Adult Learning

Image of adult student in lab

Adult learners include those with little education who want to improve their literacy skills to help them transition to college, immigrants who want to learn English, students who have dropped out of school and want to get their secondary credential or take the high school equivalency tests, and adults seeking to improve their employment skills.

Adult Education Research and Technical Assistance Center (AERTAC)

The Adult Education Research and Technical Assistance Center (AERTAC) at AIR conducts research and provides technical assistance to states and local programs to improve the adult education system by promoting quality instruction and support services through better professional development, evaluation, strengthening accountability, and increasing the use of promising practices such as technology in instruction. Our projects help improve adult learners’ basic skills and English language ability to enable them to obtain secondary and postsecondary credentials, succeed in postsecondary education, and become more employable.

Latest Work

Image of drawing by a child
2 Sep 2020
Spotlight

Literacy Around the World

Founded to actively mobilize the international community and to promote literacy as an instrument to empower individuals, communities, and societies, International Literacy Day is celebrated around the world. Learn more about the projects, people, research, and in-country technical assistance that are contributing to the effort.
Illustration of woman with cell phone
16 Jul 2020
Spotlight

AIR’s COVID-19 Response and Resources

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. This virus, also known as COVID-19, has dramatically changed the lives of people around the globe, touching all aspects of life, from health care to education to the economy. In this new world of rapidly changing information about the virus, AIR seeks to be a source of evidence-based information that examines and begins to understand the various complexities of this crisis.
Image of PIAAC map
14 Jul 2020
Q & A

New Tool Maps Literacy and Numeracy Skills Across U.S. States and Counties

Literacy and numeracy are cornerstones of our modern society. Jaleh Soroui discusses the data behind the National Center for Education Statistics' PIAAC Skills Mapping tool, and how it can be used by state and county policymakers, administrators, educators, researchers, and others to draft policies, address gaps, set priorities, and allocate resources.
11 Jul 2019
Infographic

NCES Data Point: Adult English Literacy in the United States

The ability to read and understand basic texts is vital in modern society. A National Center for Education Statistics Data Point shows that one in five adults in the United States have low English literacy skills, meaning that they would have difficulty understanding, evaluating, using, or engaging with written texts.
Image of adult students working on laptops
3 Jul 2019
Q & A

A Quick Word With: Stephanie Cronen on the National Study of the Implementation of Adult Education

The U.S. Department of Education commissioned AIR to conduct a national study to evaluate how adult education operates at the state and local levels, including who adult education providers are, the services they provide, and the challenges they face. Stephanie Cronen answered some questions about adult education and what the study aims to accomplish.
Image of confused older man at computer
1 May 2018
Brief

A Description of U.S. Adults Who Are Not Digitally Literate

This brief highlights findings from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) in an effort to obtain a clear understanding of the ability of adults to undertake digital problem solving. This brief uses data gathered from a sample of 5,000 adults across different socio-demographic groups in the United States and compares it to international averages from 19 other countries to answer three specific study questions.
Project

Studying Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education

Despite the important role that adult education can play in students’ lives, research on teachers of adult education is limited. AIR produced four research briefs to provide descriptive information about the characteristics of teachers in adult education and to explore whether teacher characteristics are associated with student achievement in adult education.
19 Sep 2017
Brief

Adult Education Attainment and Assessment Scores: A Cross-National Comparison

The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies is a multi-domain adult skills assessment designed to understand how individuals’ education, workplace experiences, and other background factors relate to cognitive skills in the domains of literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments. This brief highlights differences between several countries in the average literacy and numeracy scores for adults at different levels of education attainment and compares gaps in literacy and numeracy scores.
Project

Nevada Adult Education Professional Development

The state of Nevada has put into place a system of adult basic education that addresses the needs of its adult learners. To support the education programs that serve adult learners, in 2017 the Nevada Department of Education enlisted AIR to manage and run its statewide system of adult education professional development.
Project

