How To
Instructional Programs
Adult Education Instructional Programs are free to residents of Connecticut. Adults wishing to enroll in classes that meet their needs should contact their local Adult Education Provider. A list of Adult Education Providers, their contact information and the services they offer ian be found in the Adult Education Directory.
Elementary School Completion / Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Connecticut offers classes that assist adults with improving English Language skills, preparing for U.S. Citizenship, improving academic skills or acquiring a high school credential. These classes are designed for the adult who needs assistance with basic academic skills in preparation for a high school credential program.
Secondary School Completion
Connecticut Adult Education offers three distinct pathways for adults to attain a high school diploma.
- Credit Diploma Program (CDP):
Students take the courses for which credit is needed. The coursework will be based on the transcript from the previously-attended high school. Connecticut currently requires 25 credits for graduation. Upon completion of the coursework, the local district issues a diploma.
- General Educational Development (GED):
The GED is a four-part examination. Applicants must be at minimum 17 years of age and officially withdrawn from school for at least six months. Individuals who pass the GED Tests are awarded a Connecticut State High School Diploma. GED instructional programs, provided throughout the state in local school districts and a variety of other instructional sites, help individuals to prepare for this rigorous examination.
- National External Diploma Program (NEDP):
This program provides a secondary school credential designed for adults who have achieved skills through life experiences and demonstrated competence in a particular job, talent or academic area. The NEDP is an online portfolio assessment program that offers no classroom instruction. An adult who successfully completes the portfolio assessment, as required, is awarded a high school diploma by the local district.
Americanization/Citizenship
Instruction assists foreign-born adults who wish to become United States citizens. Persons completing this program are prepared to pursue citizenship through the prescribed process of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Instruction is designed for adults whose native language is not English. ESL programs assist individuals to improve their English skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in order to find or maintain employment, attain citizenship, become more involved with their children’s schooling and make greater use of community resources. Instruction is provided in English as a unifying means of serving the broad ethnic diversity of limited-English-speaking adults.