The Continuing Resolution: What It Means for Adult Education

If you've heard people in Washington D.C. talking about a "CR" and wondered what that actually means for adult education, you're not alone.

CR stands for continuing resolution. It's a temporary funding bill that allows the federal government to keep operating at current funding levels when Congress hasn't reached a final funding deal for the approaching fiscal year (FY). 

And right now, that's where we are.

What's Happening?

Congress has now passed a continuing resolution (CR) that extends current federal funding through December 11, 2026. While this action avoids an immediate government shutdown, Congress has still not reached a final agreement on FY 2027 appropriations, the funding year that begins on October 1, 2026.

The CR provides additional time for Congress to negotiate a final FY 2027 funding package. With the upcoming midterm elections and a limited legislative calendar, those decisions may be made in December or could extend into early 2027.

Importantly, the CR does not settle the FY 2027 funding debate. Adult education funding remains subject to the appropriations process, making continued advocacy essential. As Congress considers final funding decisions, policymakers need to continue hearing about the impact and value of adult education for learners, communities, and the nation's workforce.

What Does This Mean for Adult Education?

Here's the most important thing to know:

The current continuing resolution does not immediately affect adult education program funding.

Adult education is forward funded, which means federal funding decisions are made ahead of the program year in which the money will actually be used.

The FY 2027 appropriations decisions being debated now would affect adult education funding beginning July 1, 2027.

That means even if a CR deal hadn't been reached and there were a government shutdown on October 1 , federal adult education funding would not have stopped for programs currently operating. Programs are already operating under funding that was appropriated for the current program year.

The Bigger Funding Fight

The FY 2027 appropriations process is especially important for adult education because the President’s budget request proposed the elimination of federal adult education funding. The House Appropriations Committee similarly has proposed eliminating federal funding for adult education. The Senate Appropriations Committee hasn’t yet released its proposed funding levels.

Congress has the authority to determine final funding levels, and advocates across the country are working to ensure that federal support for adult education continues.

A CR does not decide the outcome of that fight.

Instead, it pushes the decision further into the future.

With a CR that funds the government through December 11th, lawmakers will have additional time to negotiate the FY 2027 appropriations bills and determine what federal funding will look like beginning July 1, 2027.

Why This Matters Now

It can be easy to look at a CR and think, "That's a Washington issue. I'll worry about it when Congress gets closer to a final decision."

But this is exactly when advocacy matters.

Congress is deciding whether it believes adult education is worth investing in. Those decisions are shaped by what lawmakers hear from the people working in and benefiting from the field.

This is the time to make the case.

Tell your Members of Congress – your two Senators and one Representative (or more if you live and work in different districts) – what federal adult education funding makes possible in your state and community. Share the number of learners served, the credentials earned, jobs gained, families supported, and communities strengthened.

And make sure your Members of Congress understand that the funding decisions being made now will shape what adult education looks like beginning in July 2027 and into the future.

NAFTAE, advocates, and our partners will be doing exactly this during National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week when we Flood the Hill on September 17th.

What Happens Next?

Now that the CR has passed, attention will turn back to the FY 2027 appropriations process and the decisions that will determine federal adult education funding for the program year beginning July 1, 2027.

NAFTAE will continue tracking those developments and breaking them down here in plain language.

Policy can move quickly in Washington D.C. and our job is to make sure the field understands what's happening, knows what it means, and has the tools to do something about it.

The funding decision may be months away. The advocacy that shapes it is happening now.