Background

The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), requires a means for measuring the effectiveness of adult education programs. The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) established the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS), to meet federal accountability requirements for the State-administered adult education program.

Overview

The National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) is an outcome-based reporting system for the State-administered, federally funded adult education program. The NRS continues a cooperative process through which State adult education directors and DAEL manage a reporting system that demonstrates learner outcomes for adult education.

The national accountability system identifies measures for national reporting and their definitions; establishes methods for data collection; develops standards for reporting; and, develops training materials and activities on requirements and procedures. The NRS improves the accountability of the adult education program by documenting the program's ability to meet federal policy and programmatic goals. The NRS project is managed by the American Institutes for Research. This project runs from September 2010 to September 2015.

Project Milestones

• Provide technical assistance to States on data collection and program performance, September 2010 through September 2015.
• Develop models and provide training on collecting, reporting and using NRS Data, September 2010 through September 2015.
• Review and approve assessments for use in the NRS, September 2010 through September 2015.
• Revise and offer an online distance learning course on NRS Implementation Guidelines, September 2010 through September 2015.

Outcomes and Products

• Data quality standards for program data collection and reporting.
• Analysis of reports on state performance data.
• Web-based training materials on how to improve data quality, increase data use for program development, and develop data systems.
• Distance education course on NRS Implementation Guidelines.

Website:

http://www.nrsweb.org

Contact:

John LeMaster Loos: John.LeMaster@ed.gov