Toyota Launches Literacy Program for Hispanic and Other Immigrant Families in

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February 17, 2006 - DETROIT - Today, Toyota announced the expansion of its successful Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP) into five additional cities nationwide, including a new program in Detroit. TFLP - the first nationwide program of its kind to focus on the needs of Hispanic and other immigrant families - is coordinated by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), the country's leading advocate for family literacy. Detroit Public Schools will work hand-in-hand with NCFL to implement the program at local schools including Academy of Americas, Higgins Elementary School and Webster Elementary School. Detroit-based Skillman Foundation has also joined in the partnership.
In addition to Detroit, Toyota has contributed nearly $3 million to expand the Toyota Family Literacy Program into four other communities with high, or fast-growing, Hispanic populations, including Shelby County, Ala.; Chelsea (Boston), Mass.; Santa Paula, Calif.; and Denver.
Initially developed in 2003 and introduced in Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago and Providence, R.I., the Toyota Family Literacy Program aims to increase basic language and literacy skills among Hispanic and other immigrant families, and provide parents with the skills they need to help their children succeed in school. The program specifically serves children in K - 3rd grade and their parents. TFLP is unique in that it incorporates NCFL's multicultural family literacy model which combines key components including: ESL courses, early childhood education, parenting education, Parent and Child Together (PACT) activities, and computer-literacy instruction.
"The Toyota Family Literacy Program in Detroit Public Schools is invaluable for improving the literacy of our Hispanic students and their families," said William F. Coleman III, superintendent, Detroit Public Schools. "Of greatest importance is the inclusion of the family," he added. "Parents learning with their children is the most powerful component - when the family learns together, the importance of achievement is embraced and elevated."
The first five communities that initiated the Toyota Family Literacy Program in 2003 have proven the success of NCFL's model by achieving impressive results, including:
---Significant literacy gains by adults, the majority of which improved their literacy scores by one or more levels;
---Ratings for children in the program that exceeded peers in areas including academic performance, motivation to learn, attendance, classroom behavior, involvement in classroom activities, and other areas;
---Demand for the program has produced waiting lists at the majority of program sites;
---By the end of the first program year, 70% of participating families held a library card.
"We're very proud that Toyota has expanded our partnership following the success of the Toyota Family Literacy Program over the past several years," said Sharon Darling, NCFL founder and president. "Our goal is to continue to meet the pressing needs of Hispanic and other immigrant families both in Detroit and across the country."
"Our partnership with NCFL has proven to be a perfect combination in helping hundreds of families across the country increase their literacy skills and become active in their communities and in their children's lives," said Dennis Cuneo, senior vice president, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. "Toyota has been committed to education ever since the company's founding and we're thrilled to play a small role in bringing NCFL's quality education model to families in Detroit through the Toyota Family Literacy Program."

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