Spotlight on Support Services Support Services for Career

Spotlight on Support Services: Support Services for Career Pathways and Bridges Abigail Newcomer, Policy Analyst DREAM 2013 Anaheim, California February 6, 2013

CLASP: Policy Solutions that Work for Low-Income People • CLASP develops and advocates for policies at the federal, state and local levels that improve the lives of low-income people. • Our Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success seeks to improve policy, increase investment, and strengthen political will to increase the number of low-income adults and youth who earn the postsecondary credentials essential to open doors to good jobs, career advancement, and economic mobility. 2

Outline 1. Introduction 2. Career Pathways 3. Support Services a. A Support Services Framework b. Strategies of Funding Support Services 4. Discussion 3

The Challenge ABE/ESL Trainin g Deve lopm Educ ental ation Employer Workforce ry a d n eco n s t s Po ucatio Ed Needs • Adult basic education/English language instruction often not connected to training • Developmental education not connected to college occupational programs • Occupational education not aligned with employer needs 4

… Another Challenge Yesterday’s Nontraditional Student Is Today’s Traditional Student 47% Independent 23% Parents 32% Employed Full-Time 40% of all students are low-income 5

Addressing Achieving the Dream’s Goals for Student Success Increasing the percentage of students who: 1. Successfully complete the courses they take 2. Advance from remedial to credit-bearing courses 3. Enroll in and successfully complete gatekeeper courses 4. Enroll from one semester to the next 5. Earn degrees and/or certificates. 6

Career Pathways: Seamless Transition and a Greater Likelihood of Success Progressively Higher Levels of Education and Employment Adult Basic Education/ English Language Instruction Short-Term Basic Skills Certificate Bridge Program Long-Term Certificate 2 -Year Associate’s Degree 4 -Year Bachelor’s Degree

Career Pathways: Core Components Sequence of Offerings Work Experiences and Employment Multiple Entry Points Support Services and Navigation Multiple Credential Exits Appropriate and Meaningful Assessment 8

A National Movement • At least 7 states have career pathway efforts (AR, KY, IL, MA, OH, OR, WA, WI) aimed at adults • Half a dozen states have career pathway bridge initiatives (IL, IN, MN, KY, OH, OR, WA) • About a dozen states have initiatives to improve effectiveness of adult education and developmental education services (CO, CT, KY, IL, IN, MA, MD, MI, MN, NJ, WA, WI) • Many states have region-focused, sector initiatives aimed at economic development

Challenges of sustaining and scaling innovations • Generally funded with one-time grants • Foundation grants, WIA discretionary funds, State general revenue, Federal special grants • Often within just one agency or system • Key partners missing from the initiative • Remains an innovation, never “new normal” • Pilot funding vs. FTE’s, ADA’s, and ITA’s • Programs must do many “work arounds” of existing policies

Funding Career Pathways and Bridges: A Federal Funding Toolkit for States ü State-level administrators in interagency teams can identify federal resources to support career pathways and pinpoint state policy changes needed. ü Local programs can use program summaries to better understand federal resources that can be used at the regional or local level. 11

How to Use the Toolkit Step 1: Understand possible key components and tasks involved in developing, implementing, and maintaining career pathways and career pathway bridges. Step 2: Identify how federal resources can support these key components and tasks. Step 3: Pinpoint state policy changes or other state actions needed to fully realize federal funding opportunities for pathways and bridges into them 12

Evidence that Support Makes a Difference • The bridge or pathway should be made feasible by addressing personal and financial challenges. • Participants should understand why the training is valuable; and they should understand how to navigate it. • Social relationships can enhance program participation. • Participants should receive instructional assistance, where or not she seeks it out. 13

Spotlight on How to Use the Support Services Appendix • Understand the types of support services that are important for participants in career pathways and bridges. • Identify how federal resources can support these key components and tasks. • Pinpoint state policy changes or other state actions needed to maximize federal funding opportunities for support services. 14

Categories of Support Services Financial stability support Personal support Academic support Career preparation support Assistance accessing financial aid Assistance using non-traditional aid Child care, transportation and living expenses Mentoring, case management, Counseling, group support, Financial coaching Financial literacy workshops Tutoring Academic Advising Academic preparation Career navigation Job and internship search assistance and placement Assistance gaining work experience 15

Federal Funding Streams • Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Title I (Adults and Dislocated Worker) • Workforce Investment Act, Title I (Youth) • Workforce Investment Act, Title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act) • Pell Grant • Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (Perkins CTE) • TRi. O, Student Support Services Program (TRi. O SSS) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 16

Arkansas Career Pathways • Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Title I (Adults and Dislocated Worker) • Workforce Investment Act, Title I (Youth) • Workforce Investment Act, Title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act) • Pell Grant • Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (Perkins CTE) • TRi. O, Student Support Services (TRi. O SSS) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 17

Arkansas Career Pathways • Academic and support services for low-income, lowskilled individuals through two-year colleges and technical centers associated with four-year universities. • Each student receives: ü Up to $1, 500 for tuition and support services ü An assigned counselor or tutor ü Access to reliable transportation and childcare through private vendors ü Links to Dept. of Workforce Services to ensure delivery of other support services. 18

Capital IDEA and Austin Community College • Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Title I (Adults and Dislocated Worker) • Workforce Investment Act, Title I (Youth) • Workforce Investment Act, Title II (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act) • Pell Grant • Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (Perkins CTE) • TRi. O, Student Support Services (TRi. O SSS) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Source: The Price of Persistence: How Nonprofit – Community College Partnerships Manage and Blend Diverse Funding Streams, Aspen Institute, Feb 11. 19

Challenges Remain • Support services can be seen by some as addons rather than as vital supports necessary for students to persist. • Aspects of support services remain difficult to fund with public dollars. • Even support services allowable under federal programs may not commonly be used for these priorities. 20

But there also opportunities… • Take an entrepreneurial approach to finding resources for support services and to providing these services. • Braid together funding sources to provide support services. • Form partnerships to bring together resources necessary for providing support services. • Make the case at your institution! 21

Thank you! • For more information and to download the toolkit, visit CLASP’s Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at www. clasp. org/postsecondary. • Send us your stories. Email Abby Newcomer anewcomer@clasp. org with your stories about how you have used this resource or your suggestions on how to improve it. 22