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Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
(AEFLA): A Primer
Benjamin Collins
Analyst in Labor Policy
April 8, 2013
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43036
CRS Report for Congress
Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress
c11173008
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Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA): A Primer
Summary
Enacted in 1998, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) is the primary federal
legislation that supports basic education for out-of-school adults. Commonly called “adult
education,” the programs funded by AEFLA typically support educational services at the
secondary level and below, as well as English language training. Actual services are typically
provided by local entities using a combination of federal and non-federal funds. Specific curricula
vary based on the needs and objectives of the local student population.
In FY2012, approximately $606 million was appropriated for AEFLA. Of this sum,
approximately $22 million was set aside for national activities and incentive grants. The
remaining $584 million was allocated to the states via formula grants. To receive a federal grant,
states are required to provide a match so that non-federal resources account for at least 25% of the
total resources dedicated to adult education. Many states contribute well beyond their required
match, though there is substantial variation among the states.
The statute specifies that 82.5% of each state’s grant must be subgranted to local providers of
educational services. These local providers are most commonly local education agencies
(typically school districts) or institutions of higher education (typically community, junior, or
technical colleges). Nonprofit agencies, correctional institutions, and other entities may also
receive grants.
Adult education activities provided at the local level are divided into three broad categories:
• Adult Basic Education (ABE), which includes instruction for adults whose
literacy and numeracy skills are below the high school level;
• Adult Secondary Education (ASE), which includes instruction for adults whose
literacy skills are approximately at the high school level, including adults who
are seeking to pass the General Education Development (GED) test; and
• English literacy (EL), which includes instruction for adults who are not proficient
in the English language.
In program year 2011-2012 (the most recent year for which complete data are available),
approximately 1.8 million individuals participated in state adult education activities for an
average of 124 hours each. A plurality of the students (47%) participated in ABE while a smaller
share (40%) participated in EL activities. The remaining share of adult education students (13%)
participated in ASE activities. Non-federal funds accounted for the majority of spending on
these activities.
The authorization of appropriations for AEFLA expired at the end of FY2003, though the
programs it supports have continued to be funded through the annual appropriations process.
AEFLA was enacted as Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) and AEFLA
reauthorization debate has also been part of broader efforts to reauthorize WIA.
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Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA): A Primer
Contents
Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1
AEFLA Statutory Provisions ........................................................................................................... 1
Purpose of AEFLA and Definition of Adult Education ............................................................. 2
AEFLA-Funded Programs ......................................................................................................... 2
State Grants ......................................................................................................................... 2
Set-Asides for Other Purposes ............................................................................................ 5
AEFLA Implementation and Program Data .................................................................................... 6
Characteristics of Local Services .............................................................................................. 7
Types of Service Providers ........................................................................................................ 7
Characteristics of Participants ................................................................................................... 9
Treatment and Outcome Data .................................................................................................. 10
Educational Gains ............................................................................................................. 10
Other Outcomes................................................................................................................. 11
Tables
Table 1. Local Adult Education Grantee Types by Funding Source, PY2011-12 ............................ 8
Table 2. Characteristics of Adult Education Personnel, PY2011-12................................................ 9
Table 3. Characteristics of AEFLA Participants, PY2011-2012 .................................................... 10
Table 4. AEFLA Enrollment and Educational Progress, PY2011-2012 ........................................ 11
Table 5. Core Follow-Up Measures for AEFLA Exiters, PY2011-2012 ....................................... 12
Table A-1. AEFLA Funding FY1999-FY2012 .............................................................................. 13
Table B-1. AEFLA Grants to States, FY2010-2012 ....................................................................... 14
Table B-2. AEFLA EL-Civics Grants to States .............................................................................. 16
Appendixes
Appendix A. AEFLA Funding, FY1999-FY2012 .......................................................................... 13
Appendix B. AEFLA Grants to States and Outlying Areas, FY2010-2012 ................................... 14
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 18
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Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA): A Primer
Background
Many adults in the United States have low levels of literacy or numeracy, or limited English
language proficiency.1 Under the authorization of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
(AEFLA), the federal government has made grants to states to provide services to improve these
skills among adults who are not enrolled in school. Commonly called “adult education” efforts,
these investments provide educational services to adults at the secondary level and below, as well
as English language training.
Adult education services are typically provided by local entities using a combination of federal
and non-federal funds. Students include those seeking to develop basic skills, those seeking to
obtain a secondary credential, and English language learners of various educational backgrounds.
Curricula vary based on student needs and objectives. According to the most recent annual data,
the average adult education student received 124 hours of instruction. Adult education instructors
are a combination of full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel.
AEFLA programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) through its Office
of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE).2 In FY2012, appropriations under the act were $606
million. Of this appropriation, $595 million was distributed to the states via formula grants.
