About Us

About Us

The Richardson ISD Adult Education and Literacy Program offers Adult Basic Education (ABE), High School Equivalency (HSE), and English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes, ranging from intro to advanced level. RISD’s AEL programs include components of workforce literacy, job skills readiness, and family literacy. We integrate financial literacy into our Thursday class schedule, as part of our El Civics instruction. Currently, due to the pandemic, all classes are remote. We will carefully consider face-to-face instruction for next school year.

The AEL program offers high school equivalency preparation classes in English and Spanish Monday-Thursday, and a Saturday GED class for students who work but and are unable to attend during the week. HSE classes include computer literacy to provide students the computer skills needed to take the computerized official examination. All enrolled students join classes based on their educational functioning level (EFL). Classes are multi-level to include ABE and ASE students. There is some incentive for students to complete the official high school equivalency test, as the Dallas Public Library will provide free test vouchers.

The HSE program utilizes Essential Education’s GED Academy. As a supplement, instructors use McGraw Hill Common Core Basics for HSE students and Common Core Achieve for ASE students. This curriculum utilizes a content-based approach and aligns with the common core state standards. The four content areas are reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies

ELA classes include many options to either prepare students to further their education by obtaining a HSE certificate, enrolling in post-secondary education, becoming self-employed or becoming gainfully employed in the workforce. Students must identify these goals during the orientation and assessment process.

Although students join classes based on the level identified through the National Rating System’s (NRS) functioning level, it will be necessary for instructors to assess student needs further to determine student skill levels.

● Instruction will be adapted to fit the needs and levels of the customers served.

● Classroom instruction includes the implementation of basic skill activities, student-identified topics of interest, workforce readiness and real life materials. Instructors will facilitate instruction by using Burlington English and USA Learns, both of which are Distance Learning platforms. The lessons will include grammar, life stories, and everyday conversation based on research to include phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, fluency and reading comprehension. Using research-based practice, the instructors utilize whole group. There is an opportunity for small group instruction in our virtual breakout rooms.

We offer classes weekly from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday. All students must take the BEST Plus (a speaking test), and if appropriate, a writing test during the registration process. After 60 hours of instruction, students must take a progress test to determine their level of progress. Staff will make the recommendation for students to remain in the same level, or move to the next level. Again, the goal of the program is to get people to work, enroll them in college, or assist them in obtaining a certification.

In addition to ESL and HSE classes, we work with the community colleges to offer Integrated Education and Training Programs. RISD offers a Microsoft Office Specialist Program and is the testing site for students in our program. Students who complete the training will be required to take the certification test. Those who successfully pass the test will receive a certification.

For more information about the services we provide or enrolling in our classes, please or text us at 469-444-2332.