Adult Education
Program Information
Adult education courses consist of classroom‐based and blended independent study classes designed for students of all grade levels studying towards a high school diploma or equivalent. The programs include Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE). Teachers provide students interactive instruction based on California’s College and Career Readiness Standards.
ABE assists basic non‐readers and English learners reading below a 7th grade level. Instruction focuses on English language arts and mathematics and includes English as a Second Language for English learners. The goal is for students to increase literacy and numeracy skills and progress through the courses.
ASE educates students reading at the 8th grade level or higher to earn a high school diploma or high school equivalency (HSE). Students earn high school diplomas by completing coursework accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Students achieve a high school equivalency by passing the General Education Development (GED) test. Both programs prepare students to continue their post‐secondary education, either through college or Career and Technical Education (CTE) where they can further gain essential skills for entry-level employment in a variety of fields.
Assignments to adult education are open-entry and open-exit. Adult education instruction consists of research-based instructional practices, explicit direct instruction, support through educational technology, and differentiation to individualize learning.
Note: Students may be eligible to earn Milestone Completion Credit(s) in accordance with the California Code of Regulations Title 15.
Location
Adult education is available at all CDCR institutions.
Program Length
The average course length per grade‐level is typically one year.
Eligibility/Enrollment
Incarcerated individuals are enrolled in the appropriate ABE/ASE class level according to their assessed reading grade level. Classification Committees assign incarcerated individuals who do not have a verified high school equivalency or a high school diploma.
Contact Information
(916) 445-8035