This report will provide background information on AEFLA and the activities it funds. The report
begins with a description of the law itself. This description focuses on AEFLA’s largest
component, the state grants program. The second half of the report uses program data to describe
the implementation of the state grants program, including the data on providers and participants.
AEFLA Statutory Provisions
AEFLA was enacted as Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA; P.L. 105-220). It
replaced the National Literacy Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-73) and the Adult Education Act of 1966
(P.L. 89-750).
AEFLA authorized such sums as necessary to carry out its functions from FY1999 through
FY20003. When the program was not reauthorized, the General Education Provisions Act
(GEPA) automatically extended AEFLA authorization for one year. Since the expiration of this
extension, the program has continued to be funded through the annual appropriations process.3
Annual appropriation levels since FY1999 are presented in Table A-1 of Appendix A.
1 Defining literacy is a complex issue and, depending on definitions, the literacy rate in the United States can vary
dramatically. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) is an occasional federally sponsored survey that
measures components of adult literacy and numeracy. The most recent NAAL was conducted in 2003. The findings of
this assessment illustrate the complexity of measuring literacy and are available at http://nces.ed.gov/naal/.
2 The exception to this is Workforce Investment Act Title V incentive grants, which are funded under AEFLA and part
of ED’s budget but administered by the Department of Labor.
3 There have been several attempts to reauthorize AEFLA as part of a broader reauthorization of WIA. In the 113th
Congress, the House has passed H.R. 803, which would reauthorize AEFLA through 2020. For more information on
this bill, see CRS Report R42990, Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Reauthorization Proposals in the 113th Congress:
Comparison of Major Features of Current Law and H.R. 803, by David H. Bradley and Benjamin Collins.
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Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA): A Primer
Purpose of AEFLA and Definition of Adult Education
The statutory purpose of AEFLA is to
(1) assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for
employment and self-sufficiency;
(2) assist adults who are parents to obtain the educational skills necessary to become full
partners in the educational development of their children; and
(3) assist adults in the completion of a secondary school education.4
To fulfill this purpose, statute authorizes funds for adult education activities, which it defines as
services or instruction below the postsecondary level for individuals who are at least 16 years old,
are not enrolled in school nor required to be enrolled in school under state law, and either
(i) lack sufficient mastery of basic educational skills to enable the individuals to function
effectively in society;
(ii) do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and have not
achieved an equivalent level of education; or
(iii) are unable to speak, read, or write the English language.5
AEFLA-Funded Programs
AEFLA specifies portions of its annual appropriation that are set aside for certain programs.6 The
remaining funds (which are typically more than 95% of the annual appropriation) are distributed
to the states through formula grants.7
State Grants
AEFLA specifies how funds are allotted to each state as well as the proportion of each state’s
grant that must be allotted to various activities. The act also sets criteria for how state grant funds
must be subgranted to local service providers.
Allotment of Funds Among the States
Section 211(b) of AEFLA specifies a two-step process through which state grant funds are
distributed. First, there is an initial allotment of $250,000 to each state and $100,000 to each
4 Section 201 of AEFLA (20 U.S.C. 9201)
5 Section 202 of AEFLA (20 U.S.C. 9202)
6 The set-asides are discussed in the “Set-Asides for Other Purposes” section later in this report.
7 The formula for these funds is established in AEFLA. Since FY2000, however, appropriations legislation has reserved
a portion of state grant funds for English Literacy-Civics (EL-Civics) formula grants to states. This reservation
effectively creates two formula grants within the state grants program: one that allots the set-aside using the EL-Civics
formula in appropriations legislation (described in the “English Literacy-Civics Grants” subsection later in this report)
and a second that allots the remaining state grant funds using the formula in AEFLA.
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eligible outlying area.8 The second step of the allotment process distributes the remainder of the
funding by formula. The formula is based on each state’s share of qualifying adults. Qualifying
adults are those who are
• at least 16 years of age,
• beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the states,
• without a high school diploma or the equivalent, and
• not enrolled in secondary school.
States must match their grants so that 25% of the state’s total adult education resources are from
non-federal sources.9 Non-federal matches may be cash or in-kind.10 In outlying areas, the non-
federal share must be at least 12%.
AEFLA’s hold harmless provisions specify that states and outlying areas shall receive grants
equal to at least 90% of the grant they received in the previous fiscal year.11 AEFLA’s
maintenance of effort provisions require each state and outlying area to expend at least 90% of
what it spent in the prior year on adult education activities.12
Table B-1 in Appendix B lists the annual allotments to each state from FY2010 to FY2012.
English Literacy-Civics Grants
Since FY2000, appropriations legislation has set aside a portion of the AEFLA state grant funding
for integrated English literacy and civics education services (EL-Civics) to limited-English-
proficient populations. In FY2012, this set-aside was $74.85 million or about 12.5% of state
grants funding.13 The remainder of state grant funds were allotted using the formula described in
the previous section.
