On July 23, 2020, the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) posted a request for comment on Measures and Methods for the National Reporting System for Adult Education. NCL’s response made four key points:

• Supported the proposed addition of outcomes reporting of Measurable Skill Gains (MSGs) other than Educational Functioning Level (EFL) gain and secondary school diploma or equivalent for participants in Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs;
• Advocated for allowing similar reporting breadth for all program models, particularly workplace literacy, integrated English literacy and civics education (IELCE), and workforce preparation;
• Advocated for inclusion of a summary table that would allow programs to report overall totals for each outcome type, especially achievement of a high school diploma or equivalent, for the benefit of employers, policy makers, and other stakeholders;
• Suggested eliminating the distinction between in-person and distance education, recognizing that most programs now operate with blended models, and advocated for the development of a set of competencies and related outcomes for digital literacy, which is not measured anywhere in the current NRS tables.

NCL’s overall objective was to provide observations and suggestions that would allow the NRS to present a full picture of program capabilities and outcomes. NCL also believes that implementation of its suggestions would give the NRS an active role in encouraging programs to develop and offer programming that responds to employer needs and postsecondary requirements as these relate to adult learners’ goals.

Read the full NCL comment.