National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week

National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week’s September 14-18, so now is the time to think about how you can celebrate your learners, staff, and volunteers. This week is an opportunity for the nationwide adult education community to engage their local communities and share the power of adult ed to transform lives.

COABE's AEFL Week webpage has collected resources you can use to promote and embrace AEFL Week and beyond. The page has a calendar of events throughout the week and an AEFL Playbook and list of talking points to get you started. A Media-Ready Toolkit can help you prepare for public discussions about adult education, from interviews to Q&As. In order to discuss the substantial return on investment that adult education and family literacy offers to our communities, check out the ready-made PDFs or the ROI calculator.

As part of the week's activities, COABE CEO Sharon Bonney will host an edition of COABE's "Showcasing Success with Sharon" series. On Wednesday, September 16, Bonney will share short presentations from educators and programs nationwide who are doing something innovative that others can learn from. Have you introduced an innovation this year? If it has benefited your agency and your students, it can benefit others, too. To learn more and to consider if your innovations can be shared as part of this series, click the button below.

New PAAER Website Events Calendar

The PAAER website has a new Events calendar feature where you can find upcoming courses, webinars, and other professional development opportunities. Each individual listing contains the intended audience and the information necessary to register (if needed) and participate. New events are continually being added to the calendar, so be sure to check it regularly and subscribe to the calendar by clicking the button at the bottom of the list.

Families Learning Conference Schedule Announced

The full schedule of the Families Learning Conference is now available. Held in San Antonio, Texas, November 8-11, the conference will offer participants professional development sessions along five topics: family literacy, family engagement and leadership, family learning communities, policy and advocacy, and research and evaluation.

Upcoming Professional Learning for Adult Education and Family Literacy Staff

Staff at PDE-funded adult education and family literacy agencies can view a list of upcoming courses now available for enrollment in the PD Portal. For more information about any of these courses, please visit the PD Portal, open the course catalog, and view the syllabus. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please consult with your in-house professional development specialist (IHPDS) to determine if the course meets your professional learning goals.

Apprenticeships on the Move

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry has announced the availability of approximately $4 million in funding for Apprenticeships on the Move: Advancing Pennsylvania's Workforce. These grants will support new or existing registered apprenticeships or pre-apprenticeships that strengthen Pennsylvania's workforce and advance the Commonwealth's economic development priorities. Proposals are to be submitted by October 2.

PAAER's New Data-Focused Support Page

For practitioners new to adult education or anyone who works with agency data, PAAER's new Data-Focused Support page offers several useful resources. In addition to information about eData Tech Support, you will find a listing of data-focused courses available through the PD Portal and various other relevant tools and documentation. If you are interested in diving deeper into your agency's data, check out this new page.

The job postings below are for adult basic education programs funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. You can also find the postings on the PAAER website. To post a job, please email the job advertisement to mjmanfred@tiu11.org. 

• Vita Education Services: Adult Evening ELL Instructor

Visit PAAER.org for the latest PA adult education news and resources. Recent additions to the site include:

• Adult Education and Workforce flyer (Under Promoting Title II Adult Basic Education)
• Digital Literacy Specialist Professional Practices Framework
• Data-Focused Support page

• NCFL Families Learning Conference - November 8-11, 2026 - San Antonio, TX - In-person
• PennTESOL East Conference - November 13-14, 2026 - Philadelphia, PA - In-person
• COABE National Conference - April 11-24, 2027 - New Orleans, LA - In-person
• PAACE Conference - April 26-27, 2027 - State College, PA - In-person

State and national organizations' newsletters are listed below and may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter. 

Families Learning, News of the Week, National Center for Families Learning

Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education.

Aug. 7 | July 31 | July 24 |

COABE Connects, Digital Equity, Coalition on Adult Basic Education

Features national information, resources, and initiatives for adult basic education.

Aug. 14 | Aug. 7 | July 31 | July 24 |

World Education/U.S.

Features resources and information from World Education projects, including EdTech Center News, The Change Agent, College for Adults, E-Learning, LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center, National College Transition Network, and many others. 

Aug. 12