ABE

abe

Welcome to Adult Basic Education (ABE)

Adult Basic Education (ABE) is a non-credit program designed to help adults improve their basic educational skills. It's geared towards individuals who may have missed out on education opportunities earlier in life or who need to refresh their skills for academic, personal or professional reasons

The CASAS test assesses each student's current skill level. In order to go into the high school diploma or GED prep classes, a student must score a 239 (9th grade reading comprehension) or higher. If a student scores below 239, they are placed in ABE to prepare them to move to a higher educational level. ABE covers topics like reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, writing, basic math, and problem-solving. The goal is to help students build a solid foundation in these fundamental areas, so they can move to the high school diploma or GED prep programs.

Why should I attend ABE classes? It is not what I wanted!

If you score 237 or 238, you will likely be re-tested in the first week of class. If you are not in class, you will miss that opportunity to move immediately to diploma and GED prep classes if you score 239 or higher. For those who score 236 and below, you have approximately 6-8 weeks to make your initial improvement. The ABE classes are designed to help you improve your reading comprehension score.

ABE is a non-credit class that is not applied to your high school credits. This can be very frustrating when you want to earn your high school diploma. However, this is a significant time to learn the skills you need to be academically prepared. You won’t be leveling up to meet your true potential if you are not in class.

Our regular GED classes are non-credit classes. You are still doing GED prep work in ABE, just at a lower reading level. This helps you learn the material and improve your skills to pass the four GED tests.

During your time in the ABE program, you can determine whether to pursue a GED or a High School Diploma.

Please read the back of this sheet to get more information on the high school diploma and GED prep programs.

Should I get a GED or a High School Diploma?

The first step to answer this question is to get your high school transcripts. Suppose you attended high school outside of the Kern High School District. It is essential to know how many credits you need to graduate. You can consult the counselors about the best option for you. For ABE students, counselors can see you on a day different from your test, but you can consult with them as soon as the registration period ends. There is no “which one is faster” answer, as it depends on how many classes you can take and how well you retain information for a high-stakes exam.

How to get my High School Transcripts?

High School Diploma Requirements

To earn a high school diploma in the Kern High School District as an adult, you must have 200 credits in the following required subjects: Language Arts (40), Math (20), Algebra 10), Science (20), and Social Studies (30), Heath (5), Fine Arts or Foreign Language (10), and Electives (65). P.E. credits are not considered/required. You can take single classes or more (day, evening, and independent studies). There is no high school exit exam.

GED Requirements

Other Considerations in Choosing a Diploma or GED

A GED and a high school diploma are accepted if you are applying for financial aid to attend a community college.

You can switch programs if you change your mind. Just remember that no credits for high school are given with GED classes.