Arkansas Arkansas Department of Department of Workforce EducationWorkforce Education

Adult Education DivisionAdult Education Division

Adult Education DivisionAdult Education Division

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

Challenges for Arkansas Adult Challenges for Arkansas Adult EducationEducation

✔✔ Adult Education Program Adult Education Program ServicesServices

✔✔ Serving 16- and 17-Year-Old Serving 16- and 17-Year-Old StudentsStudents

✔✔ GED TestingGED Testing

✔✔ State AdministrationState Administration

✔✔ 52 adult education programs and 28 literacy52 adult education programs and 28 literacy councils provide classes in all 75 counties councils provide classes in all 75 counties

✔✔ 51,049 51,049 Arkansans were served in 2006-2007Arkansans were served in 2006-2007

2,679

6,959

8,781

12,839

5,9795,263

8,549

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

0 - 1.9 2.0 - 3.9 4.0 - 5.9 6.0 - 8.9 9.0 - 10.9 11.0 - 12.9 ESL

Stu

den

ts s

erve

dS

tud

ents

ser

ved

in

200

6-20

07in

200

6-20

07

Grade Level Equivalents including ESLGrade 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, Over the past 12 years, Hispanic enrollmentHispanic enrollment has more has more

than tripled, increasing from 1,665 to 6,197 studentsthan tripled, increasing from 1,665 to 6,197 students

1,665

2,304

5,984

3,032

4,470

6,1976,193

5,5665,213

4,903

3,6543,424

3,115

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

✔✔ No increase in adult education funding since No increase in adult education funding since the 1991-1993 bienniumthe 1991-1993 biennium

✔ ✔ The eroding purchasing power that has resulted as The eroding purchasing power that has resulted as funding has not kept pace with the cost of living funding has not kept pace with the cost of living

hashas led to led to cuts in services cuts in services

Reduction in the number of:Reduction in the number of: teachersteachers staffstaff classesclasses instructional materialsinstructional materials equipmentequipment satellite locations satellite locations

Adult Education Program ServicesAdult Education Program Services

Adults over 65 years old,

168,751 - 34%

18- 64 years old with 9th-12th

grade education243,781 - 50%

18-64 years old with less than

9th grade education

79,330 - 16%

The need still exists! The need still exists! 491,862491,862 Adult ArkansansAdult Arkansans

Do Do NotNot Have a High School Diploma Have a High School Diploma

(2000 U.S. Census)

✔ ✔ Fall of 2007, the Adult Education Funding FormulaFall 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 Impact - current level of funding is insufficient to allow

programs to function with minimal disruptionsprograms to function with minimal disruptions

✔✔ Enrollment will continue to decline unless more funding Enrollment will continue to decline unless more funding is is

receivedreceived

✔ ✔ Task Force members’ recommendation for adultTask Force members’ recommendation for adult

education funding:education funding: FY 2009-2010 increase $3 million FY 2009-2010 increase $3 million FY 2010-2011 increase $3.2 million FY 2010-2011 increase $3.2 million

✔✔ With increased funding, the Adult Education With increased funding, the Adult Education Division Division proposes to increase the number of students proposes to increase the number of students servedserved by by 32 percent32 percent, from 51,049 students served in , from 51,049 students served in 2006-20072006-2007 to 67,511 students by 2011to 67,511 students by 2011

✔✔ The following strategies will be used to meet the The following strategies will be used to meet the goal of goal of serving 67,511 studentsserving 67,511 students::

✔ ✔ increase the number of applied academic classes at increase the number of applied academic classes at worksitesworksites ✔✔ extend program services to hard-to-reach areas by extend program services to hard-to-reach areas by reopening reopening previously closed satellite sitespreviously closed satellite sites ✔✔ implement distance education and provide software and implement distance education and provide software and technologytechnology for students who can not attend traditional adult education for students who can not attend traditional adult education classesclasses ✔ ✔ increase collaboration with other educational agencies to increase collaboration with other educational agencies to helphelp students transition successfully into postsecondary students transition successfully into postsecondary education andeducation and training programstraining programs ✔✔ enhance the promotion and outreach at the local level, enhance the promotion and outreach at the local level, especiallyespecially with business and industrywith business and industry ✔✔ expand professional development for teachers and expand professional development for teachers and administratorsadministrators

Serving 16- and 17-year-old StudentsServing 16- and 17-year-old Students

✔✔ According to federal and state laws, 16- and 17-year-oldAccording 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 2006-07, In the program year 2006-07, 2,4922,492 16- and 17-year-old 16- 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 instructiontotal of 158,520 hours of instruction

