In the United States, approximately one in ten adults -- nearly 36 million people -- lack basic literacy and numeracy skills, while 27 million adults lack a high school diploma. Over the last decade, new models for adult education have emerged that integrate basic skills education with workforce and college-readiness training. These integrated…

This mixed-method study explored the alignment of expected student learning outcomes (SLOs) and expected student entrance skills, as stated within "course outlines of record" (CORs), for basic skills courses in one California community college district. Researchers evaluated consistencies and discrepancies in course alignment. There were…

The second annual implementation report for the Accelerating Opportunity (AO) initiative in four states finds that: (1) colleges aligned pathways and supports with local needs; (2) students were satisfied with AO; (3) AO instructors grew more adept at team teaching; (4) colleges struggled to recruit adult education students; (5) states and…

Attempts to assess the effectiveness of basic skills programs have been difficult. There is disagreement on the factors which underlie the reported gains. The Urban Education Studies program, through on-site studies, is uncovering programs and procedures which appear to be working well. Efforts are being made to gain a better understanding of the…

This study investigates the impact of activities done in the basic education sub-sector by a consortium of four non-government organizations in four provinces in Afghanistan from January 2004 to June 2005. The evaluation uses the project objectives and components as the evaluation framework, and data collected through survey questionnaires,…

The State of Florida has, for several years, been committed to perfecting a workable system of accountability for the public schools. The Florida Statewide Assessment Program, begun in 1971, has been an important element in this accountability effort. The Program was designed to assess students' academic strengths and weaknesses, particularly in…

The nationwide problem of declining communication skills is evident in the large numbers of students entering college with deficiencies in reading, writing, and speaking skills. This paper discusses the operation of a communication skills program within a college communication skills center which functions as a supportive resource service and…

The development and implementation of the Dallas Independent School District's Basic Objectives Assessment Test (BOAT) are described. Beginning in 1979, this minimum competency test was administered system-wide to all students in grades 8-12 (except for those enrolled as special education students), and beginning in 1983 it will be used in…

This report documents, in case study format, eight workplace literacy programs in Canada. Introductory materials highlight conclusions and discuss reasons for undertaking the project to document the Canadian experience in basic skills training from the perspective of the employer and employee and program design. Each case study or program profile…

A project was conducted in Illinois to determine what basic skills were needed in vocational education and how they should be taught. A multiple methods approach incorporating interviews, observations, surveys, and document analysis was employed to obtain data from the literature, and from practitioners, administrators, and experts in the fields…

In June 1975, a reading-achievement task force was commissioned to produce a plan for improving reading achievement in West Virginia. This report describes the background and method of work adopted by the task force and presents a detailed set of objectives as a framework for action to improve reading achievement in the state. The objectives focus…

Community-based, or inmate-run, literacy programs are a significant alternative to literacy programs run by those outside the correctional institution. Such programs provide meaningful self-involvement and opportunity for the development of problem-solving skills for the inmates. Beginning in the spring of 1984, the Institute for the Study of…

Drawing from an extensive literature review and interviews with faculty and administrators in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), this study report examines successful practices in basic skills instruction in community colleges. After providing background on the importance of basic skills programs in light of the increasing number…

This report explores one avenue for health education and promotion for audiences with low literacy levels: embedding empowerment health education directly in adult literacy programs. This approach emerged through participatory action research (PAR). The four sections correspond to the four questions around which the PAR process organizes the…

This final report on the first year of the Minnesota Corrections Computer Project contains information on administration, organization, information development, user services, delivery, evaluation, planning, and finances of the project. Implemented at two juvenile correctional institutions, this program was intended to provide supplementary…