Southwest Riverside County Adult Education Consortium Narrative Templates for Tables 1, 2, and 4

Transcription

1 Member Name: Beaumont Adult School (by Anthony Hernandez) TABLE 1 Narrative Template For each of the five program areas listed below please describe the: a) services and programs that your organization is currently providing in the consortium s region and b) an evaluation of the adequacy and quality of the services and programs 1) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes required for a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate a) Beaumont Adult School offers a wide variety of courses to meet the needs of students needing/seeking foundational skills development (ABE: Adult Basic Education), High School Diploma Courses or GED Preparation Courses. Our ABE courses cover a wide range of disciplines (math, science, English, electives etc.) while our ASE Program encompasses and incorporates the college and workforce readiness courses needed to transition students into higher education or the workplace. Our programs are WASC Accredited and our ASE programs are A-G accepted by all the major colleges and universities. Our GED preparatory courses focus on the areas that students need remediation and/or enhancement. Our ABE, ASE and GED programs are all offered during the day and evening to meet the needs of our student population. Our teachers are very cognizant in meeting the unique needs of our students (learning style, time commitment, disabilities etc.); thus, much of our instruction is self-paced, individualized and offered through a wide range of modalities. Independent study, course specific instruction, direct instruction, distance learning, computer based or computer assisted instruction and blended models are all utilized by our Beaumont Adult Teachers to maximize and enhance our student s overall educational experience. The methods of teaching we utilize are highly interactive in motivating our students and in allowing for immediate feedback and therefore, immediate interventions. Our classes are primarily situated at Beaumont Adult School, but at times we do offer classes offsite at other schools, community or business sites. Enrollment in our ABE, ASE and GED classes are open entry and we will enroll students on a continuous basis until we reach capacity. At that point, we do create interest or waiting lists. Our intake for ABE, ASE and GED students usually consists of an intake and assessment process. All students are assessed using CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System) and then meet with staff who counsels students regarding their Page 1 of 46

2 current academic status (review transcripts) and then plan an individualized course of study based on each student s goals and objectives. Beaumont Adult School proudly supports and provides counseling services for all our ABE, ASE and GED students. Counseling/Advising services include academic and career counseling, financial aid advising, academic monitoring and support and of course, transitional support to institutions of higher or continued learning as well as support for entrance into trades, apprenticeships and the workplace. Our elective courses also supplement our support services by providing students with courses that address the world of work, soft skills and other career and college readiness topics. b) Beaumont Adult School s staff feels that the academic and support services that we offer our ABE, ASE and GED students are second to none. Student interest and enrollment is high as well as student referrals from outside agencies our programs are respected and valued within the community. We also use multiple measures and assessments i.e. student learning outcomes to gauge student success. The data that we have compiled such as certificates earned, student persistence, class/course completions, program completers, level completers, CASAS Test Scores, Student Transitions, GED certificate achievers, Federal and State Data that we report, progress indicators and High School Diplomas earned all clearly indicate that we provide quality academic and support programs. We offer flexible hours of instruction and we plan on continuing to meet the needs of our growing population by growing with it. 2) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship and English as a second language, and workforce preparation classes in basic skills. a) Beaumont Adult School offers numerous courses and classes for students wanting to learn English as a second language, learn history and government of the United States, earn their citizenship and/or prepare for higher education or the workplace. The reasons that students enroll in these programs range from acquiring basic communication skills to finding employment or attaining higher education certificates or degrees to becoming active participants in our communities and to help their children succeed. Most of the students enrolled in our ESL programs indicate their desire to gain meaningful employment or to attain professional advancement. Beaumont Adult School offers educational courses in citizenship to help students attain their naturalization status and to prepare them for the civics and interview tests required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Other students also in enroll in this course to learn more about the customs, history and government of the United States. Many of students immerse themselves in these Page 2 of 46