The provisions of the EL-Civics grants are enumerated in annual appropriations legislation and
are not established elsewhere in law. EL-Civics funds are distributed to the states based on recent
8 For the purposes of state grant allotments, the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are classified as
states. American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are classified as outlying
areas. By the definition in AEFLA, the freely associated states of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau are also
considered outlying areas but their grant eligibility is governed by Compact of Free Association and does not follow the
process outlined in AEFLA. Since FY2005, Palau has been the only freely associated state that receives AEFLA
funding and since then, its annual grant has equaled 90% of its grant from the prior year. In FY2012, Palau’s grant was
$22,878 or 0.00004% of total AEFLA state grant funding.
9 This matching requirement can also be viewed as states providing $1 of resources for every $3 in federal funding.
10 See 20 U.S.C. 9222(b). 34 C.F.R. 461.1(c) further specifies when determining non-federal contributions, ED shall
consider “(1) Expenditures from State, local, and other non-Federal sources for programs, services, and activities of
adult education, as defined in [AEFLA], made by public or private entities that receive from the State Federal funds
made available under [AEFLA] or State funds for adult education; and (2) Expenditures made directly by the State for
programs, services, and activities of adult education as defined in [AEFLA].”
11 If federal appropriations are insufficient to meet this threshold, each grantee’s share of current year funding will be
ratably reduced.
12 See 20 U.S.C. 9251(b).
13 See Title III of P.L. 112-74, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012. AEFLA state grant funds were subject to a
rescission of 0.189% and the EL-Civics set-aside was proportionately reduced to $74.71 million.
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immigration data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).14
Typically, 65% of the EL-Civics funding is distributed based on each state’s relative share of
immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence in the 10 most recent years and 35% is
distributed based on each state’s relative share of immigrants admitted for legal permanent
residence in the three most recent years.
Table B-2 in Appendix B lists the annual EL-Civics allotments to each state from FY2010 to
FY2012.
Uses of State Grant Funds
Section 222 of AEFLA specifies several requirements on how states must allocate their grant
funds:
• At least 82.5% of the state allotment must be competitively subgranted to local
service providers. Up to 10% of the 82.5% may be granted to entities that provide
services to individuals in correctional facilities or other institutionalized
individuals.
• Up to 12.5% of the state’s allotment may be allocated to state leadership
activities (i.e., programs of statewide relevance such as the development and
dissemination of curricula).15
• No more than 5% of the total grant or $65,000, whichever is greater, may be used
for administrative expenses.
All recipients of local subgrants must use funds for the provision of one or more of the following
services: adult education and literacy services, family literacy services, and/or English literacy
programs. Entities eligible to receive local subgrants include local educational agencies,
community and faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit
organizations.16
AEFLA requires states to consider certain factors when selecting local subgrant recipients. Most
of these considerations relate to a subgrantee’s ability to successfully serve qualifying adults
(particularly high-need populations) and accurately report performance data.17
State Plans
Section 224 of AEFLA specifies that, to receive a grant, each state must submit, or have on file, a
state plan. Plans are five years in duration. State plans must contain18
• an assessment of adult education needs in the state, including high-need and
hard-to-serve individuals;
14 EL-Civics funds are limited to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
15 Allowable state leadership activities are listed in Section 223 of AEFLA (20 U.S.C. 9223).
16 The full list of eligible providers is available in Section 203(5) of AELFA (20 U.S.C. 9202(5)).
17 The 12 statutory considerations are listed in Section 231(e) of AEFLA (20 U.S.C. 9241(e)).
18 In addition to the components below, state plans must also contain several assurances that the state will comply with
certain provisions of AEFLA. See 20 U.S.C. 9224(b) for complete required contents.
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Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA): A Primer
• a description of the adult education activities that will be funded by AEFLA;
• a description of how the state will annually evaluate and improve its activities
using standardized reporting measures (see “Performance Accountability and
Reporting Requirements” subsection later in this report);
• a description of the process that the state will use for public participation and
comment in the development of its state plan;
• a description of how the state will develop program strategies for certain
populations such as individuals with disabilities and single parents;
• a description of how AEFLA-funded activities in the state will be integrated with
other adult education, career development, and employment training services;
and
• a description of steps the state will take to ensure equitable access to funds
among local adult education providers.
