We will post additional urban Adult Foundational Education (AFE) collaboration and mayoral initiative profiles here as we receive them. Please check back periodically.  To see the profiles posted so far, please scroll down. 

Cleveland, Ohio: The Literacy Cooperative (TLC) is a non-profit organization that supports AFE programs in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area. TLC’s goal is to serve the workforce and education needs of adults in Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Summit counties through partnerships that maximize resources, share expertise, and coordinate AFE services. TLC members include Ohio Aspire at Cuyahoga Community College, Aspire at Lorain County Community College, Aspire at Polaris Career Center, Aspire Greater Cleveland at the Cuyahoga County Public Library, Seeds of Literacy, and Project Learn of Summit County. Key joint activities include: development of contextualized curricula for healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and hospitality industries as well as for digital literacy; professional development for local AFE program staff; and learner recruitment. TLC also supports 2-Gen (“Whole Family”) intergenerational literacy activities. Funding comes from a wide variety of sources, including corporations, foundations, and individuals.  For more information, contact TLC Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Laureen Atkins-Holliday latkins@literacycooperative.org and visit https://literacycooperative.org. Posted 7.27.23

San Diego, California:  San Diego Council on Literacy supports AFE services throughout San Diego County, California.  It partners with 34 youth, adult, and family literacy programs, including four adult basic education and English for Speakers of Other Languages institutions and seven library-based programs that provide adult literacy services. Supports are provided by multiple foundations, the County of San Diego, and many individuals.  (The Council says that stable funding is vital: “It’s not easy to do fundraising for our model.”)

The Council’s mission is to unite the community to support literacy for all, through advocacy, partnerships, and investment of resources. Its current priorities are: (a) increasing resources to support services, (b) conducting research to better define literacy-related needs and capacities in the region, (c) advocacy and awareness-raising to underline the importance of literacy and to inspire action, and (d) collaborative initiatives to fill service gaps.   The Council’s activities include (a) ongoing advocacy, (b) professional development, (c) dissemination of books for children and adults (450,000 since 2020), and (d) information and referral services.

From its decades of work, Council leadership has identified the following ingredients of a successful urban AFE coalition:

§    One person, usually paid, consistently leading communications to produce the foundation for ongoing relationships

§    Meetings that are relevant/worthwhile

§    Allowing for networking opportunities

§    Sharing leadership

§    Producing a vision that is shared by all

For more information, contact Chief Executive Officer Jose L. Cruz   jcruz@literacysandiego.org  and visit  www.literacysandiego.org     Profile updated 4.4.25

Nashville, Tennessee: Nashville’s GOAL Collective (Growing Opportunities for Adult Learners) is a collaboration of approximately 25 agencies working together to provide adult literacy, education, and workforce programs. In 2017, the Collective began as an informal learning community with the desire to improve Nashville’s adult education services. Today the GOAL Collective is a thriving, committed group of partners that uses the framework of collective impact to guide its efforts. The common mission is to (1) triple the number of adults achieving their educational goals by 2025 and (2) create a system-driven network to better serve more students in the future.

Using a Collective Impact framework (common agenda, shared measurement, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and backbone support), GOAL’s partners provide adult literacy and education programs, including tutoring, classroom instruction, English-language learning, financial literacy, high school equivalency, post-secondary engagement, and job readiness training. On their own, each partner’s scope and capacity are limited. Meeting Nashville’s adult education needs requires collaborative conversations based on trust and reliable data to inform future program decisions. GOAL revolutionizes the landscape of adult education by establishing vital connections among providers and enabling comprehensive data analysis for continuous improvement.    

The Collective is developing a shared data system to transform the landscape of adult education, to achieve GOAL’s mission of tripling the number of adults achieving their goals by 2025. This data system includes GOALHub, a web-based solution built on the power of Salesforce to meet GOAL’s technical and data requirements, and GOALNet, a shared data system, which is a Salesforce platform with a literacy nimbus overlay customized to each partner agency as well as to the Collective overall, to be utilized for reports, goal/skill tracking, outcomes, etc. No other organization in Nashville is working to create population-level change in adult education. GOAL exists because no individual organization could accomplish alone what members can do together.  

