LiLA History

To increase access to lifelong learning for working adults, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), a 34-year-old national non-profit organization, pioneered the concept for LiLAs in 2001 to promote a partnership between employers and employees to co-invest in education and training. CAEL received grants from several philanthropic foundations and other sources to pilot this new way to finance education and training for working adults. 

The Kansas City region is one of nine LiLA demonstration sites.  There are successful demonstrations of LiLAs in Chicago, San Francisco and Northeast Indiana. There are on-going LiLA initiatives in Maine, Illinois, Washington, San Francisco and Kansas City.  There are also planning activities in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Michigan. 

The long-term goal of the LiLA initiative is to build support for making LiLAs a reality for working adults nationwide. Federal legislation has been introduced for 200,000 workers in up to 10 states with tax incentives for both employees and employers. 

Ultimately, the goal is to see LiLAs offered as a standard part of all employee benefit packages. While activity continues at the national level, partnerships are being explored with states to implement state-based pilots. The information gained from the pilots will be used to develop a set of potential models for other locations.