Transcript Minnesota Adult Basic Education

Minnesota Adult Basic Education
(ABE)
Higher Education &
Training Initiative
Why Focus on Transitions?
 ABE students are the workforce and higher education
systems’ next students -- we want to ensure that
transition
 We see ABE as one of the building blocks of
Minnesota’s economic and workforce development
efforts
The goal of this initiative is to increase ABE program
capacity for ABE clients to move seamlessly into postsecondary education and training programs
What Do We Know?
From Joyce Foundation initiative:
 We need to improve student transitions to credit-bearing
postsecondary programs from developmental (college remedial)
education, adult basic education, and English literacy,
particularly for low-skilled adult workers
 We need to define goals and accountability measures across
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adult and postsecondary education
workforce training
economic development, and
human services
 We need to improve data capacity to track student transitions
within education and then through their advancement in the
labor market.
What Do We Know?
From the GWDC Skills and Wage Advancement
Committee
 The “stair step” diagram accurately (and painfully!)
reflects our current status.
 We need to develop a policy framework and plan to
implement the middle two steps of the “Bridging the
Gap in the Education and Training Infrastructure.”
 We need to also be attentive to opening the
ABE/adult education pipeline to those who are not
even currently in our “potential” pool of program
participants.
How Can ABE Help?
ABE programs can provide better pathways to
higher education and training programs through
three strategies:
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“Extending” traditional credential
programming (e.g., GED, HS diploma)
Articulating instruction with existing higher
ed and training pathways
Focusing on building “schoolability/college
readiness” and employability in all ABE
participants and potential future ABE
participants
1) Extending ABE Programming
ABE recognizes that we have many GED
completers who reach minimum passing GED
scores, but lack necessary skills to successfully
transition to and take advantage of higher
education and training opportunities
A model for improving this is extension
programming like “GED Plus”
GED Plus
 GED Plus curriculum extends beyond typical GED
instruction to include skills beyond the minimum set
require to pass the GED
 Many MN ABE programs already have implemented
“managed enrollment” i.e. students are required to
commit to participate in a complete GED prep
experience that extends their learning beyond the
minimal goal of passing the GED
 Over the course of the next year ABE will explore and
provide learning opportunities for ABE providers to
become trained and/or to partner with others to
create this holistic experience.
2) Articulation of Instruction
ABE programming will articulate instructional activities with
education and training opportunities in the higher ed/training
systems.
As an example, there are currently pre-certification program
curricula designed to provide ABE participants the
opportunity to develop the core literacy skills necessary to
support successful participation in CNA, CDL, CDA, welding,
CNC, and manufacturing certificate kinds of education and
training opportunities. We are actively working to identify
other “short-term”, often certificate-based training
opportunities with which to articulate.
3) Focus on Schoolability and Employability
 ABE programs will build their capacity to provide
learning opportunities for students to increase their
“schoolability” and employability skills – the
knowledge and skills in addition to core literacy
needed to be successful in educational and
workplace settings – the so-called soft skills
 We are mindful that there are future potential learners
who also need these skills
Two approaches to advancing this focus are…
Schoolability/Employability Through:
 …a shared and recognized credential that
includes “situational judgment” and other
skills as the National Work Readiness
Credential (NRWC) currently being piloted in
MN does
 …provision of “wrap-around” services as
some ABE partners now provide in
conjunction with workforce service providers
(e.g., Anoka)
When Will We Do This?
ABE Transition Initiative Process
 3-year implementation: FY 2008, 2009, 2010
 MDE-ABE will provide formula-based funding to ABE consortia to
support this initiative – receipt of this funding each year is contingent
upon local consortia doing the following each year:
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Year 1
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Meet and greet: reach out to local higher ed providers, get to know their
structure, staff, programs, etc. host meetings, convene groups, etc.
Learn what’s possible. Participate in one or more: state sponsored
transition conference, Dev ed conference (MNADE), Innovate MN
(DEED/MnSCU), read transition research and best practice posts from
MDE-ABE, participate in transition study circles, visit consortia that are
already collaborating
Use learning from the above to determine possible implementation
activities
Year 2 – develop/obtain needed resources, e.g. curriculum; and pilot at
least one initiative
Year 3 – Fully implement and sustain at least one or more initiatives
What Outcomes Will We See?
 Increased seamless, articulated transitions
programming
 Reduce the instances of overlapping or duplicative
programming
 Increase referrals between higher education and ABE
(and define terminal and “value added” educational
pathways)
 Reduce numbers of ABE clients that need remedial
college prep classes
How Will We Measure Success?
 Through the Joyce Initiative, NGA Policy
Academy and other efforts, we should
develop shared goals and expected
outcomes as noted earlier
 The ABE system will track referrals from ABE
to additional training/education as well as
learner outcomes
 ABE partners will also track need for remedial
ed coming into ABE
Why Is This Good?
 We will reduce the use of federal and state
aid spent on non-credit bearing
developmental education classes
 We will reduce matriculation duration
 The base of prospective students and
workers will be broadened
 We will increase enrollment and strengthen
retention of ABE clients in the higher
education system
What’s Next?
Action Steps
 Discuss this initiative with state-level partners (now
through July 2007)
 Secure commitments from partners for:
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Shared commitment to articulating common goals and
outcomes
Participation in specific strategies
Possible matching funds to support strategies going
forward
 Begin roll-out with ABE partners by October 2007
Last Thoughts
 Opportunity Abounds: the confluence of the Joyce
Initiative, NGA academy and this initiative creates
opportunities not to be missed
 Keep Talking: Even as we have to keep our individual
efforts moving, we want to have clear and continual
communication
 Thank you for time today!
 For further information, contact Barry Shaffer, State
Director of ABE at 651-582-8442 or
[email protected]