<![CDATA[New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy - Home]]>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:35:12 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Teacher Appreciation Week]]>Thu, 07 May 2026 15:20:36 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/teacher-appreciation-week
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During Teacher Appreciation Week, we honor the educators, learners, and allies who power adult education across New York. Adult literacy and education teachers work every day in community‑based organizations, CUNY campuses, and libraries. They support adults who are gain:

  • English language skills
  • Reading and writing skills
  • Technology and digital literacy
  • Career and workforce readiness 
  • Numeracy skills
  • GED and other academic credentials

The demand for adult education in New York is immense.
  • 3.9 million adults in New York State lack a high school diploma, English proficiency, or both.
  • Only a small share of those adults are able to access publicly funded adult education programs each year.
This gap makes the work of adult educators not just important, but essential.
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We also recognize the program leaders, staff, and partner organizations who sustain this field. Our collective advocacy helps ensure adult learners receive the resources and opportunities they deserve.

Education changes lives—and it takes a community to make it possible.

This week, we celebrate everyone advancing adult literacy and educational equity across New York. Thank you for the work you do, the people you serve, and the futures you help build.

]]><![CDATA[May General Meeting]]>Sat, 02 May 2026 17:17:46 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/may-general-meetingRegister to join the May 15, 2026 NYCCAL General Meeting 
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]]><![CDATA[April General Meeting]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:47:58 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/april-general-meetingNext NYCCAL General Meeting:  Friday, April 17, from 9:30am to 11:30am  
Register for the next meeting on Zoom
​Full Calendar of General Meetings ]]><![CDATA[A NYCCAL State Advocacy Day to Remember]]>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:29:47 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/a-nyccal-state-advocacy-day-to-rememberOver the past two weeks, adult literacy advocates across New York raised their voices together for stronger investment in adult education.
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From classrooms across New York City to the halls of the State Capitol in Albany, teachers, students, program leaders, and allies came together to advocate for adult learners and the programs that support them.

A Day in Albany

Last Thursday, members of the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy (NYCCAL) traveled to Albany alongside our statewide partners at NYACCE for State Advocacy Day.
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Advocates met with legislators and their staff to talk about the impact of adult literacy programs and the urgent need to expand access to them.
We’re grateful to the many legislators who took the time to meet with us and hear directly from educators and program leaders about what adult education makes possible.
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Thank you to the offices of:
Senator Shelley B. Mayer
Assemblymember Michael Benedetto
Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes
Senator John C. Liu
Senator Robert Jackson
Assemblymember Dana Levenberg
Senator Andrew Gounardes
Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas
Senator Jessica Ramos
Senator Julia Salazar
Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda
Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi
Assemblymember Amanda Septimo
Assemblymember Ron Kim
Senator Kristen Gonzalez
Assemblymember Edward C. Braunstein
Senator Liz Krueger

Assemblymember Claire Valdez
Assemblymember Catalina Cruz
Assemblymember Nily Rozic
Executive Chamber Assistant Secretary of Education (Governor’s Office)
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Senator Patricia Fahy
Senator Toby Ann Stavisky
Assemblymember Grace Lee
Assemblymember Maritza Davila
Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky
Senator José M. Serrano
Senator Michael Gianaris
Assemblymember Steve Otis
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon
During these meetings, we shared two key priorities for the FY2027 state budget:
  • Invest $15 million in NYS Adult Literacy Education (ALE)
  • ​Pass the New York for All Act to protect immigrant learners and communities
🔗 Read our FY2027 Advocacy One-Pager:  https://t.ly/BszA5

The need is clear. 3.9 million adult New Yorkers have limited English proficiency or do not yet have a high school diploma or HSE. Yet fewer than 3% are served each year through state-funded adult literacy programs.
Adult education helps people access better jobs, support their children in school, improve their health, and participate more fully in their communities.

