Abisi Adult Education Center

Our mission is to provide every adult in Greater Lowell with opportunities to develop literacy and math skills needed to qualify for further education, job training, and better employment, and to reach his/her full potential as a family member, productive worker, and citizen.  

At Abisi Adult Education Center, all students and staff are considerate of each other. We learn from and respect each other’s diverse talents and differences in culture, education, economic status, color, race, and religion.

 

The Abisi Adult Education Center (AAEC) offers FREE educational programs to residents living in the Greater Lowell area and help adults reach their personal, academic, and professional goals. Funding is provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Lowell Public Schools. 

 

GED/HISET Testing Information:

If you're not interested in enrolling in classes but want information about taking official high school equivalency exams (GED or HiSET), click on the link below.

GED & HiSET Testing Information Only

 

High School Equivalency Classes (HSE):

HSE classes focus on improving students' skills in reading, writing, social studies, science, and math to help prepare them to pass either the GED and HiSET High School Equivalency exams.  

You MUST have a high level of English speaking, reading, and writing to enroll in these classes.

For classes:  Click the 'Register for HSE Classes' button below

 

Unfortunately, you are not eligible to participate in classes at our program.  We can only accept residents who live in the Greater Lowell area. 

For a complete list of the programs near you, go to the Massachusetts Adult Literacy Hotline website or call 1-800-447-8844.

Completing this form may take up to 15 minutes. Please ensure you have enough time to finish. You may pause and save your progress at any time. Registration forms will not be processed until they are fully submitted.

 

Eligibility:

• Live in the Greater Lowell area (Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, or Westford).

• Present a photo ID and proof of address with your name on it at your placement testing appointment.

• Have a HIGH level of English speaking, reading, and writing skills.

 

Under 18 Policy:

Students under 18 must provide an official withdrawal form from the last school they attended. 

It MUST be:

• on school letterhead

• have a signature from a school official

• include your date of birth and withdrawal date.  

Homeschooled students under 18 must provide a letter from their local school district stating they are not enrolled.

You will not be eligible to take the placement testing or enroll in classes until the withdrawal form has been submitted. *

Withdrawal forms can be uploaded later in the registration form.

Note: There is a 30-day grace period after your official withdrawal date. For instance, if you withdrew from high school on August 1, 2025, you would not be eligible to begin classes until after September 1, 2025.

 

Class Enrollment Process:

1. Submit registration form

2. Take all required placement tests

3. Placed on the waiting list

4. Attend an orientation

5. Begin classes

We use a managed enrollment system. Students from the waitlist are invited to join classes at the beginning of each rotation. The number of students invited will depend on the number of spots available. Class spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is not a guarantee of class placement.

All 16 & 17 year old students must submit an official withdrawal form from the last school or program they attended before registering for classes.

It must:

• be on school/program letterhead
• contain a signature from a school official
• include your name, date of birth, and withdrawal date.

Please provide the name of at least one emergency contact who is 18 years or older and lives in the local area. If possible, list two contacts. We will reach out to the Primary contact first. If they are unavailable, we will then contact the Secondary person.

Barriers to Employment are obstacles (barriers) that make it difficult for you to find, maintain, or advance in employment.  

DEFINITIONS OF BARRIERS:

CULTURAL: A person who thinks their beliefs, habits, or way of thinking might make it harder for them to get or keep a job.

DISABLED INDIVIDUAL:  A person who has a physical or mental condition that seriously limits one or more major life activities.

DISPLACED HOMEMAKER:  A person who has been caring for family at home without pay and relied on a family member’s income, but no longer has that support — or is the spouse of an active-duty service member who is unemployed or underemployed and having trouble finding or improving a job.

LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUAL:  a person who meets either of the following: 

1. Who within six months has received income-based assistance, such as housing supplement or food stamps (Persons receiving public assistance or a housing supplement within last six months meet this criteria.)

2. Whose total family income is below 70 percent of the lower living standard income level.

EX-OFFENDER:  A person who has been involved in the criminal justice system or needs help finding a job because of a past arrest or conviction.

EXHAUSTING TAFDC (TANF):  a person within two years of exhausting lifetime eligibility.

FOSTER CARE YOUTH:  a person who is currently in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system.

LONG-TERM UMEMPLOYMENT:  a person unemployed for 27 or more consecutive weeks (approx. six months, or more).

SINGLE PARENT OR GUARDIAN:  a person who is single, separated, divorced or widowed and has primary responsibility for one or more dependent children under age 18 or is currently pregnant.

You are not required to disclose disability information as a condition of enrollment. Any information you do share will be kept confidential and not shared without your permission. 

You are not required to disclose medical information as a condition of enrollment. Any information you do share will be kept confidential and not shared without your permission. 

Consistent class attendance is essential not only for your learning journey but also for maintaining your place in the class.

When selecting a class, please ensure that you are able to attend all scheduled sessions on time and every day.

