Almost one out of six Mississippi adults lacks a high school diploma. That’s the highest rate in the nation.
Mississippi Delta Community College, though, is working hard to address the problem, says Chris Lee, director of adult education for the two-year college.
It’s doing so by focusing beyond merely helping someone pass a high school equivalency test.
“We do so much more than just GED preparation,” Lee told the Greenwood Rotary Club Tuesday, referring to the most commonly known exam taken by those who didn’t finish high school to certify they have mastered high-school-level academic skills.
“We prepare these individuals to come out into the community and be contributing members to our society.”
MDCC offers adult education programs at the school’s main campus in Moorhead, two locations in Greenville and the college’s Greenwood Center. By far, Lee said, the Greenwood site is the top-drawing location for adult education. Of the 101 students overall currently enrolled in the program, 40 of them are at the Greenwood Center.
“I have so many students over there, I’ve got to find a place to put them. I recently had to open up an additional classroom,” he said.
Students studying to take the GED test or the similar HiSET exam are also able to enroll in career and technical training offered by MDCC if they can handle the demands of doing both, Lee said.
Mississippi joined Texas as the first two states to offer a fully online option for students who can’t take adult education classes during the day.
MDCC in the past semester had the highest number of online participants in the state, according to Lee.
Those who complete the adult education program don’t just stop there. For the past decade, about 95% have gone on to further their education at MDCC.
There is no cost to participate in the adult education program other than possibly the registration fee to take the GED or HiSET tests. All instruction as well as books and supplies are provided free to the students. In some cases, students qualify for vouchers that cover the cost of the high school equivalency tests.
The majority of the adult education students, according to Lee, range in age from 19 to 30, but there have been “senior” learners as well. Two years ago, three of the students in Greenwood were women in their 70s. In Moorhead this semester, five female students are in their 50s.
Lee said besides improving the lives of people whose potential was curtailed by dropping out of school, the program aims to address a common complaint from employers that Mississippi doesn’t have enough skilled workers. “Adult education is trying to close that gap,” he said.
- Contact Tim Kalich at 662-581-7243 or tkalich@gwcommonwealth.com.
