Literacy Unit Gets $275,000 in Donations

Grants and equipment worth more than $275,000 have been received by the Los Angeles Unified School District to establish what the district says is the nation’s first facility using computers to teach students and parents at the same time to read English and Spanish.

The Family Literacy Center began operating Feb. 6 at Harrison Elementary School in City Terrace, where during the day about 250 children learn English and Spanish using computers and instructional programs.

At night, 64 of their parents use the same equipment and other material to learn the reading of English. Dolores Diaz-Carrey, Garfield Adult School principal who oversees adult education at Harrison, said parents who already know how to read are not being offered the program.

Michael J. Jeffers, principal of Harrison, noted that parents able to read and write can help teach their children how to do their homework and develop a love of reading as well as “discover how to solve problems and seek the fulfillment of the American dream. . . . “

The Riordan Foundation gave $55,000 to help finance the center, the Times-Mirror Foundation gave $30,000 and the Los Angeles Times Fund donated $5,000. IBM provided equipment and software worth $165,000.