-This article was substantially written by Erick Marroquin of CARECEN. Erick was also the researcher for the article.
Among the qualifications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is that the applicant must be currently enrolled in school, graduated high school, received a GED, or registered for a GED course. Being registered for an English Language course required for admittance to a GED program “counts” for purposes of being “currently enrolled in school.” For those who seek to enroll in a GED program in the Nassau County area, the Nassau Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) offers a flexible and affordable GED program. The basic information for enrollment includes the following:
· Must be 21 years old to register. If between the ages of 18-20 you must sign-up through: alc.adultednassau.org.
· Prior to enrollment the applicant must pass an English, reading, writing, and math test. If unable to pass these exams the applicant can enroll in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program, which creates a pathway to enrolling in the GED program.
· GED and ESL courses are offered throughout Nassau County, including Levittown, Westbury, Valley Stream, Franklin Square, Uniondale, Mineola, Elmont, and Roslyn
· Courses are offered in the morning, afternoon, and at night. The time varies depending on the location.
· For GED classes offered 5 times a week the cost is $75 for 6 months and for classes offered twice a week the cost is $60 for 6 months. For ESL classes offered 5 times a week the cost is $65 for 6 months and for classes offered twice a week the cost is $50 for 6 months.
· Registration for GED and ESL programs will occur during January 2013. The specific dates vary depending on the location. For a full list of schedule dates and times visit the following website: http://alc.adultednassau.org/apps/events/index.jsp?sd=&y=2012&m=0&id=0&strip=.
· The main office of the Nassau Board of Cooperative Education Services is located at: 3100 Hempstead Turnpike, Levittown, NY 11756.
· For more information feel free to call. For Spanish speakers you may contact Hilda at (516) 622-5639 and for English speakers you may also contact Hilda or Rita at (516) 622-5623. You may also visit the website: http://alc.adultednassau.org.
· Please be aware that there may be a waiting list.
CARECEN is offering free workshops to help you get ready to apply for DACA. Call CARECEN at 516-489-8330 (Nassau) or 631-273-8721 (Suffolk) to find out when the next workshop is. Here are workshops that are already scheduled for our office at 91 N. Franklin St. Room 208 in Hempstead:
Tuesday, November 27 (Hempstead) at 3:30 PM
Tuesday, December 4 (Hempstead) at 3:30 PM