As an alternative to developing a specialized AEFLA plan, WIA allows states to develop a unified
plan that combines AEFLA requirements with other federally funded workforce
development programs.19
Performance Accountability and Reporting Requirements
Section 212 establishes a performance accountability system for grantees under AEFLA. It
requires grantees to track participation and other core indicators of performance. These core
indicators are
• improvement in literacy skill levels in reading, writing, and speaking the English
language; numeracy; problem solving; English language acquisition; and other
literacy skills;
• placement or retention in, or completion of, postsecondary education, training,
employment, or career advancement; and
• receipt of a secondary school diploma or the equivalent.
States report their performance via the online National Reporting System (NRS). Reports from
the NRS provide the program data presented in the “AEFLA Implementation and Program Data”
section later in this report.
Set-Asides for Other Purposes
Section 211(a) of AEFLA specifies several set-asides from sums appropriated under the act.
• The lesser of 1.5% of the appropriation or $8 million for National Leadership
Activities (NLA). These activities can include (1) technical assistance to the
states such as assistance in developing performance measures or professional
development for instructors, and (2) national research activities such as
19 See 20 U.S.C. 9271.
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curriculum development, program evaluation, and dissemination of best
practices.20
• The lesser of 1.5% of the appropriation or $8 million for the National Institute
for Literacy (NIFL).21 NIFL operates under an interagency agreement between
ED, DOL, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its
purposes are to (1) provide national leadership regarding literacy, (2) coordinate
literacy services and policy, and (3) serve as a national resource for adult
education and literacy programs.22
• 1.72% for WIA Title V Incentive Grants.23 Incentive grants are available to states
that achieve superior performance in both Title I and Title II of WIA.24 Annual
performance levels are negotiated by the states, DOL, and OVAE. The maximum
incentive grant for each qualifying state is $3 million and the minimum is
$750,000.
Actual appropriations activities have varied from these statutory directives. For example, NIFL
has not received funding since FY2009 and some of its functions have been consolidated into
National Leadership Activities. Since NIFL stopped receiving AEFLA funding, the set-aside for
National Leadership Activities in appropriations legislation has exceeded 1.5% of AEFLA
appropriations. Annual set-asides are listed in Table A-1 in Appendix A.
AEFLA Implementation and Program Data
As discussed in the prior section, AEFLA specifies certain requirements for state grants (and local
subgrants) but leaves many decisions to the states and localities. This section will use program
data from the NRS to illustrate the nature of states’ and localities’ adult education services,
providers, students, and outcomes.25 NRS data are typically reported by program year (PY),
which runs nine months behind the fiscal year (e.g., PY2011-2012 was from July 1, 2011, to June
30, 2012). As such, the data discussed in this section will not align precisely with fiscal year
information discussed elsewhere in this report.
When interpreting the data in this section, it is important to note that many states contribute
beyond their AEFLA-required match. Localities and private entities may also contribute to adult
education activities, and federal funds subsequently account for only a minority of the funds used
to provide local adult education services.
20 For details on permissible activities, see AEFLA Section 243 (20 U.S.C. 9253).
21 ED has not allocated funds to NIFL since FY2009. NIFL’s priority activities have been consolidated into AEFLA’s
National Leadership Activities.
22 For additional details on NIFL, see AEFLA Section 242 (20 U.S.C. 9252).
23 In the ED budget, incentive grants are part of the state grants program.
24 Incentive grants are authorized under Section 503 of WIA. Prior to PY2007, states also needed to achieve superior
performance under Title III of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 to receive an
incentive grant.
25 All data in this section were generated using the user-directed NRS database at http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/
OVAE/NRS/reports/.
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Characteristics of Local Services
AEFLA-funded adult education services are typically administered at the local level. NRS data
(and most other adult education literature) divides these services into three primary categories.
• Adult Basic Education (ABE) includes instruction for adults whose literacy skills
are below the high school level. In PY2011-2012, about 47% of adult education
students were enrolled in ABE classes.
• Adult Secondary Education (ASE) includes instruction for adults whose literacy
skills are approximately at the high school level. This includes adults who are
seeking to pass the General Education Development (GED) test or obtain a high
school credential. In PY2011-2012, about 13% of adult education students were
enrolled in ASE courses.
• English literacy (EL) is instruction for adults who are not proficient in the
English language. In PY2011-2012, about 40% of adult education students were
enrolled in EL courses.
States have diverse adult education populations and there are large variations among the states in
terms of enrollment levels in each program. For example, in PY2011-2012, Nevada reported that
80% of its adult education students were enrolled in EL courses while Louisiana reported that
81% of its adult education students were enrolled in ABE courses.
Types of Service Providers
Eligible providers of AEFLA-funded services include both public and private entities. Table 1
presents data on the allotment of federal AEFLA funds and state funds to eligible providers in
PY2011-2012. Local education agencies (typically school districts) were the largest recipients of
both federal and state adult education funding.
