A hearing was held to discuss the prior four years of implementation of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, and to recommend further improvements. The opening statements of Chairman Howard McKeon and Dale E. Kildee introduce the meeting and discuss the importance of promoting an educated populace that will maintain the United States' place in the global economy. Next, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education Carol D'Amico suggests that the current federal program for adult literacy is inadequate and recommends focusing on the following criteria to improve it: (1) the instructional component of adult basic and literacy education is essential; (2) academic achievement will be more easily obtained with rigorous content standards and student assessments; (3) funding needs to be focused on what works to encourage adoption of promising instructional strategies; (4) more access and choice should be provided to adult education students; and (5) flexibility is key to literacy education. Next, statements by a director of a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a director of human resources, a community college associate vice president of academic and student services, and an adult education participant discuss their experiences with adult literacy. Most of the statements are followed by transcriptions of discussion with the subcommittee. Appendices include written statements of all of the presenters. (MO)