Organizational Background & Mission: Penn State's College of Education established the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy in 1985 as a vehicle for using the resources of a major land grant institution to address issues related to adult literacy. Our work has continued to focus on adults; however, it has expanded to include children within a family literacy context and adolescents facing literacy challenges. Since 2001, we also have worked collaboratively with the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy, also in the College of Education.

Believing that literacy skills are best developed within meaningful contexts, the Institute's initiatives have focused on the contexts of the family, workplace, and health. Within these contexts, our experienced staff assists providers with:

• Program design and delivery
• Customized instructional materials and assessment development
• Professional development (including distance learning)
• Program evaluations

The Workforce Development Liaison Project provides leadership to the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Postsecondary and Adult Education Division of Adult Education's Career Pathways for Adults initiative, Additionally, this project provides leadership to the alignment of workforce development programming through technical assistance, communication and collaborative strategic planning within the Division's system to build capacity to address WIA Title II performance goals and function effectively as a partner in Pennsylvania's workforce development system.

Institute for the Study of Adult Education

Mission: To advance the field of literacy through collaborative research, development, outreach, and leadership to improve practice, expanding access to high quality education and enriching the lives of individuals and families.