Table 1 may exclude some non-federal, non-state contributions to adult education activities such
as local funding and in-kind contributions. Comprehensive estimates of non-federal effort are
available from each state’s annual Financial Status Report (FSR). States’ final FSR reports for the
2011-2012 program year will be available after September 2013. Aggregated data on non-federal
effort from prior years’ FSRs are not readily available.26
26 Individual states’ final FSRs from PY2010-2011 and prior years can be generated from the NRS database at
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OVAE/NRS/FSRtables/index.cfm.
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Table 1. Local Adult Education Grantee Types by Funding Source, PY2011-12
AEFLA
AEFLA
Funding % of
State Funding State Funding
Provider Agency
Funding Total
Total
Total
% of Total
Local Education Agencies
$254,239,492
50.6% $1,082,312,982
77.8%
Institutions of Higher Education
$158,903,708
31.6%
$214,474,276
15.4%
Community Junior or Technical
$144,122,868 28.7%
$209,969,359 15.1%
Colleges
Four-Year Colleges or Universities
$6,041,315
1.2%
$3,109,273
0.2%
Other Institutions of Higher
$8,739,526 1.7%
$1,395,644 0.1%
Education
Public or Private Nonprofit
$68,670,126 13.7%
$52,600,030 3.8%
Agencies
Community-Based Organizations
$54,036,910
10.8%
$47,210,692
3.4%
Faith-Based Organizations
$10,701,670
2.1%
$4,811,538
0.3%
Libraries $3,931,545
0.8%
$577,801
<0.1%
Other Agencies
$20,345,302
4.1%
$41,067,663
3.0%
Correctional Institutions
$12,904,283
2.6%
$29,943,503
2.2%
Other Institutions (non-
correctional)
$732,725 0.1%
$4,640,433 0.3%
All Other Agencies
$6,708,293
1.3%
$6,483,728
0.5%
Total $502,158,628
100.0%
$1,390,454,951
100.0%
Source: National Reporting System, Aggregate NRS Table 14 for PY2011-2012. Tables generated at
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OVAE/NRS/reports/ on April 4, 2013. Data for Maine have not yet been
approved by ED and were not included in this table.
Note: Due to rounding, the sum of subgroups may not equal totals. Since funds are reported on a program year
basis, they may not correspond with fiscal year funding levels discussed elsewhere in the report. State funding
may not include local, private, or in-kind contributions to adult education activities.
AEFLA services are provided by a combination of paid staff and volunteers. Table 2 presents
data on state and local adult education personnel in PY2011-2012. Local teachers were the largest
personnel group and almost 85% of this group was either part-time or volunteers. As is the case
with other program components, the characteristics of each state’s adult education personnel
varied by state. For example, nearly 50% of Kentucky’s teachers are full-time while more than
70% of the teachers in Pennsylvania are volunteers.
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Table 2. Characteristics of Adult Education Personnel, PY2011-12
Share of Personnel
Unpaid
Position Number
Full-Time Part-Time Volunteer Total
Local
Teachers
72,202 14.5% 59.2% 26.3% 100.0%
Local
Paraprofessionals
17,600 13.9% 28.4% 57.7% 100.0%
Local Administrative, Supervisor,
12,256 41.2% 41.0% 17.8% 100.0%
and Ancillary Services
Local
Counselors
2,242 30.8% 59.1% 10.1% 100.0%
State Administrative, Supervisory,
482 76.8% 22.0% 1.2% 100.0%
and Ancillary Services
Source: Calculations by CRS based on data from National Reporting System, Aggregate Table 7 for PY2011-
2012. Tables generated at http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OVAE/NRS/reports/ on April 4, 2013.
Characteristics of Participants
Data on the demographics and other characteristics of AEFLA participants are available from
NRS. Table 3 presents data on the approximately 2 million individuals that participated in adult
education programs in PY2011-2012.
The characteristics of adult education participants vary by the type of services. For example, the
ASE population tended to be younger (57% under the age of 25) and have a higher concentration
of white students (48%) than the overall adult education population. Conversely, the EL
population tended to be older (84% age 25 or over) and have a higher concentration of Hispanic
or Latino students (65%) than the overall adult education population.
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Table 3. Characteristics of AEFLA Participants, PY2011-2012
Number
Share of Population
Age 1,818,806
100.0%
16-18 184,085
10.1%
19-24 433,776
23.8%
25-44 834,485
45.9%
45-59 295,586
16.3%
60+ 70,874
3.9%
Race 1,818,806
100.0%
White 480,789
26.4%
Black or African American
407,383
22.4%
Hispanic or Latino
709,213
39.0%
Asian 148,968
8.2%
Othera 72,453
4.0%
Employment Status
1,818,806
100.0%
Employed
579,815
31.9%
Unemployed
734,233
40.4%
Not in the Labor Force
504,758
27.8%
Source: National Reporting System, NRS Aggregate Table 2 for PY2011-2012; Longitudinal Report Table 10 for
PY2011-2012. Tables generated at http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OVAE/NRS/reports/ on April 4, 2013.
a. “Other” aggregates three categories: American Indian or Native Alaskan; Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander; and two or more races.
