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Heartland Community College Adult Ed In Jeopardy

Heartland Community College has been holding high school equivalency classes and english as a second language courses without getting paid by the state.

Heartland's Adult Education Director Tammy Truitt says some community colleges are ending their adult-ed offerings. Heartland is not. They are cutting instructors, increasing class sizes, and cutting time in classes. Truitt says this is very frustrating.

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And she says this will affect students, forcing them to take longer to get through the material.

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She also says it's likely some single moms will be forced to drop out of High School Equivalency classes because the college will no longer be able to provide child care.

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Truitt says the budget standoff prevents more than 800 students from adding to the tax base through employment and keeps them needing public services.

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Heartland Community College was supposed to get a $558,000 state grant. So far, nothing.

Heartland Adult Ed had 584 GED students last year and 452 ESL students, many of whom already have college credentials from other countries, but simply need language skills to step into good jobs.

WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.
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