2011 ABE SUMMER INSTITUTE Thursday Opening Address Dr

2011 ABE SUMMER INSTITUTE Thursday: Opening Address Dr. Barry Shaffer MN State Director of Adult Education Igniting Innovation

Welcome and Thank You from MDE-ABE Alice Smith Astrid Liden Barry Shaffer Brad Hasskamp Cherie Eichinger Jim Colwell Julie Dincau Laurie Rheault Todd Wagner

FY 2011 ABE Stats Keyword: Consistency

Number of Students and Contact Hours Students Hours FY 2010 FY 2011 78, 480 74, 847 (-7. 6%) 5, 827, 860 5, 775, 962 (-0. 9%)

Enrollees by Program FY 2011 ESL 30, 231 (41%) ABE 28, 516 (38%) GED/Diploma 11, 247 (15%) WBPL + Transition to employment 4, 853 (6%) --------------------------By contact hours: ESL= 55%, ABE = 37%

Student Level Completion FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 ABE 41% 39% 45% 46% ESL 44% 46% 48% Consortia “Report Card” on the ABE website

State and Federal Allocations State Federal FY 2011 $44. 9 M $ 5. 9 M $50. 8 M FY 2011 $ 45. 6 M $ 6. 0 M $51. 6 M (+1. 8%) Cost/Student = $ 678 Cost/Hour = $ 8. 95

Igniting Innovation – Creative Leadership in ABE For Managers/Coordinators: • Inspire a shared vision - Establish the vision share you vision in words that can be understood by your followers. • Challenge the traditional process - find a process that you believe needs to be improved the most. • Enable others to act - Give them the tools, authority and methods to solve problems themselves. • Model the way - When the process gets tough, get your hands dirty. A boss tells others what to do; a leader shows it can be done.

Other Manager/ Coordinator Advice n n n Be especially nice to Brad Hasskamp Provide treats at staff meetings Praise higher-ups (e. g. superintendent, board members, city officials) regularly – even if their egos are way too big. Stay awake at state meetings. Use humor whenever possible.

Igniting Innovation – Creative Leadership in ABE For Teachers: • Align Content, instructional delivery and assessment • Articulate learning and behavioral expectations with students • Master multiple instructional delivery strategies – adapt to varied learner styles • Facilitate learning, enable learners to learn • Emphasize skills over content • Keep learning yourself

Other Teacher Advice n n n Be especially nice to Brad Hasskamp. Act happy about treats at staff meetings. When a student asks a dumb question, don’t act like the photo above. Stay awake at staff meetings. Use humor whenever possible.

ABE

n n n ABE is viewed and functions as a highly effective and collaborative transition service for adults whose basic educational skills are less than high school level, and in so doing helps Minnesota adults to transition successfully to postsecondary level education or training and to achieve family sustaining employment. ABE mission recognized as integral to the individual, to the state and to the national economy Core mission expansion – core literacy + transition skills and programming ABE programs integrate transition and employability skills into all levels of ABE and ESL ABE programs include multiple partnerships and collaborations

For example: The mission of Minnesota ABE is to provide adult learners with core literacy and transition skills that prepare them for college, careers, and everyday living.

Vision – Mission Strategy n n Prepare draft “white paper” Seek field input – revise and finalize Communicate/market to stakeholders Develop and disseminate best practices

Minnesota’s Skills Gap

Minnesota Fast. TRAC n n n Fast. TRAC is an adult career pathway model that provides, core literacy skills, transition skills and credit-bearing occupational prep Over the past two years, Fast. TRAC became operational on 20 Mn. SCU campuses involving over 30 ABE consortia In the ABE-Mn. SCU integrated model, 364 (88%) of the 415 adults served completed the Fast. TRAC course

Minnesota Fast. TRAC Adult Career Pathway INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION BRIDGE PREP POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIAL BRIDGE II Core Literacy + Employability Skills Career Exploration College Readiness INTEGRATED SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Next STEP n n n The Next STEP is Adult Basic Education’s three-year initiative - Statewide Transitions Expansion Priority Year two of Next STEP began July 1, 2011. Proposals for year two regional funding will be sent out at the beginning of September and due towards the end of September. Resources available to support a regional model include, funding from Next STEP, a Regional Transitions Coordinator, and Professional Development around integrating transitions skills at all levels. If you would like to learn more about the regional model and Next STEP you may attend the 10: 30 -12: 00 session in “University B”.

Kwik Up-Dates n n n State ABE aid went up from $5. 04 per p. y. contact hour to $5. 14 Federal ABE aid went up from 46¢ to 50¢ Award letters are forthcoming (shutdown victim) ABE Report Card – new sections (who’s coming, who’s staying, who’s benefiting) Skills Tutor and GED-i contracts have been renewed Key Train (for Work. Keys Assessment)

Professional Development ACES - (Academic, Career, & Employability Skills) Goal: n To ensure that ABE programs are able to provide effective contextualized instruction integrating post-secondary education and training readiness, employability skills, and career readiness at all levels Fall 2011 n ACES workgroup will meet this fall to develop a set of leveled transitions skills to be integrated into ABE/ESL instruction

Professional Development ACES - (Academic, Career, & Employability Skills) Winter/spring 2012 Job-embedded PD opportunity: n January workshop for teachers on integrating transitions skills at all levels of instruction; followup implementation activities; final cohort meeting in May n Pilot of transitions standards to inform curriculum and instruction n Peer observation and collaboration Program applications available in October through ATLAS: www. atlas. ABE. org

