Four representative issues affecting the fields of adult, career, and vocational education are examined. These issues revolve around the following questions: (1) What career-related curriculum should be incorporated into the new basics? (2) What contributions can vocational and career education make to reducing the dropout rate? (3) How can articulated secondary-postsecondary programs support high-quality occupational training? and (4) How can literacy programs increase the literacy rate among adult Americans? Effective and innovative programs that are currently addressing those questions are discussed. These issues are representative of various educational levels and grow out of the following three major trends: (1) a changing workplace and its effects on occupational and educational requirement; (2) the growing concern for reaching disconnected youth and adults; and (3) the current emphasis on educational excellence. This report attempts to clarify the context surrounding each of the four issues, to describe emerging and promising educational approaches, and to suggest future directions needed to strengthen research, development, dissemination, and implementation. References are included. (PS)