Lisa Freeman
EDAC 631
Group 3
9/17/20
History of Adult Education
As an Adult Education (AE) employee I have learned several areas pertaining to what it entails. My paper will give you an overview of how Neo came into existence, and other information I gathered from another reference. At one time, adult education was referred to being taught as remedial and basic skills. However, today's programs focus on broader, higher-level skills that include problem-solving, information literacy, and information technology. Students can enroll in adult education programs at adult high schools, community colleges, university extension programs, and even prisons. Educational opportunities are also offered at proprietary schools, which operate like businesses. The government also sponsors adult education programs. For example, the Department of Agriculture provides training in farming for adults in rural areas.
Topics covered in today's adult education programs include:
• Adult Basic Education (ABE)
• Citizenship preparation
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Family literacy
• GED classes
• Workplace training
ABE courses help students increase their basic academic skills, improve their life skills, and make sure they are ready to join the workforce. Citizenship preparation courses provide assistance to applicants for U.S. citizenship. In these courses, students learn about history, civics, and the English language so that they will be prepared for the naturalization test. Some courses also include legal services. ESL courses are for students whose primary language is not English.
In a course like this, students will get help speaking and writing English as well as preparation to enter the workforce. Family literacy courses train parents to become the primary teachers of their kids. This course also helps parents become economically self-sufficient. GED classes are for students who did not finish high school and are looking for an alternative to the high school diploma.
The same course subjects taught in high schools are learned in GED classes, including mathematics, English, history, science, and government. GED classes also include a practice test in preparation for the GED examination. Workplace training courses are for adults who want to develop the skills needed for any trades. For instance, those who wish to work as office assistants or secretaries can find adult education courses where they learn to work with documents and spreadsheets.
Basic Requirements
Most modern-day adult education programs are designed for students 18 years of age or older. However, some allow 16- and 17-year-old students not currently enrolled in high school to attend.
They may need special permission to enroll, usually from a parent, legal guardian, or local government agency. For some workplace education courses, a high school diploma or the equivalent may be required for admission.
Adult education has long been a part of American culture and adult education opportunities today offer a broad range of training. Adult students can take GED and ESL courses, prepare for U.S. citizenship, and gain training for a specific trade or career. Below is my company and how they came to be one of Northwest Indiana’s (NWI) number one reason why people choose to come and attain their diplomas and other opportunities that he/she could apply to his career.
NEO’s Roots
In 1962, the state of Indiana sent out a call for school corporations to provide educational opportunities for adults who did not have a high school diploma. Portage Township Schools answered that call. Under the leadership of founder and director Ken Woodruff, the Portage Adult Education Program was conceived. The program began as a few nighttime high school classes for adults who wanted to earn their diploma. By the early 1970’s, a GED learning center and a GED testing site were added. Over the next four decades, the program expanded its community outreach into six northwest Indiana counties.
Thousands of adults, age 16 and older, turned to the 24 different adult learning centers each year to prepare for the GED, college, or the workplace or to learn English as a second language. The nighttime high school credit program expanded into a fully accredited high school program that served 350-450 primarily Porter and Lake County high school students each year. Over the 49-year history of Portage Adult Education, thousands of lives were impacted by the educational programs, the teachers, and the outcomes achieved. In January of 2011, the Portage Township Schools’ Board of School Trustees voted to end its sponsorship of adult education programs due to financial reasons.
NEO’s Beginnings
In the weeks following the PTS vote to end adult education programs and with a June 30, 2011 deadline for closure looming, an alternative plan was formulated to continue the valuable adult education and high school services. With the support and backing of a local non-for profit organization, Project Neighbors (PN), and with the enlistment of PN board members and the support of the community, teachers, and students, Neighbors’ Educational Opportunities, Inc. (NEO) was organized as a non-for-profit organization dedicated to the mission of continuing these vital programs. During the spring and summer of 2011, NEO made great strides in securing a viable and sustainable future for Neighbor’s Adult Education. In its first six months of operation, NEO:
• Secured the lease to the adult education building from PTS
• Obtained 501(c)(3) status with the IRS
• Was awarded the contract to run the adult education GED and ESL classes
• Solidified the contract to serve as an official GED Test Site
• Become a United Way Membership Organization
• Acquired agreements with local superintendents to run a credit recovery program during the transitional year
• Submitted a proposal to Ball State University for Neighbors’ New Vistas High School (to replace the Portage Adult High School)
NEO’s First Year
During the 2011-2012 school year, NEO’s adult education program served close to 400 students, who came to complete credits for their high school diploma, study for the GED, learn English as a Second language, or study for their high school End of Course Assessments or college entry exams. On December 5, 2011, NEO received word that it was awarded the charter to run New Vistas beginning in the fall of 2012. Over the course of the next few months, NEO administrators and staff prepared for the school’s opening. On September 4, 2012, NEO opened its doors to the 137 students who made up the initial class of Neighbors’ New Vistas High School.
NEO's New Vistas High School and Adult Education
REFERENCES
https://www.study.com/articles/History_of_Adult_Education_Info_on_Adult_Education_Programs.html
https://www.neoadulted.org/history
I appreciate that rather than choosing a decade or time period to cover in adult education as many of us did, you chose to dive deeper into a particular type of adult learning. I have a friend from Portage and before I met her, I didn't even know the town existed. So to think it's had such a large impact on adult education is fascinating. This was very informative. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNice idea to cover an important history in education for adults= NEO. It is interesting how many people are served in basic skills and ESL yet the school lost the support of the trustees. Sometimes I think there is basic agreement/certainty that a better job is being done in the traditional schools than is actually being done, so the money to help people who need remediation or skills is not easy to get. We have lots of funding for more AP classes, yet our wood shop sits empty most of the day. You do a nice job in explaining your point of view and your experience, which is the key for adults and at least informal education, in my opinion. thanks Lisa!
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