For more information, contact Associate Executive Director Ameshica Linsey  ameshica@goalcollective.org  and visit  https://www.goalcollective.org. Posted 8.2.23

Birmingham, Alabama: The Literacy Council of Central Alabama serves Greater Birmingham, Alabama including the five-county Birmingham metro area – Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker Counties. According to recent research (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/skillsmap) over 21% of the adults in this area fall into the lowest reading levels. In order to assist these struggling readers the Literacy Council was established in 1991. with the mission to improve the lives of adults and their families through literacy education that teaches people to read, write, and speak English.

Currently the Literacy Council employs 13 full- or part-time employees, not nearly a large enough staff to address the number of adults needing help. In order to extend services, the Council continues to form partnerships throughout the metro area. These partnerships are a cost-effective method to save money and extend services. The number of partnerships varies for several reasons – funding, volunteer availability, etc. Current partnerships included other non-profits, community colleges, correctional facilities, churches, volunteer organizations, civic groups and more. Each of these collaborating partners provides a different role including:

• offering students and/or volunteers

• donating funding

• providing locations for programs

• training staff and/or volunteers

• sharing best practices

• providing marketing assistance.

Examples of organizations that support the Literacy Council include:

• Jefferson State Community College (GED instructors)

• St. Clair County Correctional Institution (inmates as students)

• United Way of Central Alabama (funding)

• Junior League of Birmingham (volunteer and meeting space)

• Salvation Army (office space and students)

One popular collaborative program sponsored by the Literacy Council is the Literacy Providers Network (LPN). The Network is a consortium of groups and individuals in central Alabama who meet to exchange ideas and news that are primarily related to literacy. The LPN also provides an opportunity to network and promote literacy. The LPN currently includes representatives from 28 +/- organizations. The LPN is sponsored by the Literacy Council who created and currently administers the program. Membership is free.

For more information about the Literacy Council - or to talk about your favorite book, jogging, or your dog - please contact Steve Hannum at shannum@literacy-council.org  and visit https://literacy-council.org .  Posted 8.2.23

Muskegon, Michigan:  The Read Muskegon Literacy Collaborative (RMLC) serves all of Muskegon County, situated on the western side of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula on beautiful Lake Michigan. The Collaborative was founded in 2019 by Read Muskegon (which serves as the administrative hub and fiscal agent for RMLC) with support from the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL).

RMLC’s stated mission is:

We know that no single education system, government agency or non-profit organization can independently resolve the literacy crisis in Muskegon County.  That is why, since 2019, Read Muskegon has led a countywide, results-oriented literacy collaborative dedicated to addressing the illiteracy crisis and creating sustainable systems change through collective impact. Together, Read Muskegon and its extensive network of collaborative partners are focused on ensuring that all individuals in need of improved literacy skills, no matter their age or economic circumstances, have access to the information and resources they need to succeed.

The county contains both rural areas and the urban communities of Muskegon Heights and the City of Muskegon. The Collaborative is financially supported through the fundraising efforts of Read Muskegon.  Funders include the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, Trinity Health Community Investment Grants, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, and many individual and business donors.

RMLC members include the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, City of Muskegon, City of Muskegon Heights, Muskegon County Prosecutor, United Way, Goodwill, Muskegon Area District Libraries, Hackley Library, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, Great Start Collaborative & Great Start Parent Coalition, Rotary, HealthWest, West MI Works, Hope Network - MI Reading Corps, White Lake Area Community Education, Kingdom Embassy Church, Parents & Adult Learners, and community advocates & volunteers.

Major RMLC activities to date include:

• Hosting four full-day Literacy Summits focused on identifying issue areas, sharing action ideas and forming work groups.  Keynote speakers included Sharon Darling, founder of NCFL, and Poppy Sais-Hernandez from the office of Governor Whitmer.

• Hosting quarterly half-day meetings focused on collective action around identified issues.

• Hosting a Candidates Forum in September 2022, with 19 candidates (County Commission, MI House of Representatives, MI Senate and US Congress) answering questions about ABE, Adult Education, language access, early childhood education, access to programs during incarceration, and barriers such as transportation.  All of the questions were researched and asked by learners, parents or others with lived experience.

•  Providing critical leadership in advocating for passage of increased funding for adult education and specifically the inclusion of a new funds to support literacy centers serving ABE adults.

