The Adult Education WORKS Act strengthens federal workforce development by establishing "college and career navigators" to guide adults through education and employment programs, with new accountability measures tracking credentials, employment, and skill gains. The bill expands adult education services by authorizing $135 million annually from 2026 to 2030 to fund navigators in public libraries and community organizations, while also increasing overall federal adult education funding from $810 million in 2026 to $1.35 billion by 2030. The legislation modernizes adult education by adding digital and information literacy as explicit program components and broadens program goals beyond economic self-sufficiency to include full participation in adult life. Additionally, the bill creates a five-year pilot program allowing states to test alternative performance measurement systems, with federal evaluation and sharing of best practices. These changes primarily affect adult learners, workforce development agencies, public libraries, and community-based organizations in underserved areas.
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