State Leadership Initiatives for Adult Education

Implementing evidence-based reading instruction for ABE students.

Required for:

  • Programs that do not currently have a STAR Trained cohort or
  • Programs who would like to expand STAR and
  • Administrators who were not part of their programs' STAR cohorts

Year 1 Applicants

Important dates:

  • Third Face-to-Face meeting is on 03/01/2025 from 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM.
  • Coaching Webinar is on 04/04/2025 from 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM.

Year 2+ Schedule

Important dates:

  • Instructional Routines Refresher on 02/21/2025 from 09:00 AM - 10:15 AM.

Contextualizing Instruction in IELCE Activities

Presented by Alison Priebe and Blaire Toso

Part 1: February 5th from 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM.

Part 2: February 19th from 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM.

Register on the APLD here!


Targeting Foundational Math Skills for Maximum Gains

Part 1: March 5th from 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM.

Part 2: March 26th from 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM.

Register on the APLD here!

Learn more about Teaching the Skills that Matter (TSTM) National Initiative and Explore the Toolkit on the LINCS Page.

Important dates:

Bi-Monthly Webinars

  • March 3rd
  • May 2nd

The Curriculum for Adults Learning Math, or CALM, was developed by the Technical Education Research Center (TERC) development team to craft a coherent progression of units and lessons that integrates the Mathematical Standards domains and levels.

Thank you to all who participated in CALM this fall. We hope to provide additional opportunities in the 2025-2026 program year.


The Building an EdTech Strategy Toolkit Course (BEST) is designed to help instructors develop adaptable edtech routines tailored to their unique contexts. This course uses a blended model, including five synchronous virtual sessions, to guide participants through a carefully sequenced set of considerations as they work to complete the design of edtech routines for their classroom.

Important Dates

Note:All session are 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM

  • February 6th, 2025
  • February 20th, 2025
  • March 6th, 2025
  • March 27th, 2025
  • April 17th, 2025 (Showcase)

Upcoming opportunities coming in April.

The LEAD Institute is a leadership training, facilitated by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), and the National Association of State Directors of Adult Education (NASDAE). The training series is led by nationally recognized experts in adult education programming, research, and administration. LEAD provides evidence-based leadership training to develop dynamic, proactive leaders for the 21st century adult education system. Designed for state cohorts of veteran, new, and aspiring adult education leaders, the LEAD Institute's training topics include:

  • Developing durable and transformational leadership skills that respond to current issues and challenges;
  • Aligning with the WIOA workforce system and advancing career pathway partnerships with workforce, industry, postsecondary and community partners;
  • Using data for strategic planning and continuous improvement;
  • Building student success practices in contemporary economic, educational, and social conditions; and
  • Leading and teaching effectively at a distance.

Through a blended, project-based learning model, participants will engage in synchronous and asynchronous content learning and develop a Leadership-in-Action Capstone Project. These projects will be focused on the statewide goal determined by the administrator cohort.

Important Dates:

  1. In-Person Training Day: March 28, 2025 from 09:00 AM - 04:30 PM
  2. Webinar 2: April 25, 2025 from 09:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  3. Webinar 3: May 9, 2025 from 09:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  4. Webinar 4: July 27, 2025 from 10:00 AM - 11:45 AM
  5. In-Person Training Day: September 3, 2025 (AZ Adult Education Institute Pre-Conference)

Register on the ADE Professional Learning and Development System now