How can adult skills assessments best meet the demands of the 21st century?

This paper reviews the key characteristics of different types of adult skills assessments and explores opportunities and challenges for broadening their value. It identifies factors that could enhance the effectiveness of assessment systems in promoting positive economic and social outcomes for individuals and society at large. These include increasing participation and engagement in assessments used for monitoring or accountability, improving alignment between employer needs and the skills measured by assessments designed to inform instruction, and ensuring that participation in system-level assessments offers clearer benefits for learners. To address these challenges, the paper proposes actions that could guide the design and administration of assessments, aiming at strengthening their impact while preserving their core purposes. By adapting assessment practices to better reflect learners' needs and real-world contexts, policymakers can ensure that assessments reduce disparities and enhance workforce readiness in the 21st century.