Adult General Education (AGE)

The Adult General Education (AGE) program in Miami-Dade County is required to follow the performance-based funding guidelines outlined by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). Performance-based funding is an accountability system with a built-in incentive structure that encourages progress toward certain established goals and performance objectives with periodic measurements of progress.

This program is designed to provide opportunities for adults to improve their basic skills. The program is aimed at students functioning below the ninth grade level. There are four components as follows:

• Adult Basic Education (ABE) focuses on reading, writing, and/or math. Improving basic skill levels gives students the opportunity to continue studies. Students entering the program and wishing to study are required to take a placement test called the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) to assess the student’s academic needs.
• Students functioning at literacy grade levels between 6-9 are enrolled in Adult Basic Education class.

• These studies are in the General Education Development (GED) program, which prepares students to take an examination to obtain a high school diploma. Coursework covers language arts, reading, writing, science, and social studies. In addition to academics, coursework may incorporate workplace skills which in turn can lead to more productive employment opportunities.  Students are required to take a pre-GED placement test.
• Students who want to study English As A Second Language (ESOL) are required to take a placement test called the Comprehensive Adult Students Assessment Systems (CASAS).

• In addition, citizenship classes are available to prepare students to take the examination to become a U.S. citizen.