Arkansas Department of Workforce Education Adult Education Division

Provides adults with the opportunity to improve reading, writing, mathematics, English language, and employability skills and to earn the Arkansas High School Diploma by passing the General Educational Development (GED) Tests. Provides adults with the opportunity to improve reading, writing, mathematics, English language, and employability skills and to earn the Arkansas High School Diploma by passing the General Educational Development (GED) Tests.

Challenges for Arkansas Adult Education ✔ Adult Education Program Services ✔ Serving 16- and 17-Year-Old Students ✔ GED Testing ✔ State Administration

✔ 52 adult education programs and 28 literacy councils provide classes in all 75 counties ✔ 51,049 Arkansans were served in Students served in Grade Level Equivalents including ESL

✔ 19.4 percent of adult education students are Hispanic. ✔ 19.4 percent of adult education students are Hispanic. Over the past 12 years, Hispanic enrollment has more Over the past 12 years, Hispanic enrollment has more than tripled, increasing from 1,665 to 6,197 students than tripled, increasing from 1,665 to 6,197 students

✔ No increase in adult education funding since the biennium the biennium ✔ The eroding purchasing power that has resulted as funding has not kept pace with the cost of living has funding has not kept pace with the cost of living has led to cuts in services led to cuts in services Reduction in the number of:  teachers  staff  classes  instructional materials  equipment  satellite locations Adult Education Program Services

The need still exists! 491,862 Adult Arkansans Do Not Have a High School Diploma (2000 U.S. Census)

✔ Fall of 2007, the Adult Education Funding Formula Task Force began work on a new funding formula Task Force began work on a new funding formula ✔ Impact - current level of funding is insufficient to allow programs to function with minimal disruptions programs to function with minimal disruptions ✔ Enrollment will continue to decline unless more funding is received received ✔ Task Force members’ recommendation for adult education funding: education funding:  FY increase $3 million  FY increase $3.2 million

✔ With increased funding, the Adult Education Division proposes to increase the number of students served proposes to increase the number of students served by 32 percent, from 51,049 students served in by 32 percent, from 51,049 students served in to 67,511 students by 2011 to 67,511 students by 2011 ✔ The following strategies will be used to meet the goal of serving 67,511 students: goal of serving 67,511 students: ✔ increase the number of applied academic classes at worksites ✔ increase the number of applied academic classes at worksites ✔ extend program services to hard-to-reach areas by reopening ✔ extend program services to hard-to-reach areas by reopening previously closed satellite sites previously closed satellite sites ✔ implement distance education and provide software and technology ✔ implement distance education and provide software and technology for students who can not attend traditional adult education classes for students who can not attend traditional adult education classes ✔ increase collaboration with other educational agencies to help ✔ increase collaboration with other educational agencies to help students transition successfully into postsecondary education and students transition successfully into postsecondary education and training programs training programs ✔ enhance the promotion and outreach at the local level, especially ✔ enhance the promotion and outreach at the local level, especially with business and industry with business and industry ✔ expand professional development for teachers and administrators ✔ expand professional development for teachers and administrators

Serving 16- and 17-year-old Students ✔ According to federal and state laws, 16- and 17-year-old students may enroll in adult education classes students may enroll in adult education classes ✔ In the program year , 2, and 17-year-old students were served in adult education programs for a students were served in adult education programs for a total of 158,520 hours of instruction total of 158,520 hours of instruction ✔ The average cost of one instructional hour was $11.74 per hour – the total cost of serving 16- and 17-year-old per hour – the total cost of serving 16- and 17-year-old students was $1,861,025 in students was $1,861,025 in ✔ 2, and 17-year olds (90 percent) who took the GED tests were successful in tests were successful in

✔ Adult education programs receive no state funding to provide classes for these younger students provide classes for these younger students ✔ As more high school students continue to drop out or seek an alternative to public schools, adult education is seek an alternative to public schools, adult education is where they go to obtain academic skills and an Arkansas where they go to obtain academic skills and an Arkansas High School Diploma by passing the GED tests High School Diploma by passing the GED tests ✔ The Adult Education Division requests funding of $1,861,025 for each year of the biennium to $1,861,025 for each year of the biennium to serve 16- and 17-year-old students serve 16- and 17-year-old students

GED Testing ✔ Arkansas has one of the highest GED pass rates (84 percent) in the country. In 2007, 6,906 Arkansans percent) in the country. In 2007, 6,906 Arkansans received the Arkansas High School Diploma by passing received the Arkansas High School Diploma by passing the GED Tests. the GED Tests. ✔ Continues to be one of the few states in the nation to offer the GED Tests free of charge to state residents the GED Tests free of charge to state residents

✔ 61 GED testing centers; 102 satellite sites ✔ Approximately 160 individuals certified to administer GED Tests administer GED Tests ✔ GED Testing Service mandates that states provide annual training for GED examiners provide annual training for GED examiners ✔ The Adult Education Division requests funding of $50,000 for each year of the funding of $50,000 for each year of the biennium to pay for annual training biennium to pay for annual training

State Administration ✔ In the last 20 years, the number of adult education and literacy programs has increased from 48 to 80 literacy programs has increased from 48 to 80 programs, while the state office staff has decreased in programs, while the state office staff has decreased in size from six area program advisors to four advisors size from six area program advisors to four advisors ✔ The state office has added responsibilities of state and federal mandated requirements including funding, federal mandated requirements including funding, accountability, data quality, monitoring, supervision, accountability, data quality, monitoring, supervision, leadership, and on-site technical assistance leadership, and on-site technical assistance ✔ The Adult Education Division is requesting the following new positions: one Associate Director, two Public new positions: one Associate Director, two Public School Program Advisors, one Management Project School Program Advisors, one Management Project Analyst, and one Administrative Assistant. The Analyst, and one Administrative Assistant. The request for funding is $253,029 in 2010 and $258,260 request for funding is $253,029 in 2010 and $258,260 in 2011 in 2011

✔ Of the 12,074 students who were unemployed upon entering an adult education program, 5,425 (45 percent) became employed within the first three months after exiting the adult education program ✔ 1,986 adult education students retained employment or obtained a better job in the third quarter after exiting adult education ✔ 6,906 Arkansans received their GED diplomas ✔ 1,630 adult education students entered Arkansas postsecondary institutions Adult Education’s Return on Investment

Adult Education Return on Investment 38 percent or $1.38 for each state dollar spent 38 percent or $1.38 for each state dollar spent