Developing Policy to Improve Practice in an Adult Basic

Education Transition System

Judith A. Alamprese, Abt AssociatesChrys Limardo, Kratos Learning

National College Transitions Network Conference

November 8, 2012

Today’s Presentation

• Overview of the Project

• Technical Assistance Processes

• Project States’ ABE Transition Activities

• Findings and Conclusions

• Using ABE Transition Components at the Local Level

• Project Resources

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POLICY TO PERFORMANCE (P2P) OVERVIEW

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Project Goals

• Assist states in strengthening existing or developing new ABE state transition systems.

• Broaden states’ use of data-based policies that enable local adult education programs to assist low-skilled adults meet their education and employment goals.

• Provide technical assistance to P2P states on developing and testing policies that support comprehensive and coordinated systems for ABE transition services for low-skilled adults.

• Disseminate policy tools, lessons learned from the project, and other resources to aid all states in developing systems and policies for moving adults along a continuum of postsecondary education, training, and employment services.

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Definition of Terms

• Policy:

• A plan or course of action, especially one of an organization or government, to address a problem

• A statement of government of what it intends to do or not to do, such as law, regulation, ruling, decision, order or combination of these

• Intervention: An educational program (such as a career pathways program), product (such as a curriculum, course),

or practice (such as homogenous skill grouping) aimed at improving student outcomes

• Pilot Test: Preliminary test or study of a program, product, or practice to try out procedures and make any needed changes or adjustments

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Components of an Effective Transition System

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Eight P2P Project States

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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROCESSES

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Technical Assistance Providers and Activities• Technical Assistance Providers

• Coaches: Each state had a designated coach who was a former state director of adult education (4 coaches for 8 states)

• Project’s Director of Technical Assistance (TA)

• Project’s staff

• Technical Assistance Activities

• National Meetings: Initial workshop and three national meetings

• Two webinars

• Conference calls: Coaches’ monthly calls with states and Director of TA’s all site conference calls

• Site visits to selected states

• Posting of resources on project’s website

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Content of Technical Assistance: Conceptual Model

• Conceptual model for an ABE State Transition System—defined seven key components of a system

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Content of Technical Assistance: Planning, Development, & Evaluation Processes

AIDDE© Process for Planning ABE Transition System

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Content of Technical Assistance: State Demonstration Processes • Organize a state demonstration of new transition

practices (e.g., Middle College program) and potential policies (e.g., participation requirements for Middle College program)

• Select pilot sites

• Provide training and technical assistance on use of new transition practices

• Specify data collection for pilot sites

• Collect and analyze data

• Revise practice and supports for practice (e.g., training) based on results of pilot test

• Revise or develop policies to guide implementation of transition practice

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Content of Technical Assistance: Planning, Development, & Evaluation Processes

Policy Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (PPIE©) Process

Policy Planning

1.Determine Goal or Issue Policy is to Address

2.Research/Review/Analyze

3.Prepare Framework/Paper on Transition Issue

Policy Development

4.Prepare Draft Policy

5.Consult with Internal Agency Stakeholders

6.Consult with External Stakeholders

7.Finalize Policy

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Content of Technical Assistance: Planning, Development, & Evaluation Processes

Policy Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (PPIE©) Process

Policy Implementation

8.Test/Implement Policy

9.Evaluate Results from Policy

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P2P PARTNER STATESAlabama, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Virginia, & Wisconsin

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Alabama

• Initiative/Intervention:

• Middle College Transition Program (College Connection)

• ABE learners participate in GED and college occupational classes simultaneously; college credit is “banked” until learner earns GED

• Policies/Guidance:

• Length and duration of classes

• Types of advising to provide to learners

• Types of professional development needed to prepare ABE and CTE staff to collaborate on curriculum development and transition activities

• Pilot Test: • 3 ABE programs in community colleges

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California

• Initiative/Intervention:

• Provide integrated career pathways services to ABE learners

• Comprehensive student support services are integrated into a career pathways program

• Policies/Guidance: • Types of support services to provide

• Types of data to collect regarding use of and outcomes from support services

• Pilot Test: • 10 ABE programs

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Louisiana

• Initiative/Intervention:

• WorkReady U

• Instructional and advising processes for: (1) increasing the number of adults who attain a GED credential, (2) preparing adults to be work ready, (3) increasing the number of GED recipients who achieve postsecondary outcomes

• Policies/Guidance: • Guidelines for ABE transition activities are incorporated

into state’s new RFP for local ABE services

• Pilot Test:

• 9 ABE programs

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Massachusetts

• Initiative/Intervention:

• Strengthen and integrate ABE transition services

• Comprehensive advising & counseling services are integrated into ABE transition services

• Policies/Guidance: • Guidelines for ABE transition activities are incorporated

into state’s new RFP for local ABE services

• Policies concern learner goal setting, types of instruction to provide, amount of time for services, types of advising, counseling, & support services to provide

• Pilot Test: • 8 ABE programs

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New York

• Initiative/Intervention:

• Alignment of services and policies to provide an integrated system of career pathways services

• Documenting range of ABE career pathways services underway

• Testing uses of Learner Web in Literacy Zones

• Policies/Guidance: • Guidelines for ABE transition/career pathways will be

incorporated into state’s new RFP for local ABE services

• Development of state longitudinal database is under development

• Pilot Test: • 2 ABE programs tracking ABE data through postsecondary

attainment

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Texas

• Initiative/Intervention:

