Transforming Adult Education: Bridges to Opportunity in Illinois

• In Event: Harnessing Evidence to Advance Equity in Career Pathways

Abstract

There are nearly 25 million adults in the United States who have not yet attained a high school diploma, and postsecondary education remains out of reach for many millions more (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). However, in the current economic landscape, four of every five middle-income jobs require a postsecondary education (Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2018). The majority of these are middle-skill jobs that require an industry-recognized credential or an associate’s degree (National Skills Coalition, 2020). This skills gap can hinder economic growth and limit opportunities for upward mobility. However, many adults do not have the time, flexibility, and financial resources for lengthy educational programs.

To address this challenge, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) allows federal Title II funding to be used for a special type of programming called integrated education and training (IET). IET combines adult foundational education—such as preparation for a high school equivalency—with accelerated programs that provide workforce preparation, occupational training and pathways to careers in high-demand, high-growth occupations (Alamprese & Cheng, 2021). IET programs show promise for helping adults earn occupation credentials, postsecondary credits, and improve employment and earnings (Cronen et al., 2021; Gardiner et al., 2021).

Starting in 2023, the American Institutes for Research® partnered with the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to explore how adults with skill needs— including those without a high school credential, English learners, etc. — in Illinois are preparing for upward economic mobility.  ICCB implements IET programs in Illinois, designed to accelerate adults’ progress in a career pathway. However, enrollment in IET programs is limited. This may be due in part to the number of adult learners at lower literacy, numeracy, and English proficiency levels who are screened out of IET, thereby creating a narrowed pipeline. An innovative approach used by Illinois is to offer on-ramps called bridge programs. The bridge programs provide literacy or English language instruction contextualized within an occupation, along with comprehensive support services (Alamprese & Cheng, 2021). However, there is virtually no research on their effectiveness to guide policymakers, program administrators, and other decision-makers.

As part of mixed methods research, we are conducting a quasi-experimental study to examine whether participating in bridge programming leads to better educational outcomes, such as gaining one or more Educational Functioning Levels (EFLs), enrolling in IET programs, and enrolling in other postsecondary education. We are using propensity score matching (PSM) to identify an observationally equivalent comparison group of adult education students for the sample of 6,295 students who enrolled in bridge courses between PY 2018-19 and PY 2021-22.

 This study will generate critical evidence on the effectiveness of bridge programming in Illinois. The findings will identify policy levers for ICCB to improve the economic and educational impacts of bridge programming, while also providing insights for policymakers in other states to enhance the effectiveness of adult education and workforce development initiatives. By leveraging innovative approaches, this research aims to contribute to transformative and resilient policy solutions in the field of education and training.

Author

• Neha Nanda, American Institutes for Research (AIR)
  Presenting Author