ABSTRACT
The adult education and literacy system in theUnited States is one sector of the nation’s over-all education system that remains largely unrecognized and misunderstood. In this chapter, we provide some fundamental information about the theoretical heritage of adult learning and development, the goals of the adult education and literacy system, as well as a description of the adults served by this system. We also identify and discuss several concerns about the mission and quality of the adult education services that largely remain unresolved. Note that throughout this chapter, we will use the terms “adult education and literacy system” and “adult education” interchangeably to refer to the same educational sector.
