Spotlight On Innovation In Adult Basic Education
Friday, November 6, 9:30am to 12pm
See innovation in Adult Basic Education at its best. Join us for the First Literacy Spotlight on Innovation in Adult Basic Education on November 6 from 9:30am to 12pm! Coffee and networking from 9:30am to 10:00am. The program will begin at 10:00am.
Event Highlights:
- Keynote speaker Dr. Johan Uvin, Executive Director of the UMass Donahue Institute and former President of the Institute for Educational Leadership.
- First Literacy 2025-2026 grant recipients will showcase newly tested and implemented innovative and impactful curriculum resources and initiatives.
- Networking with educators, directors, and First Literacy donors.
- Q&A panel with grant recipients.
The event will be held at Bunker Hill Community College. For more information about the First Literacy Spotlight on Innovation in Adult Basic Education contact Annie Sferrazza at asferrazza@firstliteracy.org.
Directions to Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College Map With Event Location
Registration is recommended but not required.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Johan Uvin, Executive Director, UMass Amherst Donahue Institute
From 2017 to 2020 Dr. Johan Uvin was president of the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, DC. where he facilitated and implemented the institute’s five-year strategic plan. He also founded Strategy Advising, a consulting practice that provides strategic advising services to senior leaders in education, workforce development, educational technology start-ups, and non-profit organizations.
Dr. Uvin served at the U.S. Department of Education from 2009-2017. He coordinated all strategy development for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) with a staff of 80 and over $1.7 billion in resources. He also led policy development and implementation for adult education, career and technical education, community colleges, national and international efforts focused on youth not in education, training, or employment, and market-based outcome-driven alternative funding models for education and workforce development.
Dr. Uvin earlier held various leadership positions with the Rhode Island Department of Education and with the Commonwealth Corporation in Boston. He has also managed projects and programs in the Massachusetts Department of Education and a number of non-profit organizations in Boston.
Dr. Uvin received the 2020 Harvard Alumni Council Award for outstanding contributions to education in the U.S. He is also the recipient of the national Outstanding American by Choice Award.
He received his Master of Education in international education and Doctor of Education in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University.
Keynote Speech
Reimagining Adult Learning: From System Shortfalls to Strategic Innovation in Policy and Practice
Adult education is at a critical juncture. The need and demand for adult education have never been higher, yet the field remains fragmented and underfunded and policies are outdated. Adult learners are more diverse and demanding than ever, yet systemic barriers persist — from disparities in access, inadequate funding, uneven quality to variability in outcomes. This talk examines the current landscape, identifying key pressures shaping the field, then pivot to promising innovations in policy and practice that are already transforming how adults learn. From flexible micro-credentials and technology-based innovations to employer partnerships and learner-centered funding models, we’ll explore cutting-edge policy reforms and programmatic innovations that can scale impact and position adult education as a critical driver of economic mobility and social resilience. These strategies can be the foundation of new, more effective state investment strategies.
2025-2026 First Literacy Grant Funded Projects
Literacy à la Carte
At the Osterville Village Library, we are expanding our successful Book Tasting series—an immersive, café-style literacy experience where participants “sample” books and media in multiple formats, from traditional print to Wonderbooks, Launchpads, bilingual resources, AR/VR books, Playaways, and language-learning databases. This initiative addresses the need for accessible, engaging, and inclusive literacy tools for individuals with diverse learning styles, language backgrounds, and literacy levels. By creating a multisensory, choice-based environment, we aim to foster a love of reading and increase confidence in learners who may not connect with traditional print alone. Our desired outcome is to improve literacy engagement and retention by meeting people where they are—through the format that works best for them.
Partner Program: Osterville Village Library
Community: Barnstable County
Students Served: 450
Award amount: $5,750
Digital Literacy for the Future
Many students have very limited digital literacy skills, and this makes it hard for them to access resources the teachers use and also limits some students to only being able to enroll in classes that are in person and not take advantage of online offerings. This program is a summer digital literacy course that will help students better access the many digital resources and thus increase their ability to master English.
Partner Program: Blue Hills Adult Education
Community: Canton, Dedham, Norwood
Students Served: 209
Award amount: $6,821.88
Students Are Leaders
Adult learners come to the Community Learning Center (CLC) with a wealth of experience and interests; however, given their part-time attendance and multiple outside commitments, they are limited in their ability to develop and share their knowledge outside of their classrooms. Students Are Leaders will provide leadership skills, development, and activities to and with interested students. The program will focus on cultural sharing, activities to learn about and address the climate crisis, information about rights and responsibilities, and communication within and outside the CLC about the programs offered. Through training and subsequent presentations, students will develop transferable leadership skills and strengthen the sense of community and belonging within the program. The goal is greater student engagement and persistence, strengthening each student’s voice in program decision making, and for students to become ambassadors informing and engaging the entire student community through workshops and presentations.
Partner Program: The Friends of the Community Learning Center
Community: Metro North
Students Served: 850
Award amount: $2,161.22 (2nd year funding)
AI-Powered English: A Mini Course for ESOL Learners
This 12-week pilot program targets BCNC’s adult ESOL students representing immigrant and low-income learners from Asian and other immigrant communities. The program will focus on building independent English study strategies that reinforce the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) curriculum. There will be an emphasis on direct support of DESE priorities to expand digital literacy and career readiness, including efforts to meet the growing need for AI education among immigrant adults. The course will also address the digital divide facing immigrant adults by equipping them with tools for lifelong learning and workforce advancement. The program will be informed by staff expertise, DESE digital literacy standards, and the national Digital Resilience in the American Workforce (DRAW) initiative.
Partner Program: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC)
Community: Quincy
Students Served: 410
Award amount: $4,365
Summer Family Literacy
We are proposing to develop and pilot a summer family literacy class. The class will be a remote class that covers English skill development, phonics, and literacy acquisition skills that parents can work on with their children. The goals of this class are three-fold. First, the class will help parents develop their own English skills. Second, the class will teach parents how to help their children develop their literacy skills. Third, the class will reduce learning regression, helping both parents and children to continue to learn during the summer.
Partner Program: Jewish Vocational Service (JVS), Hyde Park
Community: Metro Boston
Students Served: 160
Award amount: $5,727.25
Jump Start ESOL
The “Jump Start ESOL” project will provide students who have been on the waitlist for ESOL classes at Community Action, Inc. for over a year and a half with the opportunity to participate in a 6-week summer boost ESOL class. The class will focus on basic English language skills, digital literacy, and workforce readiness activities designed to equip participants with the skills and confidence needed for enrollment in our year-long English language classes. Students will complete a goal-setting action plan and design a goal-setting vision board as a project-based learning outcome with the aim of deepening student motivation and persistence for future English language study after completion of the 6-week course.
Partner Program: Community Action, Inc.
Community: Greater Haverhill
Students Served: 213
Award amount: $4,898.56
Workplace Language and Skills for Newcomers
This new ESL class will focus on the English skills needed to find and succeed in a job. The course will involve workplace vocabulary, interviewing procedures, resume writing, and job searching skills. There will be 6 weeks of intensive classroom time with additional one-on-one coaching sessions tailored to each student’s particular needs.
Partner Program: The House of the Seven Gables
Community: North Shore – Salem, Peabody, Beverly
Students Served: 500
Award amount: $5,049.96