Treatment and Outcome Data
AEFLA requires grantees to track the nature and duration of their services as well as student
outcomes. Data on educational gains are available for all participants. Data on other outcomes
(such as entering employment or postsecondary education) are more limited.
Educational Gains
Table 4 presents data on participants’ hours of attendance and educational progress. Educational
progress is defined as completing a level of curriculum within the ABE, ASE, or EL tracks. The
ABE program has four levels, the ASE program has two, and the EL program has six.27 Progress
is determined through a pre-test administered to a participant at intake and subsequent post-tests
at specified intervals.28
27 For detailed descriptions of each educational level, see tables at 34 C.F.R. 462.44.
28 Testing procedures are not uniform across the states. For information on how states establish their tests other testing
(continued...)
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Table 4. AEFLA Enrollment and Educational Progress, PY2011-2012
Share
Average
Separating
Total
Hours of
Before
Remaining
Entering Educational
Number Participation Completing Completing
within
Functioning Level
Enrolled
per Enrollee
Level
Level
Level Total
Total, All Programs and Levels
1,818,806
124
43.8%
32.4%
23.7% 100.0%
Adult Basic Education (ABE)
853,213
109
43.4%
35.2%
21.4%
100.0%
Adult Secondary Education (ASE)
231,969
88
39.2%
36.9%
23.9%
100.0%
English Literacy (EL)
733,624
153
45.8%
27.8%
26.4%
100.0%
Source: Shares calculated by CRS based on Aggregate Table 4 Data for PY2011-2012. Table generated at
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OVAE/NRS/reports/ on April 4, 2013.
Notes: There are four levels within ABE, two levels within ASE, and six levels within EL. For definitions of each
educational functioning level, see tables at 34 C.F.R. 462.44.
Other Outcomes
In addition to educational gains, AEFLA requires states to track participant outcomes regarding
employment, the completion of a secondary degree, and entrance into postsecondary education.29
Unlike the fairly comprehensive data on demographics and educational progress, data on these
post-school outcomes are somewhat limited. These data are limited by two primary factors:
• Follow-up outcomes are only tracked when a client states an objective beyond
education. Otherwise, only the default “educational progress” indicator is
tracked. As Table 5 shows, a relatively small portion of AEFLA participants state
a follow-up objective. Participants may decline to state an objective beyond
educational progress for a variety of reasons. They may have already attained a
goal (for example, Table 3 in a prior section shows that 32% of AEFLA
participants were employed at intake), educational progress may be their only
goal, or they may simply choose not to state a follow-up objective.
• In some cases, follow-up outcomes may be tracked with surveys that have varied
response rates. Coupled with the fact that only a subset of the population’s
follow-up outcomes are tracked, this may result in follow-up outcome data based
on only a small number of participants.
Due to these limitations, the available data on follow-up measures in Table 5 should be
interpreted with caution. While the available data can provide some insight into the subsequent
outcomes for some AEFLA participants, using these data to evaluate program efficacy may
be difficult.
(...continued)
requirements and procedures, see 34 C.F.R. 462.1-44.
29 See 20 U.S.C. 9212(b)(2)(A). These post-program outcomes are often described as “follow-up objectives.”
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Table 5. Core Follow-Up Measures for AEFLA Exiters, PY2011-2012
Number of Participants
Population
with Main or
Outcome data
Percent
Core Follow-Up Outcome
Secondary
Available via Survey
Achieving
Achieving
Measures
Goal
or Data Matching
Outcome
Outcome
Entered Employmenta 221,799
170,104
80,938
47.6%
Retained Employmentb 169,799
133,170
87,172
65.5%
Obtained a GED or Secondary
School Diplomac
250,579 234,341
143,816
61.4%
Entered Postsecondary Education or
Trainingd
101,343 82,222
47,731
58.1%
Source: National Reporting System, NRS Aggregate Table 5 for PY2011-2012; generated at
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OVAE/NRS/reports/ on April 4, 2013. Data for the District of Columbia,
Iowa, New Hampshire, and Maine were not yet approved by ED at the time of retrieval and may be subsequently
revised.
