Graduating with Flying Colors: NOCRC’s Basic Skills and HS Diploma Programs
Director's Corner
May 09, 2019
Few accomplishments
in a person’s life have as profound an impact on future success as a high
school diploma. One need only look at the statistics surrounding those who
don’t have theirs, to understand.
According
to the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (CABE):
- “Adults without a high school diploma are
more than twice as likely to be living in poverty than high school
graduates, and more than three times as likely to be unemployed than
adults with college degrees.”
- “More than two-thirds of students with
low literacy skills in 4th grade end up in jail or on welfare.”
- “Low literacy skills are directly linked
to inequality, higher rates of unemployment, lower income and poor health.”
What
people often don’t realize is that low high school diploma achievement rates
aren’t just a matter of personal success, but also have dire consequences for
regional economies. Low high school diploma attainment rates correlate to
higher crime, and CABE estimates that the costs of low basic skills are
estimated to be around $225 billion due to loss of tax revenue from
unemployment and reduced workforce productivity.
To
make matters worse, while the need for workers with post-secondary training and
education is growing, the supply of workers with those skills is not. As of
2014, an estimated 57 percent of the adult workforce was considered “low
literacy,” meaning they lacked significant education credentials and had limited
English skills.
Looking
to help make change, NOCRC’s Basic Skills/High School Diploma Workgroup has
spent the last several years developing a series of programs to address the
needs of adult students looking to improve their chances of success by getting
their high school diploma or GED.
The
Workgroup’s current efforts, which include community-based high school diploma
labs, high school lab direct instruction, and basic skills online tutoring and
training, combine direct instruction with supplementary support and guidance to
encourage adult students who have dropped out of high school, or are at risk of
dropping out, and give them another opportunity to complete their diploma or
high school equivalency test.
Not only have these labs been instrumental in helping students graduate and transition into post-secondary education, they also showcase the collaborative dedication and commitment of NOCRC member representatives. For example, Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD), Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD), and North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) are successfully working together to guide students toward their completion of their high school diplomas.
As
the middle-skills job gap continues to widen and post-secondary education
becomes less of an option and more of a requirement of success, resources like
these will continue to play an important role. They help local individuals attain
higher standards of living, and also help regional businesses acquire the
skilled workforce they need to continue to grow.