Student Achievement

Adult Education

The Adult Education program at NWACC is funded by the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education and provides free educational services to adults in the community.  The program provides two distinct educational curricula: 

Adult General Education and English as a Second Language (ESL). 

This education enriches the students' lives and therefore strengthens the community. Providing these types learning opportunities is an important part of the comprehensive mission of NWACC. Hundreds of adults annually better themselves through the learning opportunites provided by Adult Education in 2004-05:

Adult General Education: GED Preparation

Students enter the general education program with the goal of earning the General Education Development Diploma. Adult Education students initially take the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) to determine their functional grade level. Students scoring at the 9.9 grade level or higher enroll in GED classes. Students scoring below 9.9 grade level enroll in Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes. There are five content areas (math, writing, reading, social science, and science) that students study to prepare for the GED exam. The TABE places students at different grade levels for within each of the five content areas.

Adult Education staff counsel each student confidentially and provide them with an individual study plan to prepare for the GED. Since the program is open entry, open exit, students work at their own pace from the level they place in each particular content area. Reassessments are conducted periodically to check for grade level advancement. At 40 contact hours, students are automatically tested to assess their progress. Students are instructed, guided, and advised by Adult Education faculty. When students attain adequate knowledge and skills, the faculty advise them to take the GED practice test to confirm their readiness for the official GED exam.

The faculty evaluate the student achievement in two ways. 

1. For each 40 hours of instruction, faculty expect students to progress at least 1 grade level in one of the five subject areas. 
2. They also expect at least a 90% pass rate on the GED exam for those students who reach that level.

Results from 2004-2005 academic year

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English as a Second Language

Students seek ESL training to improve their proficiency in English to better their participation in the NWA community. Students who speak no English are given the Basic English Skills Test (BEST) to determine their level of functional proficiency in the English language. Students who can speak some English will be given the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). The TABE may be administered in Spanish. Students are placed in the appropriate level of ESL class (preliterate, beginning, intermediate, or advanced) based upon their level of English proficiency.  Students are also provided an opportunity to take a citizenship class.  This course prepares them to take the US citizenship test.

There is no final exam in the ESL program similar to the GED.  A certain number of students do complete the highest level and receive a ESL diploma. Most students seek to achieve a certain level of english proficiency and the exit the program when they meet their goals or life circumstances dictate.

In such an open program, Faculty determine student achievement by looking the number of students who progress to the next level of proficiency with 40 hours of instruction.

Results from 2004-2005 academic year

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