Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Activities

Basic Education for Adults classes serve students 16 years of age and older whose academic skills are below the high school completion level. These are adults whose ability to speak, read, write, do math or relate effectively with others impairs their ability to get or keep employment or participate in further education and/or training.

Classes take place in state correctional facilities through a partnership between the Department of Corrections and SBCTC. Programs engage offenders in effective educational and training opportunities, thereby facilitating them to successfully transition to sustainable employment and productive community membership.

Integrated English Language Civics (IEL/Civics) funding supports English Language Acquisition programming that is aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and contextualized to a specific career or career cluster that leads to a certificate or degree.

English Language Acquisition (formerly English as a Second Language) classes support students who need to increase their language skills in reading, writing and speaking by providing instruction designed to help them achieve full competence in the English language.

High School Equivalency is a program to prepare students 16 years of age and older to take and pass a series of high school equivalency exams to earn a High School Equivalency Certificate.

Any high school graduation diploma issued by or through a community or technical college district will certify that the diploma is issued in compliance with high school graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education and procedures established by the superintendent of public instruction or as set forth in RCW28B.50.535.

HS+ is a high school diploma program that is competency-based for adult learners 18 and older who do not have a high school diploma. Adults demonstrate competencies in reading, writing and math contextualized in science, history, government, occupational studies and digital literacy. This can be done through alternatives like: high school and college transcript credits, work, life, military experience, prior learning portfolio, credit for testing, etc. This program expands HS completion options already offered by community and technical colleges to include a comprehensive approach that aligns with adult learning styles and includes competency-based assessments that demonstrate the academic, career and personal competencies needed in further education/training and/or employment. Students are eligible for basic skills tuition.

As HS+ includes the awarding of diplomas, there are additional records requirements. WAC 180-51-040 requires that the diploma issuing entity “keep on file for student and public inspection a copy of the State Board of Education rules and guidelines regarding high school graduation requirements and procedures for equivalencies applicable for the school year, including the preceding ten years. Any locally adopted high school graduation requirements and procedures for equivalencies shall also be kept on file with such state requirements.”

WAC 180-51-053 requires that “records of diplomas issued under the provision of this subsection shall be maintained by the issuing agency.” See Student Records and Records Retention for more information.

Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) pairs two instructors in the classroom — one to teach professional and technical or academic content, and the other to teach basic skills in reading, math, writing or English language. Check under initiatives for more information about the different types of I-BEST.

Community Colleges

The definition for transition for community college providers is when a basic skills student moves into developmental education or college level course work and earns a student achievement point within 3 academic years (July 1–June 30).

Community-Based Organizations

The definition for transition for community-based organization providers is when a student moves beyond basic skills (developmental education or college level programming) and is found (based on an SSN match between WABERS+ and the Data Warehouse) in our Student Achievement database and earns a student achievement point within 3 academic years (July 1–June 30).

When all program requirements are followed:

Family Literacy — literacy services to families that integrate all of the following:

• Basic skills that lead to economic self-sufficiency
• Preparation for parents as the primary teachers of their children
• Age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences
• Parent/child interaction time that builds literacy skills

Volunteer Literacy Programs — activities that are provided by trained volunteer tutors. May include one-on-one tutoring or small group work within a teacher-led classroom.

Institutionalized Adults — for criminal offenders in local correctional institutions and/or for individuals institutionalized in other facilities, such as treatment centers, halfway houses, etc.