Minnesota Statistics

| Description of MN Adult Basic Education Delivery System | Enrollment | Selected Participant Characteristics | Need
| Population | Funding | Outcomes |

National Statistics

| Other resources from the National Institute for Literacy |

Adult Basic Education

Description of Minnesota ABE Delivery System

The mission of Adult Basic Education in Minnesota is to provide adults with educational opportunities to acquire and improve their literacy skills necessary to be self-sufficient and to participate effectively as productive workers, family members, and citizens.

ABE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

• GED - General Educational Development diploma. National high school equivalency program that includes a set of 5 tests: Math, Reading, Writing, Social Studies, and Science.
  
  
• Adult Diploma - Programs for eligible adults leading to a high school diploma from a sponsoring Minnesota school district.
  
  
• ESL - English as a Second Language. For learners whose native language is not English.
  
  
• Basic Skills Enhancement - For learners who need goal-specific elementary or secondary level basic skills such as work-related math, functional literacy (e.g.- banking skills), reading or writing assistance. Generally considered "brush-up" and not leading to a diploma or GED.
  
  
• Family Literacy - Program for adults and their children. Features instruction for adults in literacy, instruction in parenting, and educational/developmental services for kids.
  
  
• Workforce Preparation - Literacy skills related to learners' need to obtain, retain or improve their employment. "Workforce Education" provides basic academic and literacy skills to learners who are already employed by a specific business, industry, or company - typically provided at the learners' place of employment. "Employment Readiness" programs include general employability skills (e.g. - résumé development, interview skills, career awareness, job seeking skills, etc.) and instruction in soft skills that are essential in the workplace.
  
  
• Citizenship / Civics Education - Programs which prepare Minnesota non-citizens for U.S. citizenship. Includes application preparation and English language instruction. Civics Education includes content related to general civics knowledge and participation in democratic society.

ELIGIBILITY

Must be 16 and over, not enrolled in secondary school, and functioning below the 12th grade level in any of the basic academic areas including reading, math, writing and speaking English

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Duplicate counts in last 3 categories

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Duplicate counts among all categories reported above

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Need in Minnesota

• 12% of Minnesotans over 25 lack high school equivalency - over 380,000 people. 2000 Census
  
  
• The NALS (Nat'l Adult Lit. Survey - 1993) study reports 8% of MN's adult population is at the lowest of five levels of functional literacy and 20% have "functional literacy" needs.
  
  
• 42% of the current MFIP caseload does not have a high school degree or the equivalent. Many participants who have completed a high school education have reading and math abilities far below the 12th grade level. It is often difficult for this group to find and retain jobs. DHS TANF report
  
  
• MN's immigrant and refugee population has expanded to record levels, especially Asian, Hispanic and African population groups; 5.3% of all Minnesotans are foreign born; an estimated 200,000 are in need of ESL. DHS 2001 Approximately 35,000 permanent Minnesota residents lack US citizenship. 2000 DHS est.
  
  
• Public schools report that the numbers of parents are growing, not declining, whose lack of basic skills are barriers to the success of their children. CFL
  
  
• The average annual per pupil cost for ABE is $475/pupil. If MN high schools had no dropouts, the state K-12 budget would require $50M more per year (10,000 dropouts x $5,000/yr). Given this differential cost per learner, ABE is a highly cost-effective "safety net" for dropouts. CFL
  
  
• Major MN employers report large costs to train and retrain employees whose lack of basic skills or ability to speak English are liabilities to the profit line. The average dropout earns $7,000 less annually than the average high school graduate/equivalent. MN Bus. Partnership and 2000 Census
  
  
• Thirty-six percent of job applicants tested by major U.S. firms in 1998 lacked the reading and math skills to do the job they sought. This figure is up from 23 percent in 1997, and 19 percent in 1996. Amer. Mgt. Assoc.
  
  
• Job seekers with educations below that of a typical dropout will qualify for just 9% of the new jobs created between 1998 and 2008. Dropouts in 1998 earned an average of $20,300 while earners with some college brought home $31,600 that year. ETS Study, 2002

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2000 Census Bureau Population Data for Minnesota

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Funding

Due to the rapidly expanding need, state funding for Adult Basic Education has been revised frequently since 1998. Currently, state funds are provided to approved programs (about 60 consortia) using a mandated aid formula integrating school district population, LEP counts, census no-diploma data, and prior year learner contact hours. Competitive state grant funds (one-time appropriations) and ongoing Federal ABE funds are also allocated. Two percent of the annual state appropriation is authorized to support a system of "supplemental services" and helps fund innovative ABE grants (¼ of the funds) and statewide services (¾) including staff development, technology, distance learning, special needs, GED on TV, data management, and others.

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Outcomes - FY 2002

Adult Basic Education addresses a variety of learner goals. ABE helps learners to:

• Attain employment and/or better their current employment;
• Achieve high school equivalency (GED or Adult H.S. Diploma);
• Attain skills necessary to enter post-secondary education and training;
• Exit public welfare and become self-sufficient;
• Learn to speak and write the English language;
• Master basic academic skills to help their children succeed in school;
• Become U.S. citizens and participate in democratic society; and
• Gain self-esteem, personal confidence and sense of personal and civic responsibility.

FY 2002 Selected Outcome Results:

• One out of every six diplomas issued in MN during 2002 was a GED or Adult H.S. Diploma.
• ABE enrollment has increased by 83% since 1995 (45,322 to 82,778 participants).
• The annual cost per adult learner is less than $500.

* Under-reported due to lack of formal follow-up system (present system = teacher grapevine)

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