At Your Service
Adult Basic Education Center
Room 365, Fountain Square Campus
Tel: 847-214-6904
Fax: 847-931-3919
Hours: M-Th 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; F 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Fridays June - Aug.
ESL, Adult Basic Ed, GED
English as a Second Language (ESL)
English as a second language instruction can benefit any non-native English speaker, regardless of language group or nationality.
Adult Basic Education (ABE)
ABE classes include instruction in reading, math, writing, and computers and focus on improving basic skills. They are pre-college level courses designed for adults who do not have a high school diploma and are reading at less than a 9th grade reading level. Courses are not applicable toward any associate degree or vocational certificate. View classes»
Adult Secondary Education (ASE) / General Education Development (GED)
ASE classes prepare students for the General Educational Development (GED) test, the nationally accepted equivalent of a high school diploma. To enroll, students must be at least 16 years of age and must not be enrolled in an area high school. Upon successful completion of one ABE/ASE class and the GED test, students will receive free in-district tuition for one three-credit hour college class, to help them achieve their educational and career-related goals.
An introduction to GED class is required before taking a GED class. Four-week courses are held at Fountain Square Campus. In this class, students are given an overview of the GED test, registration procedures, test-taking strategies, and other GED-related skills. Official GED practice tests are administered during class to enable students to gauge their success on the GED test. Students also explore careers and learning styles. The GED classes that follow are the eight-week courses designed to prepare students to take the GED test. View classes»
Fast Track GED
If you want to attend a GED in a shorter period of time, you may want to consider the fast-track GED class, which includes the introduction to GED and GED class, but meets four days a week for six weeks - half the time of a regular GED class. To be eligible, you must have a reading level of 11.0 or higher on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) on Level D or A.
GED Internet
Do you find getting to campus difficult? Why not try GEDi and take the using the Internet in the comfort of your own home? Call 847-214-6945 for more information.
GED in Spanish
For Spanish speakers interested in earning a GED, classes are offered in Elgin and Carpentersville.
Constitution Review
This covers the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution and the U.S. flag, all of which are included in the GED test. It runs for five weeks (two days a week, two hours per session). Upon completion, the Constitution test will be given and, if passed, you will have met the Constitution requirement for the GED.
All classes are free of charge. Additionally, upon successful completion of one ABE/ASE course and the GED® test, or of the advanced level ESL classes, eligible students receive free in-district tuition for one three-credit hour class. Students attending ECC on certain types of visa are not permitted to enroll in the free adult education program.
Note: ABE/GED classes are offered at the Fountain Square Campus in Elgin, Streamwood Village Hall and in Carpentersville.
Disclosure of Federal Participation
Stevens Amendment
Approximately $197,632 (29%) of the Illinois Adult Education and Literacy Program cost at ECC is federally funded under Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.