Evidence to Action Brief: Supporting Adult Learner Transitions: Unlocking Postsecondary Opportunities
Successful postsecondary transitions can change the life trajectories of adult learners and their families. Providing effective support for adult learners’ transition to postsecondary education has become one of the critical missions for adult education. This evidence-to-action brief is designed to help California adult education programs strengthen their approaches to building coordinated pathways into postsecondary education. It explores the current data environment and its challenges, outlines relevant state legislation on postsecondary transitions, and synthesizes research on promising practices. The brief also features examples from four California adult education consortia that have adopted innovative, successful strategies, offering practical insights and adaptable lessons for the field.
Authors:
Sachiko Ozaki Oates (CALPRO/American Institutes for Research)
Kathleen Porter (Education to Career Network of North San Diego County)
Emma Diaz, Maria E. Lopez, & Pedro F. Gonzalez (Inland Adult Education Consortium)
Jenée Crayne (North Santa Clara County Consortium for Adult Education)
Pang Vangyi (State Center Adult Education Consortium)
AUDIENCE: Administrators , All teacher types , Support Staff
TOPIC: Post-Secondary Alignment and PathwaysÂ
FILE TYPE: PDF
PUBLISH DATE: March 2026