3 studies in order to become active participants in the community, to help fellow neighbors or relatives and for many to help their children succeed in school and eventually, in our society. Many of the students enrolled in our Citizenship classes can also be enrolled in other programs such as English as a Second Language, ABE or ASE courses, GED Prep Courses or in Career Technical Education programs. Beaumont Adult School offers workforce preparation for our immigrants in terms of teaching our students about the workforce, skills needed, and community resources available to them we do this through our El Civics program where we guide, teach and educate our students about real life pertinent activities related to the workforce. Currently, our school covers four topics a year based on a needs assessment and at times, we have offered VESL (Vocational English as a Second Language) courses. The more advanced students are able to enroll in our career technical education programs while students all our immigrant population (all students for that matter) are counseled about various community workforce preparation programs. As with our ABE/ASE/GED courses, our ESL/Citizenship/EL Civics courses are offered both day and evening to provide flexibility for our immigrant population. The majority of our courses are leveled courses (placing students with similar language proficiency in the same course). Leveled courses seem to be the best placement for successful language acquisition and academic success. Our curriculum centers on developing the competencies/skills needed to be successful as a productive member in the United States. All our courses emphasize language acquisition in reading, writing, listening and speaking and place a huge emphasis on teaching within the context of civic and workforce education. Course placement within our ESL program centers on assessments that include oral, listening, reading and writing and we also utilize the CASAS Assessments to provide quality information about a student s academic status. Leveled classes lie at the heart of our ESL program though we do offer other courses such as multi-level classes, distance learning and independent study to meet the needs of the students. We utilize direct instruction as our main source of teaching ESL students though we do supplement our teaching with the use of other instructional tools and strategies. Currently, all classes are taught at our Adult Site though we have taught classes offsite at community organizations such as churches, businesses and other school sites. Instructional hours range from 3-20 hrs. /wk. and the days of the week also vary from 1-4 days a week. As with our other classes, our ESL teachers utilize a wide range of interactive tools to help educate our ESL students. Smart boards, Promethean boards, overhead projectors with computer/internet access, language labs are all part of the varied tools available to our staff and students. We are definitely Page 3 of 46

4 equipped with superb tools to provide a stimulating, exciting and superior education for our immigrant population. b) Beaumont Adult School s staff feels that we possess outstanding ESL, Citizenship and El Civics programs. Student interest and enrollment in our courses are continually at capacity and this year we have opened our doors to reach more interested students. Our convenient location, extremely low cost ($ 10 a semester), cozy and stimulating atmosphere provides a perfect academic setting for our students. The local community members are very appreciative that we are a Beaumont site since many participants lack the transportation needed to enroll elsewhere; and for those who need to be close by to manage their school aged children or go to a work in the vicinity, Beaumont Adult School is the best option. Most importantly, our programs for ESL, Citizenship and courses that promote workforce preparation such as our El Civics and support services have positive student outcomes that demonstrate students are learning and transitioning along the academic continuum at Beaumont Adult School and to other institutions. The staff at Beaumont Adult School relies heavily in utilizing data to improve instruction and we very much seek and analyze data from multiple sources to help us help our students succeed. Anecdotal evidence, surveys, teacher evaluation from students learning English helped me get a job, helped me help my child do better in school, helped me navigate through the maze of DMV etc. -- greatly support the success our programs have received. We also analyze hard data from test scores, transitioning levels through ESL, persistence data, CASAS Test Scores to demonstrate academic improvement, formative and summative tests, student pass rates on EL Civics and Citizenship exam. In all, we have compiled positive data to show our programs are not only successful, but that we need to expand our programs are rigorous, relevant and demonstrate that students are learning and that are programs are successful. We are very proud to state that we are the only Adult School in the Inland Counties to hold dual accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well as from the Council on Occupational Education. In 2012, we earned full six year Accreditations from both agencies. 3) Education programs for adults with disabilities a) Beaumont Adult School encourages, recruits and attempts to meet the needs of all individuals, including students with disabilities. As with all students, we address their needs on an individual basis and in discussion and consultation with the student and others, we conclude whether or not our services will meet the needs of the student. We are able to successfully educate students with minor learning disabilities by individualizing and varying instruction. We also use a wide range of instructional Page 4 of 46

5 tools (audio, audio/visual, smart boards, internet, online, academic software) to help our students with disabilities succeed. When needed, we will help those students that will not benefit from our programs by directing them to agencies that might meet their instructional needs. Our various partners from regional centers, government agencies, schools, social services etc. provide us with a plethora of choices to help students with disabilities; yet, it is our desire and mission to educate all students regardless of background or disabilities. We believe that all students can succeed. b) Beaumont Adult School provides the best possible educational services for its community. We work closely with all students to determine whether our programs will meet their needs and in the case with adults with disabilities, we work with the student to determine whether our site or another entity might provide better services. We do not have, per se, a program for adults with disabilities. Yet, we effectively educate those with learning disabilities that enter into our programs. We are very proud to state that we are the only Adult School in the Inland Counties to hold dual accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well as from the Council on Occupational Education. In 2012, we earned full six year Accreditations from both agencies. 4) Short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential a) Beaumont Adult houses two of the most impressive health career programs Licensed Vocational Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant in the Inland Empire and throughout the state. Both these programs have high employment potential and provide an avenue for students to gain meaningful employment. Our programs are eligible to receive federal monies such as Pell Grant and Federal Loans and we are very proud to state that both programs have passed the very rigorous accreditation standards from the Council on Occupational Education. We received a full six year accreditation from COE as well as from WASC. Academically, our programs are top notch. Our teachers all meet the educational credentialing criteria necessary to teach in these programs and their nursing background affords them the opportunity to provide first hand experiences for our students. We currently operate several classes of Licensed Vocational Nursing and are seeking to expand our Certified Nursing Assistant Programs. Our curriculum is not only embedded with the necessary competencies for our students to excel in the profession, but the curriculum contains critically important skill sets to help them prepare for (soft skills, resume, interviewing) and get a job (job search engines, Page 5 of 46

