To begin the conversation about how to meet existing and emerging needs with shrinking resources, CLASP and the National Council for State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE) surveyed state directors of adult education in February 2012. The goal was to glean information about important policies that govern the way adult education is funded, including the costs borne by local districts, community colleges, and other providers and by the states, the federal government, and students.

The results shed light on a national system whose state branches are more different than they are similar. States vary widely across each topic covered—with one critical exception. Most strive to keep costs low for students, who desperately need adult education services to build a better life for themselves and improve their economic prospects.