ATLANTA — In an event co-sponsored by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), state policy-makers and education leaders from across the South gathered here July 31-August 1 to discuss policies and practices to help more adults complete college degrees.
Less than one in four adults age 25 and older in SREB states had a bachelor’s degree in 2005. In total, nearly 25 million young adults ages 25 to 44 in the region do not have a bachelor’s degree. That number is expected to rise as the population growth in the South continues to outstrip other regions.
Both organizations are addressing the challenge head on. CAEL is a national leader in the fields of adult learning and workforce development, providing colleges and universities, companies, labor organizations and state and local governments with tools and strategies for lifelong learning solutions. SREB’s Electronic Campus is one of the nation’s leading distance learning programs, which provides a variety of tools and services to help online learners — particularly adults — achieve their education goals.
"This workshop came at a critical time. Adult learners and the part they play in higher education, workforce and economic development are an increasing part of policy conversations in many states," said Bruce Chaloux, director of SREB’s Electronic Campus. "However, most states lack appropriate policies and programs to make significant progress. This workshop brought leaders together to share ideas, policies and practices that engage adult learners across state lines."
"SREB’s effort to create more adult-focused programs complements the central mission of CAEL," said CAEL Vice President Cheryl Blanco. "This workshop demonstrated the importance that SREB and its states are placing on helping more adults complete degrees."
State leaders learned about a CAEL program to design and build a database for the 50 states, creating a foundation for a comparative analysis of national and state performance in serving adult learners. Marketing strategies to reach adult learners also were highlighted, along with new adult programs such as Louisiana CALL (Continuum for All Louisiana Learners) and the Oklahoma "Reach Higher" program.
The workshop was supported by a grant from Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based foundation that strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school.
To learn more about SREB’s Electronic Campus or adult learning initiatives in your state, contact SREB Communications.
SREB, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises state education leaders on ways to improve education. SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government work cooperatively to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. SREB has 16 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Each is represented by its governor and four gubernatorial appointees.