National Study of the Implementation of Adult Education Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Program, authorized under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), is the main source of federal support for adult basic and literacy education programs for adults who lack basic skills, a high school diploma, or proficiency in English. The National Study of the Implementation of Adult Education Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is the first study in the evaluation of WIOA Title II, and will collect data for the first time in over a decade on how adult education programs are providing services under AEFLA.
Project

Texas Adult Education and Literacy Content Standards

The Adult Education division of the Texas Workforce Commission contracted with the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) at Texas A&M University to provide training for adult educators on a new set of Texas adult education content standards. AIR worked with TCALL to provide training to 120 instructional coaches from adult education programs in all parts of the state.
Project

New York State Literacy Zones Researcher-Practitioner Partnership

Urban and rural communities in New York with intense poverty and limited English language proficiency require systematic efforts to meet the educational and economic needs of individuals and families. The purpose of the New York State Literacy Zone Researcher-Practitioner Partnership is to build capacity, with the ultimate goal of improving the outcomes of high-need adult learners in New York through the increased use of data.
3 Oct 2015
Brief

Teachers of Adult Education and the Students They Serve: A Snapshot From Three States

Participants in adult education come from diverse educational and linguistic backgrounds and have a wide range of goals and needs. Despite the important role that adult education can play in students’ outcomes, little is known about the approximately 55,000 teachers providing the instruction that students depend on to achieve their goals. This brief is the first of a series of briefs that explore data on adult education teachers from three states in program year 2010–11.
2 Oct 2015
Report

Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education: The Importance of Teacher Background Qualifications for Student Learning

The federal adult education program serves more than two million eligible adults who lack basic literacy and English language skills. Although numerous studies in K–12 have shown that measurable teacher characteristics can be related to student achievement, no such research exists that examines teacher effectiveness in adult education. To explore whether indicators of teacher quality are associated with student achievement in adult education, this second brief in a series examines the relationships between teacher characteristics and student achievement.
Project

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Technology Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center

The Network of Consumer Hearing Assistive Technology Trainers (N-CHATT) is a partnership between AIR, Gallaudet University, and the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). N-CHATT trains people affected by hearing loss to support and empower individuals in their communities to find, evaluate, use, and advocate for hearing assistive technology.
Project

Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities (CPID)

Virginia's vocational rehabilitation agencies offer individuals with disabilities a new way to navigate their careers. Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities (CPID) helps individuals with disabilities obtain new skills and credentials to seek employment in competitive, high-demand, high-quality occupations.
1 Oct 2015
Report

Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education: The Relationship Between Teacher Characteristics and Students’ Transitions Into Postsecondary Education

One of the roles of the U.S. adult education system is to increase the number of nontraditional learners who transition to postsecondary education. Unlike transition services for high school graduates, the transformation of adult education programs to include transition services for adults is an emerging area of concern for the field of adult education. This brief examines the relationships between teacher characteristics and student transitioning into postsecondary education and finds that they were often not consistent across students with different educational functioning levels or were not substantively meaningful.
30 Sep 2015
Report

Lessons Learned: Working with Administrative Data in Adult Education

Currently, the only large-scale source of data on adult education teachers and students comes from state data systems designed for federal accountability reporting through the National Reporting System, which requires all states to have a student-level record system for reporting the outcomes, attendance, and characteristics of students who attend federally funded adult education and literacy programs; however, using this data for the purposes of analysis and research is not straightforward. This brief focuses on communicating these common issues with administrative data and provides recommendations that may help states maintain a data system that can be better used for their own analysis and program evaluation as well as for outside research.
Project

Preparing Adult English Language Learners for Rigorous College and Career Readiness Standards

The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s (OCTAE) is engaged in ongoing efforts to ensure that all adult students, including English language learners (ELLs), can obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency. This project built upon tools and material developed by OCTAE to produce resources to help adult education programs expand their basic capabilities to adopt and implement college and career readiness standards in adult education.
Project

Promoting Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education

Global competitiveness relies on closing the achievement gap, such that all learners are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st Century. Because an important component of learning is the quality of instruction, AIR developed an adult educator induction model and toolkit, teacher competencies, and research briefs, all to support improvements to teacher effectiveness in adult education.
Project