6 techniques etc.). Career guidance and job readiness activities are an integral part of each program. The career technical education programs at Beaumont Adult School, Licensed Vocational Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant, are viable educational options for students interested in entering a high demand job field. Our programs replicate the hospital environment that students will find themselves once they enter the workforce and our emphasis on hands on education further propels our students ahead of other institutions. b) Beaumont Adult School proudly educates students in the health career fields of Licensed Vocational Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant both fields have a high employment demand rate and more importantly, our success rate (completers, students passing their licensing exams, student gaining employment) meets all the very rigid standards of the Council on Occupational Education. Our licensing pass rate is well over 90% which ranks as one of the highest in the state, but most importantly, our students are in high demand they are recruited, employed and retained by the most prestigious health centers in and around the Inland Empire. Our programs are both designed to provide both theory and clinical components that enhance our students preparation for entrance into the health field. Our programs and therefore, our teachers and students are very much respected by the community, clinical sites and the hospitals and other health sites that hire our programs. We have partnerships (internships, externships with various health agencies that allow our students to receive first hand, hands on experience that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. It would be very difficult to find a program as successful as ours. As stated, due to Beaumont Adult School s own rigorous standards of providing a quality education coupled with the Federal Standards of COE demands our Licensed Vocational Nursing and Certified Nursing Programs are superb viable options for anyone wanting to become a health professionals in fields with high employment demand and in fields where the wages provide can provide a quality lifestyle. We are very proud to state that we are the only Adult School in the Inland Counties to hold dual accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well as from the Council on Occupational Education. In 2012, we earned full six year Accreditations from both agencies. 5) Programs for apprentices a) As recently discussed in AB 86 literature, it is important for schools who do not have apprentice programs to prepare students for entrance into the apprenticeship programs. We, at Beaumont, take this very seriously and dutifully counsel and Page 6 of 46

7 educate our students concerning the academic and physical requirements of the various apprenticeship programs. Our teachers and staff work closely with students to structure an Individualized program to meet the student s academic and employment needs. Students interested in apprentice programs are provided with a sound academic strand that includes: WASC accredited courses. Courses A-G accepted. Preparation in Passing the CAHSEE or GED Attaining a HS Diploma or GED Higher level math courses including Algebra and Geometry when appropriate Science Courses and other courses relevant to the student s choice of field. Elective courses aimed to develop career and employment readiness. Students completing our rigorous course of study and who demonstrate an aptitude and desire to enter into apprentice programs are counseled about the entrance requirements and are encouraged, counseled, and guided along the path to apprenticeship. b) Apprentice programs are closely monitored by the State Division of Apprenticeship and the programs must remain current, updated and relevant within their industry sectors. Beaumont Adult School closely follows the requirements needed for students to enter into the various apprentice programs and we adjust our curriculum when necessary to meet the needs of these industries and our students. Per AB86, Beaumont Adult School definitely prepares students for entry into the various apprenticeship programs and we provide support services to help guide students toward reaching their career goals. Our courses meet all stringent standards of accreditation and most importantly, our courses are approved and accepted by all the major colleges and universities and our High School Diploma are prized/accepted by all the trade and industry sectors. Many of our elective courses center on personal and career exploration, college and career readiness programs and we fully support and guide our students along the career or educational path that they choose. Beaumont Adult School students who choose the path of apprenticeship are highly prized, academically ready and when they enter this field; and, ultimately, highly successful. We are very proud to state that we are the only Adult School in the Inland Counties to hold dual accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well Page 7 of 46

