1.  What is family literacy?

2.  How can someone volunteer to help in an adult literacy program?

3.  How can I find a tutor or a class to help me?

4.  I want to volunteer to teach adults to read. I want to set up a tutoring program in my neighborhood. Where do I go and will someone teach me how?

5.  I need to get my GED. What is the test like and where can I take it? Does it cost money?

6.  What is the Mayor's Commission on Literacy (MCOL)?

7.  Is the Mayor's Commission on Literacy part of the Mayor's Office of the City of Philadelphia?

8.  How can someone get into an adult literacy program to improve his or her educational skills?

9.  Does the Mayor's Commission on Literacy work to help Philadelphians seeking jobs?

10.  Are there opportunities for professional development for adult education teachers and tutors?

11.  Is there a way to search for adult education opportunities online?

12.  Does the MCOL help groups that want to start new literacy sites?

13.  Does the Mayor's Commission on Literacy support the use of technology in adult education?

14.  Where are the Mayor's Commission on Literacy's offices located?

15.  Does the Mayor's Commission on Literacy have classes throughout the city?

16.  Can I get my GED through the Mayors Commission on Literacy?

17.  Does the Mayor's Commission on Literacy work to assist welfare recipients?

The Mayor's Commission on Literacy (MCOL) coordinates the Families That Work project in Philadelphia. Families That Work is a comprehensive family literacy program that the MCOL coordinates through nine direct-service literacy provider agencies in Philadelphia. For more information, call 215-686-5255.

The Mayor's Commission on Literacy (MCOL) trains volunteers to become adult literacy tutors. Training options for tutors include Basic Tutor Training, English as a Second language Training, and GED Tutor Training. Upcoming training schedulesare available at www.philaliteracy.org or by calling 215 686-5250. To register for a training, call 215-686-5250.

You can call the Mayor's Commission on Literacy at 215-686-5250 for information about classes in different organizations all over the city.

MCOL coordinates tutor training in the city. After you have completed 9 hours of training, you will be referred to a convenient adult literacy site and assigned a learner. MCOL can also help you start your own literacy site with specialized training for site certification.

The GED test has 5 parts: Language Arts-Writing, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts-Reading, and Math. The questions are multiple choice with two exceptions. You must write an essay as a part of the Writing test and the Math test has some questions in which you must write the answer rather than choose between different answers.

The lengths of the tests are:
Writing: Part 1: One hour and 15 minutes, 50 questions
Part 2: 45 minutes, Essay
Social Studies: One hour and 10 minutes, 50 questions
Science: One hour and 20 minutes, 50 questions
Reading: One hour and 5 minutes, 40 questions
Math: Part 1: 45 minutes, 25 questions, calculator permitted
Part 2: 45 minutes, 25 questions, no calculator
The calculator you'll be using is a Casio fx260 solar calculator.
The test center will provide the calculator and you will have time to practice using it before the test begins.

If you took any part of the test in 2001 or before, those scores are no longer valid. You must start taking the tests again from scratch.
Your scores

The GED test score range is between 200 and 800. You must average 450 points on all 5 tests in order to get your GED. You must score at least 2,250 total points. If you score less than 410 on any test, you must retake that test.

Your scores will be sent to you by the state GED Testing center in Harrisburg. You can request a copy of your scores by contacting:

When you request a copy of your scores you must include your name and social security number, complete address, birth-date, year tested, test center, and $3 money order, cashier's check, or certified check made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth's general GED information number is 717.783.6871. GED Resources

If you'd like GED study materials, call the Reader Development Program at the Free Library of Philadelphia. The number is 215.686.5346. If you have a library card and live in Philadelphia you can get books at no cost to you to help you study for the GED.

If you'd like information about a GED class in your neighborhood, call the Mayor's Commission on Literacy at 215.686.4400.

Places to take the GED Test

District 1199C offers the GED test on weekdays and evenings. Call for specific information about registration and testing dates and times.

Temple offers GED testing every other Saturday. Call for more specific information about registration and testing dates and times.

Call CCP for specific information about testing and registration.

The GED test costs approximately $50 (or about $10 per test) but double-check with the testing center you choose. When you call the testing center be sure to ask the following questions:
How do I register for the test?
What identification do I need to bring?
How much does the test cost?
What are acceptable payments, e.g. money order, check, cash?
What do I need to bring to the testing center on the day of my test?
What else do I need to know?

Formed in 1983, the Mayor's Commission on Literacy (MCOL) was the first literacy agency in the country to be established by a local governing body. The MCOL was established to ensure that quality education is available to equip all adults in Philadelphia with the skills necessary for the workforce, for parenting, and for community life. The MCOL works closely with Philadelphia literacy organizations, local corporations, social service and government agencies, community groups, religious leaders, and adult learners to ensure that the voices of all stakeholders are heard.

The MCOL started, in 1983, as a department of the Mayor’s Office. In 2004, the MCOL became part of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Although now a department of the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy retained its name due to the twenty-plus years it had spent establishing name recognition in the field of adult education and within the city.

The Mayor's Commission on Literacy (MCOL) provides referrals for adult Philadelphians into adult basic education, GED, and English as a Second Language programs. Learners can call the MCOL at 215-686-5250.

The MCOL provides an Information and Referral specialistat the North CareerLink, 990 Spring Garden Street. This representative provides information about literacy services and referral to adult education programs for CareerLink customers. For more information, call 215-560-5465, ext. 260 or 215-686-5250.

The MCOL coordinates the Philadelphia Professional Development Center (PPDC), one of six Professional Development Centers in PA. The PPDC offers a comprehensive professional development program providing technical assistance and ongoing support to adult education programs. For more information, call 215-686-5253.

The MCOL maintains PhillyLitLink, an online database of information on educational services in Philadelphia. Access PhillyLitLink at www.phillylitlink.org . For more information, call the MCOL at 215-686-5250.

The MCOL works to help groups develop and maintain literacy sites and programs throughout the city. If you are interested in developing a site, call 215-686-5254.

The MCOL provides technology training and support for teachers, tutors and administrators. Our annual Computers in Adult Literacy conference each spring features a full day of workshops, vendor demonstrations, and panel discussions relating to the use of technology in adult education. For more information, call 215-686-5254.

The Mayor’s Commission on Literacy’s offices are located at the Central Library of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189. To reach the MCOL by phone, call 215-686-5250.

The MCOL does not provide any direct services (adult education classes, one-on-one tutoring sessions). We make referrals to programs throughout the city that do hold classes and support tutors and learners working one-on-one. The MCOL trains volunteer tutors in nine-hour sessions that are held monthly, either on Wednesday nights or on Saturdays.

The Mayor's Commission on Literacy (MCOL) provides referrals for adult Philadelphians into GED classes and tutoring. Learners interested in preparing for the GED can call the MCOL at 215-686-5250.

To take the test itself, there are three Philadelphia GED testing sites:

Community College of Philadelphia

215-751-8234

Temple University

215-204-8613

District 1199C

215-568-2220

If you wish to take the GED at one of the above locations, call the site first to find out what you need to do to register to take the test. Typically, you must register in advance and you cannot register on the same day you take the test. You may register for individual tests or for the entire battery. Each of the five tests (Writing, Mathematics, Reading, Social Studies, and Science) costs $12.00; the entire battery costs $60.00. You must pay the testing fees upon registration. Money orders only-no cash, personal checks or credit cards.

The MCOL coordinates the Move Up Philadelphia program that provides intensive educational services for pre-24 month Transitional Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients in the city. Education services are provided by 14 Philadelphia adult education agencies; coordinated by the MCOL. For more information, call 215-686-5252.