  • Working to create a countywide movement of Language Access Plans.

  • Co-hosting with MI Children an advocacy training for community members.

For further information, contact Read Muskegon’s Executive Director Melissa Moore at  Melissa.moore@readmuskegon.org  and visit www.readmuskegon.org .

Posted 9.8.23

Boston, Massachusetts: The Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI) has served Boston since 1983, when it was created by the City of Boston’s Office of Jobs and Community Services as a competency-based program to develop and strengthen education services of community-based programs serving low-income adults and others in Boston’s neighborhoods who lacked literacy, English language skills, adult basic skills or a high school diploma.  Currently 29 agencies are part of the ALI providing the following kinds of adult education services:

• Basic literacy skills classes

• High school equivalency exam preparation

• Distance learning

• Job skills training

• College preparation, and/or

• English language classes for non-native speakers.

The ALI’s lead agency is the Mayor’s Worker Empowerment Cabinet, Office of Workforce Development. Another key organization that supports the initiative is Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS), a unit of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Programs in the ALI network serve approximately 3,500 students yearly, helping to provide educational opportunities that function as a stepping stone toward greater economic stability, a cornerstone value of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet. ALI members meet five times a year to share best practices, coordinate efforts, work on professional development, and advocate for the City of Boston’s adult literacy ecosystem.

Major kinds of activities carried out to date include:

• Networking

• Information and resource sharing between members

• Engagement with workforce partners (employers, training programs, career

centers, etc.)

• Professional development

• Learner recruitment, and

• Advocacy for the City’s adult literacy ecosystem.

Key recent results:

• ALI's Transformative Partnership: Bridging Education and Career Pathways in the City of Boston. In 2016, ALI underwent restructuring, with a primary goal of enhancing its focus on workforce outcomes and establishing a stronger connection between the City of Boston's adult education system and career pathways for its learners. As part of this workforce development initiative, ALI strengthened its partnership with the State's Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) unit, a division of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and MassHire Career Centers (MHCC). This strategic collaboration paved the way for an initiative to provide direct service to ALI programs and MHCCs in the form of a program liaison, in Boston known as the Boston Career Navigator (BCN).

The Boston Career Navigator, the cornerstone of this partnership, equips adult learners in ALI programs with vital information about available career services. This is achieved through informative classroom presentations and personalized referrals. Moreover, the BCN plays a pivotal role in streamlining the intake, assessment, and referral process for customers at MassHire Career Centers who require adult education classes, effectively directing them to ALI programs. These efforts have enriched the educational experience of the City of Boston’s adult learners and also contributed significantly to the overall development of its workforce. Adult learners in Boston are now better positioned to achieve their educational and career goals, thanks to the collaborative efforts of ALI, ACLS, and MHCC, bridging the gap between adult education and career advancement.

• The Success of ALI’s Capacity-Building Initiative: DigLit. Launched in 2021, the Digital Literacy Initiative (DigLit) is a multi-phase capacity-building and technical assistance project aimed at enhancing the capacity of ALI members. Its primary objectives are to improve their ability to deliver high-quality digital literacy skill training, effectively utilize technology to support learning, and enhance technology-mediated instructional programming. To date, DigLit has achieved these significant accomplishments:

  • Through the provision of technical assistance, funding, and educational tools, DigLit has successfully increased the capacity of 25 providers who have been able to engage more than 3,000 adult learners in digital skills learning.

  • Another notable achievement of the DigLit Initiative is the launch of an online repository. This repository comprises over 70 instructional routines, which are designed to integrate digital skills and technology into the Adult Basic Education curricula. This resource plays a pivotal role in making digital literacy education more accessible, efficient, and impactful for both learners and educators.

Plans for coming 1-2 years:

• Develop a strategic plan for ALI: Launch a consultative strategic planning process to determine the future direction of ALI.

• Identify needs of ABE system: Engage in reflective discussions about the gaps and needs of Boston’s ABE system and opportunities to strengthen on-ramps to post-secondary education and training for ABE learners.

