Why LearningQuest Exists
Our county needs LearningQuest because of the challenges we have in terms of poverty and lack of education.
- 37.1% of population is not in the labor force
- 1 in 2.7 is receiving some sort of public assistance
- 13.4% of our adult population has less than a 9th grade education
- 1 in 5 high school students failed to graduate
- 22% drop out of school and 14.4% of the adult population did not attend high school
- 77.8% have a high school diploma compared to 86.4% average in US
- 11.6% have a bachelor’s degree
Stanislaus County adults need remedial education leading to a minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalency in order to get a job or get a better job with a living wage. There is a lack of resources in our county. We are one of only four entities offering classes to prepare for the high school equivalency test and one of only two offering instruction in Spanish.
Our agency is also the only provider of adult basic literacy (non-readers to 7th grade level) for English speaking adults. The need for literacy was demonstrated through workforce testing conducted at two manufacturing plants which found that, out of 1,000 applicants, 26% read between 4th and 7th grade level and 25% below a 4th grade level. Our agency has found success in providing individualized tutoring in English using volunteers, and in providing ESL classes in the neighborhoods most in need of services.