Training Researchers to Use PIAAC to Further Multidisciplinary Research Aims

The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies studies the cognitive and workplace skills of adults in 24 countries to determine how well they can participate in a 21st century society and global economy. AIR and the Educational Testing Service are partnering on a three-year training project focused on building the capacity of the U.S. research community to utilize the new data sets and tools from PIAAC.
Austin, Texas Capitol Building
15 Jan 2015
Commentary

Open Letter to Governors—An Education Agenda for 2015 and Beyond

Governors are called upon to lead and improve their states' education systems, addressing a number of diverse and changing issues. In this open letter, AIR's Angela Minnici, director of the Education Policy Center and the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, sets out seven action steps for 2015 to help governors address the needs of students from early childhood through workforce.
Project

PIAAC Analysis for Change the Equation

The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) provides vital data on how many adults possess skills and cognitive abilities in numeracy and technology. But policymakers, educators, industry leaders, and others want to know the impact having those competencies has on types of employment, pay, work tasks, job satisfaction, and more. Analyses found that large portions of the population had relatively low skills in terms of numeracy and also solving problems in a technological environment.
Terry Salinger
14 Jun 2014
Blog Post

What About ‘The Fifth’ Who Won’t Graduate from High School?

Starting in January, the GED got a lot harder; while the overhaul makes sense, doing well now requires a new level of help that too few studying for it can get. In this blog post, Terry Salinger points to the need for adult charter schools and wraparound services to address the needs of adult learners.
23 Apr 2014
Commentary

The New GED Opens Doors but Raises Challenges

January 2014 ushered in a new and harder General Education Development test, or GED.  This is the test that adults without a diploma take to show that they possess high-school level skills.

photo of Harry Holzer linking to the video
24 Mar 2014
Video

Long Story Short: What Actions Would Most Help Unemployed Minority Men?

Young minority men have been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn, experiencing higher rates of unemployment and struggling longer with joblessness. In this 90-second video interview, Harry Holzer, Institute Fellow at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), explains what actions would most help such men.
Project

Improving Adult English Language Instruction (ESL Pro)

Currently, English language learners (ELLs) comprise over 40% of students served by adult basic education programs. Therefore, it is critical that instructors are equipped with the training and tools to meet their learning needs. From 2013-2016, through its Improving Adult English Language Instruction initiative, the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education contracted with AIR to build on and extend its previous investments to improve the knowledge, skills, and abilities of teachers working with adult ELLs by providing collaborative, evidence-based, and technology-enhanced professional development opportunities.
Project

Promoting College and Career-Ready Standards in Adult Basic Education

To increase the success of the 2.5 million adults who access the nation’s adult basic education system, the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education has conducted several projects to provide Adult Basic Education students with rigorous standards comparable to those found in K-12. AIR staff identified a writing panel to develop the EFLS and a review panel, which assessed them and prepared a brief summary report of the process.
12 Sep 2012
Video

The Adult Learner Story

In this video, students share their struggles and triumphs, including those of a grandmother taking classes because she couldn’t understand her young grandchildren’s homework, an immigrant who is learning English to get ahead financially, and a laid-off worker convinced that a GED is crucial to getting a job.
Project

DC Public Charter School Board Consulting

Accountability is a necessary and critical focus in education. In 2012, the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) did not have an accountability system in place to monitor adult education public charter schools. AIR consults with DCPCSB, using its expertise in developing, advising on, and updating accountability systems to support the board in creating a fair and appropriate accountability system. AIR provides insights into policy changes in adult education and the changing needs of the DCPCSB accountability system.
Project

Open Educational Resources to Support STEM Teaching and Learning in Adult Education (OER STEM)

As the national economy expands in areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the teaching of this content has become vital for adults to succeed in the workplace. AIR developed new and innovative ways to improve the teaching of STEM content to adult education students using open educational resources (OER).
Project

Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

The Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) is a cyclical, large-scale, direct household assessment that compares the basic skills and competencies of adults around the world. It measures relationships between individuals’ backgrounds and cognitive skills in the areas of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving. AIR provides technical, analytical, and management support to PIAAC.
25 Sep 2010
Report

“What Works” Study for Adult ESL Literacy Students - Final Report

Most research and practice in second language learning supports the theory that literacy in one language assists literacy development in another language.

