Amy Pickard is the 2024 recipient of the Arthur (Jack) Payne Crabtree Memorial Award from the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education. The award, worth $13,000, will support her partnership with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to improve adult educator preparation across the state.

“Although an estimated 19% of the adult population in Indiana has very limited reading skills, few adult educators have the specialized training needed to provide effective reading instruction for adults,” Pickard said.

Her work with the Indiana DWD will explore learners' and educators' experiences, identify challenges teaching reading in the adult education context, and explore the potential to establish the IU School of Education as a hub for adult education professional development initiatives. The project will take place from January to October 2025.