Over the past two decades, researchers and practitioners have called for greater collaboration between adult education providers and other institutions to increase the transition rate of students into postsecondary education (Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy, 2005; Duke-Benfield & Strawn, 2008; Seymour, 2009).

Transitioning out of adult education into postsecondary or career courses is essential for ensuring that more adults earn higher wages and become upwardly mobile. How can adult education providers increase the number of adults transitioning from adult schools to postsecondary and career pathways?

This brief uncovers shared practices among providers who transition many students into postsecondary and CTE pathways. It also provides the following implementation strategies for other systems and institutions to promote collaboration.

  • Create structures for collaboration.
  • Designate staff positions for transition.
  • Collaborate through shared staffing.
  • Formalize postsecondary activities on the adult school
    campus.