STATE OF ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA/GED®/HISET®
These classes are pre-college courses for adults whose reading or math skills are between the 9th- and 12th-grade levels. Adult Secondary Education (ASE) classes help adults build the skills they need for work and independent living. These classes also prepare students to pass a nationally recognized high school equivalency test, either the GED® or HiSET®. ASE classes are offered in both English and Spanish.
These courses are for:
- Adults who do not have a high school diploma or GED and want to earn the State of Illinois High School Diploma
- Adults who are learning English and want to improve their language skills
- Adults who do not have a high school diploma or GED and whose reading or math skills are below the 12th-grade level and want to improve skills in reading, math, writing, or computers
To enroll, you must be at least 16 years old and not currently enrolled in high school. If you are under 18, you must provide documents showing that you are not required to attend high school under Illinois law.
Adults who live in Illinois and are not on a limited or temporary visa may enroll in ABEC’s free classes. Adults on temporary visas, such as student, visitor, or au pair visas, cannot enroll in the free program because federal rules do not allow them to receive these services. A tuition-based Intensive English program is available for English language learners on these visas.
To begin the application process, interested adults should visit Building K or apply online at elgin.edu/adulteducation. All students take a placement test so they can be placed in the right class level. New students also attend an orientation to learn about the program and ask questions.
Classes are offered on campus and at other locations in the district. Online classes are also available. These classes do not count toward a college degree or certificate.
After successfully completing one adult education class (ABE, ASE, AMT, or ARW), students may receive a tuition waiver for one three-credit-hour college class. To qualify, students must submit their State of Illinois High School Diploma transcript from the Regional Office of Education to ABEC and must live or work in the district
Stevens Amendment (FY26): Approximately $620,695 (37%) of the Illinois Adult Education and Literacy Program cost at Elgin Community College is federally funded under Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.
AMT 050 Low ASE Math V A (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A math course emphasizing the real number system; algebraic expressions, equations, and inequalities; functions; modeling; geometry; and statistics and probability.This course is repeatable 3 times.(1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Not Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score or successful completion (CR) in AMT-040 or AMT-045. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
AMT 051 Low ASE Math V A in Spanish (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A math course emphasizing algebraic expressions, equations, polynomials, inequalities and functions. Course will be taught in Spanish. This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
AMT 055 Low ASE Math V B (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A math course emphasizing geometry to include properties of angles, slopes, circles and volume. This course also includes the basics of statistics and probability. This course is repeatable 3 times (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
AMT 056 Low ASE Math V B in Spanish (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A math course emphasizing geometry to include properties of angles, slopes, circles and volume. This course also includes the basics of statistics and probability. Course will be taught in Spanish. This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
AMT 060 High ASE Math VI (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A math course designed to cover a combination of intermediate algebra and geometry. The content will also include basic trigonometry as well as rules for probability. This course is repeatable 3 times.(1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
AMT 061 High ASE Math VI in Spanish (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A math course designed to cover a combination of intermediate algebra and geometry. The content will also include basic trigonometry as well as rules for probability. Course will be taught in Spanish. This course is repeatable 3 times.(1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
ARW 051 Low ASE Read/Writ Content Area V Span (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A course in reading development for content-specific vocabulary acquisition, comprehension in literature, and source texts-History/Social Studies, Science/Technical Subjects, Functional/Workplace Skills. Knowledge gained from reading will be integrated in passage writing that encompasses a range of tasks, purpose and audience. The emphasis on writing will include discipline-specific tasks requiring the mastery of complex sentence structures utilizing the eight basic parts of speech. Students will learn to extract content-based evidence by analyzing arguments and organizing and gathering evidence found in source text. Course will be taught in Spanish. This course is repeatable 3 times.(1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
ARW 060 High ASE Reading/Writ Content Area Vi (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A course in reading development for content-specific vocabulary acquisition, comprehension in literature, and source texts-History/Social Studies, Science/Technical Subjects, Functional/Workplace Skills. Knowledge gained from reading will be integrated in passage writing that encompasses a range of tasks, purpose and audience. Students will refine literacy skills to extract content-based evidence by analyzing, organizing and gathering evidence found in source text. This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