Notes: Percent achieving outcome is the number of participants achieving the outcome divided by the number
of participants for which outcome data are available. Participants for which outcome data are not available are
excluded from these calculations. Definitions for PY2011-2012 are from the November 2011 edition of
Implementation Guidelines: Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult Education, published by
ED. Definitions for subsequent program years may vary somewhat.
a. Population includes participants who are not employed at the time of program entry, have a goal of entering
employment, and exited the program during the program year. To achieve the outcome, participants must
enter employment by the end of the first quarter after program exit. A job obtained while the student was
still enrolled can be counted as achieving the goal if the participant is still employed the quarter after
program exit.
b. Population includes participants who either (1) are not employed at the time of program entry, have a goal
of obtaining employment, and enter employment by the end of the first quarter after exit; or (2) are
employed at entry and have a goal of improved or retained employment. To achieve the outcome, a
participant must remain employed in the third quarter after exit.
c. Population includes participants with a goal of passing the GED test or obtaining a secondary school
diploma (or equivalent) who exit during the program year. To achieve the outcome, a participant must
attain a passing score on a GED test or obtain a diploma or state recognized equivalent, documenting
satisfactory completion of secondary studies.
d. Population is all participants with a goal of placement in postsecondary education or training who exit
during the program year. To achieve the outcome, participants must enroll in a postsecondary education or
occupational skills training program, regardless of whether the adult education services were completed.
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Appendix A. AEFLA Funding, FY1999-FY2012
Table A-1. AEFLA Funding FY1999-FY2012
(all funding in thousands)
State Grant Funds
National
Institute
National
Fiscal
AEFLA
EL-Civics
for
Leadership
Year
Total
Total
Set-Aside
Literacy
Activities
1999 $385,000
$345,339 n/a $6,000
$14,000
2000 470,000
450,000
25,500 6,000
14,000
2001 560,500
540,000
70,000 6,500
14,000
2002 591,060
575,000
70,000 6,617 9,500
2003 587,217
571,262
69,545 6,517 9,438
2004 590,233
574,372
69,135 6,692 9,169
2005 585,406
569,672
68,582 6,638 9,096
2006 579,552
563,975
67,896 6,572 9,005
2007 579,563
563,975
67,896 6,583 9,005
2008 567,468
554,122
66,710 6,468 6,878
2009 567,468
554,122
67,895 6,468 6,878
2010 639,567
628,221
75,000
0
11,346
2011 607,443
596,120
74,850
0
11,323
2012 606,295
594,993
74,709
0
11,302
Source: Department of Education FY2000-FY2013 budgets.
Note: Appropriation levels were taken from subsequent years’ budget documents and include rescissions and
other post-appropriation adjustments, where applicable.
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Appendix B. AEFLA Grants to States and Outlying
Areas, FY2010-2012
Table B-1. AEFLA Grants to States, FY2010-2012
(excludes EL-Civics Grants, which are listed in Table B-2)
FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
Grantee
Actual
Actual
Estimate
Alabama $11,941,022
$9,520,213
$9,579,239
Alaska 926,499
918,644
929,924
Arizona 11,707,076
11,450,928
10,590,633
Arkansas 6,929,235
5,712,738
5,676,617
California 74,943,875
72,825,539
74,427,797
Colorado 6,079,225
6,133,088
6,094,776
Connecticut 4,369,348
4,527,412
4,662,122
Delaware 1,543,343
1,471,150
1,518,064
District of Columbia
1,446,211
1,137,010
1,103,228
Florida 35,719,178
30,662,909
31,038,637
Georgia 18,619,681
17,139,168
16,815,540
Hawaii 1,601,952
1,588,671
1,659,543
Idaho 2,068,162
2,147,294
2,182,925
Illinois 18,653,069
18,893,675
18,640,584
Indiana 9,382,112
9,661,398
9,571,412
Iowa 3,364,157
3,355,410
3,391,695
Kansas 3,292,712
3,355,192
3,422,191
Kentucky 11,047,833
8,850,695
8,766,623
Louisiana 9,716,042
8,972,585
9,055,340
Maine 1,768,914
1,769,175
1,741,358
Maryland 7,487,342
7,691,436
7,888,511
Massachusetts 7,993,810
8,257,777
8,099,621
Michigan 13,003,714
13,419,141
12,623,242
Minnesota 4,918,864
5,022,396
5,085,523
Mississippi 7,733,644
6,389,755
6,272,954
Missouri 8,899,507
9,039,282
8,820,305
Montana 1,255,888
1,284,020
1,242,934
Nebraska 2,040,114
2,131,202
2,165,498
Nevada 5,176,176
4,829,004
4,943,602
