As we observe National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week (Sept. 19-25) the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy (MOAL) is pleased to celebrate its second year of establishment in the City of Houston.

In 2019, Mayor Sylvester Turner, in partnership with CITGO, established the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy which currently remains as the only mayoral office of its kind in the United States. As part of its establishment, Mayor Sylvester Turner entrusted the Houston Public Library, under the direction of Director Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, with the oversight of the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy to support and advance the City’s efforts.

“In just two short years, MOAL, with the support of a dynamic advisory board consisting of a diverse representation of community, business, and philanthropic stakeholders, has made notable strides towards the advancement of the City of Houston’s adult literacy efforts,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “MOAL continues to focus on enhancing adult literacy advocacy and awareness as well as building capacity for adult literacy and adult education causes and providers in the City of Houston.”

Since 2019, MOAL has worked diligently in generating both broad based support and visibility for adult literacy in Houston as well as nationally by presenting at the First Adult Literacy Summit sponsored by the national Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. MOAL also contributed to critical research and studies including the 2020 study from Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which assesses the abilities and skills needed for successful participation in 21^st century society and the economy globally.

In its aim to support adult literacy providers, MOAL works with an extensive network of some 40 literacy-based organizations across the Greater Houston metropolitan area by offering professional development and access to resources and support services essential to the provision and sustainability of services to learners.

Important examples of MOAL’s impacts include the distribution of over 35K books awarded from the Molina Foundation along with the distribution of over 200 technology kits consisting of a laptop and hotspot. This was part of a new long-term lending initiative in partnership with the Houston Public Library to adult learners through adult literacy providers serving the City’s Complete Communities.

The success of the program has resulted in additional support from the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Marathon Oil and EOG Resources enabling the ability to reach more learners at a critical time as the workforce landscape for low literate adults is further compounded by the pandemic. The launch of the MOAL website, an interactive resource for both adult learners and providers, has also proven to be a key resource, especially during the pandemic and beyond.

“It’s an exciting time for literacy,” said Salas-Isnardi, “not only do we have the leadership of Mayor Turner and the support of City Council but also the support of important members of the community as demonstrated during the recent grand-opening of the Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza at the Houston Public Library in downtown.. It is encouraging to see a reinvigorated effort towards this cause.”

A significant milestone for MOAL was the development of the Houston Adult Literacy Blueprint. The Blueprint was created in partnership with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation over a five month period and engaged more than 100 cross-sector leaders from business, K-12 and higher education, nonprofit, government and others, as well as adult learners and instructors. The Blueprint aims to address the challenge of low functional literacy among Houston’s adults and a call to action to the community to make possible a Houston where all adults“…will have ready, equitable access to high-quality education programs and services to gain the literacy and workforce skills they need to engage, compete and thrive in Houston’s economy and society.”

The Blueprint is a 15-year strategic plan in accordance with the Mayor’s vision to have adults reach 100% literacy by the City’s bicentennial anniversary of 2036 and identifies 7 goals and a number of strategies that must be implemented in order to accomplish this vision. The next stages of implementation will focus on three of the plan’s seven major goals: advocacy, data, and sustainability.

To learn more about MOAL, its partners and literacy providers, as well as upcoming activities in observance of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week such as the MOAL Blueprint Webinar on Sept. 23, please visit houstontx.gov/adultliteracy.