National Conference Will Serve Thousands of Adult Educators and Will Be Keynoted by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona

Largest convening of adult educators provides leadership, professional development, advocacy, and networking opportunities for attendees.
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The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), the leading adult education organization representing 79,000 adult educators that work with more than 1.2 million adult learners providing services in more than 2,500 local programs across the country, announced that this year's conference will be held in a hybrid format so that attendees can join virtually or in person in Seattle, Washington. The conference, which is the premier annual convening for adult educators in the world, will include over 400 concurrent sessions organized into 16 strands that have been coordinated by more than 35 national partner organizations. Nearly 600 expert presenters will share best practices in breakout and panel sessions over three days on trending and high-need topics including apprenticeship, college and career transition, corrections education, digital literacy and technology, English as a Second Language, immigrant integration, research to practice, high school equivalency, work readiness, and students as leaders, to name a few.

Conference attendees will be welcomed by Governor Jay Inslee and Washington State Director Will Durden. Conferees will also hear directly from inspirational keynote speakers including U.S. Secretary Dr. Miguel Cardona, cultural change agent Tony Moore, and adult learner alumni Ana Chavarin.

 "We are honored that Secretary Cardona has taken time out of his schedule to address our conference attendees, recognizing the value and importance adult education can play in economic growth and community development. COABE's strategic initiatives like IBM SkillsBuild, Behind Every Employer, and Move Ahead With Adult Ed, as well as partnerships with Google, Amazon, Tyson, and other corporations, support our mission to inspire educators so adults succeed and communities thrive," said Jody Angelone, Board President of COABE.

"At the center of all that we do is our mission to provide much needed diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership, resources, and professional development for the field of adult education. I'm so grateful to our presenters, sponsors, and vendors for their ongoing work and support for this first ever hybrid national conference," said Sharon Bonney, Chief Executive Officer for COABE. "We know that this conference will directly impact teachers, administrators, and adult learners. The bottom line is COABE helps teachers that are on the front line, often working with marginalized populations, people of color, dislocated workers, and returning citizens. Our programs help adults obtain their high school diploma, get into community college, skill up, learn English, learn how to use a computer, and get a better job which impacts families, communities, and our economy."

Angelone also noted that COABE's conference theme, Move the Nation With Adult Education, sums up the work and the innovation that has been happening in programs across the country in partnership with business, industry, and postsecondary institutions. She said, "It is exciting to be a part of these initiatives and to come together with our partners, whether in person or virtual, to network and learn from each other."

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About COABE: The mission of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education is to inspire educators so adults succeed and communities thrive. We provide leadership, professional development, advocacy, and communication services that encourage greater consciousness and cultural competency in our interactions with teachers, administrators, adult learners, and our partners. We are committed to using our platform and influence to celebrate, engage with, and listen to all adult education communities and diverse voices of our field. Contact info@coabe.org or call 888-442-6223 for more details.

Source: Coalition on Adult Basic Education

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