TABLE XII

Economic Self-Classification by Gender

Participant Educational Attainment

Following a review of data derived from the Informal Interviews and responses to the Impact Study, a designation was made for each individual reflecting the highest level of education achieved. The distribution of that data categorized on the next page in Table XIII are quite varied, denoting the “educational pathways” that are possible when participant careers are viewed in hindsight. For example, the doctoral category includes a physician who enrolled in ESL classes to prepare for the TESOL exam and the ABE + training category includes a participant who has not achieved a GED but is currently training for the ministry.

Fourteen participants or 20 percent of the study sample had not attained a GED or adult high school diploma at the time of their interviews. One of these participants who had a high school diploma upon program entry despite a second grade reading level was able to complete mandated company training. Twenty-eight participants (40 percent of sample members) received their GED or adult high school diploma but had no additional formal education.

Twenty-eight participants (40 percent of the study sample) entered college and half of these received associate, bachelors or advanced degrees. The remaining 14 higher education enrollees attended college but did not complete any degree program although half of them are still collecting college credits. A more detailed accounting of participants’ continuing formal and informal educ ation can be found in Chapter V.