• Initiative to increase readiness of ABE/ESL learners to benefit from One-Stop services

• Accelerated GED instruction, career awareness curriculum, and processes for cross-referral between ABE and One-Stop are being implemented

• Policies/Guidance: • Guidelines for accelerated GED instruction, career

awareness curriculum

• Processes for referral from ABE to One-Stop

• Pilot Test: • 3 ABE programs, 5 sites

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Virginia

• Initiative/Intervention:

• PluggedIn VA

• Replication of PluggedIn VA: (1) GED curriculum/Career Readiness Certificate, (2) Occupationally contextualized curriculum (e.g., Digital Literacy Skills, Allied Health), (3) Professional soft skills, (4) 21st Century skills

• Policies/Guidance: • Professional development manual to guide use of PluggedIn

VA

• Guidelines for ABE transition activities are incorporated into state’s new RFP for local ABE services

• Pilot Test: • 2 new pilot sites & expanded original pilot site

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Wisconsin

• Initiative/Intervention:

• 509 Expanded Option for high school diploma for adults

• Development and assessment of new guidelines for completing 509 Expanded Option requirements

• Policies/Guidance: • Guidance regarding completion of competencies and

courses for 509 Expanded Option

• Pilot Test: • 3-4 colleges

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FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS

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Findings

• Using the AIDDE© and PPIE© Processes

• Using a Pilot Test to Implement New Practices as Part of Policy Development

• Providing Technical Assistance to Pilot Sites

• Communicating “Messages” about the Need for ABE Transition

• Building and Enhancing Partnerships

• Leveraging Other Funding Sources

• Developing Policies from Practices

• Time Required to Develop or Enhance an ABE Transition System

• Use of Coaching Technical Assistance to Support States’ Work

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Conclusions

• Partnership Development

• Planning Processes

• Policy Development

• Technical Assistance

• Addressing Challenges

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APPLYING ABE TRANSITION COMPONENTS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

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ABE Transition Components

• Vision of an ABE Transition System—Strategy or direction and long-term goals for the operation of a program’s ABE transition system.

• Public Relations/Communication—Messaging and ongoing communication with stakeholders and constituents about ABE transition purposes, benefits, activities, and outcomes.

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ABE Transition Components

• Interagency Coordination—Coordinated efforts between ABE program and community colleges, workforce development, businesses, and other entities concerned with ABE transition.

• Service Models—Processes, procedures, and materials for the delivery of adult learner assessment, instruction, and support services that facilitate learners’ transition from adult basic education to postsecondary education, training, and employment.

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ABE Transition Components

Service Models:•Assessments to place learners into services; measure learners’ pre-post gains; and document learners’ attainment of certificates and credentials;

•Accelerated ABE academic instruction;

•Integrated ABE and occupational instruction;

•Career and college awareness and planning;

•Advising and counseling services;

•Support services; and

•Postsecondary and employment referral processes.

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ABE Transition Components

• Training and Technical Assistance—Provision of professional development and technical support to local ABE staff for their:

• Development and implementation of ABE transition service models;

• Establishment of working relationships with partners to support transition activities; and

• Implementation of program’s ABE transition policies.

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ABE Transition Components

• Policies—Plans or courses of action to guide ABE programs’ activities in:

• Carrying out interagency coordination;

• Delivering transition service models;

• Providing advising, support, and transition referral services;

• Participating in training and technical assistance;

• Providing financial support to learners; and

• Collecting, analyzing, and reporting data.

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ABE Transition Components

• Data Systems and Evaluation—Data systems for gathering and tracking:

• ABE learners’ participation in transition services offered by ABE program and partners;

• ABE learners’ basic skill pre-post gains and other outcomes from participation in transition services;

• ABE learners’ enrollment in postsecondary courses and training programs; and

• ABE learners’ attainment of postsecondary certificates, credentials, and degrees.

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ABE Transition Components

• Evaluation activities involve the collection and analysis of data to assess the:

• Quality of the implementation of transition services (e.g., fidelity in use of service models);

• Effects of transition policies on the delivery of transition services; and

• Learner and program outcomes from transition services.

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PROJECT RESOURCES

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P2P Resource Center

Searchable database of publications, initiatives, and tools related to adult transitions, including:

• Career Pathways

• College & Career Readiness

• Data & Accountability

• Partnerships & Interagency Coordination

• Policy & Systems Alignment

• Postsecondary Retention

• Special Populations

• Training & Employment

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Policy to Performance Toolkit

• Provides steps in the models used to develop, implement, and evaluate adult basic education transition systems

• Includes state experiences in implementing the P2P development process

• Developed as an interactive PDF with writable and downloadable forms

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State ABE Transition Systems Report

• Provides information about the P2P activities conducted

• Describes the technical assistance activities and processes used

• Identifies findings from the states’ transition efforts and highlights promising practices

• Summarizes lessons learned from the project and conclusions concerning state transition systems development

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QUESTIONS?

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Presenter Information

Chrys Limardo: chrys.limardo@kratoslearning.com

Project Director

Judy Alamprese: judy.alamprese@abtassoc.com

Director of Technical Assistance for P2P Project

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