Ken McCullough

Hall of Fame Class of 1996

From 1963, when he started teaching adults in evening programs, to 1987, when he completed his teaching career as a university professor of graduate adult education, Ken McCullough distinguished himself as a national and international advocate for the poor and least educated adults. After appointment as Tennessee's Executive Director of Adult Education in 1987, he designed the first sequenced, three-level statewide program which adults could progress within, starting from the lowest levels of literacy instruction and culminating with courses in pre-college math, reading, and writing. This program became a national model. In addition, he designed and implemented the nation's first housing project centers which served children and adults six days a week from mid-morning to early evening. This concept, too, is now replicated throughout the U.S.

In 1989, under his leadership, Tennessee became the first state to establish a state literacy resource center to house, develop, and distribute adult basic education curriculum materials, produce research monographs, and conduct teacher training.

He was active in the parent associations of the AAACE from 1969 to 1982, when AAACE was established and was President in 1993-1994. He has since expanded his adult education activity to business and industry organizations and associations.