring English language skills and anyone acquiring computer skills. CLCP is about lifelong learning and acquiring a new skill at any point in life. Technical colleges, workforce investment programs, and school systems are part of this effort but could not accomplish these things on their own.

To date, CLCPs have provided the funding to build adult learning centers, addressed transportation and childcare needs, provided materials, equipment, tutors, additional class locations and GED testing scholarships. CLCPs manage local “Dictionary Projects,” after school homework programs and reading initiatives in the schools. They work with students in high school to prevent dropouts. They promote adult education services, recruit and retain adult education students in the classes and provide a support system to students and literacy providers alike.

CLCPs ultimately change the culture of a community. When education is made a priority and is recognized as being tied to resolving community concerns such as crime, poverty, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse, and when educational achievement is respected and celebrated, those who need to go back to school do so and those who are in school stay there.

CLCPs are self-designed, self-owned, self-managed community efforts. CLCPs decide their budgets based on the goals and director’s salary. They set and are responsible for funding their own efforts. As mentioned previously, the purpose of CLCP is to mobilize local resources. As collaboratives, CLCPs find success with grants, foundations and local fundraisers. For as many CLCPs that exist, there are that many different funding formulas.