This fall, City Colleges and UIC's Center for Literacy will be offering GED/HiSET and ESL (English as a Second Language/English Language Learning) classes at some libraries. These classes are free and open to Illinois residents ages 18 and over. Students who are 16 and 17 can take classes if they show a high school separation form. Once you're registered for the City College classes, you're able to use any of the college's resources. These are pilot programs and partnerships, so please visit this post for updates about start dates and other details.
Archer Heights Library will be holding free ESL classes starting tomorrow, Saturday, October 4th at 9:15am! There is still time to enroll, but you will need to apply and take your placement test. You can apply online (select "Daley College" as your location). If you apply online, please also fill out this interest form for the Archer Heights location or let the adult librarians know that you applied. You may also apply and take placement tests at Daley College. There are some virtual options for placement testing on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Ask a librarian for the Zoom login information.
Legler will be hosting ESL classes this fall through Malcolm X College. Classes are tentatively scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 25th from 9am-12 or 1pm. A registration and information session is scheduled for Saturday, October 4th, from 9:30am-11:30am.
Thurgood Marshall will be holding GED classes through Kennedy King College. Classes will take place soon at Thurgood Marshall once there are enough students registered. You can visit Kennedy-King in person to register and take the placement test, or you can visit the library for a rescheduled registration event. Details will be posted soon.
Back of the Yards is offering GED classes in Spanish this fall from UIC's Center for Literacy. Classes take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5-8pm beginning on September 22nd. Please contact the Center for Literacy if you want to enroll.
UIC's Center for Literacy is also starting adult literacy classes at Back of the Yards on Mondays from 4-6pm! Tutoring for children will be available at the same time. Please find out more information here.
Little Village is also hosting UIC's GED classes in Spanish. Classes started on September 22nd and will be held from 1-4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please contact UIC's Center for Literacy if you want to enroll.
Once more dates and classes are confirmed, this news post will be updated. Please check back often.
McKinley Park did not get enough students registered this fall to start their class, so students may either go to Archer Heights or attend online or at one of Daley's campuses. McKinley will be offering ESL tutoring and conversation groups. We will post more information here once those dates are scheduled.
Be sure to check out the ESL classes and conversation groups offered by nonprofit organizations at other libraries.
Please contact adultservices@chipublib.org with any questions.