A comparative study of the Tests of Adult Basic Education and Work Keys with an incarcerated population

With a shortage of skilled labor, business and industry leaders are asking for more accountability from adult educators and for better measures of the workplace skills they need employees to master.; The purpose of this research was to conduct a comparative study of Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and Work Keys with one of adult education's special populations, the incarcerated. Data were collected on-site from more than 260 participants, and results from 203 participants were included in the analysis. Demographic and background information provided additional insight into the data compiled from two assessment instruments, i.e., TABE and Work Keys. Three Work Keys areas, locating information, reading for information, and applied mathematics, were linked to the reading and math areas of TABE. Analysis including other variables such as age was also relevant. Other examined variables, including whether the incarcerated individual had full-time employment at the time of this arrest, was unique to the population and was important to the study.; The design for this research study was a correlational method to explore potential relationships between assessment scores from TABE and Work Keys and within various levels of each of these instruments. Data gathered from two assessment instruments and from a questionnaire for each individual were used to conduct statistical analysis. Then each of the assessment instruments was analyzed to determine a correlation using a nonparametric statistical analysis.; Making certain that the assessment tool mandated for the incarcerated population measures what we need measured in our workplace is increasingly important. Helping ex-offenders find employment can be made easier if deficiencies in employability skills are identified and addressed. Once addressed, an ex-offender who already has numerous barriers to overcome as he seeks employment may be more successful in the job market if he can prove his workplace skill levels.; Data collected should provide educators, legislators, and administrators information pertinent to assessment issues in adult education programs within the prison systems across our state.