Most of us realize that increasing the education of adults who did not complete high school is good. Fewer of us realize just how good. This report on one of the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB) Challenge to Lead Goals for Education focuses on the considerable impact of closing the education gap for these adults in SREB states. The latest research shows that helping working-age adults complete high school equivalency programs and enroll in postsecondary programs has tremendous benefits for both the individual and society. SREB's Challenge to Lead Goals for Education identify three important indicators for state policy-makers and education leaders to watch as they develop policies and programs for adults. If your state can answer "yes" to these questions, then you are moving in the right direction: (1) Do more working-age adults without the basic reading, writing and mathematics skills to begin a high school diploma program enroll each year in Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language classes? (2) Do larger percentages of working-age adults without high school diplomas pass GED tests? and (3) Do larger numbers of working-age adults who pass GED tests pursue postsecondary studies within two years? This report also discusses the next steps that will be necessary for continued progress in adult education. (Contains 2 tables and 5 figures.)