Kentucky Adult Education

Kentucky Adult Education funds adult education centers in all 120 counties to improve an individual’s ability to read, write and speak in English and function effectively in the workplace, family and society. 

Services are provided locally by school systems, community and technical colleges, community-based organizations, educational cooperatives, universities or local government.

All services described below are free.

Adult education services provide academic skills instruction, GED preparation and reading instruction for eligible adults.  Adult education assists adults in improving educational attainment levels and successfully entering employment and continuing education.  The instruction may also include life skills, employability skills and computer literacy.

ESL instruction is provided to adults who want to become more fluent in English, pass U.S. citizenship tests and work on job-seeking skills. 

English language/civics programs in targeted counties help students acquire the skills and knowledge to become U.S. citizens.

In family literacy, multiple generations within a family learn together to help parents participate as full partners in their children’s education, promote interactive literacy activities between parents and their children and prepare adults and children for success in education and life.

Kentucky Adult Education provides learning opportunities onsite at businesses so current and prospective employees can improve their basic reading, math, team-building and communication skills – as well as GED readiness.  Employees gain confidence, and employers gain more valuable, satisfied workers.

Many businesses are riding the new wave of education with adult education SkillMobiles, state-of-the-art mobile computer labs for onsite workforce education.

With the help of Kentucky Department of Corrections, Kentucky Community and Technical College System and federal funds, KYAE provides adult education in state prisons and local jails.  In addition to adult basic education services, this program provides appropriate life skills courses.

Eligible adults can learn anywhere, anytime, at their convenience through Kentucky Virtual Adult Education.  This distance learning technology is the first of its kind in the nation.

KYAE is committed to moving more GED graduates on to postsecondary education.  The percentage of GED graduates who went on to college increased from 12 percent in 1998 to 19 percent in 2002.