York County Literacy Council is a 501 (c) (3), non-profit, educational, and human service organization whose staff and volunteers serve all residents of York County, regardless of race, creed, color, gender, national origin, or socio-economic status
York County Literacy Council provides several types of classes for adults in York County. Our Adult Learners Class will help those who struggle with reading. In addition, we have classes to instruct students as they work to pass their HISET/GED exam and for those looking to earn their High School Equivalency credential in the state of Pennsylvania. The HiSET® test is now available at York County Literacy Council. To register for testing (paper based) or for more information about HiSET, visit www.hiset.ets.org. Classes for English Language Learners, and U.S. Citizenship are also offered.
Health literacy, computer literacy, financial literacy and workplace literacy is also taught in classes and through workshops. Professional Human Resource leaders from our community provide workshops on “What Employers Are Looking For” including soft skills. We train volunteer tutors to provide one-to-one literacy training for adult students. It is estimated there are approximately 40,000 adults in York County who are functionally illiterate. YCLC services are free and confidential.
Mission Statement
We teach literacy skills in English to empower adults for successful engagement in the home, workplace, and community.

Circa 1978
The History of YCLC
In the 1970s, members of Church Women United and Lutheran Church Women organized a tutoring program after attending a workshop, “Each One Teach One”, offered by the Lutheran Church. After the training, the women made a commitment to do something about illiteracy. Doris, one of the founders, soon found opportunity to teach a non-reader when a young man in her Sunday School was unable to read or write. The women also advertised for students seeking literacy services. Later they expanded the tutoring program to assist the influx of Asian refugees coming to York County. In 1976 this program became the York County Literacy Council (YCLC). Incorporated in 1980, YCLC is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) educational organization, an affiliate of the ProLiteracy America, Inc., and a United Way of York County partner agency.
Today, YCLC serves more than 1,000 students in York County including our Hanover Branch. We offer Adult Reading Programs for native-born, English speaking adults and English as a Second Language Programs, including our GED/HiSET classes and Citizenship Classes. Both programs provide classes and one-to-one tutoring as well as access to our computerized language lab. In addition YCLC has a Literacy in the Workplace program tailor-made for companies seeking to improve literacy comprehension, understanding and communications among their employees. All instruction includes components of workplace, health literacy and financial literacy training.
York County Literacy Council is dedicated to advancing adult and family literacy in York County. Client services are provided confidentially and free of charge to York County residents regardless of race, creed, color, sex, national origin, or socio-economic status.
Annual Reports
Download and read are Annual Reports below!
- 2019-2020 Annual Report
- 2018-2019 Annual Report
- 2017-2018 Annual Report
- 2016-2017 Annual Report
- 2015-2016 Annual Report
- 2014-2015 Annual Report
- 2013-2014 Annual Report
- 2012-2013 Annual Report
York County Literacy Council is a proud Community Partner of United Way of York County.