16 Feb 2010
Report

Changing the Odds: Informing Policy with Research on How Adult Learners Succeed

A policy report from AIR examines the challenges and potential solutions to overcoming the barriers facing low-skilled adult learners who are striving to improve their English proficiency, develop their basic skills, and advance in the workplace.

Project

Evaluation of the Impact of Explicit Literacy Instruction on Adult ESL Learners (ESL Impact)

The Department of Education has contracted AIR to evaluate the impact of the use of a literacy-focused workbook in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction on adult learners.

1 Sep 2009
Report

The Transitioning English Language Learner (TELL) Study: Findings from Four TELL Programs

There is huge participation by foreign-born adults in the adult education system. This final report from the Transitioning English Language Learners (TELL) study identified models for transitioning ELLs and implications for programming that included recommendations for curriculum and instruction, program design and evaluation, professional development and teacher training, and state and local policy.
1 Sep 2009
Report

Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult Education

For more than 15 years, AIR has led the National Reporting System for Adult Education for the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE). AIR developed the adult education accountability system—the NRS—and from its inception developed a parallel line of technical assistance activities to ensure its effective implementation and use.
Project

Promoting Program Accountability in Adult Education

AIR has helped develop the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS). In the fourth phase of support, AIR is continuing to improve data quality, use, and monitoring, as well helping implement any changes to the NRS due to Federal legislation.

22 Jan 2009
Report

Transitioning English Language Learners, Annotated Bibliography

The TELL project is a review of literature and critical annotated bibliography to provide an overview and critique of the research related to the transition of English language learners.

Project

Teacher Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL)

At present, over 70% of employers want to hire people with good writing abilities, and it’s been estimated that by 2020, 70% of occupations will require math skills to be successful. The TEAL project developed materials to increase the knowledge, skills, and abilities of instructors, administrators, and other adult education staff for adult learners with diverse backgrounds and needs. There were two iterations of this project, one that focused on writing instruction and another on math instruction.
Project

Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES)

With a 2009 federal call for U.S. adults to pursue at least one year of higher education and training leading to a credential, it was imperative to measure whether industry-recognized certifications, state and local government-issued licenses, subbaccalaureate educational certificates, and other nondegree credentials were being obtained and the impact they were having on employment outcomes. As the primary technical support contractor for the Adult Training and Education Survey, AIR does survey development and testing, sampling, and data preparation, analysis, and reporting for NCES. The first official data and report were released in 2017-18.
Project

Transitioning English Language Learners (TELL)

More than 40 percent of the 1.8 million adults served by the national adult education program are English language learners (ELLs). Often, these learners begin with English as a second language classes and then transition to adult basic or adult secondary programming to further their academic skills. In 2008–2011, AIR staff conducted an examination of the policies and instructional and programmatic strategies that support the successful transition of advanced ELLs into advanced educational programming that prepares them for postsecondary education and the 21st century workplace.
27 Mar 2006
Report

A Review of the Literature in Adult Numeracy: Research and Conceptual Issues

The Adult Numeracy Initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), provides a thorough understanding of adult numeracy and the state of the discipline.

