The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) is a US Department of Education funded initiative to support students from migrant/seasonal farmworker backgrounds--i.e., students whose families travel seasonally to work in agriculture--during their first year as undergraduates. This article shares authors' experience of using insights from…

This commentary urges researchers and readers to rethink definitions of adulthood and its relevance in literacy research by arguing that adult readers are distinct from children and even college students. More specifically, it argues that adult literacy learners (those reading at the 8th-grade level equivalent or below and those who did not…

The majority of states in the U.S. have adopted a performance-based funding (PBF) policy, but we know very little about how PBF adoption affects completion outcomes among underserved subgroups of students or whether specific design elements of PBF policies exacerbate inequities facing traditionally disadvantaged students. In this study, we show…

This practice-based paper provides a case study of the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board's (WWETB) Rainbow Connection Initiative. The initiative employs badges as a visible symbol of inclusivity and staff commitment, actively seeking to address issues and challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning,…

The current study is a conceptual replication of the influence of an advanced educational opportunity and several student propensities to learn on a college-readiness assessment for mathematics (ACT scores) among an important and under-studied group of students. We focused on a sample of predominantly Black students from economically-disadvantaged…

A quasi-experimental investigation assessed the impact of multiple factors, including financial aid and proactive advising, on retention of undergraduate students at a small, private university that primarily serves online learners. In-house proactive advising over three academic years was positively associated with increased retention…

Shorthand is, by definition, coded symbolism used for purposes of speed. It's a system of abbreviation, intended to skim the top of more complex systems of meaning, taking shortcuts but keeping track of the important facts. Shorthand is used all the time in adult basic education (ABE). The very name of the field, adult "basic" education,…

This article describes strategies used by the author in intermediate level reading, writing and social studies-history GED classes in Harlem and the Bronx. Since four out of five of the New York State TASC exams are based on reading, I assign extensive reading and discussion, as well as strategies for answering multiple-choice questions. In…

Previous research has shown that when adult students receive credit for their prior learning (CPL), they are more likely to complete credentials while saving time and money doing so. In addition, colleges and universities can also benefit from CPL: adult students who earn credit through CPL are more likely to persist toward completion, and so they…

While there is overwhelming evidence of the positive impact of culturally responsive and equitable practices for adult learners and students of color, there is a remaining lack of infrastructural and institutional support for culturally sustaining work. Much anti-racist work has relied on individual dedication, grant-specific funding, and…

As higher education institutions across Colorado continue to address the impact of COVID19 on enrollment and identify practices that promote student success and institutional sustainability, many are focusing their attention on the enrollment of adult learners. The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has actively engaged in building…

The aim of this study was to explore English teachers' teaching techniques perceived as important when teaching English as a third language (L3) to minority adult students in secondary schools. Using a quantitative research approach, 95 teachers from two districts in the Viken county of Norway completed a 15-item questionnaire titled. Perceived…

Most students who begin at a community college do not complete their desired credential. Many former students fail to graduate due to various barriers rather than their academic performance. To encourage previously successful non-completers to re-enroll and eventually graduate, a growing number of community colleges have implemented re-enrollment…

At 30 sites across the United States and Puerto Rico, the Bard College Clemente Course in the Humanities provides economically and socially marginalized adults with a free college course in the humanities. The experience of non-traditional adult students, particularly adults of color, is often missing from academic literature, exacerbating past…

Background/Context: Sometimes students with the academic credentials to attend more selective colleges enroll in a less selective institution or do not enroll at all, a phenomenon known as undermatching (Bowen et al., 2009; Roderick et al., 2011; Smith et al., 2013; Rodriguez, 2015). Undermatching is associated with lower graduation rates and…