The Massachusetts Family Literacy Consortium has put together an analysis of
Boston needs and assets for adult and family literacy based on 2000 census data.
Boston Adult Basic and Literacy Education (and ESOL) Needs
Boston Adult Basic and Literacy Education (and ESOL) Assets
Assets & Needs Statement
City of Boston
Assets
ABE Service Providers: Boston is fortunate to have a broad variety of adult education service providers working to meet the needs of its citizens. The Adult Literacy Resource Institute (A.L.R.I.) lists more than one hundred programs in greater Boston, with offerings that range from one-a-week volunteer tutoring to multi-level, high-intensity ABE, ESOL, ASE, ADP, and Family Literacy programs run through community, faith-based, and educational institutions. Among those one hundred programs, thirty-five receive funding from the Department of Education. Of those thirty-five, thirty also receive funding from the Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI) of Boston’s Office of Jobs and Community Services.
Government Agencies: Among the government agencies most prominent at the city level are: Boston Public Schools, the Office for New Bostonians, and the Boston Public Library, including all of its neighborhood branches. Each of these institutions provides support to adult learners, through direct or indirect service. At the state level, the Office for Refugees and Immigrants and the Department of Transitional Assistance provide services to a large proportion of adult learners. Law enforcement and the court system also have a vested interest in adult education, and often assist individuals in finding appropriate programs. County and state corrections facilities also provide adult education services, and often assist inmates in transitioning from their programs to community-based programs upon release.
Higher Education Providers: The City of Boston is home to many colleges and universities, and students who wish to move from adult education programs into higher education have a plethora of options to choose from. Many of Boston’s community colleges provide services for students whose skills upon entry may benefit from additional, intensive practice, and staff from those programs are attentive to the needs of adult learners. Among four-year colleges, UMass/Boston stands out for its commitment to working with non-traditional students. Harvard University in Cambridge hosts NCSALL, the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, and addresses the needs of adult learners through a variety of programs and classes for its students in conjunction with local adult education providers. The Higher Education Information Center at the Boston Public Library provides information about and access to Boston’s higher education community through workshops, information sessions, and individual assistance to students seeking to enter two and four-year colleges.
Cultural Institutions: Boston’s vibrant cultural institutions and organizations provide rich resources and opportunities for adult learners. The Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Science, the Computer Museum and the Children’s Museum are readily accessible and provide a variety of exhibits that enhance and extend learning. Boston’s music, theatre, and dance offerings are equally extensive. Finally, the history of Boston is also available to adult learners through the Park Service’s Freedom Trail tours, which have been extended in recent years to include information and institutions that address the specific roles and contributions of African-Americans and women.
Community-Based Organizations: The community-based organizations in Boston who serve adult learners are too numerous to list by name, numbering in the hundreds. They include, but are not limited to, multi-service centers, homeless shelters, shelters for victims of abuse, rehabilitation centers, job-training programs, and food pantries.
Faith-Based Organizations: Many of Boston’s churches and faith communities have made commitments to working with adult learners by sponsoring literacy programs, and organizations like the Ten Point Coalition have made education for all of Boston’s citizens a priority. Governing bodies such as the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston (through Catholic Charities) have provided significant support to literacy programs.
Foundations: Charitable foundations such as the Boston Adult Literacy Fund, The Boston Foundation, and the Hyams Foundation have all made substantial financial commitments to adult education programs and activities in Boston. The focus of both the Boston Foundation and the Hyams Foundation is community building, and these funders regard adult education as a critical element of a strong, vibrant community.
Health Care Providers: Boston’s health centers and hospitals, too, are a source of support for adult education providers and learners. The impact of education on individual health has been proven in study after study, and Boston’s health-care providers have worked hard to support patient learning. Many health centers and hospitals offer workshops and classes that address issues of concern for clients; Massachusetts General Hospital has created a Patient and Family Learning Center that is freely available to the public, providing books, journals, pamphlets, videos, and internet access on a broad range of topics.
Employers: The most prominent supporters of adult education in this category are the One Stop Career Centers (3) and Welfare to Work employers (12). The Private Industry Council (PIC) provides leadership and support on issues of adult literacy for Boston’s business community, and many local labor unions have also addressed educational issues at a citywide level. The tight labor market that has characterized Boston in recent years has led many employers to invest more heavily in workplace education programs, in order to train and retain employees.
Technology Resources: Boston has a wide variety of technological resources available to its citizens. Local access cable television allows community groups to provide educational and informational programming. Additionally, our local public television station, WGBH, provides extensive educational programming for adults. Community technology centers give adults access to the Internet, and provide assistance to those who are unfamiliar with computers.
Transportation: Boston’s public transportation system is the best in the state, and significantly improves access to services for residents from all neighborhoods of the city.