8 as from the Council on Occupational Education. In 2012, we earned full six year Accreditations from both agencies. TABLE 2 Narrative Template Describe and assess current needs for each of the AB 86 adult education program areas (1-5), including the needs that are currently unmet 1) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes required for a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate. Beaumont Adult School and the City of Beaumont in particular had been expanding entities for a number of years, but with the onset of flexible spending in , Beaumont Adult School and Beaumont Unified experienced in a sharp decline in revenue and ultimately, services to the adult school population. The necessity for growth in Adult Education (ABE, ASE, ESL, CTE etc.) is critical to meeting the needs of our students. There are a huge number of individuals living within our boundaries that lack basic skills or a high school diploma; and that number is growing. In order to meet the needs of our ABE/ASE learners, the state needs to not only restore pass revenues to Adult Education providers, but to provide additional funding to meet the new needs of our students since flexible spending was enacted. The population in the inland empire and in particular, Beaumont, is expanding and, our district is in planning mode to build a second high school and other schools to meet the demands of a growing population. With this already dynamic population among us, Beaumont Adult School needs to provide multiple classes at our Adult School Site and also at other sites to meet our community needs to help our students earn a High School Diploma, GED or other necessary skills. With this demand to increase service, comes the demand for staffing (certificated and classified) as well as necessary teaching tools such as: books, new and relevant curriculum, professional development, technology, software, buildings, insurance etc. Additionally, support services need to be available to not only meet the needs of our current students, but also those of this growing population. Counseling, advising and directing students through their programs and ultimately, transitioning students to higher education, trades or the workplace is critically important to their ultimate success. Thus, we are seeking not just a restoration of funds, but an increase of funding that is dedicated to adult schools. 2) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship and English as a second language, and workforce preparation classes in basic skills Page 8 of 46

9 Beaumont Adult School understands and appreciates the need for providing quality education opportunities for immigrant families. Currently, of our 8300 students roughly 1200 students and families (14.5%) are English Learners; and this number is growing with the recent resurgence of affordable housing. In fact, our district is planning expansion of a new high school and other schools. We anticipate further growth of families needing to learn English as a Second Language. Unfortunately, past adult school funding decisions (flexible spending and cuts in adult spending) caused many schools to stagnant to the point of not meeting the needs of students. Beaumont has not been able to grow as fast as it would have liked and therefore, we have not been able to meet all the needs of our ESL students. In order meet the needs of our students, we need to increase services and classes. Additional leveled classes, offered throughout the Beaumont community will help meet the needs of our growing immigrant populations. The following are a summary list of items needed for all programs needed to meet the needs of our students including programs for immigrants: New, relevant technology including software, computer tablets etc. Additional support staff Professional Development Child care Additional resources: books, online education etc. Increased student support services The immigrant population in California and throughout the United States have proven to be an invaluable and priceless asset to our society. We need to continue to support this population as we have historically done by increasing funds to help these individuals attain the necessary skills and education to positively contribute and succeed in society. 3) Education programs for adults with disabilities The regional centers strive to serve over 25,000 adults with disabilities in the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Currently, Beaumont Adult School works with as many adults with disabilities as we can successfully educate/train in terms of meeting their needs. It is our desire that with additional funding we would be able to work with Page 9 of 46

10 the Inland Regional Center to jointly provide meaningful educational/training opportunities for adults with disabilities. 4) Short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential As with other Adult Education Programs, the adequacy and quality of Career Technical Education Programs have been hurt by Tier lll flexibility cuts. Programs have become more expensive to maintain and in many cases prohibitive. At Beaumont Adult School we have tried our best to position ourselves to help students enroll in CTE programs by offering government grants and low interest loans. We have had to still increase costs in order to maintain quality programs yet, our programs are still very viable and affordable due to our ability to provide financial aid. Yet, any added costs are passed along to students and for many of these students, they are unable to absorb these costs. Thus, many students are unable to enter into professions that will help them flourish and earn a quality wage. Many immigrants, in particular, do not qualify for Federal Funds. We realize, however, that in order to offer various other programs we will need to seek additional Federal and State monies. It is our hope to that the new funding streams will help us develop new career technical programs, but in the meantime we will continue to work with community agencies to help our students in their quest of learning a career in technical education. However, the cuts in funding have greatly impacted our School s ability to develop more CTE Programs. We are searching for additional funding streams and viable, low cost start up programs that we might be able to develop to help our students attain a quality training in career technical education. 5) Programs for apprentices As mentioned in earlier, Beaumont Adult School maintains a quality academic program that prepares students for entry into the various apprenticeship programs. Our academic programs are superb, highly respected programs and our courses are rigorous and relevant in providing students with the basic requirements of entering the apprentice programs in and around the Inland Empire. As indicated in employment data, the Inland Empire is still suffering from the economic downturn of the state and country and industries have not yet returned to our areas. Yet, we must continue to work with various agencies (Workforce, EDD etc.) to seek ways to increase opportunities for apprenticeships or on the job training, internships etc. We definitely feel that apprenticeships are integral to job development. Yet, we also know that the success of any apprenticeships are directly related to the economy and the job sectors demanded within a given area; and unfortunately, the Inland Empire has not recovered from the economic downturn. Page 10 of 46

