Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Release of 2019 Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education

February 15, 2019

Dear Colleagues:

I am very pleased to present the Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education . These standards:

• revise and update the much valued 2005 Massachusetts Adult Basic Education Curriculum Framework for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL);
• integrate the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE) and the English Language Proficiency Standards (OCTAE, 2016) into a single document; and
• provide research-based skills and practices for adult English language learners.

The standards represent the work of many national, state, and local adult ESOL educators, expertly led by Andy Nash, Director of the New England Literacy Resource Center and Professional Developer, World Education, with assistance from Jen Vanek, Director of Digital Learning and Research, EdTech Center at World Education. I am proud of this accomplishment and grateful to the ACLS and SABES team of Dori McCormack, Andrea O'Brien, and Jane Schwerdtfeger who, along with Andy, guided the process.

While I applaud the work done to create these standards, it is you, Massachusetts adult educators, who will do the hard work of bringing these standards to life in the classroom. I know dedicated educators have been working hard and hope that this integrated set of standards will make your job a little less challenging.

Releasing the Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education is a big step forward but ACLS will continue to support teachers and directors over the coming months:

• Beginning Friday, March 1, the SABES PD Center for ESOL Curriculum and Instruction will be providing an online overview of the Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education. The overview will cover what is included in the new document along with background on why it was developed, how it is organized, and how teachers can use it.
• More in-depth PD is being developed on how teachers can use the standards in instructional planning and classroom practice and will be presented starting in April. I invite teachers and directors to use these as a catalyst to improve teaching and learning for English language learners.
• ACLS and SABES will also offer sessions on the ESOL standards at Network (May 10) and the Adult Education Directors' Meeting (May 22).
• Please visit the ACLS Curriculum and Instruction Frameworks webpage to view the standards; they will be posted there shortly. Note that the ACLS Curriculum and Instruction policies for programs offering ESOL services will be updated shortly. As questions come in from the field, we will update the ACLS Curriculum and Instruction Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

I hope you find these standards useful in developing a strong ESOL curriculum for adult English language learners. Thank you again for the work you do and your continued commitment to improved achievement for all learners.

Sincerely,

Wyvonne Stevens-Carter
Acting State Adult Education Director