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Pathways to Opportunity: A Quantitative Case Study of Persistence and Credential Attainment among Adult Education Learners in Washington, D.C. Research Brief

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Title: Pathways to Opportunity: A Quantitative Case Study of Persistence and Credential Attainment among Adult Education Learners in Washington, D.C. Research Brief
Language: English
Authors: Neha Nanda, Amani Talwar, Stephanie Cronen, Sasha Lotas, Jessica Stockham, American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Source: American Institutes for Research. 2025.
Availability: American Institutes for Research. 1400 Crystal Drive 10th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. Tel: 202-403-5000; Fax: 202-403-5001; e-mail: inquiry@air.org; Web site: https://www.air.org/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Adult Education
High Schools
High School Equivalency Programs
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Adult Students, Adult Education, Educational Attainment, Academic Persistence, High School Equivalency Programs, Charter Schools, Mathematics Skills, Reading Skills, Mathematics Achievement, Reading Achievement, Needs, Attendance, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Students with Disabilities, Dependents, Place of Residence
Geographic Terms: District of Columbia
Abstract: Adult education programs play a pivotal role in closing skills gaps, strengthening the workforce, and bolstering the U.S. economy. Persistence in this type of programming can influence educational and long-term employment outcomes. At the same time, persistence itself can be influenced by a multitude of individual and contextual factors. Adult learners may face life stressors that work against continued participation in programs aimed at developing knowledge and skills. Using administrative data from an adult charter school in Washington, DC, this quantitative case study explored the complex relationships among adult learners' background characteristics and essential needs, persistence in adult foundational programming, and high school credential attainment. Learners with dependents or unmet mental health needs had low attendance rates and learners with housing needs were less likely to attain a high school credential than learners with no housing needs. These findings suggest that certain life stressors may pose long-term challenges for some learners. As such, opportunities to participate in and complete adult education programs that lead to occupational training and jobs in high-demand, high-growth fields may be limited to adults without these barriers. In the absence of comprehensive support services, adult learners' economic mobility may be significantly hindered, impacting overall workforce development and economic growth. [This brief was made possible with the support and contributions of Academy of Hope and was developed as part of research conducted under the PROPEL Center: Promoting Resilience, Opportunity, and Progress in Employment and Learning that is directly supported by the AIR Opportunity Fund.]
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED674392
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Pathways to Opportunity: A Quantitative Case Study of Persistence and Credential Attainment among Adult Education Learners in Washington, D.C. Research Brief
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Neha+Nanda%22">Neha Nanda</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amani+Talwar%22">Amani Talwar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stephanie+Cronen%22">Stephanie Cronen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sasha+Lotas%22">Sasha Lotas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jessica+Stockham%22">Jessica Stockham</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22American+Institutes+for+Research+%28AIR%29%22">American Institutes for Research (AIR)</searchLink>
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  Data: American Institutes for Research. 1400 Crystal Drive 10th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. Tel: 202-403-5000; Fax: 202-403-5001; e-mail: inquiry@air.org; Web site: https://www.air.org/
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  Data: 22
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22District+of+Columbia%22">District of Columbia</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Adult education programs play a pivotal role in closing skills gaps, strengthening the workforce, and bolstering the U.S. economy. Persistence in this type of programming can influence educational and long-term employment outcomes. At the same time, persistence itself can be influenced by a multitude of individual and contextual factors. Adult learners may face life stressors that work against continued participation in programs aimed at developing knowledge and skills. Using administrative data from an adult charter school in Washington, DC, this quantitative case study explored the complex relationships among adult learners' background characteristics and essential needs, persistence in adult foundational programming, and high school credential attainment. Learners with dependents or unmet mental health needs had low attendance rates and learners with housing needs were less likely to attain a high school credential than learners with no housing needs. These findings suggest that certain life stressors may pose long-term challenges for some learners. As such, opportunities to participate in and complete adult education programs that lead to occupational training and jobs in high-demand, high-growth fields may be limited to adults without these barriers. In the absence of comprehensive support services, adult learners' economic mobility may be significantly hindered, impacting overall workforce development and economic growth. [This brief was made possible with the support and contributions of Academy of Hope and was developed as part of research conducted under the PROPEL Center: Promoting Resilience, Opportunity, and Progress in Employment and Learning that is directly supported by the AIR Opportunity Fund.]
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 22
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Adult Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adult Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Persistence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High School Equivalency Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Charter Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Needs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attendance
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      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Students with Disabilities
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      – SubjectFull: Dependents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Place of Residence
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      – SubjectFull: District of Columbia
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Pathways to Opportunity: A Quantitative Case Study of Persistence and Credential Attainment among Adult Education Learners in Washington, D.C. Research Brief
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