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The Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI)

Convened by the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development

Presentation for Urban Alliance Greenhouse Meeting on March 28, 2025

CITY OF BOSTON

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Creating a safe, healthy, and climate resilient city for Boston workers.

DEPARTMENT HEAD

CITY OF BOSTON

My office, the Office of Workforce Development, is a department within our city’s Worker Empowerment Cabinet. This Cabinet houses the four departments seen here.

As a Cabinet each individual department is charged with advancing the well-being of Boston workers in the public and private sectors.

Our goals include:

setting the City’s future policy and vision for workers
regulating, overseeing, and improving workplace conditions and health for workers, and
expanding economic opportunities for workers through quality jobs, skills training, and career pipelines.

In Workforce Development, we work towards the full participation of all Boston residents in the city’s economic vitality and future and connecting low-income residents with job training and employment opportunities while promoting lifelong literacy and educational pathways. We aim to put Boston’s youth and adults on career paths toward economic security with the emphasis on empowering Bostonians to fulfill their educational and employment aspirations.

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About the Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI)

a coalition of 32 agencies and programs focused on adult education in Boston

ALI meets regularly to:

Share best practices
Coordinate efforts
Engage in professional development
Advocate for Boston’s adult literacy system

CITY OF BOSTON

The Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI) brings together 32 agencies dedicated to adult literacy in the City of Boston, with the majority receiving support from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) Adult and Community Learning Services unit and/or the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development (OWD).

Founded in 1983 by the OWD, the ALI meets regularly to share best practices, coordinate efforts, engage in professional development, and advocate for Boston’s adult literacy system.

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The ALI network consists of representatives Boston-area adult education providers and convenes regularly to discuss adult education and workforce development topics.

These programs support educationally disadvantaged adults aged 18 and older, helping them improve their skills and access to opportunities. These services are provided in partnership by the Office of Workforce Development and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Adult Community Learning Services (ACLS), which is the most significant source of funding for ABE services in Boston.

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ALI Programs

ALI’s programs provide adult learners with a wide range of services, including:

ESOL classes
basic literacy and numeracy skills classes,
high school diploma & HSE exam preparation (HiSET & GED)
citizenship classes
career readiness and career training
college preparation.

3,500+

adult learners served annually

32

$13.3 mil

funding annually*

agencies

38

distinct

programs

CITY OF BOSTON

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How the City of Boston Supports ALI

Convener – Organize meetings, sharing groups, & events
Connector – Share info (listserv, jobs, classes, events) & link members to colleges, workforce training & employers
Liaison – Bridge programs with city depts & city with state (primary funder of adult education in MA)
Supporter – Visit programs, assess needs, share funding opportunities
Advocate – Champion adult education & immigrant-serving education and training

CITY OF BOSTON

The Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI) brings together 32 agencies dedicated to adult literacy in the City of Boston, with the majority receiving support from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) Adult and Community Learning Services unit and/or the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development (OWD).

Founded in 1983 by the OWD, the ALI meets regularly to share best practices, coordinate efforts, engage in professional development, and advocate for Boston’s adult literacy system.

===

The ALI network consists of representatives Boston-area adult education providers and convenes regularly to discuss adult education and workforce development topics.

These programs support educationally disadvantaged adults aged 16 and older, helping them improve their skills and access to opportunities. These services are provided in partnership by the Office of Workforce Development and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Adult Community Learning Services (ACLS), which is the most significant source of funding for ABE services in Boston.

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711,627 RESIDENTS

Total number of City residents

196,356 RESIDENTS (27.5%)

Total number of foreign-born residents

108,145 RESIDENTS (15.1%)

Persons who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to speak, read, write or understand English

TOP 10 Countries of Origin of Foreign-Born Residents

1. China

2. Dominican Republic

3. Haiti

4. Vietnam

5. El Salvador

6. Cabo Verde

7. Colombia

8. Jamaica

9. India

10. Brazil

DEPARTMENT HEAD

CITY OF BOSTON

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ALI Funders, Partners & Supporters

CITY OF BOSTON

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ALI Members Empowering Immigrants

Education, Advocacy & Support

Partnering with lawyers for legal guidance
Hosting Know Your Rights workshops in multiple languages
Distributing “red cards” with legal rights
Teaching emergency family preparedness strategies
Creating educational videos on immigrant rights
Engaging in advocacy organizing rallies, symposiums, events
Empowering immigrant students through high-quality instruction
Providing bridge and integrated training for career pathways

CITY OF BOSTON

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City of Belonging: The Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement campaign

CITY OF BOSTON

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ALI Initiatives: DigLit

Digital Literacy Initiative (DigLit)) launched 2021
Multi-phase project to:

Provide technical assistance, funding, and educational tools
Build ALI’s capacity for digital literacy instruction
Leverage technology for learning

Accomplishments

✅ 25 providers supported → 3,000+ learners engaged in integrated digital skills instruction

✅ 70+ instructional practices in an online EdTech routine library for use in any adult education program

CITY OF BOSTON

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ALI Initiatives: Boston’s Literacy Task Force

Purpose: Support Mayor Michelle Wu & City of Boston in understanding and addressing resident literacy rates.

Goals:

Study literacy rates across Boston
Develop an action plan to expand education access & City services for residents in need of literacy services
Recommend policies & programs to improve and expand access to literacy services for all Boston residents

Timeline Work continues through December 2026

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ALI Initiatives: ALL IN Research Grant

Research Project (2023) – OWD received a grant from the ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative to:

Investigate barriers adult learners face in transitioning to post-secondary education & training
Develop policies to improve access & participation

Who participated?

ALI members
Workforce practitioners & experts
Adult learners
OWD

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Takeaways

Equip All Students with Knowledge & Resources

Create Safe & Inclusive Learning Spaces

Advocate for Continued Access to Education & Services

DEPARTMENT HEAD

CITY OF BOSTON

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Thank you!

To learn more, visit boston.gov/adult-literacy

CITY OF BOSTON