Professional Development MNI - (Minnesota Numeracy Initiative) n Pilot year: fall 2010 – spring 2011 n n 24 math instructors Components: • 2 full-day meetings/trainings • 2 online numeracy courses: n n Foundations of Teaching Adult Numeracy Teaching Reasoning & Problem-Solving Strategies • Online networking site to share ideas & resources • Peer observations & partner activities • Final partner project & presentation

Professional Development MNI - (Minnesota Numeracy Initiative) n n n MNI 11 cohort: • Continued cohort collaboration & participation in one online course and practitioner research MNI 12 (new) cohort: • Up to 24 instructors • Same components as this year • Applications due August 31; notified by Sept. 9 • Ideal applicants: significant math teaching responsibilities & opportunities to immediately implement instructional strategies from the training into their classrooms More info: www. atlas. ABE. org

Professional Development STAR - (Student Achievement in Reading) Reading reform initiative developed by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) • An intensive and comprehensive professional development package intended to: n • • reform Intermediate reading assessment/instruction and improve Intermediate reading outcomes for life and work

Professional Development STAR - (Student Achievement in Reading) n n n MN in 4 th year of implementing and sustaining the evidence-based STAR Model 120+ STAR-trained administrators and teachers, 19 STAR programs, and STAR classes at 40+ sites Recent data analysis of TABE Reading and student contact hours shows: n n STAR students have a higher rate of level completion than the general Low/High Intermediate student population STAR students tend to stay longer in programs For more info: www. atlas. ABE. org

Professional Development Literacy -level ESL Instruction n Comprehensive literacy-level study circle materials & facilitator guide : • • • n 3 meetings of 3 hours each over 6 -8 weeks Piloted this spring Available at: www. atlas. ABE. org International LESLLA (Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition for Adults) Conference 2011: • Sept. 29 & 30, Oct. 1 - Minneapolis • See: http: //www. cehd. umn. edu/ci/LESLLA/default. html

Professional Development Project IDEAL n n n (St. Paul Spp. Svcs) National consortium of states working together to develop effective distance education programs for adult learners Study & planning phase: fall online DL 101 Class (recruitment, orientation, teaching and assessment) Pilot implementation phase: winter/spring support webinars & phone conferences Program applications due August 31, 2011 Available at: http: //mnabe. themlc. org/Distance_Learning. html

Program Improvement Process n n Last year - Congratulations to 6 Consortia FY 2011 - Report Card Benchmarks: State Avg. ABE: 46% ESL: 48% n n n Target 42% 46% PIP Bench. 32% 34% Letter from Brad Hasskamp (Aug) September meeting Interim Report Due (analysis, site visit, improvement strategizing) n Narrative Report Due (Feb- Chapters 1 -3)

Changes You Should Know About n n Consortia Changes GED Test Info GED Accommodations Info NRS Changes for next year

Consortia Changes n n Due to consolidations and one nonrenew, there are now 46 ABE consortia. There are no longer any “un-aligned” school districts.

GED Test Changes n n ACE/GED now partnered with Pearson Vue Next Generation Test Coming 1/1/2014 • • n Computer-based only but NOT via Internet Based on Common Core State Standards and others Exploring how DOC-based testing centers will be included Subjects: Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies Multiple essays that will be about passages read—keyboarding Some “math” content will be tested in science & social studies Testing at Pearson Vue Testing Center sites 21 st Century Initiative: greater involvement in prep, transitioning including testing for college and career readiness (CCR) over and above addition to high school equivalency] Testing Center Subsidy remains intact for this year

GED Test Changes n n n Must finish current 2002 Series by 12/31/13 or start completely over with the Next Generation Test May be able to take the 2002 Series via CBT prior to 2014 Current paper-based testing will continue in MN through the end of 2013 under current plan. New Accommodations Forms and documentation guidelines/requirements must be used as of 9/1/11. Additional procedural changes will follow. Qualification and reimbursement process for Learning Disabilities Assessments has changed for 11/12.

GED Test Accommodation and Disability Assessment Changes Assessments: n The process for disability assessments will be different this year. n We no longer have a supplemental service provider conducting disability assessments. n The SW ABE supplemental services project will reimburse programs by up to $1000 per Specific Learning Disability Assessment per GED requirements. Reimbursement for assessment will only be available for students who have a GED goal and are seeking GED accommodations. Students/programs may work with the qualified assessment provider of their choice as long as the provider agrees to comply with the GED accommodation assessment requirements. n The process for approval and reimbursement will be shared with the field in September.

GED Test Accommodation and Disability Assessment Changes Disability Consultative Services: n The PANDA supplemental services project will provide professional development and support to ABE programs and staff in conducting screening, referrals and instructional interventions for students who may have disabilities. n Details about this process will be shared with the field in September.

NRS Changes Beginning with the May 1, 2012 – April 30, 2013 reporting year…. n n n Most student goals will be assigned on intake automatically - based on student characteristics The student goal definitions will change in the following areas: unemployed, retain employment, GED obtainment, and post secondary transition Stay tuned for more news via PD regionals, webinars, etc.

Issues to Resolve n n Adult Diploma (BST) WIA Reauthorization Vision-Mission Feedback and Implementation Minnesota High School Equivalency Certificate • GED alternatives ?

FY 2012 Supplemental Services n n n n Minnesota Literacy Council (Tech Svcs. and Volunteer Svcs. ATLAS (ABE Teaching and Learning Advancement System) Hamline University – Prof. Development PANDA – Physical and Neurological Disabilities Assistance St. Paul ABE (Dist. Lrng. ) SW ABE (Assessment) Literacy Action Network Minnesota Workforce Council Association