We want to thank the ABE managers that each year take to the time to update your consortium information on the MLC Literacy Hotline.  The Hotline is a valuable tool for several reasons.  The most frequent use of the hotline via telephone and/or via the Internet is for students and volunteers to locate programs in their area.  Referring agencies such as the MFIP provider or employment counselor services also use and greatly appreciate the Hotline service.  For these reasons, we have made the annual updating of the Hotline one of the Assurances that ABE program managers certify when they submit their annual application for consortium approval.

By the way, a state MFIP official informed me this week that a memo has gone out to all state MFIP providers that if they are referring any of their clients to ESL services they can only refer to state-approved ESL programs – that is, our ABE system.  In the discussion that I had with the state MFIP officials, I assured them that the Hotline could be used to look up our ESL programming sites.  Therefore, it is important that all ABE consortia annually register and update their site information on the Hotline.

When we checked with the Hotline administrator at MLC, we learned that some ABE consortia had not yet updated their information for FY 2007.  Since this is a compliance issue, I have asked Anne Marie Leland to send notices to those consortia that have not updated their data. If you are one of those consortia, you will get a separate notice shortly from Anne Marie.  Please respond promptly to that notice so we have our whole system represented on the database.  Thanks.

If you are curious about how the Internet-based Hotline works, visit:  http://www.themlc.org/hotline.html  

The Hotline toll free number is:  1-800-222-1990

NOTE FROM PAT THOMAS - We are updated!