What is Adult Basic Education?

Not all students are ready to start coursework at MCTC. If your college placement scores indicate placement at the ABE level, you need additional work before starting college classes. The Minneapolis Adult Education Program offers free courses on the MCTC campus as well as other sites to help you improve your current skills.

How to know if you need ABE classes

If your college placement scores indicate placement at the ABE level, you will need to take ABE courses. You must complete these courses before you can move forward in the MCTC curriculum.

For example, before you can take Math 60, Preparing for Algebra, you must take ABE math if you placed into ABE math on the placement test. If you tested into ABE/ESL, you must take this course before you can begin the College's ESOL curriculum in reading, writing and listening/speaking.

Before you can reach college-level coursework in math, reading and writing, you must complete the ABE courses that you placed into.

You can take the placement tests up to three times within a year of the date of your first test. If you feel that your ABE placements are not an accurate indicator of your abilities, you may retest. Only one retest per testing term is permitted.

ABE math

To register for an ABE math class, you must score 25-38 on the CPT Arithmetic Test and:

• Non-native English speakers must score at least a 97 on the ESL ACCUPLACER Reading Skills Test.
• Native English speakers must score at least a 38 on the CPT Reading Comprehension Test.

Students who do not meet these placement prerequisites will be dropped from the class roster.

The class is free. There is an $20.00 charge for the required textbook, which you will purchase from the instructor during the first week of class.

Click here to register for ABE math.

ABE reading and writing

For non-native English speakers

Registration for ABE/ESL classes (reading, writing and listening/speaking) is not available online. Please contact Pat Schafer, ABE Coordinator, at 612-659-6789.

For native English speakers

We do not offer ABE coursework in reading and writing for native English speakers.

If you place into ABE reading or ABE writing, you will be referred to an off-campus Adult Basic Education site, such as the South Campus AE (612-668-3800) or North Campus AE (612-668-1863).

The Minnesota Literacy Council has information on other Adult Basic Education sites throughout the Twin Cities. Their phone number is 1-800-222-1990.