"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) From Gathering Storm to Category 5: Five Years After "Rising Above the Gathering Storm", U.S. Competitive…

The "2009 GED[R] Testing Program Statistical Report" is the 52nd annual report in the program's 68-year history of providing a second opportunity for adults without a high school credential to earn their jurisdiction's GED credential. The report provides candidate demographic and GED Test performance statistics as well as historical…

The Illinois Community College Board has developed this Provider Manual as an easy reference to: (1) existing laws and regulations, both State and Federal; (2) best practices in the field of Adult Education; and to (3) act as a desk reference for both new and existing program administrators. The Manual describes: (1) the purpose of the Federal…

Of Utah's 181,428 adults without a high school diploma, 27,770 (14,201 males and 13,569 females) were enrolled in an adult basic education (ABE) or General Educational Development (GED) program in FY 1992-93. Of those persons, 15,238 demonstrated improved basic skills for personal satisfaction and increased self-confidence, 6,492 completed ABE,…

The purpose of Even Start, as outlined in federal legislation, is to help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and low literacy by providing a unified family literacy program for low-income families. Even Start has three related goals: (1) to help parents improve their literacy or basic education skills; (2) to help parents become full…

This annual report is designed to assess the efforts of Tennessee's State Board of Education and Higher Education Commission, to provide an overview of the challenges and prospects for public education in Tennessee, and to present a statement on educational plans and goals for the future. The report outlines 15 improvement initiatives for…

This report documents how the Business/Training Institute of Northwest Iowa Community College and Coilcraft, Inc., of Hawarden, Iowa, worked as partners to establish a basic workplace skills program for Coilcraft's workers. The project goals were to develop and offer a workplace literacy program that would enroll 160 workers and prepare them to…

During FY 1992-93, Utah's adult education program served 19,863 adults aged 18 years and older and 3,377 students aged 17 years and under. Adult basic education (ABE) programs served at least 7,335 adults in 27 of the state's 40 school districts and in correctional facilities, applied technology centers, the Salt Lake Skills Center, and several…

A review of current literature identifies three growing trends. First, there has been an increase in legislatively mandated accountability that requires taxpayer-funded education and research programs be demonstrated effective by "scientifically based research." To receive federal monies programs must emphasize quantitative,…

This guide, which is intended for administrators of programs providing adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) services in Pennsylvania, contains 59 individually authored papers devoted to planning, managing, and improving ABLE programs. The following are among the topics discussed in the guide's five sections: understanding the role of the ABLE…

Most of the job losses that occurred in New York City after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center occurred in low-wage jobs held by lower-skilled workers. Many of those affected faced multiple obstacles limiting their employment prospects, including limited literacy and English language skills and a lack of "connections" to…

These eight fact sheets, which are intended for teachers, administrators, and others interested in adult basic education and adult literacy, cover a wide range of topics related to adult learning and literacy. This document contains revised versions of fact sheets 0, 3, 6, 7, 12, 14, 16, and 18. The following are among the topics discussed on the…

This document traces the history of adult education (AE) in California from the 1850s through the present. Chapter 1 traces AE in California from the 1850s through the 1940s, and chapter 2 summarizes AE governance, finance, and programming in the 1950s. Chapter 3 focuses on the new federal role in AE and AE program growth in the 1960s, with…

Minnesota's Youthbuild program helps at-risk youths gain useful job skills while building safe, affordable housing in their neighborhoods and working toward their high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate. In 1999, the Minnesota Legislature appropriated 751,000 dollars per year in Youthbuild funds. The program…