In this keynote address, the author introduces several topics of concern for participants in a workshop on competency-based adult education (CBAE). First, he defines four basic terms: adult performance level, minimum competency testing, comptency-based education, and competency-based adult education. Then he reviews the historical background of CBAE, focusing on the federal legislation of the 1960s. Since the major philosophical premise for federal aid to adult education is that adult education enables persons to become more employable, more independent, and better able to meet adult responsibilities, the author emphasizes the importance of the results of the Adult Performance Level Survey conducted from 1971 to 1975 by the Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas at Austin. He notes that since its publication interest in CBAE has mushroomed. With this growth, four major problems have arisen: (1) confusion in terminology which slows progress within the CBAE movement; (2) CBAE's need to answer the questions and criticisms from the various philosophical views that exist on the purpose of American education; (3) the danger of "over kill" from too much writing and research on the topic, and the need to be selective in identifying worthwhile research; and (4) the danger of interest in it being only a fad. In conclusion, he states the goal of the workshop is to provide as much information as possible about CBAE. (ELG)