Adult and Community Educators of Florida Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) was incorporated on August 15, 2011 in order to support the growth of Florida’s economy by helping prepare more than one million Floridians who need to improve their literacy skills, who lack a high school credential, or who need to enter postsecondary programs and obtain workforce readiness skills.
Adult and Community Educators of Florida, Inc. (“ACE”), a mutual benefit organization under Section 501 (c) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code, has a long history of providing educational programs, seminars, research and training for adult education professionals and volunteers. The Foundation will be a key partner in our shared vision to ensure that adult learners have an opportunity to become self-reliant, productive members of our communities. More than 1.2 million Floridians lack a high school diploma or struggle daily with low literacy skills. These adults need a “second chance” to enhance their learning skills through adult education. Approximately 300,000 adult students are enrolled in Adult Education programs throughout Florida.
Adult and Community Educators of Florida Foundation will help show the return on investment for giving adult education students a second chance to complete post secondary education programs. Adult Education is the foundation needed for students to build academic skills, workplace readiness and self confidence to then enter career and technical job training, vocational training or transition to community colleges, state colleges and universities.
More than 1.2 million Floridians lack a high school diploma or struggle daily with low literacy skills. Adults who choose to go back to school to earn their GED or better their literacy skills are not dumb, lazy or bad people. Many become adult students because of life circumstances beyond their control (having cerebral palsy for example), a learning disability or a choice that had to be made in order to care for their family. Adult students cannot be lumped into a group and referred to as “they had their chance.” They need that second chance to become everything they dreamed of for themselves, their family and their community.
Adult Education is the foundation needed to assist parents in obtaining the educational knowledge to become partners in the educational development of their children – parents as the first teacher. As adult education students take a more active role in their children’s education, this helps break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy.
Everyone deserves a second chance. We’ve all had one at some time in our lives. Second chances, especially when it comes to education, can be that opportunity to become self-reliant, productive members of our communities instead of simply becoming a drain on welfare programs, social services and the criminal justice system.
This second chance is done through Adult and Community Education. Approximately 300,000 adult students are enrolled in Adult Education programs throughout Florida. These are adults who will contribute to Florida’s economy. Business leaders recognize the need for an educated workforce. It is economic folly to deny these adult learners a second chance at improving their education. It is well established that the more someone learns, the greater their economic opportunity. The result is a better employee — and a worker, with a higher paycheck, who can purchase goods and services.
ACE of Florida is helping to create skilled workers who will boost the economy and Florida’s tax base.
