The results of the National Adult Literacy Survey indicated that approximately 90 million adults do not have the literacy skills they need to function in our increasingly complex economic system. In Tennessee, 33% of that adult population lacks a high school diploma. These individuals are far less likely than their more literate peers to be employed full time, to earn high wages and to vote.

Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs provide adults with the opportunity to acquire and improve functional skills necessary to enhance the quality of their lives as workers, family members and citizens. These programs play an important role in fostering productive employment, effective citizenship, personal and family growth, self-esteem and dignity for adult learners.

With the growing demands in the workplace, more individuals are expected to be able to attend to multiple features of information, to compare and contrast information, to generate ideas based on what they read, and to apply arithmetic operations sequentially to solve a problem. ABE programs play a vital role in enabling men and women to significantly increase their performance capability in these areas. The on-site workplace education program is just one example of how ABE impacts the economic stability of Tennessee.

All ABE programs are free of charge and are geared to the individual needs of the adult learners. Through these programs adults can:

• gain the speaking, listening, reading, writing and math skills required for job advancement
• increase self-esteem, personal growth and personal freedom
• gain the necessary skills to meet the entrance requirements for vocational or other educational training
  
  Programs:
• Study to pass the General Educational Development (GED) high school equivalency test
• Learn how to become an active participant in their children's education
• Prepare for the citizenship test
• Learn English as a Second Language
• Obtain problem-solving and thinking skills needed to meet the growing demands around them.
  
  
  "Tennessee's adult education efforts have increased dramatically both in quality and quantity in the past 8 years. It is apparent that adult education services are inextricably tied to the issue of welfare reform, and impact the economic well-being and quality of life in every community."
  
  Phil White, TN Director of Adult Education

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