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College of Education receives $6 million to create family literacy institute By Jeff Deitrich
William F. Goodling (right), retired U.S. congressman representing Pennsylvania, talks with President Graham Spanier during a College of Education ceremony marking the establishment of the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy. The college named the institute for Goodling to honor his many years of support for education and adult literacy programs. Photo by Greg Grieco—Penn State	With a $6 million grant from the federal government, the College of Education has established the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy. The institute is named in honor of William F. Goodling, retired congressman who spearheaded the initiative while a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.   Funds for the institute were part of a substantial educational spending bill signed last December.   During a ceremony to announce the establishment of the institute, President Graham Spanier said, “It’s both an honor and a challenge for Penn State to lead the charge for the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy. The University takes seriously its role in helping to solve some of society’s most pressing needs, and the goals of this initiative are perfectly suited to Penn State’s mission of teaching, research and service.”   Goodling previously served as chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. During his 24 years in Congress, he was a champion of education programs and a nationally recognized leader in the adult literacy community.   “The work that Penn State and the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy have undertaken over the years has provided a great foundation to our work in Congress on literacy issues,” Goodling said. “With the opening of the William F. Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy, that work will be complemented and expanded in some very important ways. I am humbled by being asked to participate in this important effort and challenged that the work in improving the lives of millions of Americans will rest on our efforts.”   Dr. David Monk, dean of the College of Education, is in discussions regarding potential future roles for Goodling with the new institute, among them, a position as chairman of the institute’s board of advisers.   “We will overcome the barriers to greater literacy across America through aggressive research,” Monk said. “This institute, which Mr. Goodling has been so helpful in establishing, guarantees that this research will go forward.”   Penn State was selected as the site for the Goodling Institute based on its long-term commitment to quality literacy programming. The College of Education is already home to the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, and the two Penn State institutes will collaborate to develop and publish course materials and one or more courses in family literacy to be offered through the Penn State World Campus.   The Goodling Institute will also collaborate with the National Center for Family Literacy, based in Louisville, Ky., to provide high-quality, research-based instruction and programs in family literacy, as well as a certificate program with credits applicable toward a Penn State master’s degree in adult education or early childhood education. The Goodling Institute will be housed at the University Park and Penn State York campuses.   Pennsylvania is a national leader in family literacy and one of only a few states to offer such programs on a statewide basis with support from both federal and state funds. In a Penn State report on the statewide evaluation of family literacy programs to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Gov. Tom Ridge said, “Education is the ultimate tool of empowerment ... and reading is the foundation of a quality education. Family literacy programs literally can turn lives around.”   “This is a tremendous opportunity to join forces with the National Center for Family Literacy to conduct research, help providers apply the results to their practice and promote the value of family literacy,” said Barbara Van Horn, senior research assistant in the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy and co-director of the Goodling Institute.   Family literacy programs offer a unified program of educational services to parents and children. They provide interactive literacy activities between parents and their children and age-appropriate education directly to children. In addition, literacy services include training for parents in their role as the primary teacher of and full partner in educating their children and adult basic education for parents that leads to economic self-sufficiency.