Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning is a nonprofit organization focused on adult learner access, workforce development, and recognition of experiential learning. It works with colleges, employers, workforce boards, and philanthropic foundations to advance credentialing, prior learning assessment, and competency-based pathways. The organization engages in policy dialogues, applied research, and program delivery to increase postsecondary completion and career mobility for adult learners.

History

Founded in 1974, the organization emerged amid national debates involving Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, American Association of Community Colleges, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and state-level workforce initiatives. Early activities intersected with policy efforts such as the Higher Education Act of 1965 reauthorization discussions, collaborations with National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, and projects influenced by leaders from University of Chicago, Harvard University, and Columbia University. During the 1980s and 1990s it expanded programming alongside partners like Department of Labor (United States), Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and foundations such as Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. In the 2000s the organization responded to initiatives from Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama administrations, aligning with consortia including Lumina Foundation, Gates Foundation, and national consortia of community colleges. Recent decades saw engagement with credentialing reforms led by American Council on Education, National Skills Coalition, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and state higher education systems in California, Texas, and Ohio.

Mission and Programs

The organization’s mission emphasizes access to postsecondary credentials through programs that include prior learning assessment, competency-based education, and employer-aligned credential pathways. Programmatic work has involved collaboration with Community College of Philadelphia, Ivy Tech Community College, SUNY System, City Colleges of Chicago, and corporate partners such as IBM, AT&T, Walmart, and Amazon. Initiatives have connected to national efforts including American Association of Community Colleges, National Governors Association, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and Education Commission of the States. Signature programs have linked to models promoted by Southern Regional Education Board, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, and National Student Clearinghouse to streamline transfers, credit for prior learning, and competency mapping.

Research and Publications

The organization produces applied research, policy briefs, and implementation guides addressing adult learner outcomes, credential portability, and workforce alignment. Publications have cited work from scholars and institutions such as Thomas Bailey (scholar), Claudia Goldin, Lawrence Katz, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, and think tanks like Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, and American Enterprise Institute. Reports have analyzed trends captured in data systems like Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and National Center for Education Statistics, and referenced frameworks from Quality Matters and IMS Global Learning Consortium. The organization’s journals and toolkits have been used by practitioners at National Skills Coalition, Achieving the Dream, Jobs for the Future, and state agencies in New York State and Florida.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Partnerships extend across higher education, industry, and philanthropy. Collaborative projects have included consortia with University of Phoenix, Southern New Hampshire University, Arizona State University, and Western Governors University; employer alliances with Siemens, General Electric, and Target; and funding collaborations with Kellogg Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The organization has participated in national networks such as Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, National Skills Coalition, and international dialogues involving OECD and UNESCO representatives. State-level partnerships have engaged Ohio Department of Higher Education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and regional workforce boards in metropolitan areas including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

Governance and Funding

Governance has been overseen by a board including leaders from academia, corporate sectors, and philanthropy, drawing board members affiliated with institutions like University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Bank of America, and McKinsey & Company. Funding sources have combined grants and contracts from federal agencies such as U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor, private foundations including Lumina Foundation and Gates Foundation, corporate sponsorships from Cisco Systems and UPS, and revenue from fee-for-service partnerships with colleges and employers. Financial oversight and auditing practices have paralleled standards promoted by Charity Navigator, Guidestar, and Independent Sector while aligning program evaluation with methodologies from RAND Corporation and Mathematica Policy Research.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Chicago