This essay describes the decline in the number of participants enrolled in federally-funded adult basic education (ABE), adult secondary education (ASE), and adult English Language (EL) programs. Enrollment data since 1965 indicate a steep and consistent downward trend in the number of adults enrolling in these programs since the 1990s. Importantly, since program year 2000-2001, the first year reflecting standardized reporting, there has been a 65.8% reduction in the number of ABE/ASE students enrolling in federally-funded programs and a 49.2% reduction in the number of EL students. The purpose of this article is to highlight the long-term nature of these trends, ask critical questions, and promote further engagement with the topic.