CASAS

The mission of CASAS is to assist adults functioning at or below a high school level in attaining the basic literacy skills to function effectively on the job, in the community, and in the family. We accomplish this by assisting state and local education, training, social service programs and businesses in the design and delivery of quality education and training programs that meet the needs of the participants by providing products and services in curriculum management, assessment, and evaluation systems.

The CASAS National Consortium is a national field-based consortium that identifies priority needs based on extensive feedback from adult education program providers, employment and training professionals, and business and industry representatives. The Consortium promotes the role of quality, learner-centered assessment as an essential component of an integrated learning system by addressing and developing assessment policy, products, and standards, and by identifying and disseminating exemplary practices. It provides a forum for leadership and advocacy for quality lifelong learning for family, work, and community.

The Consortium provides members with ongoing opportunities to discuss innovations, trends, and policies related to learner assessment, curriculum and data management, and program evaluation. The National Consortium facilitates communication and networking among programs and states that are currently implementing CASAS in a variety of programs including ABE, ESL, employment training, workplace literacy, WIA, TANF/welfare reform, special needs, high school, and corrections. Participants include state level representatives, business and industry specialists, and CASAS certified trainers from 29 states, the District of Columbia, the Pacific Rim, and Singapore. The consortium meets each year in February and during the CASAS National Summer Institute in June.