Serving adults who have difficulty reading: challenges faced by U.S. adult education administrators

Abstract

Abstract Recent assessments suggest that 43 million adults in the United States have difficulty completing basic reading tasks. Although the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) prioritizes education for adults with the greatest needs, there is long-standing concern that federally-funded programs might not serve lower-performing students well. This study sought the perspectives of state administrators of WIOA-funded adult education to identify challenges in serving adults who have difficulty reading and areas for future research. Identifying challenges and creating a robust evidence base can center adults who have difficulty reading as important participants in the field of practice and support the creation of effective strategies for their inclusion and success in WIOA-funded programming.

Keywords

• Adult basic education
• Adult literacy
• Reading
• Adult education
• Policy
• United States