This year marks the fortieth anniversary that Congress conveyed federal adult education programs to the U.S. Department of Education (formerly the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare). On November 3, 1966, the President signed the Adult Education Act into law. Since that time, the U.S. Department of Education has administered programs and led federal policy concerning adult education. It has provided technical assistance, collaboration, and collected impact data for states, researchers, and the public. Historical documents, impact data, and other pertinent information concerning forty years of federal adult education programs emanating from the U.S. Department of Education may be found on this Web site.

• Adult Education Act 1966-1991
  PDF (449 K)


• Adult Education Act Silver Anniversary: History of the Adult Education Act: An Overview
  PDF (258 K)


• History of the Federal Adult Education Act: Federal Response to Adult Literacy (PDF)
  (Presentation by Gary Eyre at the 2005 State Directors of Adult Education Conference)


• ERIC and the Adult Education Act: 25 Years of Collaboration. ERIC Digest No. 107 provided by Ohio State University


• History of Adult Education in the USA: A Federal Perspective
  PDF (51 K)


• What Do We Know About the History of Adult Basic and Literacy Education in the United States?


• Ends or Means: An Overview of the History of the Adult Education Act
  PDF (2.9 M)

Legislation

• Adult Education Legislation Summary
• HR 1385
• H.J. RES. 279, 102D Congress, 1st Session

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