Launch of the City of Boston’s Literacy Task Force:

In June 2023, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of the Literacy Task Force to address literacy rates in the City of Boston. The 15-member group consists of several ALI members and adult education students. The goals of the Task Force include:

• Study rates of literacy across Boston

• Develop an action plan for the City of Boston to improve access to education and City services for residents who are unable to read or write in any language

• Promote opportunities to increase literacy for adults and children through policy and programming recommendations

Task Force work is expected to continue through December 2026.

Literacy Task Force news:

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/06/26/boston-launches-new-literacy-task-force/

https://www.wgbh.org/news/education-news/2023-07-10/boston-has-a-new-literacy-task-force-meet-manuel-coronado-one-of-its-members  

For more information, see the ALI web page at www.boston.gov/adult-literacy or contact Brooke Machado, Senior Program Manager for Adult Education, the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development. brooke.machado@boston.gov  

Posted 10.27.2023

Flint, and Genesee County Michigan

The Flint & Genesee Literacy Network (FGLN) seeks to make a significant impact on the community's educational landscape. Operating as a backbone organization for local Adult Learning Centers (ALCs), FGLN is dedicated to improving adult literacy rates and empowering individuals to achieve personal, educational, and career goals.

The Need

The importance of adult literacy cannot be overstated. Low literacy skills not only limit individuals' personal and professional growth but also have broader societal implications, affecting workforce productivity, economic development, and overall community well-being. In Flint and Genesee County, a significant portion of the adult population faces literacy challenges, hindering their ability to fully participate in and contribute to the community. In Genesee County, 20% of people over the age of sixteen read at or below a level 1 outcome – adults who can be considered at risk for difficulties using or comprehending print material – according to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies through the National Center for Education Statistics. (1)  Additional research from the National Institute for Literacy suggests that, in the City of Flint, this percentage is as high as 35%. (2) This lack of basic adult literacy skills produces significant disparities within our community as adults with low literacy levels often experience adverse health outcomes, (3) lower wages and higher rates of unemployment, (4) and lack the basic skills to succeed within digital and/or technology dependent environments. (5)

The Vision

At the heart of FGLN's mission is the vision of a community where all adults have the literacy skills they need to succeed. By providing comprehensive support to ALCs and leveraging strategic partnerships, FGLN aims to create a thriving learning ecosystem that empowers individuals and transforms communities.

Key Components of the FGLN Model

● Training and Technical Support: FGLN serves as a central hub for coordination, support, and resource-sharing among ALCs. Through workshops, training, certification, webinars, coaching, and a resource library, FGLN ensures that tutors and ALCs have the tools and knowledge they need to deliver high-quality literacy programs.

● Capacity Building Support: FGLN provides vital capacity-building support to ALCs, including volunteer recruitment and training, site coordinator training, and continuous professional development for tutors, coaches, and adult basic education instructors. These efforts strengthen ALCs, enhancing their ability to serve their communities effectively.

● Curricula and Resource Provider: FGLN develops and disseminates high-quality digital and print curricula and learning tools tailored to the needs of adult learners, ensuring that tutors and ALCs have access to up-to-date, effective, and evidence-based instructional materials.

● Advocacy and Policy Support: FGLN advocates for policies and funding that support adult literacy programs at the local, state, and national levels, amplifying the impact of its work and driving systemic change.

Partnerships

FGLN collaborates with national and international organizations, such as ProLiteracy and the National Center for Families Learning, to access resources and best practices. Community partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government agencies help expand FGLN's reach and impact, fostering a holistic approach to adult literacy.

Program Goals and Outcomes

The goal of FGLN’s work in Adult Literacy/Adult Basic Education is to radically increase the capacity and effectiveness of community-based ALCs to serve adult learners in our community. We seek to do this through volunteer recruitment, tutor training and certification, program marketing and referrals, the dissemination of evidence-based

curricula and learning tools, program evaluation for ALCs, and advocacy. Through this work, we seek to increase adult literacy rates in the community, improve educational and employment outcomes for adult learners, and create stronger, more sustainable ALCs with enhanced capacity to serve their communities.