11 TABLE 4 Narrative Template Describe how the consortium intends to respond to the gaps identified in the region. (These might include but are not limited to, working with other partners in the service area, developing or expanding programs and plans to assess the effectiveness of these expanded efforts.) Identify programming and service gaps including lack of providers, services, access, attainment, and/or performance. Discuss strategies to incrementally increase capacity in identified gaps (e.g., using distance learning to reach adult populations in a consortium s region who are currently underserved.) Discuss the resources needed to implement the identified strategies. The increased funding will allow Beaumont Adult School and the consortium to expand and improve all its programs for adults. As funding comes in we will incrementally increase our program offerings to students. We will increase course offerings in ABE/ASE/ESL/CTE, but, more importantly, we will incrementally begin to expand by creating new programs to help our students succeed. Also, as I have mentioned in the above narratives the increased funding will help our site acquire up to date resources to help our students: As I have mentioned in my above narratives there are many gaps in the various programs. Gaps are underlined with strategies and resources listed below. ABE/ASE/GED Programs Student Access and flexibility of Scheduling: Add more hours of class Increase length of terms Offer classes during day & evening period Offer classes on weekends Facilities Add classrooms Offer classes in more locations Reopen satellite campuses Upgrade facilities Create assessment centers Technology Page 11 of 46

12 Purchase/upgrade computers Add/upgrade technology in the classroom Purchase educational software and develop Moodles, online course etc. Staffing/hiring Hire administrators Hire instructors Hire instructional support Hire counselors (academic and career) Student Support Services Child care offerings Transportation i.e. bus passes Improve parking at sites Increase support to ELLs Increase support to students with disabilities Create career centers and provide career counseling Professional Development Train faculty and staff on new technologies Provide distance learning/ hybrid options Train consortium member within each program areas Materials Purchase relevant and up-to-date textbooks Classes for Immigrants: ESL, Citizenships etc. Student Access and flexibility of Scheduling: Additional leveled classes Additional transition classes Additional CBET classes Access Child care offerings Offer specialized classes such as small groups; transition Create distance learning/hybrid options online Page 12 of 46

13 Facilities More locations Pathways Create pathways to CTE, pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, credit ESL, college, and careers Support Services Counseling: Academic and Career Staffing/Hiring Administrators Hire full-time instructors Hire part-time instructors Hire counselors (academic and career) Hire support staff Technology Purchase/update computers Purchase/update classroom technology Regional language labs Professional Development Train staff on new technology Train new faculty and staff on best practices etc. Career Technical Education Programs Access/Flexible Scheduling Lower student fees Scholarships/fee waivers Increase number of CTE course sections Offer coursework at nontraditional times of the day/week/year Distance or online learning when appropriate Staffing/Hiring Page 13 of 46

14 Hire support staff and liaison for grant writing Materials/Supplies Purchase class sets of materials Technology Upgrade technology and materials on a cyclical basis Support Services Counseling Placement Services Job Development/Job Readiness Computers Curriculum Include additional levels of advanced coursework Supplement contextualized basic skills in CTE programs to support EL students, those with low literacy levels, and those with limited basic skills Pathways Coordinate and align pathways/programs across consortium Cohort students within consortium Communication Designate Consortium Articulation Coordinators Create consortium website Create and disseminate (mail) schedules, brochures, and notices Work with senior centers and high schools to inform prospective students of CTE opportunities Partnerships Work more with city officials, business and agencies Expand partnerships with small and medium-sized businesses Curriculum Embed specific employment skill development into each program Develop Externships and Apprenticeships Page 14 of 46

15 Research Assign/hire researcher to help determine relevant occupational programs Adults with Disabilities Partnership Work with Regional Centers Create transitioning understandings Pathways Create Pathways for students Pathways to Success Communication Work with partners to understand Adult with disabilities resources Create referral service Outreach programs Apprenticeship Communication Work with unions to understand apprenticeship requirements Work with unions to discuss viable apprenticeship programs with high opportunities for employment o Counseling: create counseling at our individual sites to educate and inform our students about apprenticeship programs. o Resource Rooms: create, maintain a resource room at our sites to help students understand the various career/college/employment opportunities available to them; including self- inventories, interest inventories, aptitude tests. Videos, internet, computers etc. Partnerships Pathways for students interested in apprenticeship programs (K-12 and adult programs) Conduct open houses to show programs to prospective students Page 15 of 46

