According to the Texas Administrative Code State Board of Education Rule—Title 19, Part II, Chapter 89 Adaptations for Special Populations, Subchapter B: Adult Basic and Secondary Education, Adult Basic Education is defined as instruction in reading, writing, English and solving quantitative problems including funding context, designed for adults who have minimal competence in reading, writing, and solving quantitative problems; are not sufficiently competent to speak, read, write the English language; or are not sufficiently competent to meet the requirements of adult life in the United States, including employment commensurate with the adult’s real ability.
Adult Secondary Education is defined as a comprehensive secondary instruction below the college credit level in reading, writing and literature, mathematics, science, and social studies, including functional context, and instruction for adults who do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
The various levels of instruction that each program serves begins with English as a Second Language (ESL) and then continues in the Adult Basic Education (ABE), followed by the Adult Secondary Education (ASE), also known as the General Educational Development (GED) level.
Texas LEARNS
On July 31, 2003, Texas Education Agency (TEA) outsourced the non-discretionary grant management functions, program assistance, and other statewide support services for the adult education and family literacy programs in Texas to the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), a local education agency governed by an elected Board of Trustees. HCDE implements responsibilities defined in the TEA/HCDE contract through Texas LEARNS, the Texas Adult Education and Family Literacy Partnership. It is through TEA and Texas LEARNS that allocations of state and federal ABE funds granted by the U.S. Department of Education are distributed to providers of programs in Texas. Adult Education grants allocated provide comprehensive literacy services with basic instruction in English, reading, writing, and arithmetic to adult learners. In addition, adult education programs provide workplace literacy, family literacy, and civics education for Limited English Proficient learners. In communities across the Lone Star state, adult education students gain the basic skills necessary to find, keep and advance in the jobs of the highly- skilled occupations that increasingly characterize the Texas economy. ABE programs help Texans build a strong foundation of academic skills in order to fulfill their roles as workers, parents, and citizens.
Grant Funded Programs
All ESC-20 Adult Education Programs are funded with state and federal monies received from the Texas Education Agency. These programs include:
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Program (Title II of the Workforce Investment Act The adult education program in Texas provides literacy, English language proficiency for limited English proficient adults, basic academic and functional context skills, and secondary level proficiencies for out-of-school youth and adults who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance who function at less than a secondary completion level.
The Even Start Family Literacy Program The objectives of the program are to help parents become full partners in their children’s education, help children to reach their full potential as learners, and provide literacy training for their parents by integrating adult education and early childhood education in a unified family-centered program. The program serves economically disadvantaged families with parents who are eligible for adult education and their children below eight years of age.
Adult Education of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Recipients Provides adult education instruction to recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Recipients of TANF benefits are required to participate in adult basic education and job training programs as a condition for eligibility. The overall aim of the program is to move TANF recipients into self-supporting employment, thereby reducing the number of long-term welfare recipients.
English Literacy and Civics Education Provides instruction to adult learners on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, naturalization procedures, civic participation, and U. S. history and government in order to acquire the skills and knowledge to become active and informed parents, workers, and community members.
For the best viewing experience, please use one of the following browsers:
