ALL IN: The Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network

10/19/2026

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Of the 2,000 adults with low literacy we surveyed, 36% are raising children under 18, and parents were among the groups most likely to express strong interest in enrolling in a learning program.

Yet when family literacy enters the national conversation, ALL IN's landscape analysis found it is discussed almost entirely in terms of resources for the child rather than for the adult in the household.

ALL IN network member the National Center for Families Learning has spent decades closing that gap, designing two-generation approaches that treat the parent as a learner in their own right and the family as a unit for growing literacy.

10/19/2026

The George and Barbara Bush Foundation recently announced a $160,000 investment in multigenerational literacy and learning through the Barbara Bush Family Literacy Innovation Grants!

From integrating digital skills into family literacy to developing new tools and supports for families, each project offers opportunities to strengthen family literacy programs nationwide.

This investment continues Barbara Bush’s lifelong commitment to literacy. Read more: https://hubs.la/Q04ByHzf0

👏 Congratulations to the grantees!

News Back to News & Media September 29, 2026 George & Barbara Bush Foundation Announces Four Barbara Bush Family Literacy Innovation Grants COLLEGE STATION, Texas – September 30, 2026 – The George & Barbara Bush Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of four Barbara Bush Family Literac...

10/15/2026

How can adult ESOL programs better support refugee learners? 🌍

A community-based research project in Missouri explores how accessible, engaging literacy instruction can meet learners’ needs. From using multilingual skills to building meaningful connections, the findings show how adult ESOL classes can strengthen both language skills and a sense of community.

Read the report by Melissa Hauber-Özer and Joe Decker as part of the ALL IN and World Education Small Grants Research Initiative.

🔗 https://hubs.la/Q04BjNqZ0

10/12/2026

Roughly 45,400 adult educators are funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and about 81% of them teach part-time or serve as volunteers.

That figure, from ALL IN's Building Provider Capacity report, means a substantial share of adult literacy instruction in this country is delivered by people who do it alongside something else—retirees, career changers, and community members who stepped forward.

ALL IN network member ProLiteracy has built the instructor training, curriculum, and practitioner community that supports this workforce across the nation.

Given the variability of these programs and educators, it’s essential to tailor support to local needs and individual teams.

10/08/2026

What does adult education really return to learners, families, communities, and society?

Employment and earnings are only part of the return on investment (ROI) in adult education. Research from Margaret Becker Patterson, Jungeun Lee, and Kate Antanovich explores the broader impact on learners, families, communities, and society.

The research makes a compelling case for a future study on the full, robust impact of investing in adult education.

👉 Read the report from the ALL IN and World Education Small Grants Research Initiative: https://hubs.la/Q04zFRfV0

10/05/2026

More than half of the adult learners in federally funded programs have English language learning needs—yet only 11% of adult education instructors hold a TESOL certification.

That gap, documented in ALL IN's Building Provider Capacity report, is not a reflection of the efficacy of the dedicated educators and volunteers that work with adults (nearly 80% of those we surveyed are certified in one or more instructional areas) but of a preparation pipeline that was not designed around learners.

ALL IN network member TESOL International Association has spent decades building the standards, credentials, and professional learning that address exactly this need.

Expanding that expertise in adult foundational education is among the highest leverage moves available to this field, ultimately boosting our ability to prepare learners for economic opportunity and thriving in today’s American society.

10/02/2026

📚 One size doesn’t fit all in adult education.

Research conducted as part of the Small Grants Research Initiative with World Education explores connections between instructional modality and attendance, academic growth, and student satisfaction at Briya Public Charter School.

The findings reveal interesting insights into the benefits of in-person, hybrid, and virtual classes and reinforce that offering flexibility matters.

💡 The takeaway: Giving adult learners and educators a choice can help meet their unique needs and support their success.

Read the research by Ashley Simpson Baird, Ph.D., to explore the findings and implications for adult education: https://hubs.la/Q04z1p_20

09/28/2026

Assessment is an essential component of the instructional cycle, programmatic decision-making, and monitoring and reporting at all levels. In adult literacy, though, the current options for assessment leave gaps for adults at the most foundational levels.

Research funded by the ALL IN Small Grants Research Initiative with World Education explores this question through the experiences of 559 adult education practitioners.

The findings highlight how current assessments leave gaps in professional development and data-informed decision-making—and offer recommendations for making assessment more useful for instruction.

Read the report and discover what practitioners say is needed: https://hubs.la/Q04ylkw50

ALL IN’s Project RISE is actively working toward bridging gaps, from assessment and beyond, to better serve learners placed at the most foundational levels of literacy.

09/25/2026

Of adults we surveyed who had low literacy, 80% were not aware that adult learning programs existed in their communities. Once they learned about them, 84% of that group expressed strong or moderate interest in enrolling. That finding, from ALL IN's nationwide survey of 2,000 adults with low literacy, describes an awareness gap rather than a demand problem.

The American Library Association, an ALL IN network member, is leading work to co-design adult and family literacy centers and to build the capacity of library staff to support literacy in their own communities.

Trusted, local, and already open, libraries bridge the gap between a program and the person looking for one.



Thanks to our partners, National Center for Families Learning, ProLiteracy, and World Education and our library partners Chicago Public Library, Delaware Literacy Alliance, and Charleston County Public Library

09/18/2026

Research conducted through ALL IN’s Small Grants Initiative, led by World Education, looked at the barriers that stand between adult learners and workforce training, and how we can increase participation. Conducted in Boston by Sarah Soroui, Brooke Machado, and Aaron Park, the research found that challenges ranged from entrance exams and digital literacy to childcare, housing, and inflexible work schedules.

But researchers also recognized some promising solutions: bridge programs, contextualized learning, career advising, and expanded apprenticeships.

Read the report to learn how community-engaged research can help build stronger pathways from adult education to workforce training and employment.
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By Sarah Soroui, Brooke Machado, and Aaron Park From June 2023 through April 2024, World Education led a community-engaged research initiative on behalf of the Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network (ALL IN). This opportunity funded short-term research projects to unearth instructional and progr...