Our goal: to elevate the issue of adult literacy in the city and provide a coordinated and practical plan for action.
The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy came together to develop Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint with over 100 stakeholders.
What is the Blueprint?
The Adult Literacy Blueprint is a call for action and comprehensive plan for coordinated city-wide change to address the systemic crisis of low adult literacy rates.
The Adult Literacy Blueprint contains:
• A full report on the impact of low rates of adult literacy on Houston
• Seven key goals and supporting strategies
• A practical action plan to achieve each of those goals
• Key metrics to measure progress & inform future decisions
Why we created it.
In 2021, the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation embarked on a joint initiative to engage the community in developing this Blueprint to ensure that more adults in our community acquire the literacy skills they need to succeed in all aspects of life. This Blueprint aligns with the National Action Plan for Adult Literacy framework developed by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
We gathered input across Houston.
A diverse group of over 100 stakeholders representing the City of Houston, the business sector, community organizations, adult learners and instructors, and other groups provided thought leadership and expertise in the design of this Blueprint through a series of interviews and focus groups, a community survey, and a strategy lab conducted over a five-month period. We are grateful for their commitment of time and talent in the development of the Blueprint.
How we developed it…
Engage.
We conducted extensive research on the current state and impact of adult literacy in Houston. We engaged over 100 stakeholders to uncover key opportunities and challenges for adult literacy.
Define.
After synthesizing extensive stakeholder feedback and secondary research, we defined seven goals with supporting strategies, actions, and metrics to strategically advance adult literacy in Houston. We reviewed and refined these goals with the input of stakeholders from adult literacy providers, community organizations, city government representatives, and the business community.
Launch & Lead.
The launch of the Blueprint is only the beginning. We must come together as a community to drive progress toward the Blueprint's goals to achieve our vision of a more equitable Houston.