Heartland Community College raises awareness of adult education needs in Logan County

[September 26, 2017] 

LINCOLN

The statistics can be alarming. Thirty-six million adults in the United States struggle with basic academic skills, making it difficult to function effectively as workers, parents, citizens and consumers in today’s society. Congress has recognized September 24-30, 2017 as National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week to raise awareness for programs supporting these adults.

By 2018, 63% of all U.S. jobs will require education beyond high school. Yet, nearly half of the U.S. workforce, about 88 million adults ages 18-64, have only a high school education or less. The cost of adult low literacy to our economy in additional wages and the reduction in costs for public support programs is about 225 billion per year. Increasing adults’ level of education is a sound investment, as high school graduates earn more than $10,000 a year more than those without a high school diploma. Educating adults creates stronger communities in more ways than one. Higher education levels are correlated with lower rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma, and a mother’s education level is the highest determinate of a child’s academic success.

The U.S. is increasingly losing the skills race to many of its economic competitors. According to The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Program of International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Americans lag behind the international average for basic skills in literacy, numeracy and problem solving.

While other nations show consistent progress in enhancing the education levels of their adult populations, the competency levels of U.S. adults have not made similar progress.

Adult education serves adults, 16 years of age and older, who are no longer enrolled in school and who are functioning below the high school completion level. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) established adult education as one of four key partners in a system of education and training that emphasizes college and career readiness. While services include teaching foundation skills such as reading, math and English, adult education also prepares learners with skills that lead to employment or the transition to post-secondary education.

In Logan County, approximately 3,000 adults do not have a high school diploma. Heartland Community College is a resource that provides free morning and afternoon high school equivalency classes in Lincoln. These classes provide basic literacy and numeracy instruction as well as college and career readiness skills. Classes start year round. For more information about our classes, call 217-735-1731.

[Valerie Conrady
Heartland Community College
Coordinator of Adult and Continuing Education]