Earning a high school equivalency degree can gain a better quality of life for students. It can also help employees progress in their jobs to earn more money.
Not everyone had the opportunity to graduate from their high school. Some had life commitments such as having children, caring for injured or sick family members, or going to work to help pay family bills. For those adults, it is time to come back to school.
The Adult Education (AE) program at Doña Ana Community College (DACC) continues to educate students of all ages just as it has for the past 30 years. Adults have the opportunity to complete a basic 12th grade education. After earning a high school equivalency credential they can choose to attend the community college or the university. Some will be eligible for the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship. A transition advisor assists all students who apply for college admission.
High School Equivalency (HSE) classes include students who have been released from the public schools and are 16 years old or older. DACC adult learning centers prepare students to successfully pass all of the required sections of the high school equivalency tests including mathematics, reading/writing, social studies, and science in either English or Spanish. Students who attend Spanish classes enroll in and attend English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Tutors are available at all adult learning centers.
AE provides a variety of educational programs and student support services to help individuals. Instructional programs are free including classes, services and textbooks. Classes include:
• Family literacy
• English as a Second Language
• English Language/Civics
• College preparation
• United States citizenship
• Computer literacy and
• Work readiness
Practical living skills, employment and training, and student success principles are emphasized throughout the AE curriculum. Student support services include basic skills assessments, student orientations, self-paced studies, advising, referral services, student success skills, tutoring on an individual and small-group basis, and assistance with college transition. Practice tests for HSE, and online learning programs are also available.
There are five DACC Adult Education sites, call any for more information:
Chaparral Learning Center 575 824-2010
Gadsden Learning Center 575 882-6813
Mesquite Neighborhood Learning Center at Workforce Center 575 528-7479
Quintana Learning Center at the Espina Campus 575 527-7540
Sunland Park Learning Center 575 874-7790
HSE previously known as the General Education Development (GED ®) was established in 1942 to help educate veterans returning from World War II. It now has the role of educating students to a high school credential to attain the necessary skills to compete in a global economy.
