Early Lessons from the College Success for Single Mothers Project (Data Collection)

Eight community colleges were selected in June, 2020, to participate in College Success for Single Mothers, a project led by Word Education’s National College Transition Network (NCTN) in partnership with Achieving the Dream and PERG Learning, with funding from ECMC Foundation. The goal of the project is to identify the needs of single mother students … Continue reading Early Lessons from the College Success for Single Mothers Project (Data Collection)

A WIOA Career Pathway Promise Fulfilled (sort of)

A January 2021 update to federal adult education performance accountability1 has opened up new ways to document learning in Integrated Education & Training and workplace education programs and new ways to show the impact of our work to our communities and other stakeholders. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Hard to believe, but the Workforce Innovation … Continue reading A WIOA Career Pathway Promise Fulfilled (sort of)

Advancing Equity in the Workforce with the 2Gen Approach

The United States workforce has an equity problem. As wealth inequality surges, a closer look at the workforce indicates that all workers are not starting in the same place. Even when individuals have access to education and training, structural inequality underpins barriers to employment and success.  In their report Race-Explicit Strategies for Workforce Equity in … Continue reading Advancing Equity in the Workforce with the 2Gen Approach

Reconnecting and Intersecting within Adult Education

The education and career path for adult learners is often nonlinear. Like a spiral staircase, you might find yourself coming back to the same point on a circle — to the same organization, or to the same people — but on a different plane than before. Similarly, as adult educators, we can never predict where … Continue reading Reconnecting and Intersecting within Adult Education

What does commitment to equity and anti-racism mean in adult education?

Many of us choose to work in adult education to advance economic and social opportunity through education for adults whose limited foundational skills hold them back. Most of us recognize that foundational skills alone do not guarantee economic success, but they do improve the odds as an essential milestone in people’s education journey. In the … Continue reading What does commitment to equity and anti-racism mean in adult education?

Six Tips for Hosting Virtual English Now! Learning Circles

English Now! learning circles like the ones offered at the Thomas Jefferson Adult and Career Education (TJACE) program are multi-level, learner-led groups for English language and digital literacy practice. Last spring when the TJACE learning circles migrated quickly to a distance learning format, we found, through trial and error, that the flexible learning circles model … Continue reading Six Tips for Hosting Virtual English Now! Learning Circles

We’ve Come So Far: Returning to Fall Classes

Where Did We Begin? How did you come to teach in adult education? Was it “sideways” like many? Did you start out with a different career and somehow get connected to adult learners and were hooked? Adult educators are a diverse group with a range of backgrounds in a field that lacks common teacher preparation … Continue reading We’ve Come So Far: Returning to Fall Classes

How Washington state is centering equity and justice in adult education

Adult educators have long looked to Washington State for inspiration. The Washington Integrated Basic Education and Skill Training (I-BEST) remains the Cadillac of Integrated Education & Training (IET) models, replicated in the Accelerated Opportunity initiative and continuing in states across the country. As of July 1, there is yet another reason to admire Washington’s Basic … Continue reading How Washington state is centering equity and justice in adult education

4 Big Ideas from the 2019 NCTN Conference

One question that drives our work is, “Can we make adult education accessible, affordable, and open doors to opportunities?” The answer comes in many forms from many different voices. After three days at the 2019 National College Transition Network Conference, one thing is clear: enabling adult learners with college and career readiness requires all hands … Continue reading 4 Big Ideas from the 2019 NCTN Conference