NLA Discussion: Teenagers in ABE

[Sally McIntosh]

Wow!  Yes, Hal Beder, the K-12 segment of education needs to find a way to
share some of its funding with the overworked adult education providers. We
adult ed instructors are taking the youth that the "system" cannot or will
not educate.  The young people have dropped out in the 8th or 9th grade, and
are desperately seeking help to acquire the skills local employers are
demanding in potential employees.  In discussions with all age of members of
our classes, the basic reason for seeking a GED or improved reading skills
still remains economic.  We all seem motivated by the dream of more money,
and to that end we will try higher education or other forms of training.  If
we are to aid these 16 to 21 year olds in achieving a marketable education,
then we should be recieving some of the funds that were meant to underwrite
said efforts.

The alternative classroom is what we are offering those who come to us.
This arrangement is often not provided by the K-12 program, but seems to be
needed by more and more people.

Sally McIntosh
full time instructor
Macon County, GA
grandeur at corinthian.net