NEW!! Read and share the final report on our IES grant project.
Read our post on the Institute of Education Sciences’ blog: “Career Pathways Programming in Adult Education Programs: What We Are Learning from Three Cities.”
Research Findings
Read the report [Career Pathways Programming for Lower-Skilled Adults and Immigrants] with detailed findings from our survey of 106 adult education providers in Chicago, Houston, and Miami.
Read highlights from our survey findings: “The Landscape of Adult Education and Career Pathways in High-Need Cities: A First Look.” IES infographic (Infographic credit: Jazmine Salas, Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition).
The Adult Education Career Pathways project achieved a 72% response rate on its survey of adult basic education and literacy providers in Chicago, Houston, and Miami. The purpose of the survey is to understand the kinds of career pathway services being offered for adult learners who wish to increase their employment prospects and/or pursue postsecondary education—particularly lower-skilled and immigrant adults.
In spring 2016 we held focus groups on career pathways programming with 21 representatives from 18 adult education providers (5 to 7 per city).
In fall 2016 we conducted in-depth case studies of 6 career pathways programs. These programs were selected because they are considered to be successful and because they represent a variety of organizational types (community college, community-based organization, or school district), neighborhoods, student populations, and career pathways occupational sectors.
- Chicago:
- Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC)
- Malcolm X College (City Colleges of Chicago)
- Houston
- Alliance for Multicultural Community Services
- Houston Community College (Community-Based Job Training Program located at AVANCE and the Chinese Community Center)
- Miami:
- Lindsey Hopkins Technical College (a Miami-Dade County Public School District adult education center)
- Miami Dade College
Conference and Professional Development Presentations
2018 NCFL Conference presentation
Download our presentation [here] from the 2018 COABE Conference
Download our presentation [here] from the 2018 PAACE Conference
Download our presentation [here] from the National Council on Workforce Education (October 2017)
Download slides [click here] with the latest findings from a Sept. 28, 2017 webinar for CALPro (California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project)
Download PowerPoint slides [here] from our presentation at the Commission of Adult Basic Education (COABE) Conference (April 2017).
Download PowerPoint slides [here] from our presentation at the Pennsylvania Association for Adult Education (PAACE) Conference (February 2017).
Our October 2016 presentation at the National Council for Workforce Education Conference summarized the research findings to date. Download the PowerPoint slides here.
Our April 2016 COABE presentation described the goals and strategies of our research project and presented preliminary findings from the survey of adult basic education and literacy providers in Chicago, Houston, and Miami.
Download the PowerPoint slides from our COABE presentation here.
Further updates on the progress of the project, including presentations and publications from the study, will be available on this page as the project develops.
In the News
Institute of Education Sciences blog.
Chicago Citywide Literacy Coalition blog post about the Data-to-Action Summit (May 2017). Download the Summit materials here.
Penn State News. IES grant to enable study of large-city, adult-ed career pathways programs
Researchers partner with Great Cities to study career pathways programs