Adult Education is authorized by Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-128) and adheres to an annually approved State Plan. This plan is an agreement between the state of South Carolina and the federal government to assure that the state’s administration of adult education and family literacy programs is consistent with the authorizing legislation. The mission of adult education in South Carolina is to (1) assist adults in becoming literate and obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency, (2) assist adults who are parents to obtain the educational skills necessary for them to become full partners in the educational development of their children, and (3) assist adults in the completion of a secondary-school credential.
Program Statutory Requirements
In addition to SC state regulations 43-237.1, 43-259, 43-234, and 43-229, South Carolina Adult Education programs must adhere to the Federal requirements for subgrantees. This includes statutory requirements and stipulations regarding performance measures, program intensity and duration, hours of participation, and recruitment and retention.
Program Administration & Management
Adult Education Programs provide a variety of components including Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED), High School Diploma (HSD), National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), English as a Second Language (ESL), Family Literacy (FL), as well as district requested services and Community Education courses. Each program sets guidelines for program participants, program staff and staff orientation.
Program Monitoring
Under the mandate of the SC State Plan for Adult Education and Family Literacy, the Office of Career Readiness - Adult Education Section must assign a compliance monitoring team to all school district programs and community-based organizations (CBOs) receiving federal funds and/or state aid to support approved adult learning services. The compliance monitoring process evaluates quality indicators in the following focus areas: administration, professional development, data collection and analysis, orientation and intake process, standardized assessment, student exit and follow-up, student records, record keeping and curriculum and instruction, career pathways, and financial monitoring. The compliance monitoring process also monitors career pathway creation based on the employment needs of the local providers Workforce Development Region (WDR).
To assure comparability across the state and adherence to National Reporting System (NRS) guidelines, the South Carolina Office of Career Readiness - Adult Education Section established policies to govern the assessment process. Prior to implementation, the SC Adult Education Assessment Policy is submitted annually to the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) for federal approval. Programs are also monitored for adherence to this policy.