4. We need to ascertain the relationship between enhanced self- image and the attainment of other benefits.

5. Long-term effects of parental involvement in adult education need to be demo nstrated by examining children’s more positive attitudes toward education, improved school performance, high secondary school graduations and enrollment in higher education.

Beder (1999, p. 81) concludes: “If there is ‘pay-dirt’ in our understanding of out comes and impacts it probably lies in establishing the long-term intergenerational and cumulative effects of adult literacy education. The best way to do this would be through a longitudinal evaluation in which the same subjects were followed up for a period of no less than five years.” He further suggests that by using a qualitative assessment, “we might be able to answer critical questions about impact that are difficult or impossible to answer quantitatively. Questions such as:

• What is the meaning of impact from the perspective of successful learners?
• Are there important impacts of adult literacy that learners recognize in themselves, but are not amenable to quantitative measurement?
• How and to what extent do increased self-confidence and self-efficacy enable other positive changes in successful learners’ lives?”

Through a combination of fortuitous circumstances and painstaking research, Learning for Life: A Longitudinal Study Of Pennsylvania’s Adult Education Success Stories Recipients, is uniquely prepared to answer these questions.

The Past as Prologue

In 1978, the Success Stories project was initiated by the late Ethel Matthews, chief of Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE’s) Division of Adult and Community Education, to honor Pennsylvania's outstanding adult basic education students. For the past 22 years, this project has identified exemplary ABE students, honored them at the annual Pennsylvania Association for Adult and Continuing Education's (PAACE's) Midwinter Conference and featured them in an annual booklet. Over the years, the life stories of the struggles, persistence, and long-term accomplishments of exemplary adult learners have proven to be one of the PDE Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education’s (ABLE’s) best awareness vehicles.

At a time when stakeholders focus upon preparing adult learners for the workforce, Success Stories award recipients confirm the impact of adult education in terms of training and higher education completed, jobs acquired and retained and promotions offered. At a time when adult literacy is linked to family literacy, award recipients cite as achievements children who stay in school and graduate with honors. At a time when citizenship and community service are esteemed as part of the EFF initiative, award recipients report their influence as community leaders and their role in helping others to achieve higher level skills.

In June 1998, to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Success Stories Project, Partners for Progress, a double issue of the Success Stories Booklet was published. In addition to the 1998 cohort of outstanding ABLE students, this booklet featured life stories of former award recipients under the heading, Past Promise Fulfilled. The local, state and national response to this Annive rsary Booklet was so favorable that Cheryl Keenan, director of PDE Bureau of ABLE, suggested we publish another double issue. Before undertaking that task, project staff decided to track down previous award recipients and to conduct a longitudinal study of the impact of ABLE participation upon their lives.