Analysis of Need for ABE Services by City and Town

December 1994

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education prepared the attached analysis of need for adult basic education (ABE) services by city and town based upon data developed primarily from the 1990 Census. The data lists Massachusetts cities and towns in alphabetical order within each "Service Delivery Area" and provides the following information:

1. The number and percent of each community's Non-High School Completers.
According to the 1990 Census, 908,718 Massachusetts adults (21.6%) lack a high school credential. It is important to note that the count of "non-high school completers" does not include the very-substantial number of high school graduates (and even those with more advanced degrees) who are functioning below the level expected of a high school graduate. The first "National Adult Literacy Survey" report released this past September found that almost 50% of our nation's high school graduates are functioning at levels one and two of the NALS five scales for prose, document and quantitative literacy; levels one and two represent functioning levels well below those expected of high school graduates.

2. Adults who are "limited English proficient," i.e., the number and percent of adults who identified themselves cps speaking English "Not Well" and "Not At All. " Over 284,000 Massachusetts adults identified themselves as speaking English as their second language. Of this number, over 156,000 reported that they were able to speak English "Not Well" or "Not At All." Of this number, more than 88,000 are already counted among those not completing high school in #1, above. Hence, another 67,700 limited English proficient adults with at least a high school credential are added to the high school non-completers as part of our potential target population.
It is important to note that this data is drawn from a population that our state has determined to have been seriously under-counted in the 1990 Census. In addition, even when counted, language barriers may have frustrated their ability to respond to questions of this type on the long form of the Census. Hence, the number of limited English proficient (LEP) adults may be greater than listed for many cities-and towns.

3.The number and percent of drop-outs in 1992 and the 1992 four year projected high school drop-out Rate.
According to school year 1991/92 drop-out reports: 9,282 Massachusetts school children (4%) dropped out of school that year, and a projected 15% of the "class of 1995" will drop-out over their four years of high school.

Click here for the detailed Needs Analysis Spreadsheet (In Excel size 560kb)