Missouri is the top state in the nation in educational gains among adult education students. For the period July 2014 to June 2015, 66 percent of the state’s adult education students advanced an educational level in the program. For example, a student may advance from an adult basic educational level to an adult secondary educational level. In other states, the segment of adult education students showing similar progress was between 23 and 63 percent. The numbers are based on data reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education National Reporting System.

Missouri funds approximately 35 adult education programs offering instruction in 300 class sites around the state. Several steps have been taken at the program level to improve instruction for adult learners:

• A portion of program funding has shifted from attendance-based to performance-based outcomes.
• Students now enter the program as part of a cohort as opposed to enrolling individually at any point in time.
• Programs now have access to their student performance data from an overall program level to the individual student level.

“Missouri is committed to ensuring that all students – youth and adults – are prepared for success in college, career and life,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “We are proud of our adult education programs, students and teachers for improved academic achievement.”

Missouri adult education served nearly 20,000 students in 2014-15, the latest numbers available. Of those, nearly 13,000 were enrolled in adult basic education, about 1,500 in adult secondary education, and more than 5,000 were enrolled in English literacy. Those in English literacy programs were the fastest growing population of adult education students.

Among students enrolled in Missouri’s adult education programs, 83 percent have earned high-school equivalency. The U.S. average is 65 percent.

“Missourians who earn their high-school equivalency earn an average of $9,000 more per year than those without a high-school education,” said Elaine Bryan, director of the Department’s Office of Adult Education. “Many of these students will pursue job certification or post-secondary education to further enhance their chance for success.”

One of the main goals of Missouri’s Top 10 by 20 plan is to ensure that all students graduate college and career ready. Top 10 by 20 is an initiative for student achievement in Missouri to rank among the top 10 states by 2020.