Advocacy in the Classroom

Advocacy Day was not only happening in Albany.
Across the city, teachers led advocacy lessons in their classrooms, helping students learn about how adult education is funded and why their voices matter.
Students reflected on what their classes mean to them by completing prompts such as:
“My Adult Literacy Class Means…” or “Adult Literacy Means…”
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Their responses were thoughtful and powerful.

Students wrote about how their classes help them communicate with doctors, help their children with school, find better jobs, and pursue long-held goals. Some spoke about rebuilding careers after immigrating. Others wrote about the confidence they’ve gained through learning.
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Many described adult education as a pathway to opportunity, growth, and dignity. Read more in their own words here on this Padlet from a Literacy Partners class.

A Community Effort

This advocacy push was made possible by many people across the adult education community.

We want to thank the teachers who facilitated advocacy lessons and helped students find their voices.

We thank the students who shared their experiences and spoke about why adult education matters in their lives.
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And we thank the program administrators, staff, and advocates who traveled to Albany and helped amplify this message across their programs and networks.
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Looking Ahead

Adult learners are ready to build brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Now New York must invest in that future.

Our priorities remain:
📚 Invest $15 million in Adult Literacy Education
🛡️ Pass the New York for All Act

🔗 Learn more in our advocacy one-pager: https://t.ly/BszA5

Because access to education, at any age, should never be out of reach.
]]><![CDATA[March General Meeting]]>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:02:38 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/march-general-meetingNext NYCCAL General Meeting:  Friday, March 13, from 9:30am to 11:30am  
Register for the next meeting on Zoom
​Full Calendar of General Meetings]]><![CDATA[February General Meeting]]>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/february-general-meetingNext NYCCAL General Meeting:  Friday, February 27, from 9:30am to 11:30am  
Register for the next meeting on Zoom
​Full Calendar of General Meetings]]><![CDATA[In Solidarity with Educators and Multilingual Learners in Minnesota]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:38:54 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/in-solidarity-with-educators-and-multilingual-learners-in-minnesotaWe stand in solidarity with Minnesota TESOL and the educators, learners, and families affected by recent immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota. As Minnesota TESOL powerfully names in their statement, fear, violence, and injustice are bringing learning to a halt, with people afraid to leave their homes regardless of immigration status. When fear takes hold, education cannot continue as usual.
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Below, we share a screenshot and link to Minnesota TESOL, which calls on us to affirm the dignity of multilingual learners, recognize the extraordinary and unsustainable labor educators are carrying, and recommit to classrooms as places of safety, welcome, and care.
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]]><![CDATA[Education for Integration and Equity - $20M City Proposal (November 2025)]]>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:37:47 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/education-for-integration-and-equity-20m-city-proposalModeled after the highly successful New York City Adult Literacy Pilot Project with components from Migration Policy Institute's English Plus Integration, NYCCAL is excited to share this proposal for a new $20 million investment in adult education, providing new seats and seamless access to English language, basic education, digital literacy, high school equivalency, and civics education classes to immigrant New Yorkers, regardless of their status.

Click Read More for the Education for Integration and Equity proposal in its entirety or go to https://link.lacnyc.org/EIE25 
]]><![CDATA[NYCCAL Releases State Advocacy One-Pager FY2027]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/nyccal-releases-state-advocacy-one-pager-fy2027
NYCCAL has developed a new New York State one-pager that outlines our state budget priorities for FY27. The one-pager includes background and historical data to support our requests.

​The two FY27 priorities are:
- Increase NYSED’s Adult Literacy Education (ALE) funding from $9.8 million to $15 million to support education programs and serve an additional 3,500 adult students in FY27.
- Pass the New York for All Act to protect immigrant students and communities.
]]><![CDATA[January General Meeting]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.nyccaliteracy.org/home/next-general-meetingNext NYCCAL General Meeting:  Friday, January 16, from 9:30am to 11:30am  
Register by clicking here 
Full Calendar of General Meetings]]>