Skip to content
Council Discourse

NYC Council meetings, chaptered and linked by time.

Created by Uzair Qadir

Inspired by Vikram Oberoi's City Meetings

Q&A

Stevens questions evaluation of adult programming including GED and ESL

New York City Council · Jun 23, 2026 · starts 1:02:11 · 1 min 5 sec

Stevens asks how DYCD evaluates adult programming like GED prep, ESL, and parenting workshops. Asherall says providers report GED graduations but DYCD lacks comprehensive data. Stevens emphasizes that tracking GED completions could drive funding and policy decisions.

Althea V. Stevens

How does DYCD evaluate the effectiveness of your adult programming, including GED preparation, ESL classes, parenting workshops, and workforce development activities?

Wanda Asherall

The programs that offer GED services have communicated to us that their adults have graduated or received their GED.

Wanda Asherall

I've even had the pleasure of visiting some of our programs.

Wanda Asherall

How many have you graduated already?

Wanda Asherall

Oh, I would need to.

Althea V. Stevens

You could get back to us.

Wanda Asherall

Yeah, I would need to definitely do an assessment across all of our providers.

Althea V. Stevens

Yeah, because then you've just, that's also part of the economic mobility, right?

Althea V. Stevens

You've just given somebody their GED.

Althea V. Stevens

They can now apply for college.

Althea V. Stevens

They can go to a trade school.

Althea V. Stevens

They can move on to the next career.

Althea V. Stevens

Those are wins you can celebrate as well, right?

Althea V. Stevens

But if you don't have no data, that doesn't drive your policy.

Althea V. Stevens

That's okay.

Althea V. Stevens

It doesn't help drive your policy and even your funding because you may need more funding because you may need more GED seats.

Althea V. Stevens

You may need more ESL seats.

Althea V. Stevens

And parenting workshops.

Althea V. Stevens

Can you talk to me a little bit about that?