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The College and Career Readiness (CCR) Adult Education program is designed to: (1) assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency; (2) assist adults who are parents or family members to obtain the education and skills that-- (A) are necessary to becoming full partners in the educational development of their children; and (B) lead to sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities for their family; (3) assist adults in attaining a secondary school diploma and in the transition to postsecondary education and training, including through career pathways; and (4) assist immigrants and other individuals who are English language learners in-- (A) improving their-- (i) reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills in English; and (ii) mathematics skills; and (B) acquiring an understanding of the American system of Government, individual freedom, and the responsibilities of citizenship.

The College and Career Readiness Adult Education program is defined as - academic instruction and education services below the postsecondary level that increase an individual’s ability to: (A) Read, write, and speak in English and perform mathematics or other activities necessary for the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; (B) Transition to postsecondary education and training; and (C) Obtain employment.

Instruction is based on NCCCS College and Career Readiness Adult Education Content Standards, and best practices. The program includes three primary components:

ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (ABE)

Adult Basic Education includes literacy - an individual’s ability to read, write, and speak in English, compute, and solve problems, at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society.

ADULT SECONDARY EDUCATION (ASE)

To meet the purpose outlined in WIOA-Title II, Section 202(3), North Carolina has two Adult Secondary Education credentials (1) an adult high school diploma, and (2) a high school equivalency diploma. The Adult High School (AHS) program is offered cooperatively with a local public school system to offer adults an opportunity to earn an Adult High School diploma. Course and graduation requirements are in alignment with the standards established by the State Board of Education, the local education agency, and the local community college. The AHS diploma is issued in cooperation between the local boards of education and community college trustees with appropriate signatures representing both educational systems. High School Equivalency (HSE) of North Carolina offers instruction to assist learners to successfully pass a designated high school equivalency assessment. A high school equivalency diploma is issued from the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges upon successful completion of the complete battery of tests.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (ELA)

English Language Acquisition is a program of instruction— (A) Designed to help eligible individuals who are English language learners achieve competence in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension of the English language; and (B) That leads to attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and transition to postsecondary education and training or employment. Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education, a component of ELA, is provided to English language learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enables such adults to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States. Such services shall include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation, and may include workforce training.

ABE, ASE, and ELA also may comprise:

FAMILY LITERACY - activities that are of sufficient intensity and quality, to make sustainable improvements in the economic prospects for a family and that better enable parents or family members to support their children’s learning needs, and that integrate all the following activities: (A) Parent or family adult education and literacy activities that lead to readiness for postsecondary education or training, career advancement, and economic self-sufficiency. (B) Interactive literacy activities between parents or family members and their children. (C) Training for parents or family members regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children. (D) An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences.

INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND TRAINING - an instructional model that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster. An integrated education and training program must meet all the following criteria to be allowable under Title II:

• It must include all three components: adult basic education, workforce preparation activities, and occupational training.
• All three components must occur simultaneously, be of sufficient intensity and quality, be research based, and use occupationally relevant instructional materials.
• The program must have a single set of learning objectives that identifies specific adult education content, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training competencies, and the program activities must be organized to function cooperatively.
• The integrated education and training program must be part of a career pathway and help an individual enter or advance in an occupation or occupational cluster.
• The adult basic education instruction must be aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards provide skills that are transferable to other contexts and situations, and prepare participants to succeed in any employment and/or postsecondary education opportunities.
• The occupational training component of the program must align with the skill needs of business in the area and existing, high-quality employment opportunities for participants.

WORKPLACE ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY - adult education and literacy activities designed in collaboration with an employer or employee organization at /a workplace or an off- site location that is designed to improve the productivity of the workforce.

WORKFORCE PREPARATION - activities, programs, or services designed to help an individual acquire a combination of basic academic skills, critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, and self-management skills, including competencies in utilizing resources, using information, working with others, understanding systems, and obtaining skills necessary for successful transition into and completion of postsecondary education or training, or employment.