Project

Adult Numeracy Initiative

Increasingly, numeracy skills are required for postsecondary success, entry into the workforce, and earning potential. Basic numeracy is critical also to fulfilling family responsibilities, improving health outcomes, and contributing to the community. Yet, nationally, adults regularly perform at the lowest levels in math competency. This study aimed to improve the adult numeracy research base and instructional approaches of adult education practitioners.
6 Mar 2005
Report

Differentiated Instruction

How can classroom teachers maximize the learning potential of their adult basic education (ABE) students while, at the same time, attending to differences among them? Instead of expecting learners to adjust to the lessons they plan, teachers need to plan their lessons to adjust to the learners at hand. - Focus on Basics Newsletter, NCSALL

Project

Adult ESL Literacy Impact Study

In 2008, nearly half of the students served in federally funded adult education programs were English as a second language (ESL) learners. However, there was limited rigorous research on interventions for this population. This study was conducted to improve the research base on effective instruction for low-literate ESL adults.
Project

Adult Education Content Standards and Assessment Warehouse

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. 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.
1 Feb 2002
Report

Participation Trends and Patterns in Adult Education: 1991 to 1999

Using data from the 1991, 1995, and 1999 Adult Education Surveys of the National Household Education Surveys Program to examine participation rates in adult education over time, this report examines participation among different groups of adults for different types of adult education.

Project

California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO)

In providing professional development opportunities for adult educators, the goal of the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) is to enhance student learning gains and to help adult learners meet their goals as productive workers, family and community members, and lifelong learners. Beginning in 2001, the California Department of Education contracted with AIR to ensure that California met federal and state expectations for quality instruction.
Project

The What Works Study for Adult ESL Literacy Students

U.S. Department of Education statistics from 2008 showed that 44 percent of the 2.4 million students in the federally funded adult education program were English as a second language (ESL) students, and of these, about 185,000 were at the lowest ESL level, beginning literacy. The What Works Study for Adult ESL Literacy Students study identified effective instructional practices for improving the literacy skills of low-literate adult ESL learners.
1 Mar 1997
Report

Developing a National Outcome Reporting System for the Adult Education Program

This report summarizes prior efforts to provide guidance in resolving the key issues confronting the development of a national outcome-based reporting system for adult education programs.

Project

Building Professional Development Partnerships with Adult Educators Project (PRO-NET) and PRO-NET 2000

Legislation in the early 1990’s reflected renewed focus on the role adult education served in preparing adults for postsecondary education and the workforce and recognition that a professionalized system of teacher education and training was essential to achieve these ends. PRO-NET 2000 focused on the development and dissemination of competencies for adult education administrators and professional development coordinators.
Project

Strengthening Accountability in Adult Education: The National Reporting System (NRS)

In the late 1990s, Adult Basic Education was undervalued and overlooked compared to other federally funded education programs. To demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of these services, the U.S. Department of Education developed an accountability framework, focused on data quality and program improvement. Through six projects spanning 20 years, AIR has led the development of the national accountability system for the adult education program, the National Reporting System (NRS), which meets the adult education program’s accountability requirements under the Workforce Opportunity and Investment Act.
6 Oct 1996
Report

Evaluation Systems in the Adult Education Program

Quality indicators have helped states define the components of program quality and enabled them to develop measures for evaluating programs to ensure effective practice. This paper presents a summary of state implementation of the quality indicators, focusing on the development of measures and standards for the indicators and the impact they have had on state accountability systems and program quality, and discusses how states are using the quality indicators and presents a summary of the indicator measurement systems in six states.

6 Oct 1996
Report

Evaluation Systems in the Adult Education Program

Quality indicators have helped states define the components of program quality and enabled them to develop measures for evaluating programs to ensure effective practice. This paper presents a summary of state implementation of the quality indicators, focusing on the development of measures and standards for the indicators and the impact they have had on state accountability systems and program quality, and discusses how states are using the quality indicators and presents a summary of the indicator measurement systems in six states.

6 Mar 1996
Report

A Review of Statewide Learner Competency and Assessment Systems

The initiatives to enhance adult learning program accountability and assessment systems of the following states are described in this paper: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Oregon, Texas, Washington, West Virginia.

Project

Development of Quality Indicators for Adult Education Programs

Building on prior legislation to improve the delivery of adult education services and address worker preparation, the National Literacy Act of 1991 mandated states develop indicators of program quality. AIR developed model indicators of program quality for adult education programs, required by the National Literacy Act of 1991.