The Learning Center: Bringing Learning to Life
The Jersey City Free Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
At the Jersey City Free Public Library, we have been providing ESL and Literacy classes for nearly 25 years. There is reason to be proud of this, and we are. Nevertheless, when the 2020 census revealed that, over that same quarter century, Jersey City’s immigrant population had grown by 33% while our enrollment had remained the same, we were forced to ask:
● Are we doing enough to reach all of these newcomers?
● Are the approaches we have been using for a quarter of a century still appropriate?
● Are there courses other than English that would benefit this population?
It was out of such questions that ‘The Learning Center’ was born, along with its motto, “We bring learning to life.” The name and statement seem simple enough. Yet, taken together, they represented a seismic shift in the way that our Library serves Jersey City.
What follows is the story of the resulting innovations and how they led to unprecedented results.
Challenge/Opportunity
English Language Learning
- Per the 2020 U.S Census, Jersey City has 286,670 residents, 118,108 of whom were born outside of the U.S. Of those, 41,280 people are of working age. The Census also revealed that 147,348 Jersey City residents do not speak English at home.
- The studies of Day and Shin as well as Moeller found a strong positive correlation between English-language ability and earnings.
Digital Literacy
- The Jersey City Housing Authority has identified Digital Literacy as a prime obstacle to the upward mobility of almost 60,000 residents. Many of these difficulties, it was reported, are also related to difficulties with English.
Obstacles
For almost 25 years, enrollment in JCFPL classes hovered around 80 students. Patron feedback revealed two key factors in the inability of the program to grow:
- Accessibility: Difficulty registering in English and difficulty getting to class
- Motivation: Students said they lost motivation to continue, so they dropped out.
Key Elements of Innovation
Accessibility
- Our registration, previously only in English, is now available in 133 languages
- 19 new community partnerships, all of whom help students register, many of whom provide classroom space
- This increased classrooms from one room downtown to 30 spaces across the city
- JCFPL now covers all costs, including books, so classes are completely free of charge
Motivation
- Previously, JCFPL tutors were well-meaning volunteers with no credentials. Now, all of our instructors are certified educators. As a result:
- Classes have transformed from traditional lectures into interactive, immersive learning experiences that make use of games, pair work, projects, role plays, real-world tasks, and field trips
- Course content is now directly linked to student needs (e.g. work, money, physical and mental health)
- We have added Work Readiness courses, including:
- Digital navigation
- CV, interview skills, LinkedIn
- Customer Service
Achieved Outcomes
- Enrollment: Student enrollment increased from 83 students to 782 students in just four months, making us the largest Community ESL program in New Jersey. We already have 1,250 students enrolled for September 2024 and anticipate that, by the time classes start, enrollment will have reached 1,500.
- Community Partnerships: At the start of the year, the Learning Center had one official partnership. Four months later, we had formed 19. These organizations recruited within their communities, helped with registration, and, when they could, provided classroom space. As a result, 400 students were enrolled through partnerships last year.
- Attrition: Last year, the average national attrition rate for Community Adult ESL Programs was 42%. Ours was 11%.
- Test Scores: In 2023, the average increase nationally between pre- and post-tests was 30.9%. Our average increase was 40.3%.
- Student Satisfaction: Of the students who completed the 2023-24 school year, 100% have re-enrolled for the fall.
