Iowa Family Literacy and High Expectation Model

 

 

Theoretical and Conceptual Underpinnings of the Model

 

In today's world there are too many students who are not graduating from high school and many more that lack the appropriate preparation for successful employment in good paying jobs (Southern Regional Education Board, www.sreb.org). In an effort to change this tide the Iowa Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation, is developing a High Expectation Model. This model is designed to increase family literacy as well as parent and student knowledge regarding career information and academic foundations needed for employment in Iowa's high-growth industries. This goal can be achieved by implementing these key practices:

 

• Comprehensive Family Literacy: utilize the strengths of Iowa's community colleges and literacy partners to end intergenerational poverty and illiteracy by improving education for low income and immigrant families that leads to economic self-sufficiency.
  
  
• Career Information: provide students and their families with access to challenging career/technical studies in high-demand fields.
  
  
• Academic Foundations: teach students the concepts of college-preparatory work and integrate high expectations into classroom practices.
  
  
• Parental Involvement: Involve students and their parents in a guidance system that develops positive relationships that will contribute to completion of a program of study with high-level academic and technical content. (SREB)

 

The outcome of this model will be increased family literacy, strengthened understanding of academic rigor necessary for successful employment, and economic self-sufficiency.