This article by Bella English in the Boston Globe about Ismail Abdurrashid, lead instructor for the College Connections program at College Bound Dorchester, Mass., is good reminder of who and what really matters in our field. I’m guessing Abdurrashid has never read a single WIOA regulation…
adult education
GED Jitters – The Director’s Cut
I’m briefly quoted in this article on the GED, and so I thought I’d share a few more thoughts as to why I think it’s reasonable to be concerned that the revision to the test this time around is different from past revisions.
The first point, which is in the article, is that this time the switch was made under a significantly weaker adult education system, at least in terms of funding. While everyone in adult education, from the state directors to the programs directors, have been doing their usual heroic work and are adjusting to the new test(s), the fact is that federal funding for adult education has dropped by 25% since 2002. Enrollment numbers in federally funded adult education programs have been dropping accordingly over that time.
Secondly, while it may turn out that the situation will improve over the next year or two—as has been the case after previous revisions—the disruption this time has been significantly more complicated than in the past. First, there was a significant cost increase, and second, the GED test itself has become computer only. And two new tests came onto the market in addition to the GED. We actually have no precedent for changes of this magnitude or complexity.
Thirdly, while everyone is still in the process of adjusting to these changes, the adult education system itself is embarking on significant overhaul this year, as WIOA implementation gets underway. This will put further strain on the limited resources available to the field, particularly in professional development.
Most importantly—and I wish this particular point had made it into the article—while I agree with others that there is no need to panic, I don’t think it’s good enough to cross our fingers and hope for the best. This time we should be carefully studying the situation as it continues to unfold, and develop strategies to avoid such disruptions in the future. The test will be revised again in another decade or so. I continue to be flummoxed as to why huge drop-offs in test-takers and passers should ever be the norm. Let’s figure out how to make this not happen anymore.
Why Irregular Work Scheduling Matters
Irregular work schedules and long hours are likely a significant barrier to many low-skilled adults who would like to participate in adult education. How much of a barrier I don’t know—this is yet another place where we are achingly lacking in data. But students dropping out of classes after being switched to a different shift, for example, is not an uncommon occurrence. It’s not the only barrier, by any means, but it’s an important one. Addressing the “upskilling” problem in anything other than a token manner will likely require significant changes in employment practices on a large scale.
ISTE Advocacy Platform Now Includes Support for Adult Education
I’m not sure when this was officially unveiled but I thought it was worth noting here that ISTE’s Advocacy Platform now includes support for adult education:
“ISTE supports adult education policy that leverages digital tools to support adult learners and assist them in acquiring the skills and knowledge they need to work and participate successfully in today’s high-tech society.”
Obviously that’s very broadly worded so as to include adult learners at all levels, (which makes sense) but taken together with ISTE’s digital equity position, it doesn’t seem like a stretch to envision an emphasis on low-income, lower-skilled, and underserved populations. This is new and potentially significant, as ISTE has significant advocacy influence in the ed-tech policy space.
Literacy & Policy 