Every four seconds of an American school day, another student drops out.
That's 7,000 students a day—or nearly 1.3 million a year. These alarming figures from the Alliance for Excellent Education, a Washington, D.C. based policy institution, illustrate the problem of adult illiteracy across our country.
An under-educated adult population, combined with discouraging rates of poverty and unemployment, have generated significant social and economic challenges in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is why Literacy Services of Wisconsin (LSW) is increasingly important to the community where we live and work.
For more than four decades, LSW has been here when motivated adult learners want to improve their education, particularly those who dropped out of school years ago. We're also here for people who come to our country and want to learn our language, or for those who want to attain a high school equivalency degree.
Our core programs—basic reading and spelling, English as a Second Language (ESL), and General Educational Development (GED) Preparation—exemplify our belief that every person has a right to an excellent education. Our unique service delivery model of one-on-one tutoring offers students individualized assistance and produces decisively positive outcomes.
In addition, our new Functional Literacy program with three core areas—computer literacy, financial literacy, and workforce readiness—provides students with the skills needed to use technology efficiently, make smart financial decisions, and search for and secure employment.
> Read Our Mission & Guiding Principles
> Hear from Our Students
> Meet the Board of Directors & Staff
> Download the latest Annual Report
OUR HISTORY
In 1965, a thoughtful and compassionate group of business leaders came together to respond to the problem of adult illiteracy in Milwaukee—and LSW was born.
These volunteers based their effort on the model set forth by the literacy movement's champion, Doctor Frank Laubach. Laubach spent time in numerous other countries teaching reading and writing, and his model—"Each One, Teach One"—has been used by LSW for decades.
In 2011, our 46th year of service, we remain committed to educating adult students, improving our community, and impacting our city's future. After more than three decades of service at 27th and Wells, LSW moved to our new home at 555 N. Plankinton Avenue on the corner of Michigan and Plankinton avenues. This new site provides enormous visibility and is accessible with numerous bus lines and free parking.
We recognize the power of education at any age, and we're honored to receive the gifts, resources, and confidence of the Milwaukee community to fulfill our mission. We hope you'll join us on our journey.
If you would like to know more about volunteering at LSW, please join us for one of our bimonthly Volunteer Orientation meetings. The one hour session will introduce you to what Literacy Services is and how you can help in our mission to educate adults in Milwaukee. The calendar on our events page lists the dates and times of upcoming Volunteer Orientations.
If you'd like to attend a Volunteer Orientation, please contact Mark Neufang at mark@literacyservices.org.