Needs
While Boston is fortunate to have a wealth of resources, we are faced with an additionally significant burden of need. The issues and concerns that affect all adult education providers in the state are rendered more complex and challenging within the context of the city. Boston is not only the most culturally and linguistically diverse community in Massachusetts, but also the most concentrated center of employment. As a result, we must address the needs not only of the citizens who live here, but also of our working community, many of whom reside in other communities. Additionally, while Boston is home to 12.7% of the state’s population, 14.4% of Massachusetts households receiving TANF benefits are located in Boston. The adults in these households are more likely to need adult education and/or job training than adults in households not receiving benefits—a fact which affects all of Boston’s social service providers, but adult education programs most significantly.
In terms of sheer numbers, 121,975 people, or more than 21% of Boston’s adult population, is either without a high school diploma or has limited proficiency in English. Currently, among adult education programs funded by the Department of Education, Boston has approximately 1,500 slots to address this need. Waiting lists exist at all of these programs; most potential students will wait approximately six months to enter a class, though some students may wait as long as three years. Of additional concern is the fact that the number of adults in need of services is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future. The two fastest-growing groups of clients for adult education, younger students (those under 20) and students in need of ESOL classes, has risen significantly in the past decade.
The immigrant population of Boston has continued to grow throughout the 1990s, and it is estimated that approximately 1 in 5 Boston residents is foreign-born, compared to a statewide percentage of 11.6. In a report released in November 1999 by Citizens Bank and MassINC., 59% of immigrants are listed as lacking a high school diploma. And while these immigrants do participate in the workforce at a slightly higher rate than their native-born counterparts, less than half report that they are employed. It is also important to note that foreign-born workers are twice as likely have jobs in manufacturing—the one segment of the Boston economy that has experienced shrinkage during the last decade.
Nationally, the U.S. Department of Education reports that ESOL is the fastest-growing segment of adult education. In Massachusetts, this translates to an increase of 47.7% between 1994 and 1998. Given the concentration of immigrants in the Boston area, we can safely predict a steadily and significantly increasing demand for ESOL and citizenship education during the next five years. We are also experiencing a shift in immigrant populations that will not be accurately counted until the 2000 census is released. In 1990, the five largest immigrant groups in Boston were from Haiti, China, Ireland, the Dominican Republic, and Italy. Events of the intervening ten years have significantly increased the number of immigrants from Africa, and refugees from the former Soviet Union, Bosnia, and Croatia. Currently, there are students from more than thirty different countries enrolled in Boston adult education programs. And of the 3,000 refugees who enter Massachusetts annually, approximately 60% settle in Greater Boston.
Younger students are also a growing population in adult education. Between 1996 and 1998, the number of GED test takers in Massachusetts dropped from 14,498 to 13,434. At the same time, the number of test takers under 20 increased, from 4,680 to 4,925. Statewide in 1998, 37% of test takers were under 20. In Boston’s testing centers in 1998, 28% of test takers were under 20, as compared to 15.8% in 1996. The raw numbers for those three years are even more striking: 392 of 2,469 in 1996, 470 of 2,308 in 1997, and 645 of 2,273 in 1998. It is not possible to draw a direct correlation between testing numbers and demand for classes, but this data does strongly suggest that more young students are and will be using the adult education system.
Data on the young GED population becomes more worrisome when combined with the Boston Public Schools’ most recent MCAS results. More than half of 10th graders district-wide recorded failing scores on all three components of the MCAS. Beginning in 2003, students will need passing scores in all three subjects to receive a high school diploma. Boston’s 8th graders, while performing somewhat better in English language arts than their 10th grade counterparts, failed in Mathematics, Science & Technology, and History & Social Science at rates of 63%, 75%, and 74%, respectively. We also know that in the last round of MCAS testing, African-American and Hispanic students failed at rates almost double those of white students. An increased emphasis on testing and test performance has led many observers to believe that dropout rates for marginal students will increase significantly; the Department of Education offers a four-year projected dropout rate of 30%.
Another population of special concern is the homeless. Since the winter of 1996-97, Boston’s homeless population has increased by 17.6%, to 5,820. The majority of Boston’s homeless have not completed high school, and in some shelters, the average skill level of a resident is approximately 4th grade. Addressing the educational needs of these individuals is often complicated by the presence of mental and physical health problems, substance abuse, and a history of domestic violence. These adults are also the least likely to have well-developed networks of support.
Conclusion
It is not possible to predict with absolute accuracy the needs of Boston for the next five years. Changes in immigration patterns, employment opportunities, educational policy, or social service regulations can create dramatic changes in the landscape within a matter of months. However, this statement presents our best attempt to look at what has happened in the recent past, and use that information to create a map that will help us plan for and provide the most effective and necessary services during the next five years. It is a first step toward creating a more coherent and responsive system of adult education services for Boston’s adults.
Sources
This statement was prepared using reports and information gathered from the following organizations and publications: