Refocusing Adult Education on Career and Postsecondary Success: An Analysis of Adult Education (Title II) Provisions in WIA Reauthorization Proposals
Author: Foster, Marcie
Date: 2012-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Adult Education,Federal Legislation,Labor Force Development,Postsecondary Education,Alignment (Education),Educational Innovation,Educational Research,Research and Development Centers,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Access to Education

Two proposals to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) are in the House of Representatives: the &quot;Workforce Investment and Improvement Act of 2012&quot; (&quot;H.R. 4297&quot;) and the &quot;Workforce Investment Act of 2012&quot; (&quot;H.R. 4227&quot;). Both proposals reflect a priority of greater alignment among adult education (Title II), workforce development (Title I), and postsecondary education, and both increase the focus on preparing adult students not just to earn a secondary school diploma but for college and careers. Despite these similarities, the bills differ across several dimensions, such as the degree to which they hold states and local providers accountable for improving student access and success in postsecondary education and the commitment to expanding the capacity and resources of the adult education system nationally. This analysis highlights key provisions in each bill that strengthen or weaken the overall goal of refocusing Title II on career and postsecondary success. The analysis is organized by CLASP's four core priorities in adult education: (1) To align services and improve outcomes across workforce development, postsecondary education, and adult education/English as a Second Language; (2) To incent and encourage innovation in promising practices, such as career pathways, contextualization, dual or concurrent enrollment, and integrated basic education and occupational skills training; (3) To develop a national research center for adult education to advance promising practices and expand and improve the body of evidence-based research; and (4) To fund Title II to meet the growing demand for adult education and English language services. On the whole, &quot;H.R. 4297&quot; offers improvements to the adult education system and supports alignment between programs, although it does little to ensure that this alignment will happen. Furthermore, it creates an option for states to override adult education requirements and consolidate these funds with a newly created Workforce Investment Fund, leaving no assurances that low-skilled adult learners will be served. &quot;H.R. 4227&quot; modernizes and enhances the adult education system to better meet the longer-term, postsecondary, and employment needs of students. It also builds capacity for additional research on innovative and promising practices that have the potential to accelerate student progress toward these goals. Lastly, it requires that education and training programs work together in each state to develop a joint state plan, yet it maintains individualized programs to ensure that those who need targeted attention or more specialized instruction can receive it. (Contains 10 endnotes.)