Organization: Adult Basic Education

Project: Citizenship classes and transport costs

Report: The mission of Adult Basic Education in Albert Lea is to provide adults with educational opportunities to acquire and improve their literacy skills necessary to become self-sufficient and to participate effectively as productive workers, family members and citizens. Adult Basic Education addresses a variety of learner goals. ABE helps learners to attain employment and/or better their employment, achieve a high school equivalency in the form of a general education degree or high school diploma, attain skills necessary to enter post-secondary education and training, exit public welfare and become self-sufficient, learn to speak and write the English language, master basic academic skills to help their children succeed in school, become U.S. citizens and participate in a democratic society, and to gain self-esteem, personal confidence and a sense of personal and civic responsibility.

In Albert Lea there are currently 135 students enrolled in ABE classes, ranging in ages from 18 to 73 who represent seven countries.

Citizenship classes prepare students to take the U.S. citizenship test and become U.S. citizens. This class started in September, and three students have already become U.S. citizens. Transition classes help prepare students for success at work or in an academic setting.

ABE has 21 students and their children who ride SMART transit to get to school. Students pay half the cost of their transportation needs and the funds from the grant will help pay for the other half.