Metro North Adult Basic Education earns $100K grant to support English Learners
Metro North Adult Basic Education (ABE) – Columbia Heights/Fridley – was recently selected as a recipient of an Integrated English Literacy and Civics grant from the Minnesota Department of Education, in the amount of $100K for 2017-18 with the possibility of renewal for 2018-19.
Metro North ABE currently offers an English as a Second Language (ESL) program for adults in six levels, at the Adult Education Center located in Columbia Heights/Fridley. Thanks to the grant, Metro North ABE will add a level of ESL programming for adults at the Columbia Heights/Fridley location - beginning this September.
“The new grant will equip us with the tools and resources to not only improve and increase each learner’s reading and English skills, but also include civics instruction focused on rights and responsibilities as a United States citizen; build soft workplace skills; develop digital literacy and leadership skills; and learn about small business development. Learners will find these skills useful whether they want to pursue being a valuable employee or opening their own small business as an entrepreneur,” said Kathleen Moriarty, supervisor at the Adult Education Center - Columbia Heights/Fridley.
In order to meet requirements of the grant, the Metro North ABE class must include integrated education and training, along with English literacy and civics instruction. “The ESL learners that we serve at this site location are often not at a high enough English reading level to access current career pathway offerings, but many of these learners have a diploma or college degree from their home country,” Moriarty explained. “Many of these talented, creative learners have an interest in small business development, and entrepreneurial skill development will be the focus for the integrated education and training component of the grant.”
Moriarty had surveyed current students last spring to learn what skills would be most valuable for future students.
Survey results found that 71 percent of learners surveyed were interested in receiving training on how to start a small business. The types of businesses that learners were interested in starting included restaurants, bakeries, auto sales, jewelry making, translation companies, carpentry, laundromats, day care centers, clothing shops, bookstores, coffee shops, and markets – among others.
“For the students who are serious about wanting to start their own business, we will now be able to offer this ‘bridge’ training program, which will link our students up with community business partners and organizations to access the additional training and mentorship opportunities that would be useful for them to be successful in the workforce,” Moriarty said.
Metro North ABE plans to launch the new program in September. For more information about this class offering, please call: 763-706-3833.