SCALE

The Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences (SCALE) is Somerville Public Schools’ adult education program, offering free instruction to help adult learners strengthen skills in reading, writing, math, and English language learning, and to earn a high school credential. The program also provides access to supportive resources such as a computer lab, testing center, and the Adult Diploma Program, helping learners prepare for High School Equivalency exams, college, training, or employment.

SCALE offers a supportive learning environment designed to help adults reach their educational goals and succeed in their next steps, with instruction available in the morning and evening.

All SCALE classes are free. Funding from our classes come from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education ACLS and the City of Somerville.

THE IMPACT OF SCALE

SCALE is serving more learners today than at any point in the past decade, and its impact is growing. Last year, 45 students earned their General Educational Development (GED) credential—three times the program’s previous record—making SCALE the second-largest GED testing site in Massachusetts.

SCALE creates pathways to college, careers, and new opportunities while welcoming learners at every stage of life. The SCALE community reflects the diversity and resilience of Somerville and beyond. Students include teenagers and parents, newcomers and longtime residents, people experiencing homelessness, and learners with disabilities or visual impairments. Participants come from more than 50 countries, with especially strong communities from Haiti and Brazil.

Nearly one-third of SCALE students are high school age, many of whom are finding the connection, support, and sense of belonging they may have struggled to find in traditional school settings. At SCALE, every learner has a place to begin—and a pathway forward.