Adult Education: The Next Five Years Randy L. Whitfield, Ed.D. Basic Skills & Family Literacy...

Adult Education: The Next Five Years

Randy L. Whitfield, Ed.D.

Basic Skills & Family Literacy Conference

November 2009

North Carolina Community College Systemwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu

Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce

Adult Education and Economic Growth Act of 2009

Purpose: To increase access to adult

education to provide for economic

growth.

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In order to remain competitive in today's global

economy, the United States must reverse the

trend of underinvestment in adult education and

workforce development and empower its

workforce through adequate resources and

effective and innovative educational and

workforce programs.

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Since 1979, investments in adult

education and workforce

development programs have declined

in real terms by more than 70

percent.

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In order to meet the needs of The workforce, there must be a strongconnection between the adult educationand workforce development system, inorder to better meet the needs oflimited English proficient job seekersand those with basic skills deficiencies.

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For example, in program year 2006,

less than 11 percent of individuals who

exited the title I adult program under

the Workforce Investment Act of 1998

were co-enrolled in adult education.

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The purposes of this Act are thefollowing:(1)To increase access substantially to adult

education, literacy, and workplace skills services for adults who have limited basic skills, lack a high school diploma or its equivalent, or are limited English proficient.

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(2) To create seamless pathways from adult education and occupational skills development to postsecondary education or training and workforce development programs and services that help adult learners persist throughout the pipeline from the lowest levels of basic literacy or English language proficiency to the achievement of a level of proficiency that will enable the adult learner to successfully transition to family-sustaining jobs in careers with the promise of advancement.

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(3) To develop an adult education, literacy, and work skills system that coordinates and integrates adult education, literacy, and workplace skills services with workforce development and postsecondary education and training opportunities across agencies and programs.

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(4) To greatly improve outcomes for adults receiving adult education, literacy, and workplace skills services in terms of learning gains, acquisition of basic workforce skills, accelerated learning, acquisition of a high school diploma or its equivalent, or successful transition to postsecondary education or training or to family-sustaining jobs in the workplace.

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Adult Education, Literacy, and Workplace Skills

It is the purpose of this title to create a partnership among the Federal Government, States, and localities to provide, on a voluntary basis, adult education and literacy services, in order to–

(1)assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency and postsecondary education and training;




(2) assist adults who are parents to obtain the educational skills necessary to become full partners in the educational development of their children;

(3) assist adults in the completion of a secondary school education and transition to postsecondary education or career pathways; and

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4) assist adults with limited English proficiency in improving their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension skills in English and mathematical skills and acquiring an understanding of the American system of Government, individual freedom, and the responsibilities of citizenship.''

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The term `career pathway' means a high quality,

rigorous, engaging set of education, training, and

workplace experiences that-- (A) align adult

education, job training, postsecondary education,

or occupational training to create a pathway to

attaining a recognized postsecondary education

credential that will qualify an individual for career

advancement.04/19/23 14




(B) include advising and counseling to support the development of individual education and career plans; and (C) lead to a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent (for individuals who have not completed secondary school), a postsecondary degree, a registered apprenticeship or another recognized occupational certification, a certificate, or a license.

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The term “eligible provider” means an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education, literacy, and workplace skills activities.

Deletes “of demonstrated effectiveness” after “a community based organization.

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The new bill adds the following new eligible provider:

J) a partnership between an entity described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (I) and an employer.''

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The term “family literacy services'' means servicesthat are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours,and of sufficient duration, to make sustainablechanges in a family and that better enable parentsto support their children’s learning needs, andthat integrate all of the following activities: (A)Parent adult education, literacy, and workplaceskills activities that lead to readiness forpostsecondary education or training, careeradvancement, and economic self-sufficiency. 04/19/23 18




(B) Interactive literacy activitiesbetween parents and their children. (C) Training for parents regarding how to be thePrimary teacher for their children and full partnersin the education of their children. (D) Parent literacy training that leads to economicself-sufficiency. (E) An age-appropriate education to preparechildren for success in school and life experiences.

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The term “integrated education andtraining” means training that combineseducation or training for a specificoccupation or occupational cluster withEnglish literacy instruction or other adulteducation, literacy, and workplace skillsactivities, including programs that providefor dual or concurrent enrollment.

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The term “integrated English literacy and civicsEducation program” means programs of instructiondesigned to help an individual of limited Englishproficiency achieve competence in English throughcontextualized instruction on the rights andresponsibilities of citizenship, naturalizationprocedures, civic participation, and United Stateshistory and government to help such an individualacquire the skills and knowledge to become anactive and informed parent, worker, and communitymember.

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The term “workplace skills” means thecombination of basic skills, critical thinking skills,and self management skills with competency inutilizing resources, using information, workingwith others, understanding systems, working withtechnology, and other skills necessary for success in the workplace.

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Core Indicator of Performance:Placement or completion of

postsecondary education, including registered apprenticeship, or other skill training programs; and

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Core Indicator of Performance:Attainment of work readiness, workforceskills, and certificates that are nationallyor industry recognized or approved by the State board or local board, as appropriate.

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New Performance Measures

Employment performance indicator

Technology literacy indicator

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So what does all that mean for

Basic Skills/Literacy programs?



Form Partnerships

Title I, Job Link Career Centers

Career Readiness Certificate Programs

Curriculum and Continuing Education

Business and Industry

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Develop/Use Advanced Curricula

Approximately 27% of GED graduates enroll in postsecondary, but less than 10% actually earn a degree.

Programs need to develop or use advanced curricula rather than just GED preparation materials that currently exist.

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Increase Number of Students Served

Expand marketing campaign Focus on finding target population in

service area – Where are your potential students?

Set up workforce courses (not necessarily in the workplace)

Connect Basic Skills/literacy to outcomes students want (get a job).

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Increase Career Counseling Services

Work with Continuing Education and Curriculum to find best paying jobs in your area.

Encourage students to take HRD courses.

Encourage students to take college success courses.

Have lunchtime seminars on career topics.

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Increase Program Outcomes

Focus on all outcome measures to determine where your successes and your weaknesses are, then work toward replicating successes and eliminating weaknesses.

Set goals for program improvement.

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Resources

Guide to Adult Education for Work: Transforming Adult Education to Grow a Skilled Workforce, National Center on Education and the Economy, Workforce Development Strategies, Group, Walmart, 2009.

Reach Higher, America: Overcoming Crisis in the U. S. Workforce, Report of the National Commission on Adult Literacy, June 2008.

Supporting the Presidents Workforce Initiatives; The Postsecondary Goal: Five million postsecondary diplomas or certificates, National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE), 2009, www.ncsdae.org.

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Adult Education: The Next Five Years Randy L. Whitfield, Ed.D. Basic Skills & Family Literacy...

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