1. Description
The purpose of the Southwest Michigan Community Literacy Initiative is to strengthen and expand the infrastructure for providing adult literacy instruction and learning for adults with low literacy skills throughout the seven counties of Region 8. The aim is to align resources, deliver best practices in adult literacy instruction, provide common measurements for success, and have a common agenda for sustaining this system over the long-term. This systems-level approach includes engaging adult education, workforce development, literacy services providers, business, and other community groups in the common causes of improving the literacy skills of adults in Southwest Michigan and providing access to literacy services for these adults.

2. Region 8 Adult Literacy Program Infrastructure and Service Population

3. Region 8 Tutor and Student Capacity

4. Current Service Capacity: 3.3% of Less Than 9th Grade
Region 8 Service Needs and Targets
Source: U. S. Census Bureau, 2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
Target Service Capacity Goal: 10% of Less Than 9th Grade within 3 Years
Current Service Capacity: 3.3% of Less Than 9th Grade