Alternative Types of Adult Education and Training in Community Colleges

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1 Alternative Types of Adult Education and Training in Community Colleges Thomas Bailey, Director Community College Research Center Addressing Achievement Gaps Symposium ETS National Press Club Washington, D.C. March 3, 2010

2 The Role of Alternative Adult Education in Community Colleges Contributes to need for greater and more skilled workforce Provides opportunities for adults to acquire skills and credentials Can be flexible in a time of fundamental economic/structural change

3 Issues with Traditional Associate Degree Oriented CC Education Many adult students enter with very low academic skills Transition from developmental education or ABE to credit courses and degrees is low Adults have less time and incentive to invest in general education and related degrees Difficulties adjusting to traditional schedules State policy often influenced by the traditional college student model Data systems, funding, and accountability still based on traditional model

4 Strategies Get students over the basic skills barrier Provide flexible training possibly leading to alternative credentials targeted at the needs of adults certificates, certifications, non-credit instruction Design governance, financing, accountability, and financial aid systems appropriate for adult learners

5 CCRC Projects Bridges to Opportunity State policy integrating data and coordinated planning Accountability System Student Achievement Initiative I-BEST integrated basic skills and occupational instruction Non-Credit what is the nature and quantity of non-credit?

6 Bridges to Opportunity State policy initiative in six states funded by the Ford Foundation Aimed at low-income adults in Community Colleges Emphasized a state policy development and stakeholder engagement, built on information developed from state longitudinal data systems

7 Transition from Adult Basic Education Only one third of ABE students earned a college credit Wage gains accrued to students who completed two semesters and earned a credential Only 5 percent of ABE students reached point of two semester and a credential

8 I-BEST: Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Basic skills education typically precedes careertechnical training Few students make the transition I-BEST: integrates teaching of basic skills and technical content, with aim of accelerating the transition

9 Top I-BEST Programs by Enrollment Microcomputer Applications 2. Early Childhood Education 3. Nurse s Aide 4. Automotive Mechanics 5. Welding 6. Medical Assistant 7. Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement 8. Home Health Aide 9. Nurse 10. Medical Office Management

10 Probabilities Compared: I-BEST and Propensity-Score-Matched Groups 100% 90% 90% 80% 70% 67% 62% 60% 55% 50% 45% I-BEST Matched Group 40% 30% 20% 15% 10% 0% Earned College Credit Earned an Award Gained on Basic Skills Test Note: Outcomes for enrollees tracked for 2 years.

11 Student Achievement Initiative Reward colleges for student success Sets goals relevant to adult or non-traditional students Basic skills College Readiness 15 credits 30 credits Math computational skills Degree, certificate, or apprenticeship

12 Non-credit Many CCs report more non-credit than credit students (AACC reports 5 million) Many older students Recovery act funds States vary in reimbursement policies Provide needed skills in flexible formats In many cases, provide an on-ramp to college

13 Issues with non-credit Lack of good or consistent data I have no idea where overall numbers come from No good sense of distribution of types of non-credit No estimates of the economic payoff to non-credit instruction In many colleges/states, non-credit is costly to students Publications: Counting the Hidden Assets The Landscape of Noncredit Workforce Education

14 Type of Training and Workforce Development Macomb a LaGuardia b Total Hours of Individual Noncredit Activity 482, ,338 Hours of Basic Skills Courses for Individuals 1.8% 60.7% Hours of Workforce Development Training for Individuals 50.2% 33.8% Hours of Basic Skills Instruction Sponsored by Companies 0.0% 0.4% Hours of Workforce Development Training Sponsored by Companies 36.2% 1.2% Hours of Personal Interest Activities and Other Activities 11.9% 3.8% Source: Business Roundtable (December 2009). Counting the Hidden Assets, Appendix A. a fiscal year b

15 For more information: Please visit us on the web at where you can download presentations, reports, CCRC Briefs, and sign-up for news announcements. Community College Research Center Institute on Education and the Economy, Teachers College, Columbia University 525 West 120th Street, Box 174, New York, NY Telephone:

New Evidence from a Causal Analysis of Washington State s I-BEST: A Difference-in-Differences Approach

New Evidence from a Causal Analysis of Washington State s I-BEST: A Difference-in-Differences Approach Sung-Woo Cho, Ph.D. Quantitative Research Associate AIR 2011 Annual Conference Toronto, ON May 2011