Adult Basic Education

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Adult Basic Education

• September 19, 2005

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• Overview of ABE in Minnesota
• including services to youth (16 21 years old)

Robbinsdale Adult Academic Program (ABE/ALC)
Nancy Palmer
Program Director
763.504.8300
Nancy_palmer_at_rdale.k12.mn.us
Winnetka Learning Center
7940 55th Avenue N.
New Hope, MN 55428
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Overview of Adult Basic Education (ABE) in
Minnesota

• GED General Educational Development diploma
• Adult Diploma
• ESL English as a Second Language
• Basic Skills Enhancement
• Family Literacy
• Workforce Preparation
• Citizenship/Civics Education

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Eligibility and Enrollment

• Must be 16 and over, not enrolled in secondary
  school, and functioning below the 12th grade
  level in any of the basic academic areas
  including reading, math, writing and speaking
  English.
• Total ABE Enrollment 80,452
• ESL 38,699 (48)
• Basic Skills 21,895 (27)
• GED/diploma 15,305 (19)
• Workforce prep. 4,553 (6)

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ABE Program Delivery

• 53 ABE Consortia over 500 sites
• Program offerings may vary by consortium
  depending on funding and needs of local community
• 1,200 Licensed Teachers licensed in various
  areas and approximately 300 teachers also hold
  permissive ABE license
• Staff Development Minnesota Literacy Training
  Network

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Literacy Needs/Facts in Minnesota

• Twelve percent of Minnesotans over 25 years old
  (381,345 adults) lack a high school equivalency.
  However of the ABE target population which is 16
  and over and not enrolled in school, a total of
  624,250 persons lack their high school
  equivalency. 2000 US Census
• Average annual per pupil cost for ABE is
  550/pupil. IF MN high schools had no dropouts,
  the state k-12 budget would require 50M more per
  year. ABE is a highly cost-effective safety
  net for dropouts. MDE
• The average drop out earns 7,000 less annually
  than the average high school or GED graduate.
  2000 Census
• Public schools report that the numbers of parents
  are growing, not declining, whose lack of basic
  skills are barriers to the success of their
  children. MDE
• Thirty-six percent of job applicants tested by
  major US firms in 1998 lacked the reading and
  math skills to do the job they sought. This
  figure is up from 23 in 1997 and 19 in 1996.
  Amer. Mgt. Assoc.

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GED Testing Results/ Minnesota21 and Under

• Examinees 5,279 (took at least one
  test)
• Graduates 3,703
• 70 of Examinees passed the GED Test

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Robbinsdale Adult Academic ProgramABE/ALC

• Total students 1,898
• 365 students were 21 or younger
• ABE 212
• ALC 153
• GED Test Center Winnetka
• 176 Examinees
• 152 Graduates

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Adult Academic ProgramServices for youth

• GED completion
• High School Credits (ALC)
• Vocational/High School Counselor
• Part-time social worker
• Access to Special Education Services
• Career Planning workplace or post-secondary
• Interest inventories
• School to Work Credit interviews, resumes,
  workplace skills

• Work Experience Credit
• Post-Secondary Options
• Field Trips to worksites/colleges
• Guest speakers from the community
• Small learning community group, individual,
  computer instruction
• Leadership opportunities advisory council,
  advocacy group, volunteering in family literacy
  or ESL

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Challenges for ABE

• Waiting lists
• Meeting the diverse needs of a community
  including times and days of service
• Funding for ABE decreased per hour (4.79 to
  4.61/hour) ABE total revenue for state
  increased slightly
• Preparing youth not only for GED but for further
  schooling

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Challenges for ABE (continued)

• Dropping out of high school with low academic
  skills assuming GED is easier (myth in most
  instances)
• Rotating youth through various schools
• Assisting youth with life issues drugs, health,
  family, mental health
• Including workforce preparation skills as youth
  prepare for diploma or GED

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Thank you to Governor

• Adult Basic Education recognizes and thanks the
  state of Minnesota for its support of Adult Basic
  Education. Together we can assist all learners
  in reaching their potential.