Through funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Abt is conducting the Technology-Based Coaching in Adult Education (TBCAE) project to explore the use of text messaging in adult education programs. More than 400 adult learners in 10 programs across four states participated in the TBCAE project. Program staff sent individualized and personalized text messages to support the:

• Retention of adult learners in program services;
• Development of foundational skills (e.g., reading, writing, numeracy, problem-solving); attainment of a secondary credential; and
• Pursuit of further education, training, or employment.

Abt developed the TBCAE Toolkit to help adult education programs implement text messaging that helps adult learners attain education outcomes The toolkit has guidance and resources that adult education program staff can use to plan and send individualized, customized text messages to adult learners. Detailed steps are provided for determining the goals for the targeted learners, the appropriate messaging, the staff who will send the messages, and strategies for using text messaging. The Toolkit has guidance on the types of text messages to send and data to collect so we can learn more about the use of text messaging. The Toolkit also contains checklists and sample text messages. Suggestions on how state adult education offices can support program staff’s implementation of text messaging are also included.

Final Report for the TBCAE Project