Strengthening Adult Education

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United 
                States to use existing Federal programs that serve 
                adults, including new Americans, to strengthen literacy 
                skills, improve opportunities for postsecondary 
                education and employment, and facilitate participation 
                in American life.

                Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this order:

(a) ``agency' means an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 
5, United States Code, other than the Government Accountability Office; and

(b) ``adult education' means teaching or instruction below the 
postsecondary level, for individuals who are 16 years of age or older, 
designed to provide:

(i) mastery of basic education skills needed to function effectively in 
society;

(ii) a secondary school diploma or its equivalent; or

(iii) the ability to speak, read, or write the English language.

                Sec. 3. Establishment of Interagency Adult Education 
                Working Group. The Secretary of Education shall 
                establish within the Department of Education for 
                administrative purposes only, an Interagency Adult 
                Education Working Group (Working Group), consistent 
                with this order.

                Sec. 4. Membership and Operation of the Working Group.

(a) The Working Group shall consist exclusively of:

(i) the Secretary of Education, who shall serve as Chair;

(ii) the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, and the 
Secretaries of the Interior, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and 
Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs; and

(iii) other officers or full-time or permanent part-time employees of the 
United States, as determined by the Chair, with the concurrence of the head 
of the agency concerned.

(b) The Chair, or the Chair's designee under subsection (c) of this 
section, in implementing section 5 of this order, shall convene and preside 
at the meetings of the Working Group, determine its agenda, direct its 
work, and establish and direct subgroups of the Working Group, as 
appropriate to deal with particular subject matters, that shall consist 
exclusively of members of the Working Group or their designees under 
subsection (c) of this section.

(c) A member of the Working Group may designate, to perform the Working 
Group or Working Group subgroup functions of the member, any person who is 
a part of the member's agency and who is either an officer of the United 
States appointed by the President or a member of the Senior Executive 
Service.

                Sec. 5. Functions of the Working Group. Consistent with 
                the policy set forth in section 1 of this order, the 
                Working Group shall:

(a) identify Federal programs that:

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(i) focus primarily on improving the basic education skills of adults;

(ii) have the goal of transitioning adults from basic literacy to 
postsecondary education, training, or employment; or

(iii) constitute programs of adult education;

(b) as appropriate, review the programs identified under subsection (a) of 
this section and submit to the heads of the agencies administering those 
programs recommendations to:

(i) promote the transition of adults from such programs to postsecondary 
education, training, or employment;

(ii) increase the effectiveness, efficiency, and availability of such 
programs;

(iii) minimize unnecessary duplication among such programs;

(iv) measure and evaluate the performance of such programs; and

(v) undertake and disseminate the results of research related to such 
programs;

(c) identify gaps in the research about effective ways to teach adult 
education for postsecondary readiness, recommend areas for further research 
to improve adult education programs and services, and identify promising 
practices in disseminating valid existing and future research findings; and

(d) obtain information and advice as appropriate, in a manner that seeks 
individual advice and does not involve collective judgment or consensus 
advice or deliberation, concerning adult education from:

(i) State, local, territorial, and tribal officials; and

(ii) representatives of entities or other individuals;

(e) at the request of the head of an agency, unless the Chair declines the 
request, promptly review and provide advice on a proposed action by that 
agency relating to adult education; and

(f) report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for 
Domestic Policy, on its work, and on the implementation of any 
recommendations arising from its work, at such times and in such formats as 
the Chair may specify, with the first such report to be submitted no later 
than 9 months after the date of this order.

                Sec. 6. Administration of the Working Group. (a) To the 
                extent permitted by law, the Department of Education 
                shall provide the funding and administrative support 
                the Working Group needs, as determined by the Chair, to 
                implement this order.

(b) The heads of agencies shall provide, as appropriate, such assistance 
and information as the Chair may request to implement this order.

                Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an agency or the head thereof; or

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budget, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and 
subject to the availability of appropriations.

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(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or 
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, by any 
party against the United States, its agencies or entities, its officers, 
employees, or agents, or any other person.


                    President, George Bush

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    September 27, 2007.