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Adult Education
Adult education provides educational opportunities and services to equip adults with the
knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively as citizens, workers, parents,
and family and community members. Instructional programs ensure that adults have the
education and skills required for a competitive economy and a better quality of life.
Adult students are served by school districts, community colleges, community or
faith-based organizations, volunteer literacy organizations, public or private nonprofit
agencies, public libraries, correctional facilities, and state agencies.
The California Department of Education serves over one million adult learners annually
by allocating state and federal funds through its adult education provider network. For
more information, contact the Adult Education Office at (916) 322-2175. Additional
information is also available on the Adult Education Web site at
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ae.
Populations
Adult education serves an increasingly diverse student population, including the
following specialized groups:
Adult Immigrants—Adults who need language instruction and learning experiences
that will permit them to communicate with English speakers; learn the cultures and
customs of the United States; and prepare them for employment, citizenship,
parenthood, and self-sufficiency.
Adults with Disabilities—Individuals with cognitive, physical, sensory, or medical
disabilities or mental disorders. Adult education provides modified equipment, materials,
and instructional strategies to teach literacy, workplace, and family literacy skills.
Disadvantaged Adults—Low-income and hard-to-serve adults who demonstrate basic
skills deficiency below the eighth-grade level. Adult education provides basic skills
training, preparation for the General Educational Development (GED) test, preparation
toward earning a high school diploma, and job skills training opportunities.
Homeless Adults—Persons living in extreme poverty who often cannot afford to travel
to adult education programs. Adult literacy services provide life skills instruction,
linkages to community resources, self-esteem support, and preparation for employment.
Incarcerated Adults—Individuals who are convicted of any criminal offense.
Incarcerated adults represent a significant portion of the hard-to-serve or dropout
segment of the educational system. The correctional education programs provide
educational and job training services in technology, English as a second language, high
school credit, and basic education programs to prepare inmates to become responsible
citizens and to successfully integrate into society.
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