16 Curriculum Align and create, when appropriate, apprentice specific courses to help our students meet the various apprenticeship requirements Align apprenticeship courses to issue college credit (once approved by federal government) Pathways Create pathways to apprenticeship programs Identify the methods and common metrics needed to track the successful implementation of the plan and measure the amelioration of identified gaps in services/programming. Beaumont Adult School is committed to successfully educating our students and we follow a process of analyzing our data on a continual basis to gauge the efficacy of our programs, both present and past. As we begin to address the gaps we will continue to analyze data to determine the efficacy of programs. I do believe will need to determine common data across the consortium in order to adequately compare apples to apples. Examples of data and metrics needed can be: Common summative and formative assignments such as CASAS for ABE/ASE/ESL/VESL Program completers Program Advancers Completion Rates, Licensure Rates, Employment Rates Persistence Rates Transitioning rates Identify student goals and determine if we meet those goals by tracking and documenting These are just a few examples of data needed to determine the efficacy of our efforts. Page 16 of 46

17 Member / Partner Name: Department of Public and Social Services DPSS does not directly conduct any training in the five areas, but we contract with 12 adult schools and 1 community college in the county to provide those services. The community college and adult school attendance numbers include any customers/students we have referred for services. In area #1, we only contract for secondary basic skills. We contract for: adult basic education (ABE); high school diploma (HSD); and GED. In area #2, we contract for English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) classes, but we don't separate immigrants from non-immigrants. We don't contract for citizenship classes. In area#3, some adult schools offer short term vocational programs and our contracts would include them. The vocational classes if they offer them are very limited, we mostly use community colleges where our students would get a CCC Board of Governors' (BOG) Waiver of student fees and we can assist them with books, transportation and child care. In area#4, we don't contract for education services for the disabled. In area #5, we aren't a party to any state approved apprenticeships. Within the MSJCCD Consortium we contract with these districts: Banning Unified School District Beaumont Unified School District Hemet Unified School District Lake Elsinore Unified School District Murrieta Valley School District San Jacinto Unified School District Temecula Unified School District Perris Union High School District These are the DPSS offices located within the MSJCCD Consortium: Banning (Banning & Beaumont) Hemet (Hemet & San Jacinto)) Lake Elsinore (Lake Elsinore & Temecula & Murrieta) Perris (Perris) Page 17 of 46

18 A narrative description of DPSS: The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) provides mandated welfare-to-work services for recipients of the state s CalWORKs program (state TANF program). The purpose of the program is to help our customers to become self-sufficient and to help them reach that goal we provide a variety of services including job search, job readiness and life skills workshops to help them obtain and retain employment. We contract for standard adult education programs i.e., Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Development Certificate (GED), High School Diploma (HSD) and English as-a- Second Language (ESL) with 12 adult schools and 1 community college within Riverside County. Specifically within the MSJCCD Consortium we contract with; Banning Unified School District; Beaumont Unified School District; Hemet Unified School District; Lake Elsinore Unified School District; Murrieta Valley School District; San Jacinto Unified School District; Temecula Unified School District; and Perris Union High School District. The districts are located within the service area of our DPSS offices located in Banning; Hemet; Lake Elsinore; and Perris. These contracts cover some limited vocational courses. While we do not contract with the Mt San Jacinto Community College District, we do work closely with their on- campus CalWORKs office to assist mutual customers/students. We have designated liaison staff to all the community colleges and our adult school partners, and we meet with them quarterly to resolve any administrative or program issues. What we are looking for: 1. Performance based secondary basic skills programs focused on results. We would also like to see integration of basic skills with career technical education programs that help maintain student interest throughout the program. 2. Short term career technical education programs that focus on demand occupations in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties area. We would like to see CTE programs that have built in market monitoring to keep the market from getting saturated with graduates when there aren't any jobs. We understand that there is ongoing competition with private for-profit training providers and they often contribute to saturating a job market with graduates. Page 18 of 46

19 Member / Partner Name: Hemet Adult School TABLE 1 Narrative Template For each of the five program areas listed below please describe the: a) services and programs that your organization is currently providing in the consortium s region and b) an evaluation of the adequacy and quality of the services and programs 1) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes required for a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate a) Services & Programs: a. ABE teacher directed instruction in basic English and Math b. High School Diploma i. On campus classes ii. Independent Study iii. Online classes through edmentum Plato Courseware c. GED i. On campus classes 1. Direct Instruction 2. Online through GED Academy ii. Online preparation through GED Academy iii. Computer Skills b) Evaluation of services: a. ABE program successfully b. High School Diploma: i. Hemet Adult School Diploma is not accredited; we have not yet gone through the WASC process for this school c. GED i. GED prep program is still going through transition from the 2002 version to the new 2014 version. ii. This school year we are combining the online GED Academy program with the teacher directed program. 1. From July, 2013 to December, 2013 = 370 students passed the GED 2. From January, 2014 to July, 2014 = only 3 students passed the GED! iii. Added Computer Skills instruction to prepare GED students for the new version. Page 19 of 46

