FY24-FY28 Massachusetts Policies for Effective Adult Education in Community Adult Learning Centers (CALCs) and Correctional Institutions (AECIs) - Revised March 2025

Sep 1, 2026

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Policies for Effective Adult Education in Community Adult Learning Centers (CALCs) and Correctional Institutions (AECIs) for FY24–FY28 establish statewide guidance from DESE’s Adult and Community Learning Services. The framework defines vision, mission, core principles, and eight performance indicators covering program design, equitable access, career pathways collaboration, curriculum, instruction and assessment, student progress, advising and student support, and organizational support. It specifies state requirements for delivery options, eligibility, confidentiality, disability and reporting obligations, standards alignment, measurable skills gain, and governance, including technology and distance education expectations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatDOCX

Pages52

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Vision

Mission

Core Principles

Chapter 1: Indicator 1: Program Design

In-person Services (State Requirement)

Enrollment (State Requirement)

Continuum of Instructional Services (State Requirement)

Intensity and Duration (State Requirement)

No Charges to Students (State Requirement)

Program Delivery Options

Chapter 2: Indicator 2: Equitable Access

Eligibility (State Requirement)

Prioritization (State Requirement)

Waitlist (State Requirement)

Intake and Orientation

Confidentiality (State Requirement)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Mandated Reporting (State Requirement)

FY24-FY28 Massachusetts Policies for Effective Adult Education in Community Adult Learning Centers (CALCs) and Correctional Institutions (AECIs) HYPERLINK "https://www.doe.mass.edu/acls"Adult and Community Learning Services Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) 135 Santilli HighwayEverett, MA 02149 Revised March 2025 This page intentionally left blank. Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170248" Overview PAGEREF _Toc181170248 \h 1 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170249" Vision PAGEREF _Toc181170249 \h 1 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170250" Mission PAGEREF _Toc181170250 \h 1 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170251" Core Principles PAGEREF _Toc181170251 \h 1 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170252" Chapter 1: Indicator 1: Program Design PAGEREF _Toc181170252 \h 3 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170253" In-person Services (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170253 \h 3 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170254" Enrollment (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170254 \h 3 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170255" Continuum of Instructional Services (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170255 \h 3 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170256" Intensity and Duration (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170256 \h 4 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170257" No Charges to Students (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170257 \h 4 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170258" Program Delivery Options PAGEREF _Toc181170258 \h 4 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170259" Adult Education and Family Literacy Services PAGEREF _Toc181170259 \h 5 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170260" Instruction in Students’ First Language PAGEREF _Toc181170260 \h 7 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170261" Family Literacy Activities PAGEREF _Toc181170261 \h 10 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170262" Volunteer Services PAGEREF _Toc181170262 \h 10 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170263" Chapter 2: Indicator 2: Equitable Access PAGEREF _Toc181170263 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170264" Eligibility (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170264 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170265" Prioritization (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170265 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170266" Waitlist (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170266 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170267" Intake and Orientation PAGEREF _Toc181170267 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170268" Confidentiality (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170268 \h 12 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170269" The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) PAGEREF _Toc181170269 \h 12 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170270" The General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) PAGEREF _Toc181170270 \h 13 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170271" Mandated Reporting (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170271 \h 13 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170272" Chapter 3: Indicator 3: Career Pathways Collaboration PAGEREF _Toc181170272 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170273" Local MassHire Workforce Boards (MWBs) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) PAGEREF _Toc181170273 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170274" Local Workforce Development Plan Packages PAGEREF _Toc181170274 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170275" Outstationing PAGEREF _Toc181170275 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170276" Shared Customers PAGEREF _Toc181170276 \h 14 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170277" Chapter 4: Indicator 4: Curriculum PAGEREF _Toc181170277 \h 16 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170278" Curriculum Requirements for ABE (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170278 \h 16 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170279" Curriculum Requirements for ESOL (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170279 \h 17 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170280" Curriculum Requirement for Distance Education (State Requirement) PAGEREF _Toc181170280 \h 17 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170281" Curriculum Requirements for All Programs PAGEREF _Toc181170281 \h 18 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170282" Chapter 5: Indicator 5: Instruction and Assessment PAGEREF _Toc181170282 \h 19 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc181170283" Alignmen

FAQs

What timeframe and organizations do these adult education policies cover?

The policies cover FY24–FY28 and apply to Community Adult Learning Centers (CALCs) and Correctional Institutions (AECIs) under DESE’s Adult and Community Learning Services.

What performance areas are included in the eight indicators?

The indicators cover program design, equitable access, career pathways collaboration, curriculum, instruction and assessment, student progress, advising and student support services, and organizational support.

Which types of instructional and assessment requirements are addressed?

The document includes requirements for aligning instruction to standards, integrating workforce preparation and digital literacy, assessing students, and completing summative assessment and measurable skills gain/performance accountability expectations.

Sep 1, 2026

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