Madison has a literacy problem. Many Madisonians cannot read or write beyond an elementary level and others cannot read or write at all. UW-Madison students rarely interact with these Madison residents. Many do not even know they exist.
But several organizations have made it their mission to combat literacy problems in Madison. The Madison Literacy Council, which works strictly with adults, has been operating for over 30 years. The Schools of Hope Literacy Project, a group that oversees the distribution of volunteer tutors throughout the city, has been working with the Madison public school system for years as well. The Urban League of Dane County also works to attract tutors to help those with literacy problems. All three organizations rely heavily on UW-Madison students.
According to Greg Markle, director of the Madison Literacy Council, there are 17,000 low-literate or illiterate people in Dane county. That figure accounts for roughly 9 percent of the county's population. Though the definition of low-literacy is broad, Madison's literacy problem is real, Markle said.
Literacy problems are disproportionately present in minority and immigrant communities, Markle said. Edward Lee, assistant director of the Urban League, said he saw Madison's black population as one still struggling with literacy.
Low-income communities are particularly susceptible to literacy problems. \Low literacy is a predictor of poverty,"" said Nancy Rost, volunteer coordinator for Schools of Hope. ""Children of low-literate parents are five times more likely to drop out of school,"" Markle said. ""It's not inherited, but it's cyclical.""
Many low-literate people are embarrassed by their struggles and some return home to children who want to read books with them. ""The greatest indicator of a child's performance in school is the parents' ability to read and write,"" Markle said.
According to Markle, people with literacy problems are more likely to be on public assistance than those without.
""By increasing literacy we can make a long-term change in our community,"" Markle said.
Organizations like the MLC and the Urban League rely heavily on UW-Madison students to help as tutors. But literacy organizations are ""facing an uphill battle"" in their attempts to recruit UW-Madison students, Lee said. Most students who volunteer are in the School of Education and volunteer for class credit, said Karen Sema, principal of Cherokee Middle School-one of many schools that rely on UW-Madison students' help. Cherokee is part of the Schools of Hope program.
Some schools in greatest need of UW-Madison students are far from campus and have trouble finding and keeping tutors. ""Madison tends to have an outer city rather than an inner city,"" Rost said. In turn, many low-income minorities are left without tutors.
Limited government funding for organizations like the MLC and the Urban League leaves much of the cost of running the programs in the hands of private donors. According to Markle, the MLC receives about 3 percent of its annual budget from the city. Donations and fund-raisers-such as the Canterbury Run/Walk for Literacy-cover the other 97 percent. The Urban League receives only about a third of its support from the government, said Lee.
Literacy organizations are always looking to students for help, but ""its tough,"" Markle said. UW-Madison students are a powerful academic presence among children who often idolize them, Sema said.
Lee offered a simple appeal: ""We need you,"" he said. ""We can't do this alone.""
