Program Planning - Needs Assessment

Planning an effective statewide adult education program begins with an understanding of the needs and assets within your state.  The richest listing of needs and assets can be obtained if you include a variety of sources: 

• state/national data and research (e.g., US Census Bureau, National Adult Literacy Survey, Department of Labor, US Department of Education, National Institute for Literacy, state-commissioned studies)

• program data (e.g., annual performance reports)

• key stakeholders (e.g., students, teachers, partner agencies) and

• other sources (e.g., conferences, professional organizations, formal evaluations).

The resources in this collection are designed to assist you with your needs assessment process.  Some of the resources include data sources and strategies for identifying statewide needs and assets.  Other resources are tools that state staff can use to help local programs become more aware of needs within their own communities and collaborative processes for incorporating those needs into program planning.  The information from these local assessments can be valuable at the state level, particularly as you develop new state plans. 

Click on any of the hyperlinked items listed below to access resources.

1.  Information Sources and Strategies for Determining Needs

• State/National Data and Research

• Program Data

• Input from Key Stakeholders (students, local program staff, state-level personnel, partner agencies, organizations, public health, business, faith organizations)  

This section includes samples of online surveys you can adapt for use with local program staff and key stakeholders.

• Conferences

• Professional Organizations

• Formal Evaluations

• Local Program Resources

2.  Samples Needs Assessments

• Sample State Plan Needs Assessments

• Sample Local Program Needs Assessments

Contact us: Dr. Lennox McLendon, Executive Director; 444 North Capitol Street, NW; Suite 422; Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-624-5250; Fax: 202-624-1497; Email: lmclendon@naepdc.org