Tuesday, February 18, 2014
ROGERS — Adult students who don’t have a high school education are not without options in Northwest Arkansas.
Although Northwest Arkansas has a solid base of industry, there are still people who do not have a high school certificate, can’t read at a high school level or are working to learn English, said Ben Aldama, dean of adult education at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
More than 3,100 adults took either basic education, English language or GED classes during the 2012-13 school year, according to school records.
Classes are based on student need, Aldama said. When an adult student comes to the program — based at the Center for Non-Profits at St. Mary’s — they’re tested to find their educational level. During orientation, instructors map out what students need to learn, but also how the center can best help.
For Sammie Wright, that answer is computers. When he moved to the area he wanted to get his GED and, several months ago, he started taking classes.
“I think adult education, in general, is one of the best schools I’ve ever been to,” he said. “They teach what you don’t know.”
His goal is to become a barber, but Wright, 49, needed a background in computers because things have changed since he was in school.
There are a variety of educational levels to meet their needs, Aldama said. An adult basic education class served 1,221 people last year who tested below the eighth-grade level. The GED level program served 432 people during 2012-13. The English as a Second Language program had 1,487 students and is one of the two largest in the state, Aldama said.
“We’ve got adults that are like fourth-, fifth-, sixth-grade level,” said Aldama. “Sometimes, we have people who have a high school diploma, but want to strengthen their skills before they get to college.”
“We do have nonreaders,” he said.
The National Assessment of Adult Literacy groups reading into three segments: prose, document and quantitative literacy. Twelve percent of adults fall below basic in prose reading, such as articles or instructional materials. Fourteen percent of adults fall below basic in the ability to read maps or food and drug labels, which is considered document literacy. Twenty-two percent of adults are below basic in quantitative literacy, which includes how to write a check or to read a prescription bottle.
Education levels in Northwest Arkansas
Funding for adult education is defined by adults who have an education of less than ninth grade.
Rogers
14.2 percent of adults 25 and older have less than a ninth grade education.
7.7 percent of adults 25 and older have a high school education, but no diploma
78.1 percent of adults 25 and older are high school graduates.
Bentonville
3.4 percent of adults 25 and older have less than a ninth grade education.
5.2 percent of adults 25 and older have a high school education, but no diploma.
91.5 percent of adults 25 and older are high school graduates.
Fayetteville
2.9 percent of adults 25 and older have less than a ninth grade education.
5.8 percent of adults 25 and older have a high school education, but no diploma.
91.3 percent of adults 25 and older are high school graduates.
Springdale
17.4 percent of adults 25 and older have less than a ninth grade education.
12.9 percent of adults 25 and older have a high school education, but no diploma.
69.7 percent of adults 25 and older are high school graduates.
Source: 2010 U.S. Census
“People think ‘Gosh, that’s not happening here’,” Aldama said. “Well, it is.”
Arkansas served 25,406 people in adult education during the 2011-12 school year, according to a report from the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education. Of those, 25 percent were studying for their GED and 69 percent tested at below the eighth-grade level.
People don’t realize adult education is available, Aldama said, and others don’t realize it’s free. Almost everyone knows an adult the center could help.
GED graduates earn an average of $8,000 more per year, according to pamphlets from the Arkansas Adult Education Division.
The Adult Education Center opened a library last week with books and computers for student use. Having the library on campus is a big deal because instructors can introduce the concept of the library to students, Aldama said.
“Some of our students have not had a lot of experience using a library,” he said.
It took a year to get the library operational. Librarians from the college met with educators at the adult center to define the list of books, some reference and some that students might enjoy.
Adult education students are juggling jobs and family responsibilities, and those efforts need to be recognized, said Rachel Ackerman, informational literacy librarian. Hosting the library at the center makes books more convenient.
“They are making a lot of sacrifices,” Ackerman said.
The college’s adult education center is at 1200 W. Walnut St. in Rogers. The school is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.