Hi Donna,

Thanks for sharing about your work in Massachusetts to align the Curriculum
Frameworks to address the upper levels, especially in mathematics.  Other
states and programs have also begun looking at their what they're teaching
in relation to the academic content required by community colleges.
Kentucky, for one example, has been developing standards adapted from the
American Diploma Project, which outlines college and workplace readiness
benchmarks in English and mathematics.  It's encouraging to see the
increasing interest in the field to advance the goals of adult education
from high school equivalency to college preparation.  The number of sessions
on transitions at COABE 2006 is evidence plus they were well attended.  

As more and more standards-based education programs begin to focus efforts
on the importance of ABE students transitioning to college, I trust they'll
also do whatever is needed to ensure their content standards present a clear
progression of skills that align with postsecondary course standards.  The
role of ABE as a bridge to further education and training is central to
OVAE's vision for adult education programs, recognizing that adults who end
their education with high school will probably not achieve jobs and careers
that offer family-sustaining wages.  Thanks again, Donna, for raising the
topic of teaching beyond the GED as it relates to setting high(er)standards.

Ronna

Ronna Spacone
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
U.S. Department of Education
(202) 245-7755
ronna.spacone at ed.gov