The Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Adult Education Program is a gateway to a brighter future for adult learners. The program offers free basic reading, writing and math skills, high school equivalency (HSE) preparation classes for both options, GED and HiSET and English as a Second Language (ESL).
The program provides a supportive environment for adult learners to pursue an education, earn credentials through short-term training and receive community-based support and resources to assist in a variety of situations. Read more here.
Eric Smart, a deaf adult learner, enrolled in the Adult Education program and wants to make it more accessible for others in his community.
Smart volunteers with Caring Works Hope House, which is a peer support group for deaf people struggling with addictions. Previously, Smart had issues getting cleared for accommodations and finding testing centers where learning was accessible.
Smart shared with us how working with the APS Adult Education Program gave him a chance to succeed and his goal to make the experience better for others.
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Q: How was your experience in the APS Adult Education Program?
A: This is actually a really good school. I feel like everyone is very friendly and nice. The principal was friendly as well. I feel like I can connect well with everyone. But it’s been a real struggle to get an interpreter for me for access. I feel a little bit stuck and I feel that barrier in learning because I don’t have access to language. So, I try my best online to get the learning that I need, and the teachers have been really patient with me, teaching me, working with me, and supporting me through the process.
Q: How did APS support you?
A: I’ve taken language courses and English and that’s been a challenge. When I went to take the test for the first time, I didn’t have accommodation with an interpreter, so I failed that first test. So, I tried it again, and they asked me, ‘Can you read lips?’ and that felt a little bit off for me because I prefer writing… I talked to the principal about this, and she told me not to worry about it and that we would find a test center that maybe will be better than the ones we’ve been to so far because they were a very negative experience. We tried again at another one with the 25% extension time. Once I did that, I got 100% and it was not a problem.
Q: What do you hope to achieve once you finish the Adult Education program?
A: My goal is mentorship and peer support. My goal is really to break down barriers so that we can have access to get help in whatever we need education-wise and counseling. There are many barriers to accessing what we need and what we want in those areas. I volunteer for Hope House. It is a peer support group for deaf people struggling with addictions. I really want to encourage a lot of them to come here, but before I go into that, I really want to focus on breaking down a lot of the barriers that I’ve experienced here. Being able to provide interpreters and things of that nature so when the other people come, they can have a better experience all-around in that area.