E-NEWS

NCAL Special Issue: Role of Public Libraries in Adult Education (July 13, 2017) — Four essays on the role and importance of libraries, especially public libraries, in adult education and workforce skills.

NCAL ENews #23 (June 5, 2017) – Point of View: Advocacy Matters speaks to the need for advocates at all levels of Adult Education to speak out on the importance of funding for Adult Education. The feature article gives attention to two recent analyses, Slashing the Budget on the Backs of Low-Income Students and Workers (CLASP) and Career Pathways for Lower-Skilled Adults and Immigrants in high-need cities, a survey report on features of adult education and career pathways in 106 programs in Chicago, Houston, and Miami. News in Brief and Events and Other Resources covers a wide range of news including Adult Ed conferences and events, findings from various research projects, scholarship opportunities, and other information.

NCAL ENews #22 (Apr. 26, 2017) – This issue features a detailed report on a new paper from Jobs for the Future having to do with policy development and funding to improve college completion rates in America. A second feature discusses Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 25-years program, the ongoing Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. The News in Brief and Events & Other Resources sections of the issue present nearly three dozen other newsworthy items.

NCAL ENews #21 (Mar. 20, 2017) - The feature in this issue, Speaking Out for America, supplements the feature article of ENews #20. Archie Willard is recognized through celebration of his book, Last Reader Standing. NCAL’s new blog by Gail Spangenberg and James Parker is announced: Assault on America: Trump’s FY18 Budget Proposals. News in Brief and Events & Other Resources present an array of upcoming conferences and new resources available from the American Youth Policy Forum, CLASP, National Public Radio, and other sources.

NCAL ENews #20 (Feb. 27, 2017) – This issue features an article on Speaking Out for Immigrants and Refugees, in which the outpouring of protests against President Trump’s immigrant and refugee ban are discussed, including illustrative highlights from statements of nine organizations and a variety of other information. VALUE USA is recognized for its student leadership development work. News in Brief and Events & Other Resources present nearly three dozen news stories, on such topics as the Library of Congress 2017 Literacy Awards, the importance of libraries, the federal budget, Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos, and juvenile justice.

NCAL ENews #19 (Jan. 27, 2017) — This issue carries two features: the leadership shift of Johan Uvin from OCTAE to the Institute for Educational Leadership, and an effort by the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy to make the case for increased visibility and funding for family literacy. News In Brief and Events and Other Resources include an action item on the new Jobs Act. Numerous other items include announcement of the Inaugural Education Innovation and Research Competition of 2017, changes at ERIC, new work from the Migration Policy Institute, New Skills for Youth, and others, formation of a new International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, a major new report on developing America’s frontline workers, leadership at LaGuardia Community College, latest PIAAC resources, UNESCO’s Using Libraries to Support National Literacy, and a wide variety of new resources from the U.S. Department of Education.

NCAL ENews #18 (Dec. 5, 2016) — This issue features PIAAC Prison Study Highlights. It discusses the main findings of the American Institutes for Research PIAAC U.S. prison study, released in mid-November 2016, which supplements the international PIAAC assessment carried out in 2014. News in Brief and Events & Other Resources include more than two dozen news stories, on such topics as A Skills Agenda for the Next President, the Adult Schools Growth Forum, How Adult Education Will Fare in the Administration of President-elect Trump, and new publications and events from CLASP, the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, World Education, and others.

NCAL ENews #17 (Oct. 29, 2016) — This issue announces a new blog by NCAL’s Gail Spangenberg and James Parker, titled Serving America’s Lowest-Skilled Adults. It also features two reports: (1) State of American Jobs is a major survey report from the Pew Research Center. It discusses “how the shifting economic landscape is reshaping work and society and affecting the way people think about the skills and training they need.” (2) Career Pathways in Arkansas describes this highly successful program, urges its replication, and discusses ways TANF and policymakers generally can support skills for low-income parents. News in Brief and Events & Other Resources cover a wide range of news, recent reports and other resources, and upcoming events.