ARW 061 High ASE Read/Writ Content Area Vi Span (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) A course in reading development for content-specific vocabulary acquisition, comprehension in literature, and source texts-History/Social Studies, Science/Technical Subjects, Functional/Workplace Skills. Knowledge gained from reading will be integrated in passage writing that encompasses a range of tasks, purpose and audience. Students will refine literacy skills to extract content-based evidence by analyzing, organizing and gathering evidence found in source text. Course will be taught in Spanish. This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S. high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer
ASE 050 Introduction to Healthcare Professions (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) This course will prepare adult education students to begin training for targeted healthcare career programs. Students will learn the responsibilities of different healthcare professions and the specific academic requirements to enter those fields. This includes how to prepare for the PSB-HOA (Healthcare Occupational Aptitude Test), which is a requirement for entry to many healthcare programs. The course will emphasize time management, study skills, and test taking strategies along with the teamwork and communication skills required in the healthcare workplace. The course will develop reading and writing skills using content that is contextualized for the healthcare professions. The course will provide opportunities to practice the digital literacy skills necessary for academic coursework. This course is repeatable 3 times.(1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test and departmental consent are required.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
ASE 052 Introduction to Early Childhood Educ Pro (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) Students will gain knowledge of the career pathways and educational/vocational requirements in the field of Early Childhood Education. Through contextualized instruction, students will expand their oral and written skills, be introduced to legal and cultural issues in the field, and reflect on themselves as potential Early Childhood Education professionals. This course is repeatable 3 times.(1.9) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Co-enrollment in an approved adult education course and departmental consent.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
ASE 056 Intro to Industrial Arts Careers (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) This course is designed for students who are interested in manufacturing careers and are concurrently working to improve basic skills through enrollment in the adult secondary education program. Students will have a reading or math level between a 9.0 and 12.9 G.L.E. and will be lacking a high school diploma. A small number of ESL students may be served who have transitioned into the ABE program, have the equivalency of a high school diploma, but have limited English language skills. Students will explore the requirements, expectations, and outlook for different careers in industrial arts. Students will work on modules in academic success, career awareness, and career development while developing the basic academic and soft skills necessary for success in a manufacturing program of study. Self-assessment and review of skills will assist students with planning a path toward their short term and long term goals.This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Co-enrollment in an approved adult education course and departmental consent.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
ASE 062 Contextualized ASE (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) Students will gain the academic skills, occupational knowledge, and communication skills necessary for successful transition to study in their chosen career field. Instruction will include study skills and career self-assessment.This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test and departmental consent.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
ASE 072 Thriving in the Workplace (.5-6)(.5,0)
(.5-6, 0) Students will gain the necessary attitudes, behaviors, and skills required by employers to be successful in the workplace.This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test and departmental consent.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
ASE 097 GED Review in Spanish (.5-6)(.5,0)
The General Educational Development (GED) Review in Spanish prepares Spanish-speaking adults to pass the state high school equivalency exams: Language Arts: Reading, Language Arts: Writing, Social Studies, Science and Math. Government age specifications must be met for GED testing.This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Varies
ASE 099 GED Review (.5-6)(.5,0)
The General Educational Development (GED) Review class prepares adults to pass the state high school diploma equivalency exams: Language Arts: Reading; Language Arts: Writing; Social Studies; Science; and Math. Government age specifications must be met for GED testing.This course is repeatable 3 times. (1.8) Proficiency Credit Not Available Pass/No Credit Available.
In-District Tuition/Fees: $0 (effective 2026/27 academic year)
In-district tuition rates are subject to change based on Board approval.
Prerequisite: Appropriate adult education placement test score. No U.S high school diploma or U.S. high school equivalency certificate.
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring and Summer