Clark State Community College will begin offering ABLE and GED preparatory courses on the Leffel Lane campus in Springfield this fall semester. The Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) and General Education Development (GED) courses are new to the Leffel Lane campus location and will be held in the Student Academic Success Center on the first floor of Rhodes Hall.
“Our program has traditionally served students in our northern counties, however, we wanted to expand these services to Clark County as well,” said Brendan Greaney, coordinator for Academic Support Services at Clark State.
Ohio ABLE programs are available in all 88 Ohio counties and provide services for those who need assistance acquiring skills to be successful in post-secondary education and training and employment. “GED and ABLE are two separate programs,” said Greaney. “The GED preparation classes cover the five GED exams: science, reading, writing, math and social studies. The ABLE classes cover reading, writing and math and are primarily designed to help students better perform on our college placement test, however, they are also open to anyone who may want to improve their skills in those areas.”
Clark State also serves as a GED testing center for students interested in earning their GED.
While taking ABLE or GED courses, students will have access to all of the same services Clark State students have, including academic, career and financial aid advising. “A goal of this program is to help these students earn their GED and open up more employment options for them,” said Greaney. “This also means a more qualified workforce to meet our area employers’ needs.”
Once the ABLE or GED program is complete, Clark State also provides transition assistance to enroll in Clark State or with finding employment. “Students can very easily begin their GED journey with our programs and seamlessly transition into college after GED completion,” said Greaney.
Clark State will continue to enroll ABLE and GED students through August 22. If students are unable to enroll in time for the August session, another session will begin in October. The classes are free for the students and include instruction and materials. Funding for the program is provided through a grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education ABLE program.
Greaney said ABLE students typically complete their coursework in eight weeks, but GED students may take longer depending on scheduled testing. “Since there are four parts to the GED exam, a student may concentrate on gaining proficiency in each area,” he said.
Greaney said many students who enroll in these programs do so to improve their lives. “Since these programs are free and offer the additional wrap-around services offered through Clark State’s Student Academic Support Center, a student can see their lives drastically improved by enrolling and completing these programs,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s the student’s motivation and perseverance that helps them succeed.”