Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Adult Secondary Education (ASE)
High School Equivalency (HSE)

Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE) programs are designed to provide learners with the foundational and academic skills needed to complete a High School Equivalency (HSE) exam, such as the GED®, HiSET, or TASC. In Illinois, learners are awarded a State of Illinois High School Diploma upon the successful completion of an HSE exam.

Learners are placed into ABE or ASE based on standardized testing.

Adult Basic Education (ABE) is designed to bring a student from at or below a first-grade through the eighth-grade competency level. Courses may include basic literacy skills; workforce/employability skills; career exploration/awareness skills; workplace literacy; family literacy; and Bridge training.

Adult Secondary Education (ASE) is designed to bring a student from the ninth grade through the twelfth-grade competency level. The curriculum may include courses in general academic and intellectual skills, with focused instruction on subject areas for the HSE exams.

For more information about ABE/ASE or the HSE choose one of the links below:

Illinois Adult Education Directory »
Visit the Adult Education Hotline's online directory to find an ABE/ASE program in your area.

Illinois Community College Board: High School Equivalency »
Visit ICCB's homepage for High School Equivalency for more information about HSE guidelines in Illinois.

Illinois PDN: Excellence in Adult Education »
Visit the Illinois Professional Development Network's site for upcoming PD opportunities.