Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j2V1PDG07652; Wed, 30 Mar 2005 20:25:17 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 20:25:17 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <ab6160849a5b73dd1041bce08ddf877c@comcast.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: David Rosen <djrosen@comcast.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1357] Re: What would help more students achieve their GED? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.619.2) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 4464 Lines: 116 Michele, I like all your ideas, and I would like to add one more: Change the expectation of students, funders, and employers that a GED program should be short-term, under a year, and often under 50 hours of instruction. If the only meaningful earnings gains which result from the GED come when students: 1) enter at a low basic skills level, then we should expect those students to be enrolled for several years; or 2) enter at a higher skills level but then are prepared to do college=level work, those students should be expected to be in a program more than a year, and more than 3- 4 hours a week. They need an education that will prepare them to succeed in (not just enter) college. This includes algebra, academic reading and writing, good basic science, good study skills, and some other things. This is a policy issue, as well as a research and practice issue. The U.S. Department of Education has for many years allowed programs to count students as enrolled in federally-funded adult education programs who get at least 12 hours of instruction. This standard is very low, and far from a reasonable expectation of what the these two groups of students need. This policy should be examined in light of the research by John Tyler that I mentioned in my earlier message. Then, of course, if the policy were to change, let us say, to allow programs to count students enrolled for a minimum of 100 hours, Congress and state legislatures would need to pay for the increased hours of classes and related services. Now here's where the research rubber hits the road. What if solid research shows what needs to be done, and policy-making is heading the other direction? But that's a topic for another list. David J. Rosen djrosen@comcast.net On Mar 30, 2005, at 7:32 PM, Michele Anne Craig wrote: > > > First of all, let me say that I love this list. I always feel like I > can > speak honestly and receive thoughtful replies. I always end up thinking > something different at the end of a thread than I did at the > beginning. For > this I thank all of you. I really liked the comments about focusing the > students past the GED. > > As to what would allow more people to receive their GED? I have a few > ideas. > > 1. Put adult school staff on contract (like other teachers) so we can > be > paid for preparation time. I think this would help all ABE/GED students > immensly. If I had more time to prepare, I would definitely be teaching > better. This also came up as a continuing theme of adult school > teachers at > the Meeting of the Minds conference here in California. > > 2. I think the general public (and especially those who mandate GED > class > attendance) need to be educated about what the GED actually is and see > the > practice tests so they know exactly what they are mandating. If I had > my > way, every probation officer, judge, and social worker in our county > would > have to take a complete battery of GED examinations. At least then, > they > would know what the test is. Parts of it are not all that easy. It is > often > unrealistic for them to mandate that students complete their GED in a > certain amount of time if the level they begin at is very low. > > 3. I would like money for a learning disabilities specialist at our > site > who would evaluate students who need it and be able to fill out > accomodations forms for students who need them. These evaluations cost > around $1000 dollars privately and most of my students can't afford > this. > This is huge, as many who didn't graduate from high school had a reason > why-- sometimes it was a learning disability. > > 4. Coordinate class times with other programs (ie. my night class > sometimes > empties out during Narcotics Anonymous meetings)and with bus service > and > childcare schedules.Also coordinate with others agencies like the > community > college, library literacy program, and vocational training programs so > students have a smooth transition between programs. > > 5. Provide child care not just for preschoolers, but after school care > for > school age children on site. > > 6. Provide scholarships to pay fees for taking the test for those who > can't > afford it. (Social services does pay for their client's books and > fees). Or > have a sliding scale for fees. > > > > These are just a few of my ideas. Anyone else have any others? > > Michele Craig > Woodland Adult School > > > > >
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