✔ ✔ The average cost of one instructional hour was $11.74 The average cost of one instructional hour was $11.74 per hour – the total cost of serving 16- and 17-year-oldper hour – the total cost of serving 16- and 17-year-old students was $1,861,025 in 2006-07students was $1,861,025 in 2006-07

✔ ✔ 2,255 16- and 17-year olds (90 percent) who took the 2,255 16- and 17-year olds (90 percent) who took the GED GED

tests were successful in 2007-2008tests were successful in 2007-2008

✔✔ Adult education programs receive Adult education programs receive no state fundingno state funding toto provide classes for these younger studentsprovide classes for these younger students

✔✔ As more high school students continue to drop out As more high school students continue to drop out or or seek an alternative to public schools, adult seek an alternative to public schools, adult education iseducation is where they go to obtain academic skills and an where they go to obtain academic skills and an ArkansasArkansas High School Diploma by passing the GED testsHigh School Diploma by passing the GED tests

✔✔ The Adult Education Division requests The Adult Education Division requests funding offunding of $1,861,025 for each year of the biennium $1,861,025 for each year of the biennium to to serve 16- and 17-year-old studentsserve 16- and 17-year-old students

GED TestingGED Testing

✔✔ Arkansas has one of the highest GED pass rates Arkansas has one of the highest GED pass rates (84(84

percent) in the country. In 2007, percent) in the country. In 2007, 6,9066,906 ArkansansArkansans

received the Arkansas High School Diploma by received the Arkansas High School Diploma by passingpassing

the GED Tests.the GED Tests.

✔✔ Continues to be one of the few states in the Continues to be one of the few states in the nation to offernation to offer

the GED Tests free of charge to state residentsthe GED Tests free of charge to state residents

✔✔ 61 GED testing centers; 102 satellite sites61 GED testing centers; 102 satellite sites

✔✔ Approximately 160 individuals certified to Approximately 160 individuals certified to

administer GED Testsadminister GED Tests

✔✔ GED Testing Service GED Testing Service mandatesmandates that states that states provide annual training for GED examinersprovide annual training for GED examiners

✔✔ The Adult Education Division requestsThe Adult Education Division requests funding of $50,000 for each year of funding of $50,000 for each year of

thethe biennium to pay for annual trainingbiennium to pay for annual training

State AdministrationState Administration✔✔ In the last 20 years, the number of adult In the last 20 years, the number of adult education and education and literacy programs has increased from 48 to 80literacy programs has increased from 48 to 80 programs, while the programs, while the state office staff has state office staff has decreaseddecreased inin sizesize from six area program advisors to four from six area program advisors to four advisorsadvisors

✔✔ The state office has The state office has added responsibilitiesadded responsibilities of of state andstate and federal mandated requirements including federal mandated requirements including funding,funding, accountability, data quality, monitoring, accountability, data quality, monitoring, supervision,supervision, leadership, and on-site technical assistanceleadership, and on-site technical assistance

✔✔ The Adult Education Division is requesting the The Adult Education Division is requesting the followingfollowing new positionsnew positions: one Associate Director, two : one Associate Director, two PublicPublic School Program Advisors, one Management School Program Advisors, one Management ProjectProject Analyst, and one Administrative Assistant. TheAnalyst, and one Administrative Assistant. The request for funding is request for funding is $253,029 $253,029 in 2010 andin 2010 and $258,260$258,260 in 2011in 2011

✔✔ Of the 12,074 students who were unemployed Of the 12,074 students who were unemployed upon entering an adult education program, 5,425 upon entering an adult education program, 5,425 (45 percent) (45 percent) became employedbecame employed within the first within the first three months after exiting the adult education three months after exiting the adult education programprogram

✔ ✔ 1,986 adult education students 1,986 adult education students retained retained employmentemployment oror obtained a better jobobtained a better job in the third in the third quarter after exiting adult educationquarter after exiting adult education

✔ ✔ 6,906 Arkansans received their 6,906 Arkansans received their GED diplomasGED diplomas

✔✔ 1,630 adult education students entered Arkansas 1,630 adult education students entered Arkansas postsecondary institutionspostsecondary institutions

Adult Education’s Return on Adult Education’s Return on Investment 2006-2007Investment 2006-2007

Adult Adult Education Education Return on Return on InvestmenInvestmentt

38 38 percent or percent or $1.38 for $1.38 for each state each state dollar dollar spentspent

$19,300,000

$13,560,000

$12,769,194

$397,200

$0

$5,000,000

$10,000,000

$15,000,000

$20,000,000

$25,000,000

$30,000,000

StateExpenditure on

AdultEducationServices

EstimatedIncrease in

TaxesCollected

Return on Investment 2006-2007

Total = $26,726,394

Entered Employment

Obtained a GED

Earned a RaiseEarned a Raise