From the perspective of funders, performance accountability ensures that literacy programs are achieving their goals and objectives and producing measurable results. If funders require programs to assess students to determine measurable gains, then this requirement must be accompanied by funding to support capacity. Funders need to invest in the capacity of local programs to collect, interpret, and use data to monitor how well programs and students are doing and to improve services. Resources need to be allocated to programs that are commensurate with accountability expectations. In summary, we need an adult learning system built upon a strong, sustainable infrastructure.
From the perspective of funders, professional development ensures a highly trained workforce that has the expertise to administer, score, and interpret assessments in order to make decisions about placement and instruction. If funders want a highly trained workforce, they need to ensure that practitioners have the time to practice, dialogue, and reflect upon their new knowledge. Funders need to ensure that educators have the capacity to respond to what is learned through professional development.
The respondents were asked to describe the most critical issue pertaining to assessment that needs to be addressed. The findings revealed two dominant themes: uniformity and diversity. Some respondents wanted a uniform set of national levels, standards, and assessment tools, while others recognized the need for a set of assessment tools that were culturally relevant, wholistic, and customized for populations with special learning needs.