 

MORNING CLASS CHOICES

TYPE	DAYS	TIME	LOCATION
In-person	Monday - Friday	9:00 am-12:00 pm	Abisi Adult Ed. Ctr.      408 Merrimack st
In-person	Tuesdays, Wednesdays,  Thursdays	9:30 am-12:30 pm	CTI                              167 Dutton St, 3rd Floor
Remote	Wednesdays, Thursdays,  Fridays	9:00 am-12:00 pm	At Home

EVENING CLASS CHOICES 

TYPE	DAYS	TIME	LOCATION
In-person	Mondays and Wednesdays	6:00-8:30 pm	Lowell High School
Remote	Mondays and Wednesdays	6:00-8:30 pm	At Home

 

All students are required to complete placement tests before enrolling in classes.

After Your Registration Form Has Been Processed

New Students

You will receive an email with links to take a short Reading and Math Locator placement test. These tests can be completed at home on any device. You must finish them before you can take the state-required MAPT (Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test).

• These tests are not graded as pass or fail.

• Your results help us determine the appropriate level for your MAPT testing.

• After the Locator Tests are submitted, we will contact you to schedule your MAPT testing appointment.

Returning Students

You will receive an email or text message from us to schedule your MAPT tests directly.

About the MAPT

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires all students enrolled in a state-funded High School Equivalency program to take the MAPT (Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test).

MAPT is used to:

• Assess your current strengths and areas for improvement in reading and math, and track your progress throughout the course.

• Support the state in verifying learning outcomes, shaping curriculum, and allocating funding to keep classes free for all students.

 

When Do You Take the MAPT?

• Pre-Test: Administered to all students upon registration to establish a baseline of your skills.

• Post-Test: Given after completing a required number of class hours or when exiting the program to measure progress. It may be given 2 or 3 times in a school year.

Test Scheduling

• The MAPT is given by appointment only.

• A staff member will contact you by email or text to schedule your testing session.

• Be sure to check your Inbox and Junk/Spam folders — all emails will have "Abisi Adult Education" in the subject line.

If you do not hear from us within five days, please reach out directly.

MAPT testing can be administered either in person (preferred) or remotely, with appointments in the morning or evening.

Dear Student: 

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) funds your adult education program, Abisi Adult Education Center, and almost 100 others like it. In order to continue to support these programs, DESE must report information about students, including student outcomes, to the federal government.

After students leave their program, DESE collects information about their outcomes by matching their personal information with Department of Unemployment Assistance employment data, with GED and HiSET high school equivalency (HSE) test results, and with National Student Clearing House and Department of Higher Education postsecondary enrollment records. DESE combines the data sets and reports them to the federal government.

If you sign this Release of Information form, DESE will also share your employment data, HSE test results, and postsecondary enrollment information with your program, Abisi Adult Education Center, so it can understand how well it is helping students. DESE and your AE program will not disclose this confidential information under any other circumstances unless required to do so by law.

Thank you,

I acknowledge that photographs, videos, and other forms of media may be captured by AAEC staff or students throughout the school year during classes, activities, or special events such as graduation and Student Success Celebrations. These images or recordings may be shared on the school’s website, social media platforms (e.g., Facebook), or in the school newsletter.

If I prefer not to appear in any photos or videos, I understand that it is my responsibility to step aside or remove myself from the frame.

Additionally, I recognize that audio and video may be recorded by my teacher at any time while I am participating in remote instruction.  

If you are receive services from community agencies such as DTA, DCF, TAFDC, Lowell Housing Authority, Lowell Public Schools, MassHire, the Probation Office, or similar organizations, they may request information regarding your enrollment status, attendance, test scores, and other relevant details.

All students are required to attend an orientation before enrolling at Abisi Adult Education Center. During orientation, we will provide an overview of our program offerings, introduce the tools used in our classrooms, distribute class schedules, and answer any questions. 

Orientations will be offered at the beginning of each rotation, approximately every 6-8 weeks until March.  

Consistent attendance is essential for your academic success and to maintain your enrollment in classes.

Learning is a cumulative process—each lesson builds upon the last. Missing class means missing valuable instruction, and even occasional absences can disrupt your progress. Research consistently shows that students with regular attendance perform better in reading, math, and other subjects.

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You are expected to attend every scheduled class and arrive on time.  

Attendance 

Attendance is recorded daily during each class session. Excessive absences can cause you to fall behind and miss critical instruction and information.

Absence Notification

It is the student's responsibility to notify us if you will be absent. Communication is the key to your continued enrollment.

• If you are absent for more than three consecutive days without notifying us, you will receive an email warning with a return-by date.

• If you do not respond to the warning, you will receive a follow-up email or text informing you that you have been dropped from class and placed on a waiting list.  

• Students must contact us to request reinstatement.

• Dropped students will lose access to their Google Classroom and any school-issued technology programs.

Tardiness

Be on time for class. Arriving late disrupts the lesson and distracts both your teacher and classmates.

If you are consistently late (10 minutes or more), a staff member will address the issue with you. Continued tardiness may result in being dropped from the program.

Punctuality shows respect for your education and for those around you.

Your time in class is valuable and limited—make the most of it by staying focused and minimizing distractions.

• Cell phones should be silenced or turned off and kept out of sight during class. Notifications and calls disrupt your learning and that of others. Recording of classes is not allowed without prior permission.

• No texting, taking photos, or posting/viewing social media, (Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) during class.

• Children are not permitted in the classroom or the building during class time.

• Violation of these policies may result in removal from the program. 

Thank you for helping create a respectful and distraction-free learning environment.