The Basic Skills Department

1. The Basic Skills Department Melissa Singler – Director of the Basic Skills Department Cape Fear Community College website: http://cfcc.edu

2. What is the Basic Skills Department? • Each community college in NC has a Basic Skills Program • Basic Skills includes: Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult High School (AHS), General Education Development (GED), Compensatory Education (CED), and English as a Second Language (ESL) • Objectives: help adults obtain literacy skills to obtain jobs, assist in their children’s education, and pursue high school completion

3. Who do we serve? • Adults without high school diplomas or those whose reading or math skills are below 9th grade level • Dropouts – 16 & 17 year olds whose parents/guardians withdraw them from school and give notarized consent for them to attend • All students must be assessed with a Federally and State approved test. We use the CASAS.

4. Adult High School orGED • Adult High School (AHS) – requires students to obtain the 21 credits for graduation mandated by NC DPI. - students may take 2 credits per 9 week session • General Education Development (GED) – requires to students to pass the GED test. - program is self-paced - 5 tests – reading, math, science, social studies, and writing

5. ABE & GED • ABE - for adults whose skills are below 9th grade level and want to improve them to obtain a AHS diploma or GED • GED – for adults whose skills are at or above 9th grade level • CFCC’s website: http://cfcc.edu/ce/basic_skills/index.html • GED sample test questions and website: http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/test/prep/sample_questions.htm

6. AHS • For students who have 9th grade or higher skills and want to obtain their high school diploma • 21 credits required by NC DPI • Affiliations with New Hanover and Pender County Schools Systems • Strict attendance policy • Courses run every 9 weeks • Diploma signed by CFCC’s President & Board President, NH or Pender Co. Superintendents & School Board Presidents

7. ESL • Students develop English language skills to get a job, assist their children with schoolwork, better understand American culture and history, and improve communication skills • Students may transition to ABE, GED, or AHS classes • Classes are offered in New Hanover and Pender Counties • Students cannot be enrolled in public school

8. CED • Adult students with intellectual disabilities (formerly called mental retardation) who have not had an education or have received an inadequate one • Helps students become as independent as possible through acquiring basic and life skills needed to function successfully in daily living

9. Students by Program 2009-2010 • ABE = 1,995 • AHS = 557 • GED = 397 • CED = 189 • ESL = 685 • Total students = 3,837

10. Performance Measures • Retention rate = 75% for 2009-2010 - based on students making progress on CASAS tests and obtaining their goals • Moving students from one academic level to a higher level based on CASAS testing • % of students obtaining AHS diplomas or GEDs - 208 GEDS and 156 AHS Diplomas in 2009-2010 • Transitioning students into jobs or college/training programs

11. For more information • Melissa Singler – msingler@cfcc.edu • Cape Fear Community College – http://cfcc.edu • CFCC Basic Skills website - http://cfcc.edu/ce/basic_skills/index.html • GED Testing website - http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/test/prep/sample_questions.htm