2016 Annual Conference

Results of a national study of state community college directors about their adult education programs, particularly high school equivalency programs such as the GED. Data were stratified and reported based on state-designed funding of community colleges. Results indicated significant differences in the types of supports available to colleges.

This session is targeted at college faculty who conduct research on high school equivalency and GED programs, as well as practitioners who work with similar programs. A secondary audience would be those generally working in community college delivery of adult education programs and those studying community college trends and issues. A third audience would be those interested in postsecondary education finance.

Community colleges play a critical role in the provision of a variety of adult-centered learning activities. These programs, whether self-funded, industry sponsored, or the result of state economic development funding, cover a broad spectrum of learning opportunities that lead to credentials, diplomas, certificates, employment, and increasingly, leisure pursuits. Historically, community colleges have collaborated with public secondary school systems to offer different types of remedial education, namely adult basic education (Cohen & Brawer, 2008; Voorhees & Milam, 2005).

The rapidly changing nature of adult education in community colleges has been noted in the popular press, but few efforts have been undertaken to define in any quantifiable way the status of these educational programs. Therefore, the current study was designed to explore the changing nature of community college adult education from the perspective of state leaders. By focusing on state directors of community colleges, the interactions of different state agencies and local responsibilities can provide a unique perspective on both the current and future directions of these types of programs.