Improving the quality of instruction through the development of content standards is a critical step in developing effective curriculum and meaningful assessment to enhance student learning. In adult education, many programs do not use standards to guide their programs. Standards development is a slow and intensive process. 

The Adult Education Standards and Assessment Warehouse initiative was created in 2003 through funding from the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) to collect and disseminate the best information on content standards to guide instruction in reading, mathematics, and English language acquisition. This initiative assisted states and local programs in improving the quality of instruction by

• collecting and disseminating information on existing state and national content standards in adult education and the assessments aligned to those standards;
• developing guidance on how to validate and implement existing standards for state adoption; and
• working with interested states to develop state adult education content standards in reading, mathematics, and English language acquisition.

Products of the initiative included the following:

• An electronic information warehouse providing universal access to data gathered on adult education content standards
• A Process Guide for Establishing State Adult Education Content Standards, a “how-to guide” for establishing state standards and assessments linked to those standards
• State collaborative working groups to develop state adult education content standards in reading, mathematics, and English language