State Data and Policy Indicators on Adult Learners: New Tools for

Decision MakersCheryl Blanco

Vice President for Lifelong Learning Policy and Research

Introduction to CAEL

CAEL is the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

Non-profit, international organization; 33 years of experience

Headquartered in Chicago, IL with offices in Philadelphia, PA; Denver, CO; New York, NY; and Norwalk, CT

Nearly 700 college & university members; corporate membership in early stages and growing – primarily HR leaders

CAEL’s Mission Statement

CAEL’s Mission

To advance lifelong learning in partnership with educational institutions, employers, labor organizations, government, and communities

To remove barriers and expand lifelong learning opportunities for adults

Why are adult learners now getting more attention?

Pipeline of young college graduates will not meet workforce skills demands.

Many current entry and mid-level works have necessary skills, but lack credentials.

Baby boomers will "retire" from current job, then launch into “encore” career

Many limitations in the ‘pipeline’ metaphor as it applies to adult postsecondary learning

Barriers facing adult undergraduates:

Adult obligations Financing Course choices Self esteem Counseling and advising

An Alternative Pipeline

CAEL/NCHEMS/Lumina Project

New Tools to Understand State Performance in Serving Adult

Learners

State Measures Policy Framework

An Alternative Pipeline

State Measures

Level of educational attainment The current size and shape of adult

provision and participation Barriers to adult participation Policy framework

Deliverables

Monograph with national analyses State-by-state profiles

I. Level of Educational Attainment

1. Population with a high school credential, an associate degree, and a bachelor’s degree as a proportion of the population and the change in this percentage from 2000 to 2005.

2. Percent of the adult population with less than a high school diploma and no college – and the change in this percentage from 2000 to 2005.

3. GEDs awarded as a percent of the population

with less than a high school diploma.

II. Current Size and Shape of Adult Provision and Participation

Who participates in education and how 1. Provision2. Participation3. Completion

Provision

Providers: for-credit and non-credit programs offered by regular colleges and universities, state/public efforts like ABE and vocational training, corporate and contract training, the for-profit sector, etc.

Listing these sources descriptively. Descriptions or diagrams of the “infrastructure” for

adult learning including organization and governance, principal programs and their sources of funding (e.g. ABE, GED, WIA, etc.)

Numbers of providers receiving federal and state grant funds to support adult education (ABE, ESL, ASE)

Numbers of participants by type of provider or provision.

Participation

1. Enrollment in college2. Characteristics of the adult learner

population by gender and race/ethnicity. 3. Enrollment in Adult Basic Education

programs (federally funded)4. Enrollments by adults in non-credit

programs at accredited institutions 5. Enrollments by adults in employment-

related training provided by employers or other providers as a proportion of all adults in the population.

6. Enrollments by adults in literacy, ESL, or similar non-college training provided by public agencies (training centers, prisons, etc.)

7. College-going rates of GED recipients.8. Proportion of non-credit enrollees that

subsequently enroll for credit in a postsecondary program.

9. Reasons for adults participating in postsecondary education.

10. Participation of employed adults in work-related training by selected forms of employer support.

Completion

1. Bachelor’s and associate degrees awarded to students aged 25 and above

2. Completions as a proportion of numbers enrolled in adult non-credit literacy programs (i.e., ABE, ESL)

3. Certificates awarded as a proportion of total enrollment in non-credit job-related certification programs

4. Adult GED completions as a proportion of population aged 25 to 64.

5. Progression by level in basic literacy training.

III. Barriers to Adult Participation

Academic Preparation: What prior educational experiences and basic skills deficiencies serve as barriers to higher education for adults?

Performance on the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL).

Enrollment in ABE programs. Remedial program availability and support. Recognition for prior learning. Businesses meeting literacy needs.

Affordability: What are the cost barriers for adults?

• Percent of family income needed to pay tuition.• Financial aid for less-than-full-time students.• Percent of Pell aid devoted to adults.• State support for ABE, ESL, and other literacy

programs as a percentage of all postsecondary spending.

• State support for ABE, ESL, and other literacy programs as a percentage of the population in need.

• Corporate tuition assistance.• Union contributions to employee training.

Access: Are programs and courses delivered in a manner that allows adults to participate readily?

Employed adults participating in education for work-related reasons.

Proximity to a postsecondary institution. Bachelor’s programs at public universities offered

through community colleges or joint-use facilities. Programs offered in an evening, weekend, or

accelerated format. Programs offered online. Adults participating in online courses.

Aspirations: Why don’t more adults participate in higher education?

?

An Alternative Pipeline

CAEL/NCHEMS/Lumina Project:Policy Framework

10 policy areas that may impact adult learners

Document review and analysis Recommendations/observations

Deliverable

Policy Framework document

Major Components of a Policy Framework

1. Strategic Plans & Accountability

• Has any state agency been charged with coordinating adult learning resources?

• Has the state established specific goals for educational attainment of adults?

• How does the state analyze regional differences?

• How does the state track, report & benchmark measures for adult performance? How does the state use national benchmark data?

2. Educational Programs and Academic Policy

• How does policy support portability of credits

and credentials among public state institutions? • What institutional financial incentives are

targeted to adults?

• How does the state support institutions for various other forms of “non-credit” instruction?

Major Components of a Policy Framework

Major Components of a Policy Framework

3. Financing and Student Financial Assistance

• How are adult learning and workforce training programs funded and at what level?

• What funding policies have a positive or negative effect on the state’s commitment to adults (i.e., funding of remediation, continuing education, literacy at the workplace, tax incentives, etc.)

• Do state grant and loan programs accommodate year-round processing of applications for adults?

• Are part-time students eligible for primary merit and need-based programs in the state?

Major Components of a Policy Framework

4. Interagency Cooperation & Stakeholder Involvement

• How has the state arranged for collaborative programs between and among agencies?

• How does the state assess views of employers? How is their responsiveness?

• Are stakeholders (employers, unions, trade groups, CBOs) involved in development of programs for adult learners?

Major Components of a Policy Framework

5. Consumer Information

• Does the state offer a place of comprehensive information for adult learners?

• Has the state sponsored marketing efforts for adult learners?

• Has the state taken initiative to recruit underserved adult populations?

Policies CAEL supports

Student aid to support life-long learners• Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) – requires at least 3

credit hours per term, are need-based grants

Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs) to leverage private investment in education and training• Demonstration projects—like Northeast Indiana’s, which

targeted the public and manufacturing sectors—serves 150 workers and is sponsored by 8 manufacturers and 5 municipalities

A state-based system for Prior Learning Assessment• Pennsylvania is creating a PLA system to allow working adults

to accelerate education and recognize experiential learning

Policies CAEL supports

A data-drive approach to inform educational policy• Kentucky, Louisiana, and other states are collecting more

data on adult learners• CAEL’s “indicators project” to measure state performance in

serving adults

Strategic partnerships between higher education and business• Business Leadership Groups to benchmark, recognize and

share winning employee learning strategies that build a culture of performance, productivity and pride, enhancing the competitive edge in human capital with positive business results.

New services and programs for mature workers

• National awareness campaign highlighting mature learners