New Hampshire
1,555,205
1,575,928
1,523,454
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FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
Grantee
Actual
Actual
Estimate
New Jersey
11,753,558
11,887,152
11,890,448
New Mexico
3,815,227
3,910,247
3,966,322
New York
35,708,880
32,694,835
32,579,394
North Carolina
20,480,051
16,219,755
16,510,505
North Dakota
941,500
947,550
959,829
Ohio 15,246,083
15,698,631
15,288,148
Oklahoma 5,748,650
5,865,864
5,897,105
Oregon 4,944,888
4,933,855
5,009,468
Pennsylvania 17,044,639
17,311,298
16,983,158
Rhode Island
2,427,137
2,064,796
2,055,919
South Carolina
10,123,241
8,476,144
8,400,669
South Dakota
1,144,394
1,183,101
1,145,317
Tennessee 14,745,403
11,779,315
11,581,647
Texas 49,762,253
49,255,542
49,815,407
Utah 2,662,122
2,766,570
2,779,187
Vermont 864,124
881,946
875,060
Virginia 11,208,507
11,458,209
11,737,155
Washington 7,503,320
7,745,973
7,915,685
West Virginia
4,900,900
3,823,017
3,831,120
Wisconsin 6,460,802
6,478,733
6,408,082
Wyoming 753,746
763,770
751,008
American Samoa
239,179
245,248
247,297
Guam 416,104
429,887
434,542
Northern Mariana Islands
434,657
355,982
359,594
Puerto Rico
17,795,253
13,301,621
12,284,314
Virgin Islands
601,508
510,463
516,254
Freely Associated States
28,244
25,420
22,878
Indian set-aside
0
0
0
Non-state allocations
10,282,720
10,522,611
10,505,395
Total $553,221,000
$521,270,370
$520,284,799
Source: Department of Education, http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables/index.html, accessed
April 4, 2013; pre-2011 data available from http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/history/index.html.
Note: Non-state allocations are allotted to WIA Title V Incentive grants.
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Table B-2. AEFLA EL-Civics Grants to States
FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
Grantee
Actual
Actual
Estimate
Alabama $226,932
$232,214
$240,648
Alaska 106,323
106,998
107,857
Arizona 1,275,744
1,303,665
1,321,765
Arkansas 182,114
188,079
190,420
California 17,325,060
16,938,499
16,506,124
Colorado 829,996
840,142
860,625
Connecticut 947,244
914,336
900,821
Delaware 146,564
148,260
150,161
District of Columbia
201,192
193,848
195,777
Florida 8,260,828
8,209,887
8,014,070
Georgia 1,721,842
1,750,656
1,755,573
Hawaii 469,463
467,286
464,169
Idaho 166,503
174,342
179,156
Illinois 3,237,190
3,100,243
3,033,889
Indiana 483,293
507,376
536,663
Iowa 274,956
277,347
288,163
Kansas 318,300
329,071
340,044
Kentucky 320,881
330,088
339,920
Louisiana 234,136
252,309
263,031
Maine 102,884
105,723
104,292
Maryland 1,732,700
1,722,519
1,758,941
Massachusetts 2,128,833
2,142,083
2,153,860
Michigan 1,376,349
1,352,634
1,341,874
Minnesota 982,196
1,018,670
1,012,407
Mississippi 100,858
104,699
107,246
Missouri 499,632
503,750
507,770
Montana 60,000
60,000
60,000
Nebraska 233,234
241,794
259,463
Nevada 791,147
776,346
768,631
New Hampshire
177,947
176,879
179,332
New Jersey
3,919,712
3,895,302
3,931,658
New Mexico
251,485
252,901
250,826
New York
9,638,267
9,467,113
9,631,839
North Carolina
1,023,606
1,060,840
1,084,518
North Dakota
60,000
60,000
60,000
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FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
Grantee
Actual
Actual
Estimate
Ohio 989,962
999,640
1,002,874
Oklahoma 293,191
302,595
301,878
Oregon 633,220
634,531
624,338
Pennsylvania 1,590,294
1,591,838
1,610,056
Rhode Island
252,866
252,725
261,809
South Carolina
278,945
283,817
287,174
South Dakota
60,000
60,000
63,075
Tennessee 533,907
547,183
549,487
Texas 5,888,416
6,022,770
6,139,529
Utah 364,975
376,941
390,706
Vermont 60,000
60,000
60,000
Virginia 2,028,172
1,989,433
1,995,018
Washington 1,602,560
1,664,784
1,658,631
West Virginia
60,000
60,000
60,000
Wisconsin 496,081
490,349
479,705
Wyoming 60,000
60,000
60,000
American Samoa
0
0
0
Guam 0
0
0
Northern Mariana Islands
0
0
0
Puerto Rico
0
247,495
262,721
Virgin Islands
0
0
0
Freely Associated States
0
0
0
Indian set-aside
0
0
0
Total $75,000,000
$74,850,000
$74,708,534
Source: Department of Education, http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables/index.html, accessed
April 4, 2013; pre-2011 data available from http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/history/index.html.
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Author Contact Information
Benjamin Collins
Analyst in Labor Policy
bcollins@crs.loc.gov, 7-7382
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