| AAACE | American Association for Adult and Continuing Education |
| ABLE | Adult Basic Learning Exam |
| ABE | Adult Basic Education |
| ACLS | Adult and Community Learning Services (MA DOE) |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| ADP | Adult Diploma Program |
| AEA | Adult Education Act |
| AFQT | Armed Forces Qualification Test |
| ALRI | Adult Literacy Resource Institute (Boston) |
| ANPN | Adult Numeracy Practitioners Network |
| APL | Adult Performance Level |
| ASE | Adult Secondary Education |
| ARRA | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |
| BALF | Boston Adult Literacy Fund (now First Literacy) |
| BE | Bilingual Education |
| BENL | Basic English in the Native Language |
| BEST | Basic English Skills Test |
| CALL | Computer-Assisted Language Learning |
| CASAS | Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System |
| CBO | Community-Based Organization |
| CDBG | Community Development Block Grant |
| CDC | Centers for Disease Control (NIH) |
| CDL | Commercial Drivers License |
| CHOC | County House of Corrections |
| CLC | Commonwealth Literacy Campaign (MA) |
| CMS | Content Management System; also Course Management System |
| COABE | Commission on Adult Basic Education |
| CRC | Central Resource Center (SABES) |
| CTC | Community Technology Centers |
| DAEL | Division of Adult Education and Literacy (US DOE) |
| DESE | Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA) |
| DET | Department of Employment and Training (MA) |
| DOC | Department of Commerce (US) |
| DOC | Department of Correction (MA) |
| DOE | Department of Education |
| DOL | Department of Labor |
| DPW | Department of Public Welfare |
| DTA | Department of Transitional Assistance (MA), formerly DPW |
| EDGAR | Education Department General Administrative Regulations |
| EDP | External Diploma Program |
| EFF | Equipped for the Future (NIFL) |
| EOCD | Executive Office of Communities and Development |
| EOL | Executive Office of Labor |
| ERIC | Educational Resources Information Center |
| ESL | English as a Second Language |
| ESLOA | English as a Second Language Oral Assessment |
| ESOL | English for Speakers of Other Languages |
| FTE | Full-Time Equivalent |
| GED | General Educational Development |
| HTML | Hypertext Markup Language |
| IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act |
| IES | Institute of Education Sciences (US DOE), formerly OERI |
| INS | Immigration and Naturalization Service |
| JTPA | Job Training Partnership Act |
| LEA | Local Educational Agency |
| LEP | Limited English Proficiency |
| LD | Learning Disabled |
| LINCS | Literacy Information and Communication System (NIFL) |
| LMS | Learning Management System |
| LVA | Literacy Volunteers of America |
| LVM | Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts |
| MassAAL | Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy |
| MATSOL | Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages |
| MBLC | Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners |
| MCAE | Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education |
| MCI | Massachusetts Correctional Institution |
| MIRA | Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition |
| MJC | Massachusetts Job Council |
| MOJCS | Mayor's Office of Jobs and Community Services (also OJCS, JCS) |
| MOSES | Massachusetts One-Stop Employment System |
| NAEP | National Assessment of Educational Progress |
| NALD | National Adult Literacy Database (Canada) |
| NALS | National Adult Literacy Survey |
| NCAL | National Center on Adult Literacy |
| NCLE | National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education |
| NCSALL | National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy |
| NCTE | National Council of Teachers of English |
| NCTM | National Council of Teachers of Mathematics |
| NELRC | New England Literacy Resource Center |
| NGO | Non-Governmental Organization |
| NIFL | National Institute for Literacy |
| NIH | National Institutes of Health |
| NRS | National Reporting System |
| NTIA | National Telecommunications and Information Administration |
| OERI | Office of Educational Research and Improvement (US DOE) |
| ORI | Office for Refugees and Immigrants (also MORI (MA)) |
| OSERS | Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (US DOE) |
| OTAN | Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (CA) |
| OVAE | Office of Vocational and Adult Education (US DOE) |
| PDF | Portable Document Format |
| PEP | Peer Evaluation Process |
| PIC | Private Industry Council |
| PDRN | Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network (NCSALL) |
| READ | Reading Evaluation Adult Diagnosis |
| REB | Regional Employment Board |
| REEP | Arlington Education and Employment Program (VA) |
| RFA | Request for Application |
| RFF | Request for Funding |
| RFP | Request for Proposal |
| RSC | Regional Support Center (SABES) |
| SABES | System for Adult Basic Education Support (MA) |
| SCALE | Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education |
| SCANS | Secretary of Labor's Commission on Achieving the Necessary Skills |
| SDA | Service Delivery Area |
| SEA | State Educational Agency |
| SLIAG | State Legalization Impact Assistance Grant |
| SLRC | State Literacy Resource Center |
| SMARTT | System for Managing Accountability and Results Through Technology (MA) |
| SORT | Slosson Oral Reading Test |
| SPL | Student Performance Level |
| STEP | Summer Training and Education Program |
| TABE | Tests of Adult Basic Education |
| TAG | Targeted Assistance Grant |
| TANF | Temporary Assistance for Needy Families |
| TARP | Troubled Asset Relief Program |
| TESOL | Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages |
| TOP | Technology Opportunities Program (US DOC) |
| USCIS | US Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) |
| VESL | Vocational English as a Second Language |
| VISTA | Volunteers in Service to America |
| WIA | Workforce Investment Act of 1998 |
| WIB | Workforce Imvestment Board |
| WRAT | Wide-Range Achievement Test |
| YALD | Young Adults with Learning Disabilities (MA) |