Key Metrics for Program Success

● # of ALCs providing evidence-based instruction in literacy, numeracy, and adult basic education

● # of ALCs employing 2-generation approaches to direct student instruction

● # of tutors trained through FGLN

● % of tutors actively engaged and providing direct student instruction at partnering ALCs

● % of tutors participating in continuing education through FGLN

● # of students served by FGLN trained coaches and ALC partners

● % of students achieving their student success goals as developed through a Family Centered Coaching approach to tutor/student engagement

Evaluation and Sustainability

FGLN is committed to continuous improvement, regularly evaluating its programs and services based on feedback from ALCs, volunteers, and learners. A diversified funding strategy, including grants, donations, fee-for-service programs, and partnerships, ensures FGLN's long-term sustainability and ability to expand its reach and impact.

For more information, contact  Jessica Kitchner, Operations Manager, Flint & Genesee Literacy Network, jessica.kitchner@mcc.edu

____________________

1. National Center for Educational Statistics, “Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies,” https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/skillsmap/

2. National Institute for Literacy, "The State of Literacy in America: Estimates at the Local, State, and National Levels," 1998, 142.

3. Mark Kutner, Elizabeth Greenberg, Ying Jim, Christine Paulson, “The Health Literacy of America’s Adults: Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy,” https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006483 

4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Learn More, Earn More: Education Leads to Higher Wages, Lower Unemployment,”

https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm 

5. National Center for Educational Statistics, “Highlights of PIAAC 2017 U.S. Results,” https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/national_results.asp 

Posted 5.3.2024

Chicago, Illinois: 

scaleLIT https://www.scalelit.org 

Rooted In Literacy

The Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition (CCLC) was created by adult literacy programs in 2004  to network, share resources, and raise awareness. Our members have program offerings allowing adult learners to continue thriving within their communities to address the social determinants of health, work, and connection. CCLC’s board unanimously voted to change the organization's name to scaleLIT. Unveiled at CCLC’s annual fundraiser, Beyond Books, scaleLIT reflects the organization’s vision to expand services to help organizations use adult literacy best practices to more effectively serve the community.

Under the new name, scaleLIT continues to assist its members in advancing work in its core program areas of career pathways, digital literacy, and health literacy. ScaleLIT also continues to offer direct services in career pathway navigation and digital literacy. ScaleLIT's mission is to help adult education organizations secure resources and training so that under-resourced adult learners can become economically successful, and to re-frame adult basic education as a critical public policy issue. We are a coalition with over 80 member organizations. Many of our funding initiatives are pass-through grants for member organizations to provide the direct service component.

Resources Meet Community

One-Stop Operator

We work with American Job Centers to provide partners, job seekers and businesses the resources the community needs to be successful.

Career Navigators

We staff a team of Career Pathway Navigators to assist job seekers in finding the right programs to successfully get them on the path to meaningful employment.

Digital Literacy 

We work with our members to establish digital literacy programs that meet the needs of their constituents - from devices to skill building we help organizations close the digital divide. The Digital Learning Lab https://sites.google.com/idl-lab.org/learninglab/home initiatives hold the promise of bridging digital disparities, particularly for individuals facing significant challenges such as those impacted by the justice system, living with disabilities, residing in public housing, belonging to immigrant communities, and beyond. In 2024, the Lab will address the digital literacy skill gap and lack of connectivity in Chicago’s South and West side communities. It is designed to meet the needs of individuals involved in the justice system and more. We leverage the Northstar Digital Literacy platform to define and assess the basic skills needed to use a computer and the internet in daily life, employment, and higher education. This is a digital literacy learning community whose members attend cohort meetings, receive and explore technical assistance to overcome obstacles, use digital equity resources and access the Northstar Digital Literacy platform.

Our American Job Centers Digital Navigators bring all these resources together. Our Navigators are at nearby American Job Centers to improve community members’ Digital Literacy skills. Sessions are offered daily, no registration required. Digital Navigators provide: digital literacy training (one-on-one or in small classes;) assessment (through Northstar and other assessment strategies;) referrals to a number of wraparound services, and more. In 2023, scaleLIT built on our growing momentum to reach more individuals and organizations than ever before. Our team helped adult learners earn over 1,300 certificates through Northstar Digital Literacy, provided over 1,700 adult learners access to critical educational resources, and referred over 3,000 job seekers to career opportunities. 

To learn about our growth and our impact in digital literacy, membership, and American Job Center services select this link: https://www.scalelit.org/services and

Follow scaleLIT on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/scalelit/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scaleLIT/ and on 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/15686357

Posted 5.16.24