The OVAE Fact Sheet Series highlights efforts currently underway at the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) to support the principles of the President's No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The principle(s) supported by this effort are:

• Increase Accountability and Academic Achievement
• Focus on What Works

Background

Standards in Action builds upon past efforts by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), to promote state-level institutionalization of adult education content standards. OVAE's earlier work included the development of: (1.) The Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse Website, which provides access to materials on developing, aligning, and implementing standards, (2.) State collaborative working groups and technical assistance activities, and (3.) A Process Guide for Establishing State Adult Education Content Standards, which presents the steps for moving toward standards-based education. Now Standards in Action will produce new training materials to improve the capacity of adult education programs to use standards as guidelines for instructional practice and program improvement.

Overview

MPR Associates, Inc. through a contract with OVAE will conduct two pilot programs during the 36-month initiative. The first pilot in 2007-2009, involved Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Texas in testing training materials that focus on translating adult education standards into curriculum and instruction. The second pilot program has engaged Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia in testing materials that focus on aligning instruction to standards and assessing the implementation of standards.

Outcomes and Products

• Training materials that build teachers' understanding of standards and enhance their ability to translate standards into classroom instruction and curriculum
• Training materials that assist education program leaders to monitor how teachers are using standards in the classroom
• Two national sessions yearly for interested states to work together and learn how adult education content standards can help improve instruction and increase learner outcomes

Timeline

October 2006 - September 2009

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