College of DuPage receives increased state, federal funding to expand adult education program resources
The Adult Education program at College of DuPage will use increased FY20 state and federal funding to provide expanded resources to adult students needing reading and math proficiency, high school equivalency, citizenship/naturalization preparation and workforce development classes.
The program received $2,665,920 in FY20 state and federal funding, representing the largest Adult Education award the college has received to date and the second largest amount of state funding for community colleges in Illinois for FY20. The FY20 funding represents a total increase in funding of 95 percent since FY10.
State funding for FY20 is $565,920 - a 16 percent increase from FY19 - and is based on student and program performance in reading and math grade level equivalencies, English language function levels, High School Equivalency certificate completion rates, the number of students obtaining and retaining employment, and the number of students transitioning to postsecondary education or employment training.
"The increase in funding means we have additional resources to invest in direct instruction and wraparound services for eligible students," said Dan Deasy, Manager of Continuing Education Operations and Grant Compliance. "This includes an expansion of our Integrated Education and Training programs in partnership with Career Technical Education, district partners and employers."
The Adult Education program serves a crucial need in DuPage County, offering Adult Basic Education classes for adults whose reading and math proficiency is below high school level, High School Equivalency preparation classes in English and Spanish, English Language Acquisition classes, family literacy and citizenship/naturalization preparation classes. In addition, the program provides college preparation and workforce development classes, including the Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) program.
According to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Census Data, District 502 has 61,897 adults without a high school diploma, 27,032 of which have less than a ninth-grade education. The district also includes 47,065 adults living in households with incomes below the federal poverty level, as well as 234,693 adults in households in which English is not the primary language.
The added financial resources enable COD to scale up its work with community members through programs such as Recovery and Manufacturing - A Path Up (Ramp-Up), a program designed to help individuals recovering from substance use disorders acquire technical skills in preparation for in-demand manufacturing careers.
The program is the result of a partnership between COD and several organizations, including DuPage County Health Department, DuPage County Sheriff's Department, WorkNet DuPage and Serenity House, as well as local manufacturing employers, including Diamond Envelope Corporation and Jel Sert.
This year's additional funding will help the college and its partners expand their reach and serve more communities, including West Chicago and Addison.
The funding also enables the college to provide additional college preparatory and workforce development classes through the ICAPS program, which now offers Office Technology Information certification in addition to COMPTIA A+ and Network+, CCNA, Welding or CNC operator certifications and certificates.
Learn more about the Adult Education program at www.cod.edu/academics/continuing_education/basic/index.aspx.
College of DuPage is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Serving approximately 25,000 students each term, College of DuPage is the largest public community college in the state of Illinois. The college grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study.