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Adult Education in California:

Strategic Planning Process Needs Assessment

Prepared for the California Department of Education

Svetlana Darche, Senior Research Associate Nara Nayar, Research Associate Paul Downs, Strategic Planning Consultant

Revised November 11, 2009

Table of Contents

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CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 1

NEEDS ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OVERVIEW...................................................................... 2 Definition of Adult Education and the Focus of this Needs Assessment .......................................... 2 Californias Economic and Social Well-Being as the Primary Criterion of Need ............................... 3 Principles for Conducting the Needs Assessment ................................................................................. 3

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS............................................................................................................................ 4

CHAPTER 2. THE NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION....................................................................... 6

DRIVING FORCES....................................................................................................................................... 7 Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Driving Force #1: Demographic Transformation ............................................................................... 7 Driving Force #2: Workforce Demands ............................................................................................ 11 Driving Force #3: Educational Challenge ........................................................................................ 16 Summary: Californias Perfect Storm................................................................................................. 18

STATE-WIDE NEEDS FOR ADULT EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA ............................................................... 19 Increase Basic Educational Competency of the Workforce ................................................................ 19 Close the Basic Skills Gaps of Parents and Caregivers of School-Age Children............................... 22 Prepare New Californians for Citizenship.......................................................................................... 22 Other Need Areas................................................................................................................................ 22 Need for Support Services................................................................................................................... 23

CHAPTER 3. THE CDE ADULT EDUCATION SYSTEM ................................................................ 23

CONTEXT: MULTI-SYSTEM DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO ADULTS .......................................................... 23 THE CDES ADULT EDUCATION SYSTEM ............................................................................................... 24

Service Delivery .................................................................................................................................. 24 Funding............................................................................................................................................... 26 Key Partners ....................................................................................................................................... 28

FOUNDATIONAL SKILL ENROLLMENTS ACROSS SYSTEMS..................................................................... 28 The CDE's Adult Education System .................................................................................................... 29 Community Colleges ........................................................................................................................... 29 Library Literacy Services Program .................................................................................................... 29

CHAPTER 4. UNMET NEED FOR ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES ......................................... 29

UNMET NEED FOR ESL AND BASIC SKILLS SERVICES ........................................................................... 29 A NOTE ABOUT THE UNMET NEED FOR CTE SERVICES......................................................................... 31 GEOGRAPHIC GAPS IN SERVICES ............................................................................................................ 32

CHAPTER 5. STRENGTHS OF THE CDE ADULT EDUCATION SYSTEM ............................... 33

ACCESSIBILITY........................................................................................................................................ 33 Physical Location................................................................................................................................ 34 Affordability ........................................................................................................................................ 34 Flexible Enrollment Strategies............................................................................................................ 34 Cultural Competence .......................................................................................................................... 34 Approachability................................................................................................................................... 34

STRONG INTERNAL CAPACITY ................................................................................................................ 34 Collaborative Institutional Infrastructure .......................................................................................... 34 Opportunities for Professional Development...................................................................................... 35

POSITIONING AS A CRITICAL BRIDGE..................................................................................................... 36

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Strong Transitional Support to Higher Education.............................................................................. 36 Parent Education and the Connection to K-12................................................................................... 37 Citizenship and Civic Education......................................................................................................... 37

INNOVATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 38 DYNAMIC INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ................................................................................................ 38

Instructional Practices........................................................................................................................ 38 Performance-Based Assessment ......................................................................................................... 38

COST-EFFECTIVE DELIVERY AND SPILL-OVER BENEFITS ...................................................................... 39 RESPONSIVENESS AND ADAPTABILITY TO CHANGING NEEDS ............................................................... 40

Entrepreneurship ................................................................................................................................ 40 Local Determination ........................................................................................................................... 40

CHAPTER 6. CHALLENGES ................................................................................................................ 40

CALIFORNIA LACKS CLEAR STATE PRIORITIES FOR ADULT EDUCATION .............................................. 40 FUNDING CHALLENGES........................................................................................................................... 42

Gaps in Funding ................................................................................................................................. 43 Unintended Incentives......................................................................................................................... 43

INADEQUATE ASSESSMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND DATA SYSTEMS ................................................... 43 LOW POLICY AWARENESS OF ADULT EDUCATION AS A CRITICAL STATE NEED................................... 44

CHAPTER 7. MOVING FORWARD.................................................................................................... 44

APPENDIX A: THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................................... 46

PROCESS OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 47 NEXT STEPS............................................................................................................................................. 49

APPENDIX B: THE BENEFITS OF ADULT EDUCATION.............................................................. 49

EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS................................................................................................................ 50 POSTSECONDARY TRANSFER AND SUCCESS ........................................................................................... 51 INCARCERATED ADULTS......................................................