20 2) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship and English as a second language, and workforce preparation classes in basic skills a) English as a Second Language classes for four levels. b) No Citizenship classes offered at this time. 3) Education programs for adults with disabilities a) No Special Education classes offered; not SPED staff or services b) Provided Sign Language services for hearing impaired clients. 4) Short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential a) No CTE programs offered at this time. b) 5) Programs for apprentices a) No Apprentice programs offered at this time. b) TABLE 2 Narrative Template Describe and assess current needs for each of the AB 86 adult education program areas (1-5), including the needs that are currently unmet 1) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes required for a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate a) Become WASC accredited! 2) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship and English as a second language, and workforce preparation classes in basic skills a) Add citizenship classes to offering. 3) Education programs for adults with disabilities a) Create Special Education services through AB 86 Consortium. 4) Short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential a) Provide Logistics program. Have facilities, teacher, curriculum and paid internships lined up, only need funding for program. Page 20 of 46

21 5) Programs for apprentices a) Would like to offer a manufacturing apprentice program. Have facilities, equipment, and curriculum in place. TABLE 4 Narrative Template Describe how the consortium intends to respond to the gaps identified in the region. (These might include but are not limited to, working with other partners in the service area, developing or expanding programs and plans to assess the effectiveness of these expanded efforts.) Identify programming and service gaps including lack of providers, services, access, attainment, and/or performance. SPED services CTE Apprentices Discuss strategies to incrementally increase capacity in identified gaps (e.g., using distance learning to reach adult populations in a consortium s region who are currently underserved.) Discuss the resources needed to implement the identified strategies. Identify the methods and common metrics needed to track the successful implementation of the plan and measure the amelioration of identified gaps in services/programming. Page 21 of 46

22 Member / Partner Name: Lake Elsinore Regional Comprehensive Plan Objective #1: An evaluation of current levels and types of adult education programs within its region, including education for adults in correctional facilities; credit, noncredit, and enhanced noncredit adult education coursework; and programs funded through Title II of the federal Workforce Investment Act, known as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Public Law ). Narrative: For each of the five program areas listed in AB86, describe, in a narrative format, the services and programs the consortium members and partners are currently providing in the consortium s region and provide a narrative evaluation of adequacy and quality. Valley Adult School (VAS) is located on a campus that houses 3 separate schools. VAS students are also served at seven satellite campuses throughout the district. Satellite facilities are readily available and may be increased as need arises. We offer 24 classes in five program areas: Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (HSD, GED), English as a Second Language (ESL), vocational education, and high school concurrent classes. Valley Adult School provides all students with a challenging, coherent, and relevant curriculum to serve the educational goals of students and needs of the community. Curriculum is based on Adult Education Model Standards, CASAS Competencies, State Standards, and District academic guidelines. Curriculum is focused on developing productive community members, effective communicators, and self-directed life-long learners. PROGRAMS AREAS 1. Elementary and Basic Skills: ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (ABE), GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED), HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA (HSD) Learners have the option of earning a high school diploma through our independent study program and CAHSEE preparation classes, preparing for the General Education Development Certificate (GED) and earning the GED Certificate, making up deficient high school credits in our concurrent high school program or increasing their basic skills to achieve their academic goal in the ABE program. GED/HSD instructors offer approximately 8 hours of direct lesson on a weekly basis. ABE and CAHSEE classes are offered in the evenings for two hours twice a week. All of these courses are currently offered at the main campus each semester using an open entry/ open exit enrollment system. Page 22 of 46

23 GED, ABE students are expected to attend a minimum of eight hours a week to demonstrate progress in their individual programs. HSD and concurrent students must attend one evening a week for a minimum of an hour to meet their credit objectives. Students who enroll in the ABE, GED, and HSD programs at Valley Adult take a TABE/CASAS assessment to determine their academic levels. HSD students are given written course outlines with clearly defined learner outcomes for each course assigned. ABE and GED students are verbally given individualized goals and learning outcomes based on test scores and academic counseling, as well as general learner outcomes provided in orientation handbooks. The administration allocates resources based on the curricular needs identified by the teachers. During orientation, students get an informational pamphlet with the SLOs for each level within the corresponding program. The instructors utilize assessment data to tailor their instruction to meet the different academic needs of their diverse student population. As a staff, VAS uses all assessment results, both formal and informal to create interventions to help students reach their individual needs and learning levels. When analyzing student learning gains in staff meetings and PLC discussions, key issues are identified to move forward with program improvement. All of these programs are required to maintain a rigorous curriculum, high expectations, and student accountability. Teachers work individually with students to set learning goals and educational plans and hold them accountable for attendance and adequate progress. VAS follows and utilizes the new Common Core State Standards throughout all academic programs. We adhere to the key components of the standards for English and language arts, reading, writing, as well as mathematics. We incorporate into our direct lessons and subject assignments the necessary skills for success in college and career. We do this by utilizing technology, encouraging higher level thinking skills and classroom discussions. Special learning needs have been identified in 33% of the VAS population, including beginning literacy levels. Individualized supplemental materials are provided to students on an as- needed basis based on IEP s and assessment results. An example of this would be assigning a software program such as Plato to reinforce language and reading skills, as well as providing an alternative delivery method of instruction. HSD and concurrent courses follow the district K-12 curriculum. Textbooks, course outlines, and assessments used for these programs are all aligned with the district to ensure rigor and post-secondary success. Our GED courses have used state curriculum to align with state GED tests. The curriculum and test prep materials assist the students to perform successfully in the four areas covered on the GED. The Valley Adult School website offers online materials and tutorials for most of the required courses. The computer lab gives students access to a variety of software Page 23 of 46

