Community Assessment Tool — Education

Identifying your resources

What is the current education level among the target population? (Aging Texas Well Benchmarks)
Who provides education and lifelong learning opportunities to older adults? List all.
Do older adults participate?
Which organizations provide lifelong learning opportunities?
Do organizations promote participation in lifelong learning activities through:
- Tuition waivers and discounts (State Education Code 54.210b, 54.210c. 54.067) available through higher education institutions
- Federal tax credits
- Other incentives provided to create classes for older adults
Are lifelong learning opportunities available and accessible to older adults? What barriers (e.g., lack of transportation or affordability) do older adults face?
Do your education and lifelong learning opportunities meet the needs cited by older adults in your community?
Will the current lifelong learning opportunities you offer be able to meet the needs of the projected number of older adults in five, 10 or 20 years?

How can you recruit and retain educators in your community?
What are the primary strengths of lifelong learning opportunities?
What are the primary gaps in lifelong learning opportunities?
Are the curriculum and teaching methods used in classes with older adults consistent with research on how they learn? (Research about education and older adults)
How can education and lifelong learning providers in your community better coordinate their services?
Are older adults aware of the education and lifelong learning opportunities available?
How do they learn about education and lifelong learning opportunities available?
What are the current methods of outreach to older consumers about education and lifelong learning opportunities?
How can outreach/awareness of education and lifelong learning opportunities be improved?
How can you assess the lifelong learning needs of older adults in your community?
Are the educational opportunities available in your community based on:
- Age-appropriateness
- Literacy levels
- Race/ethnicity
- Disability
Do educational opportunities in your community address language barriers for non-English speaking residents?

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Updated: September 15, 2009