Linking adult education to workforce development in 2018–19: Early implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act at the local level (NCEE 2023-001r)

Many adults need help with basic skills like reading, writing, mathematics, and English proficiency to succeed in the American workforce. Congress has long provided resources to help individuals address these educational challenges, most recently through Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. But WIOA includes new requirements and incentives to strengthen the link between adult education and the overall workforce development system, to move adults into and along a career pathway. This report from a national evaluation of Title II examines the extent to which local adult education providers’ instructional approaches and coordination with other agencies reflect this link and highlights the challenges providers experience in collecting related performance data. The report describes providers’ reported experiences in program year 2018–19, the first year when the more than 1,600 providers receiving federal Title II funds were expected to operate under WIOA’s rules and before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted provider operations. The key findings can be used to guide future implementation.