Since we began this project a year and a half ago, the issue of Evaluation has become even more central to Alberta community-based literacy programs. A recent policy document from Alberta Advanced Education and Career Development (AE&CD), New Directions for Adult Learning, issues a clear call for assessment and increased accountability in all adult learning programs.

In response to this call, the Adult Development Branch of AE&CD recently contracted Murray Lindman to address the issues of accountability and performance measurement for all programs managed under the Adult Development Branch mandate. A draft document, Measure for Measure: Accountability and Performance Measurement of Adult Development Programs in Alberta, states that "through a consultative process, this project will develop, pilot and operationalize an accountability framework, performance indicators and reporting and feedback structures."

The Board of Directors of the Association of Literacy Coordinators of Alberta (LCA) intends to work closely with Murray Lindman and the Adult Development Branch to ensure that any accountability and performance measurements developed are appropriate to the work of community-based adult literacy programs.

The LCA will soon apply to the National Literacy Secretariat for funding for a two-phased project. First, in conjunction with all LCA members, we will develop Standards of Good Practice which are applicable to literacy programs in Alberta in the mid-1990's. Second, based on those standards, we will write an evaluation tool appropriate for our programs.

Again, throughout this process we will work with the Adult Development Branch. First, we will ensure that the tool(s) we create will