NEWS AND UPDATES

ALL IN Newsletter - October 2023

Advocacy and Research in Adult Education

October 2023

The Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network (ALL IN) is working to raise awareness and drive progress toward increased adult literacy nationwide. This month’s newsletter features some of the latest efforts in advocacy and research in adult learning:

• Learn about efforts to engage with the new U.S. Senate Caucus on Adult Literacy

• Register for the upcoming ALL IN Community Forum on November 13, 2023 at 1:00 PM ET

• Check out new research in the adult learning community, exploring topics such as DEIA in adult education, postsecondary pathways for multilingual learners, equitable adult skills programming for immigrant adults, and leveraging generative AI to support instruction

Senate Staff Briefing: Leveraging Adult Literacy to Boost Economic Opportunities in the United States

Briefing participants: Deborah Kennedy (NCL), Toby Douthat (Engage), Erin Landry (Louisiana Community & Technical College System), Brandi Ratliff (Mississippi Community College Board), Luis Quiñones (UnidosUS), Dane Linn (Business Roundtable), Tracie D. Hall (American Library Association), Sarah Cacicio (ALL IN), and Sharon Bonney (COABE)

On September 21, 2023, ALL IN and Engage partnered to provide a briefing for the U.S. Senate on the vital link between adult literacy and economic opportunity. The briefing aimed to increase engagement in the U.S. Senate Caucus on Adult Literacy, which was launched in February 2023 and is co-chaired by Sen. Jack Reed (RI) and Sen. Susan Collins (ME). It included an overview of the current adult literacy landscape, as well as a panel discussion with speakers representing employers, adult learners, adult education providers, and workforce preparation organizations. To learn more, check out the full press release.

Expanding Access to Adult and Family Literacy in the South Carolina Lowcountry

ALL IN is exploring opportunities to co-design a replicable model for increasing adult literacy and attainment in a region, beginning in the Charleston Lowcountry region of South Carolina.In September, members of the ALL IN Coordinating Council traveled to Charleston to meet with more than 40 stakeholders across the community, including Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative. Our visit included a tour of adult education programs in detention centers in North Charleston via the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and Trident Literacy Association.

Save the Date: ALL IN Community Forum – Year 1 Reflections on November 13, 2023

For ALL IN to achieve long-term success, we need multiple levels of engagement from partners in and across the adult learning ecosystem. The purpose of this Community Forum is to reflect on Year 1 progress for ALL IN, announce the award winners for the first-ever ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative, and hear questions from the community about our collective work moving forward. The Community Forum will be held virtually on Monday, November 13 at 1:00 PM ET. Register today!

New Research in the Adult Learning Community

• DEIA in Adult Foundational Education: The American Institute of Research (AIR) just released a new paper, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Adult Foundational Education. Produced by the Equity in Adult Education Research workgroup of the Institute of Education Sciences-funded Collaborative Research for Educating Adults with Technology Enhancements (CREATE) Adult Skills Network, this brief intends to shed light on DEIA conditions, opportunities, and challenges as they manifest in Adult Foundational Education.

• Postsecondary Pathways for Multilingual Learners of English: WestEd and Student-Ready Strategies are excited to announce a new publication, Translating Opportunity: Improving Postsecondary Pathways for Multilingual Learners of English. This report synthesizes findings from policy, research, examples of institutional practice, faculty and student experiences, and provides recommendations for improving the postsecondary systems that serve multilingual learners of English (MLEs). This is the first publication of Translating Opportunity, an initiative to establish a vibrant and diverse community dedicated to improving postsecondary opportunities for MLEs.

• Leveraging Data to Ensure Equitable and Effective Adult Skills Programming for Immigrants: With potential reauthorization of the federal law that governs adult skills programs on the horizon (the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA), a new issue brief from the Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy offers a data analysis with important implications for future adult skills policy and program design. The brief, Leveraging Data to Ensure Equitable and Effective Adult Skills Programming for Immigrants, draws on analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to provide a profile of U.S.-born and immigrant adults. It details characteristics such as age, parental status, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, English proficiency, employment, and income. It also discusses the implications of key data trends for adult skills programs.

Special Topic: The Role of Generative AI in Adult Education

Sarah Cacicio of ALL IN and Rachel Riggs of World Education recently teamed up to co-author two articles on the role of generative AI in adult education for ProLiteracy’s Adult Literacy Education Journal, with a focus on leveraging evolving technology to support personalized learning and bridge resource gaps across the field.

• ChatGPT: Leveraging AI to Support Personalized Teaching and Learning (Spring 2023)

• Bridging Resource Gaps in Adult Education: The Role of Generative AI (Fall 2023)

Want to Learn More?

To learn more about ALL IN’s 2023 priorities, member organizations, and activities, view the recording of our latest Community Update Meeting here or connect directly here.