NCAL ENews #16 (Sept. 8, 2016) — This issue features an essay on “ageism" in Adult Education by Tony Sarmiento and Bob Harootyan of Senior Service America, Inc. It is titled “America Needs Literate Adults Of ALL Ages.” News in Brief and Events & Other Resources cover a wide range of current events, both domestic and international, as well as information about other recent reports and guides of importance.

NCAL ENews #15 (July 11, 2016) — The work of UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning, with a focus on its ALADIN program, is featured in this issue. NCAL urges its readers to become familiar with and tap into the vast library collection of the UIL, one of the largest collections of materials on adult education and/or literacy in the world. It includes many works related to OECD’s PIAAC effort and numerous other publications from member countries incuding the U.S. News in Brief provides a brief federal legislative update and a range of current news stories, and Events & Other Resources lists upcoming webinars and other sign-up events as well as numerous new research reports and guides.

NCAL ENews #14 (May 23, 2016) -- This issue features a new report from Ameridca's Promise Alliance, Building A Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Raising High School Graduation Rates. News in Brief and Events & Resources cover a wide range of current and coming events, calls for papers and proposals, and information about other recently-issued reports and guides.

NCAL ENews #13 (Apr. 29, 2016) -- This issue features an important new "transformational" publication from the Educational Testing Service, titled Choosing Our Future: A Story of Opportunity in America. It is must reading for everyone working in Adult Education and in efforts to overcome inequality in our nation. It calls for a new national mandate to beat ongoing discrimination, from earliest ages into adulthood. News in Brief and Other Resources contain analysis and information about a wide range of new research reports and other materials and events to enrich Adult Education work and understanding.

NCAL ENews #12 (Mar. 31, 2016) -- This issue features a summary of new data from the First Look Update report of PIAAC. NEWS IN BRIEF carries 10 stories, including items on workplace learning internationally, a national network of student success centers, declines in Proliteracy government funding, a roundtable on health literacy, surveys in process by COABE and the University of Arkansas, outdated PELL rules, and the connection between childhood trauma and academic problems during childhood and adulthood. CALL TO ACTION urges readers to write to Senate and House appropriations leaders about the urgent need for more Adult Education funding and explains why. RESOURCES & EVENTS lists new reports and other materials available to the field, from the NGA, OCTAE, UNESCO, CLASP, the Health Literacy Listserv, California's AEBG Adult Education Regional Consortium Program, and other sources. It also lists upcoming conferences and institutes.

NCAL ENews #11 (Feb. 24, 2016) -- This issue features a PIAAC Update including next steps and discusses sources of technical support available for Implementing WIOA from agencies of the federal government. News In Brief carries 17 news stories, including information on the Eugene Owen and Samuel Halperin Award programs, a listing of upcoming forums, webinars, and panels, and information about such topics as health literacy, workforce development, and developmental education. Other Bright Lights presents new resources available from a variety of organizations in Adult Education, Workforce/Workplace Skills, and Health Literacy.

NCAL ENews #10 (Jan. 18, 2016) -- This issue features a Blog by Rep. Rubén Hinojosa who will retire from Congress in the fall of 2016. Also featured is a brief article about DigitalLearn.org, an online program for students and teachers, including low-skilled adults, offered by the American Library Association. Several news items and resources from various sources are presented in News in Brief and New Resources sections of the issue.

NCAL ENews #9 (Dec. 15, 2015) -- In a special holiday feature titled GIVING BACK: Pillars In Adult Education, this issue invites readers to consider support for one or more of the organizations profiled. The profiled groups are the Center for Applied Linguistics, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), National Center for Families Learning, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, National Skills Coalition, and Proliteracy. Various news items and new resources are presented in the News In Brief and New Resources section of the issue. Topics include recent activities in correctional education, WIOA data resources, and new and coming PIAAC publications from the American Institutes for Research.

NCAL ENews #8 (Nov. 14, 2015) -- This issue features POINT OF VIEW, NCAL's perspective on the need for expanding NRS data collection. NEWS IN BRIEF contains items on professional development, the Learning Forward Conference, high school graduate readiness for jobs and college, 2015 PIAAC research paper summaries, upcoming health literacy conferences, fighting poverty and disadvantage through ABE programs, COABE's 2016 conference and National Award invitations, Pew research findings on ownership of handheld devices, grants made in adult educaiton by the Joyce Foundation, adult charter schools, a call for adult numeracy articles, and highlights from recent National Coalition for Literacy meetings. NEW RESOURCES provides new offerings from numerous sources. FOR YOUR UPLIFT recognizes student achievement in a Virginia adult education program.

