COABE and IAACE

By Tom Nash

On behalf of the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), I am delighted to welcome IAACE as our newest large group member! Due to your membership in your state association, and our partnership with IAACE, you are now a part of the largest, national adult education association in the United States. Comprised primarily of administrators and practitioners, COABE is thirteen thousand members strong and growing. Our mission is to provide leadership, communication, professional development, and advocacy for adult education and literacy practitioners in order to advance quality services for all adult learners within the United States.

In this brief article, I’d like to tell you about our organization so that you are aware of the many benefits of membership.

COABE has been a major voice in adult education for over 35 years, publishing the COABE Journal (now called the Journal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary, and Basic Education). Each issue contains peer-reviewed research articles and columns by and for practitioners that address the needs of instructors and program administrators. You can also share your research and experience with your peers by submitting an article to the COABE Journal for consideration. Members that are not current subscribers may request a free copy by contacting our office at info@coabe.org.

Your membership in COABE also entitles you to participate in our competitive national level awards, scholarships, and incentive grants program. Winners receive stipends ranging from $1,000 – $2,000, and successful nominators receive complimentary registration to the annual national conference. The deadline for nominations and submissions is January 31st, so there is still time to participate!

Members receive monthly updates that carry special offers and discounts off cutting edge adult education products from our VIP vendors: A+ Learning, Aztec Software, Boston Reed, Center for Legal Studies, CTB McGraw Hill, GED Academy, GED Testing Service, KET Adult Education, Pace Learning Inc., Paxen Learning, Teknimedia, Think60, and Wonderlic.

Another benefit of membership is the opportunity to participate in shaping the future of COABE through our nominations and elections process. Please check out details here and, be sure to vote when the ballot is sent out to the membership early next month.

Professional development continues to be an ongoing priority for COABE, and as a member, you have joined a network of experts who share their ideas and expertise with their colleagues via COABE’s annual conference, regional institutes, members only online repository of best practices, and our Adult Ed and Credentialing online portal. Check out our professional development page on our website for more details.

Mark your calendar for another outstanding professional development opportunity at our annual national conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania March 16-19, 2014. The COABE conference is a result of national, regional, state, and local partnerships, and our members enjoy a special $75 discount off registration! There are a wide variety of opportunities offered at the conference, including our regional meetings which will take place on March 19th at 8am. These meetings provide you with the opportunity to network with others in your region, learn about the latest trends in adult education, and learn more about ways that you can partner with COABE.

I will be at the conference, and look forward to seeing you there! If you are unable to join us this year, perhaps we’ll meet at our next national conference in Denver, CO in April 2015.

Sincerely,

Tom Nash