24 programs (PLATO, GED practice test) offering students opportunities for remediation and to test their progress within the programs. For the students earning credits towards a diploma, there are a limited number of online classes available. Students transitioning to post-secondary education are provided with on-site academic counseling by a credentialed counselor and career staff which assist students with their FAFSA applications, college presentations, and entrance exam preparation. In connection with Planet Youth (our local One Stop career center) and our local CalWORKs Program, our students are provided with job procurement assistance and information regarding CTE classes. VAS has opportunities available throughout the year including district workshops, guest speakers, and career and college opportunities. The district also provides drug/alcohol programs and a liaison for community needs. Parenting classes are also available at our site. To meet the transportation needs of our students, we offer bus schedules and information. We have a public bus stop on site offering students convenient access. We also sell bus passes and individual tickets. Through Planet Youth (PY) students have access to bus passes. All of these services are free of charge and easily accessible. 2. Classes and Courses for Immigrants ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) AND CITIZENSHIP The ESL program offers a thorough curriculum and an effective learning environment to students for language acquisition, citizenship preparation, and job related English development. Valley Adult School has incorporated EL Civics into the ESL program since Through the Students Needs Assessment process, students collaboratively discuss and select the EL Civics objectives and lesson topics for the school year. The top four learning objectives are then added to the ESL curriculum as a response to student and community needs. The ESL program has a managed enrollment system that allows students to enter and exit classes every quarter. The classes are offered twice a week during the morning and evening and are two hours in length. Students must participate with a minimum of 40 hours to be post-tested and show progress on the standardized and civic objectives assessments. In the ESL department, the CASAS test results by competency have been useful to teachers showing the areas needing modification within instruction methods. Learner outcomes in the ESL program are measured using CASAS assessments and are reported quarterly to the state of California. The ESL Program has shown improved performance each year and notably for the last two years has consistently performed above state standards at all ESL Educational Functioning levels as compared to the statewide goals. Page 24 of 46

25 VAS also offers distance/on-line learning options for ESL students who are not able to attend regularly. The online learning option for ESL learners is through the state licensed program USA Learns which helps students to reinforce the EL Civics learning units. In addition, ESL students have access to our learning lab four days a week providing students with opportunities to access typing software, Microsoft applications and Internet access as well as to practicing learning activities in which technology is incorporated such as typing a letter, researching for a food recipe, downloading a picture, accessing job applications, etc. In the ESL and ABE instructors established a successful collaborative transition program for all ESL advanced levels ready to become ABE students. The departments created a curriculum that provides students with the skills needed to continue with their academic development. Staff have been able to utilize strategies and methodologies suitable to ESL students to ensure their needs are being met. As part of our federal WIA II grant, a technology committee comprised of teachers from the ESL department establishes yearly goals and objectives for technology acquisition and training to be carried out with grant funds. 3. Short Term CTE Over the last two years VAS has starter to offer CTE and post- secondary courses again as funding has permitted. This is an area we have planned to expand. We hope to increase the number of courses in our business pathway to allow students to become certificated in this area and transition to the community college after completion. We also are looking to begin a program in automotive and in welding and construction. These are opportunities that are currently available in our district during the day to high school students and are waiting for our direction to add to our afternoon and evening programs to support the adult community. These certificated CTE pathways are also connected to business partnerships in our surrounding areas who are ready and willing to support our adult programs with internships and partnerships when we are ready to begin. Currently we have two classes we have made available to adult students in the community. BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS Our basic computer course offers students the opportunity to learn basic functions of the Windows operating system, Internet concepts, , word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentation and publication software applications. The course acquaints students with the personal computer and develops introductory to intermediate skills. This course will also prepare students preparing to take the online GED course with basic computer skills to access the test. College Guidance Class Page 25 of 46