Adult Education is

COABE is advancing adult education across the United States. We connect educators, learners, and partners with the resources, research, and professional learning that strengthen adult education nationwide.

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Adult education resources for educators and learners

Lead, Equip, and Empower are the three principles that guide COABE’s work. They shape our commitment to advancing adult education through innovation, high-quality professional development, and practical adult education resources for educators and programs. By empowering learners and communities, we help create new pathways for growth and lasting impact.

We Lead

by example, empowering our learners with the skills and confidence they need to seize opportunities. We equip them not just for today, but for the future they envision.

We Equip

our educators with the tools and resources necessary to inspire transformation in every classroom, fueling a passion for lifelong learning.

We Empower

our administrators with the vision and strategies to innovate and implement change, building stronger, more adaptive institutions.

Who we serve

An adult educator standing in front of his class smiling.

Educators & Associations

We equip educators with tools to inspire classroom transformation and foster lifelong learning, and support administrators with strategies to drive innovation and build stronger, more adaptable institutions.

Adult Learners

We empower adult learners with the skills and confidence they need to seize opportunities. We equip them not just for today, but for the future they envision.

Young COABE business partner explaining the value of adult education to colleagues.

Employers, Funders & Partners

We equip employers, funders, and partners with the collaboration and support they need to help push the boundaries of what’s possible, creating a collective impact that reaches far beyond education.

THE SIGNAL

What's shaping adult education

Research and policy developments, translated into the questions that matter for adult education.

WEST GEORGIA TECH | OCT 27, 2026

A diploma pathway
with career skills

West Georgia Technical College has launched Career Plus, a pathway for eligible Georgia adults to earn a high school diploma and college credentials. Learners can combine high school and college coursework. High school classes are online and tuition-free; college courses have separate costs, with financial assistance options available.

WESTERN IOWA TECH | OCT 28, 2026

Adult learning opens
college pathways

Western Iowa Tech profiles adults who moved from high school equivalency or English-language classes into college, nursing-assistant training and employment. Its English lessons connect language skills with work, health and daily life. Teachers can use these examples to connect classroom tasks with learners’ goals; individual stories do not establish outcomes for every participant.

INKFREENEWS • IN | OCT 30, 2026

Tracking progress
beyond enrollment

Warsaw Adult Education earned Indiana’s Program of Excellence designation for its 2025–26 work. The recognition considers academic achievement, enrollment, employer partnerships, career training and high school equivalency attainment. Program leaders can use these categories to review their own performance measures and local partnerships without assuming that an award alone proves which practices caused success.

Adult Education's Return On Investment

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Adult education meets current challenges, stimulates the economy, and connects talent to employers.

Workforce Re-Entry & Economic Contribution

Empowering non-native speakers to navigate, integrate, and achieve professional success.

English Proficiency & Career Pathways

Fulfilling educational milestones, fueling higher education, and boosting local economies.

Adult Literacy & High School Equivalency

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