ADULT LEARNERS IN

& THE GED NASHVILLE…

Some city-wide information…

Population
 Census numbers – what we have in just Davidson Co.
 Nearly 500,000 adults 18 years and older
 80,000, or 16% of adult population w/o HS diploma
 Nearly 15,000 of 80,000 are aged 18-24 OR 19%
 Thus nearly 80% are 25 years and older.

 Two levels: ABL and GED learner

 55,000 ABL learners (less than 6th grade reading level)
 25,000 GED learners
People in programs
 NALC serves mainly ABL (must happen before
GED level ready).
 NALC & city-wide, we’re serving an estimated
2,500 ABL per year (or 4.5% of potential 55,000)
 For 2010, 767 earned their GED in Davidson Co.;
939 took the OPT (served 4% of potential 25,000)
 For the past 3 years, 2,022 have earned their GED
while 3,311 have taken the OPT.
 “Attainment rate” 3 yr. average: 61%
 GED attainment rates
Tennessee
16-18 19-24 25-44 45-59 60 and older Totals

2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010

Students receiving
3,806 3,593 2,737 5,069 5,677 4,902 4,846 11,541 5,423 714 1,051 944 98 77 82 14,533 21,939 14,088
a Practice test

GEDs Obtained 2,735 2,016 3099* 3,919 3,696 3,747 3,260 3,353 3,433 495 521 531 52 39 45 13,099 11,722 11,805

Davidson County
16-18 19-24 25-44 45-59 60 and older Totals

2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010 3 yr

Students receiving
200 170 109 361 375 312 369 779 448 42 66 65 6 4 5 978 1,394 939 3,311
a Practice test

GEDs Obtained 103 76 146* 267 266 316 240 250 279 25 24 24 2 2 2 637 618 767 2,022

Attainment rate: 51.50% 44.71% * 73.96% 70.93% * 65.04% 32.09% 62.28% 59.52% 36.36% 36.92% 33.33% 50.00% 40.00% 65.13% 44.33% 81.68% 61.07%

3 yr attainment 37.37% 81.01% 48.18% 42.20% 40.00%

* This number reflects students that took the practice test in 2009 and the GED test in 2010
What can we do?
 Collaborate more closely and increase networking
capacity of GED providers in the city.
 This leads to greater support systems for BOTH
providers and students (e.g. PD, student attainment
rates, postsecondary opportunities – TELS $$$).
 Adapt programs to the specific needs of different
students (e.g. technology with younger students,
scheduling/transportation issues with full time
working students). Very “customer-service
oriented.”
 Locate programs strategically (see map)…
Credits
 Image on 1st slide used under Creative Commons
License – Frank Kehren, photographer.
 Population information:
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US4752006&-qr
_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_S1501&-ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_&-redoLog
=false

http://www.brookings.edu/metro/StateOfMetroAmerica/Profile.aspx?fips=34980#/?fip
s=34980&viewfips=34980C&subject=6&ind=68&year=2009&geo=city
 GED attainment rates: Center for Literacy Studies,
UT Knoxville