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This report, based on data from the 1991, 1995, and 1999 Adult Education Surveys conducted as part of the National Center for Education Statistics' National Household Education Surveys Program, examines trends and patterns of participation of adults by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, labour force status, and occupation group. An overview of adult participation in formal learning activities during the 1990s is provided with the focus being on trends in participation over time and patterns of participation in 1999. The study found that: the participation in adult education between 1991 to 1999 had increased for virtually every group of adults examined; participation in specific activities showed signs of some groups being left behind (Hispanics, those with lower levels of education, those with lower status jobs, and those who are employed part-time); all groups have relatively low rates of participation for work-related courses; adults with lower levels of education are less likely to participate in non-work-related courses; and the highly educated and high status groups that have been the traditional beneficiaries of adult education continue to be the main beneficiaries. Show less

Participation in adult education has grown steadily over the past three decades, increasing to 46 per cent in 1999. People engage in adult education to acquire the knowledge, information, and skills necessary to succeed in the workforce, learn basic skills, earn credentials, or otherwise enrich their lives. This brief report puts this phenomenon in context, comparing the numbers of adult education participants in 1991 and 1999 with people enrolled in institutions of higher education at the same points in time. In 1991, an estimated 58 million adults in the United States of America (USA) had participated in adult education activities, including part-time credential programs, in the preceding 12 months. By 1999, this number had grown to an estimated 90 million adults. By comparison, there were an estimated 14 million persons enrolled in US institutions of higher education in 1991, and projections indicate that this enrolment will increase to 15 million in 1999. The research results indicate that adult education participation is increasing in American society. Show less