An instructor from St. Vrain Valley Adult Education School, who did not want to give her name, helps Rin Chea from Cambodia with some of his English homework. In the background, Suzannah Harris helps Saul Castro from Mexico with his work. A recent report indicated that about 7 percent of Boulder County adults cannot read well enough to understand newspapers or brochures. At St. Vrain Valley Adult Education School, instruction is given for adult basic and secondary education in a lab setting rather than in classes.Adult Education School helps adults become literate, earn diplomas
By Victoria A.F. Camron
Longmont Times-Call
LONGMONT — During the year that Rin Chea studied English in his native Cambodia, he mostly learned to read and write the language.
Since the 32-year-old immigrated to the United States 13 months ago, though, he needs to become literate and fluent in English, he said.
“I want to enter college here,” he said Wednesday while studying at the St. Vrain Valley School District’s Adult Education School on Bowen Street.
A banker in Cambodia, Chea hopes to study accounting here as well, he said.
Chea is one of about 260 students enrolled at the center this year, according to the school district’s enrollment report. Anyone older than 17 who does not have a high school diploma can enroll in the program.
Ardith Loustalet, the school’s English as a Second Language coordinator, said about half the school’s students are English-language learners; the other half speak English as their native language but aren’t literate.
“(They are) adults from all walks of life who for some reason did not complete their education,” Loustalet said. “Here, they’re going to find individual instruction, and that satisfies a whole world of needs.”
A National Center for Education Statistics study released this month estimated that 7 percent of Boulder County residents age 16 or older lack “basic prose literacy,” meaning they cannot understand pamphlets or even printed television listings.
The National Assessment of Adult Literacy estimated that 14 percent of Weld County residents age 16 or older are similarly illiterate; the state-wide estimate is 10 percent.
Of the students enrolled at the Adult Education School, 50 percent are Hispanic, 45 percent are white and 5 percent are other minorities, according to the St. Vrain Valley School District.
Many students are between the ages of 24 and 40, but the number of those younger than 21 is increasing, said Mary Willoughby, coordinator of the Adult Education School.
“We like to say we are doing a better job of finding those high school dropouts,” Loustalet said.
Often, high school counselors direct the dropouts to the program, Willoughby said.
Saul Castro, 20, grew up in Mexico and moved to Longmont about six years ago. He attended Skyline High School for his freshman and sophomore years but dropped out to work, he said.
He was working in landscaping but recently was laid off, Castro said.
Three months ago, he began studying at the Adult Education School.
“I want to graduate ... because I get better job and learn English,” Castro said.
Both Chea and Castro are enrolled in what the school calls “High School I,” which offers individualized programs in basic reading, writing and math.
A standardized placement test determines the level at which the student starts.
Marcia Bettger, who manages the High School I level, said 37 percent of the school’s students read at or below the fifth-grade level. In math, 90 percent of the students test at or below fifth grade, she said.
“We need to help students and get them up so they can manage in life,” she said.
When students enroll at the school, Bettger helps them determine their schedule and set goals, both large and small. She tries to understand why they dropped out of school previously and helps them overcome the same obstacles, she said.
The instructors encourage the students along the way and celebrate when they reach a goal.
A good student who has time to study can complete two levels a year, Loustalet said.
“It’s self-paced, so a student doesn’t have to keep up with a crowd like they did at school,” Loustalet said.
When students reach the equivalent of a seventh-grade reading level, they move on to “High School II,” where they can earn their high school diplomas.
Victoria Camron can be reached at 303-684-5226 or vcamron@times-call.com.
By Victoria A.F. Camron
Longmont Times-Call
LONGMONT — During the year that Rin Chea studied English in his native Cambodia, he mostly learned to read and write the language.
Since the 32-year-old immigrated to the United States 13 months ago, though, he needs to become literate and fluent in English, he said.
“I want to enter college here,” he said Wednesday while studying at the St. Vrain Valley School District’s Adult Education School on Bowen Street.
A banker in Cambodia, Chea hopes to study accounting here as well, he said.
Chea is one of about 260 students enrolled at the center this year, according to the school district’s enrollment report. Anyone older than 17 who does not have a high school diploma can enroll in the program.
Ardith Loustalet, the school’s English as a Second Language coordinator, said about half the school’s students are English-language learners; the other half speak English as their native language but aren’t literate.
“(They are) adults from all walks of life who for some reason did not complete their education,” Loustalet said. “Here, they’re going to find individual instruction, and that satisfies a whole world of needs.”
A National Center for Education Statistics study released this month estimated that 7 percent of Boulder County residents age 16 or older lack “basic prose literacy,” meaning they cannot understand pamphlets or even printed television listings.
The National Assessment of Adult Literacy estimated that 14 percent of Weld County residents age 16 or older are similarly illiterate; the state-wide estimate is 10 percent.
Of the students enrolled at the Adult Education School, 50 percent are Hispanic, 45 percent are white and 5 percent are other minorities, according to the St. Vrain Valley School District.
Many students are between the ages of 24 and 40, but the number of those younger than 21 is increasing, said Mary Willoughby, coordinator of the Adult Education School.
“We like to say we are doing a better job of finding those high school dropouts,” Loustalet said.
Often, high school counselors direct the dropouts to the program, Willoughby said.
Saul Castro, 20, grew up in Mexico and moved to Longmont about six years ago. He attended Skyline High School for his freshman and sophomore years but dropped out to work, he said.
He was working in landscaping but recently was laid off, Castro said.
Three months ago, he began studying at the Adult Education School.
“I want to graduate ... because I get better job and learn English,” Castro said.
Both Chea and Castro are enrolled in what the school calls “High School I,” which offers individualized programs in basic reading, writing and math.
A standardized placement test determines the level at which the student starts.
Marcia Bettger, who manages the High School I level, said 37 percent of the school’s students read at or below the fifth-grade level. In math, 90 percent of the students test at or below fifth grade, she said.
“We need to help students and get them up so they can manage in life,” she said.
When students enroll at the school, Bettger helps them determine their schedule and set goals, both large and small. She tries to understand why they dropped out of school previously and helps them overcome the same obstacles, she said.
The instructors encourage the students along the way and celebrate when they reach a goal.
A good student who has time to study can complete two levels a year, Loustalet said.
“It’s self-paced, so a student doesn’t have to keep up with a crowd like they did at school,” Loustalet said.
When students reach the equivalent of a seventh-grade reading level, they move on to “High School II,” where they can earn their high school diplomas.
Victoria Camron can be reached at 303-684-5226 or vcamron@times-call.com.
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