Milestones

Date	Event	Description
Feb 2018	Release of first full-scale ATES data	The National Center for Education Statistics releases detailed data on the prevalence and characteristics of work credentials in the U.S. population from the 2016 Adult Training and Education Survey, conducted as part of the National Household Education Survey.
April 2016	Release of first CPS data on certifications and licenses.	The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases 2015 CPS data on the prevalence of certifications and licenses in the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over.
Jan.-Jul. 2016	Administration of ATES within NHES:2016	Based on the findings of the 2014 NHES feasibility study and the development work listed below, the ATES instrument was revised and administered as part of the NHES study in 2016. The administration involved a national household sample of adults ages 16-65, and will produced the Education Department's first statistics on the prevalence and key characteristics of non-degree credentials among the US adult population. Link to ATES questionnaire
Jan. 2015	CPS collects data on certifications and licenses	The Current Population Survey fielded three new items on certifications/licenses with all rotation groups in January and February of 2015. It will continue collecting these data in months 1 and 5 on an ongoing basis.
Jan. 2015	NSCG collects data on certifications and licenses	The 2015 administration of the National Survey of College Graduates included eleven questions on certifications and licenses in the college graduate population.
Dec. 2014	Third Expert Panel Meeting	At this meeting, the panel provided feedback on a plan to collect data on the "most important" rather than the "most recent" certification/license and discussed the results of the NATES Nonresponse Bias Study. Link to the meeting notes.
Mar. 2014	Second Expert Panel meeting	At this meeting, the panel provided feedback on the certificates and initial job training programs sections of ATES in preparation for the 2016 NHES administration.
Feb.-Aug. 2014	Administration of 2014 National Household Education Study (NHES) Feasibility Study	This study was designed to test the feasibility of administering the Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES) as part of NCES' on-going NHES Program. One test in this study involved comparing response rates for a longer (ATES) version of the questionnaire that asks about both credentials and training for work, and shorter "Credentials for Work" (CWS) instrument that focused on work credentials. A report on the ATES feasibility study will be posted in late 2015.
Jan.-Apr. 2014	Cognitive interviews on the 2016 ATES instrument	These interviews were used to test and modify the wording of the final 2014 ATES instrument for an expected full-scale administration within the 2016 NHES. The interviews focused on questions that were still undergoing revision at the end of the 2014 ATES cognitive interviews, including how to capture educational certificates, and on refining the apprenticeship section based on the concept interviews.
Jan. 2014	Release of first official federal statistics	Release of the first official federal statistics on the prevalence of certifications and licenses in the U.S. adult population from Wave 13 of the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation: Measuring Alternative Educational Credentials: 2012.
Dec. 2013-Jan. 2014	Concept interviews on formal training	The cognitive interviews revealed that adults include many programs under the "apprenticeship" umbrella. These interviews were designed to identify the key characteristics of formal training experiences that distinguish the different programs that adults describe as apprenticeships, including internships, externships, practica, and student teaching. Link to the concept interview report.
Aug.-Sep. 2013	Cognitive interviews on the 2014 Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES) instrument	These interviews were used to test and modify the wording of the initial 2014 ATES instrument.
May 2013	Focus groups on work-related training	A planned 2014 field-test of NCES' National Household Education Survey (NHES) provided the opportunity to test the feasibility of incorporating a survey on adult education and training into this on-going data collection. For this purpose, further development work was conducted. First, GEMEnA sponsored a background report on participation in non-credit education and training. Second, focus groups (see report) provided information on how adults describe these education and training experiences. That information was then used to revise NATES for the 2014 Adult Training and Edcation Survey (ATES), to be field-tested as part of NHES.
Jan.-May 2013	Administration of 2013 National Adult Training and Education Survey (NATES) response rate study	For household surveys, NCES is moving from CATI to mailout administration of paper-and-pencil surveys. The NATES study was conducted to determine whether a mailout survey asking about adults' education and training could yield adequate response rates, and included a field-based non-response bias study. A final report is due in Summer 2014. Link to NATES instrument.
Nov. 2012	First Expert Panel meeting	The Expert Panel was formed to provide an external sounding board for GEMEnA's work. At this meeting, the panel was informed of GEMEnA's work to-date, and suggested areas of focus to guide subsequent instrument design. Link to the meeting summary.
Sep. 2012	IWG name changed to Interagency Working Group on Expanded Measures of Enrollment and Attainment (GEMEnA)	In 2012, the IWG decided to expand its work to include the development of measures related to training for work. This new name was adopted to reflect the group's expanded charge. The measurement of certificates, certifications, and licensure remain as more specific goals within this broader framework.
Sep.-Oct. 2012	Second round of focus groups on certificates	Because the 2010 ATES found educational certificates to be a particuarly difficult concept to meaure, these focus groups were conducted to provide more information on how adults describe these certificates. Findings were used to draft the certificate section of the 2013 NATES instrument. Link to the focus group report.
Aug.-Sep. 2012	Cognitive interviews on the 2013 National Adult Training and Education Survey (NATES) instrument	The 2013 National Adult Training and Education Survey (NATES) was a revision of the 2010 ATES, and was designed to test the feasibility of a mail-out administration (see below). These interviews were used to test and modify the wording of the initial NATES instrument.
Jan. 2012	Presentation on ATES at Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology research conference	The presented paper on "Measurement Strategies for Identifying Holders of Certificates and Certifications" focused on the identification of over- and under-reporting within the 2010 ATES.
Sep. 2010-Jan. 2011	Administration of 2010 Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES) pilot study	The 2010 ATES pilot study was designed as an initial test of key questions on certificates, certification, and licensure. It used a 15-minute CATI (computer-assisted telephone interview) instrument. A seeded sample also provided a validity check. See the ATES Pilot Study report for details, including a copy of the instrument in Appendix E.
Mar.-Jul. 2010	Cognitive interviews on the 2010 Adult Training and Education (ATES) instrument	These interviews were used to test and modify the wording of the initial 2010 ATES pilot test instrument. A summary of the cognitive interviews is included as Appendix G in the ATES Pilot Study report.
Dec. 2009	Focus groups on educational certificates and certification	These focus groups provided information on how adults describe educational certificates, certification, and licensure; this information was used to draft the initial version of the 2010 Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES) pilot test instrument. A summary of the focus groups is included as Appendix F in the ATES Pilot Study Report
Dec. 2009	Interagency Working Group on Certificates and Certifications (IWG) begins monthly meetings	This first name of the group reflects the initial focus on certifications and certificates. Link to monthly meeting minutes.
Nov. 2009	Subbaccalaureate Credentials Roundtable, Brookings Institute, Washington, DC	This meeting reiterated the need for data on educational certificates and professional certification and licensure. At the meeting, the Census Bureau, Education Department, and Bureau of Labor Statistics agreed to collaborate to explore the potential for filling these data gaps. Link to meeting notes.
Dec. 2000	Report on the Federal Interagency Committee on Educational Attainment	The committee recommended that statistical agencies develop a taxonomy of occupational certifications and licenses and survey items to measure their prevalence. No further action was taken at the time. Link to educational attainment report.