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and Tools for State Higher Education Agencies:
State policymakers want economic growth and business vitality
within their borders. An educated citizenry and a highly skilled
workforce are essential to that goal. But to improve their
efforts to serve adult learners, colleges and universities
need creative support from policymakers. CAEL is arming policymakers
with the tools to do just that.
The Ford
Foundation has supported CAEL’s development of tools
to help higher education systems create partnerships between
businesses and community colleges. These strategic alliances
will allow business and higher education to work together
to support more adult workers in achieving college degrees
and certificates. The assessment tools are based on CAEL’s
Principles of Effectiveness for Serving Adult Learners,
and will be designed to illustrate the business community’s
workforce education needs and the local community colleges’
capabilities to respond to those needs.
In addition, the Ford Foundation supported the research and
publication of a policy
paper and checklist developed by The State Higher Education
Executive Officers organization (SHEEO)
and designed to help stakeholders understand how policy might
help or hinder business and education partnerships.
CAEL has also published Policies and Initiatives of State
Higher Education Boards that Encourage Working Adults to Pursue
Degrees. The innovative strategies of nine states (Colorado,
Kansas, Rhode Island, Maryland, Nevada, Delaware, New Mexico,
Illinois, and Arizona) are highlighted in this document.
Click here
 for a PDF version
of this policy brief.
CAEL received a grant from the Lumina Foundation for Education
to develop Adult Learning Focused Institution (ALFI) Assessment
Tools for community colleges and to design a policy framework
for states. These new developments are a part of CAEL’s
ALFI initiative, aimed at increasing access and removing barriers
for adults so they can be successful in achieving postsecondary
degrees and credentials. Helping Adult Learners Succeed, a
new report from CAEL on this project, summarizes lessons learned
during this work; CAEL and Community Colleges: Working Together
is a brochure that underscores the role that ALFI can play
in helping community colleges and their adult students.
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