NCAL ENews #7 (Sept. 24, 2015) -- This issues announces an OCTAE Blog titled Throwing Down the Gauntlet on PD, co-authored by Johan Uvin, Acting Assistant Director of Education, OCTAE, and Gail Spangenberg, President, National Council for Adult Learning. It builds on NCAL's PD blog of August 25th, announced just below in ENews #6. Other news items presented are updates to XPrize and PIAAC, information on how to comment on WIOA implementation via the Federal Register, and news about the newly-launched LINCS Learner Center hosted by OCTAE and the Second Chance MS initiative in Mississippi.

NCAL ENews #6 (August 25, 2015) — This issue announces a new NCAL Blog posting on the subject of Professional Development in Adult Education. Contributors are Mary Ann Corley, John Fleischman, Daphne Greenberg, David Rosen, Cristine Smith, Jackie Taylor, Johan Uvin, and Randy Whitfield. OTHER NEWS includes items from CLASP, the Health Literacy listserv of the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, Center for Applied Linguistics, Migration Policy Institute, and other sources.

NCAL ENews #5 (August 5, 2015) — This issue announces a follow-up invitation from the XPRIZE Foundation for input from leaders in Adult Education & Literacy re the Barbara Bush Foundation’s XPRIZE Award in Adult Literacy (also see ENews #4 below). It also carries news items from the Migration Policy Institute, Senator Tim Kaine, the NYTimes, the National Institute of Health, California’s AB86 initiative, and others.

NCAL ENews #4 (July 6, 2015) — This issue announces NCAL's first Blog, Back to the Future, which features state and national leaders speaking about their hopes for the Barbara Bush Foundation XPRIZE Adult Literacy Award program. PIAAC Keeps on Giving discusses new analyses from OECD on technology use among PIAAC survey respondents as well as youth skills and employability. News in Brief includes an item on the dire consequences in 2016 of Congressional funding cuts. Other Reports & Resouces gives links to various new reports from Jobs for the Future, the Pew Research Center, and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

NCAL ENews #3 (June 18, 2015) — This issue features the Barbara Bush Foundation XPRIZE for Adult Literacy. News In Brief presents coverage of the upcoming 13th International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, closure of Canada's Centre for Literacy, an important new national dialogue on education and workforce credentialing, upcoming conference activities of the Correction Education Association, the FACE 2015 Conference at the University of South Wales, a new report by Gradnation, work in process at PIAAC, and several other items including links to comments from various organizations on WIOA Implementation Guidelines. Reports and Resources gives links to numerous new publications by organizations important to adult education and workforce skills development.

ALP ENews #2 (Apr 14, 2015) — This issue includes two features, Guidelines to Implement WIOA and New Funds Created for Adult Education Leaders Samuel Halperin and Eugene Owen. News in Brief contains: McDonald’s USA Expands Archways to Opportunity, Reauthorizing ESEA, NSC and CLASP Leadership, TechHire Initiative May Benefit Adult Education, Testing Agencies Lobby the Political Arena, MDRC Tracks High School Equivalency Programs, Language Mix of Students Affects Achievement, Distance Learning to Advance Adult Education, The Decennial Scurry from NCSDAE, and From Engineer to Resettlement Advisor

ALP ENews #1 (February 25, 2015) — This inaugural issue of the ALP newsletter features detailed coverage of the just-released report of the OCTAE of the U.S. Department of Education called Making Skills Everyone's Business: A Call to Transform Adult Learning in the United States. Several short news items are also given in the News in Brief section (adult education immigration integration material from the National Skills Coalition, the recent WTGrant Foundation report titled The New Forgotten Half and Research Directons to Support Them, a press alert from the Department of Education about how a Republican bill related to reauthorization of ESEA would generate billions in cuts for school districts with high concentrations of blacks and Hispanics, and other news).