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Introduction

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Foreword

The job of an adult education administrator generally consists of being a leader of continuous improvement, a manager of funding issues, and an educator for staff and students. Since the roles and responsibilities of adult education administrators are multifaceted and complex, there is a need for useful professional development tools. Due to the variety and constantly changing challenges in the economy, the workforce, and the student population, this manual was developed to assist and to provide the necessary informational resources for adult education administrators.

Among the many functions of adult education administrators, the leader must know how to hold the program accountable, to invoke positive changes for program improvement, to serve the needs of their changing population, to develop accessible technology in the program, and to collaborate with other agencies. Besides knowing how to administer the program, the manager must be able to supervise personnel, demonstrate effective problem solving techniques, and build the staff into a successful team. As educators, program administrators face the challenges of maintaining up to date knowledge of research on adult learning instructional strategies, learner assessment and curriculum design; demonstrating a commitment to life-long learning; and, encouraging and supporting staff participation in professional development. Another critical obstacle for adult education administrators is upholding resources and allocating appropriately. Essentially, the administrator acts as financial planners by ensuring financial resources for the program’s future. Ultimately, administrators must advocate for the field of education, build awareness in the community, and guarantee that the program is living up to the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives.

Meeting these numerous responsibilities and challenges requires a wide range of knowledge and competencies. Program administrators may not have all the requisite experience, nor would every program expect proficiency on all the array of skills that administrators may need. Each administrator possesses unique strengths and can build on those strengths while he/she builds on his/her competencies in other areas through career experience and valuable professional development. This manual should be used as an aide to the adult education administrator in the pursuit of continuous excellence, quality improvement, and strong accountability in adult education programs in the State of Texas.

The five-year Texas state plan (July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2004), extended through FY 2006, for adult education and family literacy states that the vision and mission of adult education and family literacy programs in the State of Texas are:

Vision Statement Every Texan, regardless of age, is entitled to a basic education.

Mission Statement The mission of adult education and family literacy is to ensure that all adults who live in Texas have the skills necessary to function effectively in their personal and family lives, in the workplace, and in the community.

Extension of Texas State Plan for Adult Education and Family Literacy (April 2006)

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