Interested in Joining Our Program? Join The Mailing List for Upcoming Orientations!
Adult Education
The Adult Education Program at Richland Community College in Decatur, Illinois, offers a variety of courses to meet the diverse needs of the community. At no cost to students, the Adult Education program provides instruction to students who are interested in improving their basic skills in math and reading, attaining a GED, or developing their English language abilities.
Each course (ABE, ASE, ELA/ESL) may be repeated up to three (3) times. Individuals interested in enrolling must be at least 16 and attend a required orientation. For more information about the orientation, please read below.
Orientation Sessions for Adult Education (GED/HSE) Classes and English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes
Next orientation dates, will be in January 2025. If you want to be notified when it opens, please email us at adulted@richland.edu or complete the form at the top of the page.
REGISTER FOR GED ORIENTATION – NEXT ORIENTATIONS JANUARY 2025
REGISTER FOR ESL ORIENTATION – NEXT ORIENTATIONS JANUARY 2025
Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Adult Basic Education courses in reading and math are available to students who need to review basic skills for personal development or advancement to higher level, ASE courses.
Adult Secondary Education (ASE) and GED Preparation
Adult Secondary Education courses prepare students for the General Educational Development (GED) test. The GED test has four subjects: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies. Types of test questions include: multiple choice, drag and drop, fill in the blank, short answer, and extended response.
Upon successfully passing all four subject area tests and completing the necessary paperwork with the Regional Office of Education/R.O.E., students are awarded a high school equivalency certificate.
Bridge Courses are classes that allow students to develop their academic skills within the context of a specific career pathway. Richland’s Adult Education Program offers bridge classes in the following areas:
• Health Sciences
• Manufacturing
• Hospitality
Watch the 2024 GED Graduation here!
ABE and ASE Details
Classes meet 3-4 days over an 8-week session. Courses meet both on campus and off-site and are held at various times. In order to enroll, students must attend an orientation, held prior to each 8-week session. During orientation, students learn about the program’s structure and policies and complete entrance testing to determine their placement in ABE or ASE courses. Orientation takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. Children are not allowed so please plan accordingly.
We offer programming at the following sites:
- Main Campus, Richland Community College in Decatur, Illinois
- The Hub @ Decatur Public Library in downtown Decatur, Illinois
- BabyTALK in Decatur, Illinois
To learn when the next orientation will be held, please see the Adult Education Facebook page or complete this form to be contacted about upcoming orientation dates. You can also call the Adult Education Program at 217-875-7211 ext. 6355.
English Language Acquisition (ELA)/English as a Second Language (ESL)
Richland’s ELA/ESL courses are currently offered in Decatur, Illinois. These courses are for individuals who are native speaker of another language and who need to improve their English speaking, reading, and writing skills for academic or employment purposes.
All ELA/ESL courses are free for all levels. Please call the Adult Education Program at 217-875-7211 ext. 6489 to learn about orientation dates and locations or check the Adult Education Facebook page.
Family Literacy
GED preparation classes for parents with children ages 0-3 are offered in partnership with BabyTalk. Classes and child care are offered at the BabyTALK location in Decatur, Illinois. Child education classes, transportation, and parenting services are provided to Family Literacy students.
Interest students should reach out to Jennifer Tolbert at 217-475-2234.
Literacy Tutoring – Project READ
Project READ helps adults improve reading and math skills through individual tutoring. For more information, visit the Project READ website.
