Implementation Guide for Linking Adults to Opportunity

Background The Adult Education Office (AEO) has developed an implementation guide for Linking Adults to Opportunity: Transformation of the California Department of Education Adult Education Program the Strategic Plan for the California Department of Education’s (CDE) Adult Education providers. The Implementation Guide was drafted from the Adult Education strategic plan: Linking Adults to Opportunity: Transformation of the California Department of Education Adult Education Program.

The Mission Advance California’s economic, workforce development, and societal goals by preparing adult learners for college, career, and civic responsibility. The Guide supports our mission as stated in Linking Adults to Opportunity.

Blueprint for Action Academic and Career Education Transition (ACET) Service Delivery Model Curriculum and Instruction Professional Learning Funding Data Accountability Collaborative Relationships Transition Services The Blueprint for Action, as presented in the original strategic plan, reflects the core components of both system alignment and the essential components of quality practice. Each component of the Blueprint outlines specific recommendations. To determine which recommendations could best serve as a beginning to the implementation process, the AEO solicited input from Adult Education practitioners at several statewide conferences: California Adult Education Administrators Association (CAEAA) California Council on Adult Education (CCAE) Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) The results of those discussions informed the development of the Guide.

Implementation Guide I. State and Local Collaborations and Leveraging Resources (Components 1 and 2) II. Student Support Through: Transition Services, Curriculum and Instruction, and Professional Development (Components 3, 4, and 5) III. Data and Accountability Funding (Components 6 and 7) The Guide compresses the plan’s original seven components of the Blueprint for Action into three major concept areas: State and Local Collaborations and Leveraging Resources (Components 1 and 2) Student Support Through: Transition Services, Curriculum and Instruction, and Professional Development (Components 3, 4, and 5) Data and Accountability/Funding (Components 6 and 7)

Intent of the Guide Serve as a resource to help the Adult Education community chart a path that will secure and improve services throughout the state. Ensure Adult Education has a key role in state and regional education and workforce planning. Support best practices for an integrated service delivery model. Identify and align actionable steps for the AEO and the field. The Guide serves as a foundation for targeting instructional services, but it also serves as evidence of the comprehensive, strategic approach Adult Education has taken to support state and regional educational and workforce goals. The Guide can also serve as a tool for helping districts and external agencies understand the relevancy of our work and how they can support it.

Format of the Guide Identifies action items for implementing the recommendations in Linking Adults to Opportunity. Aligns action steps for both the AEO and the field. Provides a means for monitoring our progress.

State and Local Collaborations and Leveraging Resources Excerpt State and Local Collaborations and Leveraging Resources Blueprint for Action: Components 1 and 2 A. Integrate and align services through statewide collaboration. CDE/AEO LOCAL AGENCY Action 1   Work with state level agencies including the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB), Employment Development Department (EDD), California Education, Diversity, Growth, and the Economy (EDGE) Campaign, and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) to coordinate and align services along career pathways. Identify barriers to collaboration and support multiple points of entry for adult learners. Participate on local and regional councils to develop collaborative opportunities. Inform the CDE/AEO of initiatives that further a regional approach to referral and tracking of students across agencies. Such initiatives can accelerate learning and demonstrate outcomes of a more integrated service delivery system that moves adult learners along career pathways. The format of the Guide reflects how both the CDE AEO and local agencies can align in implementing recommendations. (The left-hand column: AEO; the right-hand column: local agencies) Agencies may elect to focus on those recommendations of which elements are already in place. Others may recognize those that are of critical importance to improving their service delivery or student outcomes. Up to the agency. The AEO encourages collaborative engagement of all staff —administrators, teachers, support staff—as well as key partners or stakeholders in determining priority action steps.

A Good Start Action items augment current practices that are already effectively serving students. Action items align with federal priorities and statewide initiatives. Goal is to expand and bring to scale. Action items center on collaboration, transitions, data, and accountability. The best practices agencies had in place prior to the strategic planning process helped frame the recommendations in the plan’s “blueprint for action.”

Expectations The CDE/AEO and the field will embrace the new direction of Adult Education and advance the mission. The CDE/AEO work will support the Guide and the efforts of the field. The Field Partnership Team (FPT), as a group and within their individually respective regions, will fully support the Guide and move the implementation forward.

Anticipated Outcomes Reposition Adult Education as a key service delivery system for core educational and workforce needs. Elevate the status and relevance of Adult Education statewide. Implement, enhance, and expand transitions to postsecondary education and the workforce. Many of the action items center on “collaboration” and “transitioning” students to postsecondary education, training, or the workforce. These align with statewide initiatives such as the California Workforce Investment Board’s (CWIB’s) new Strategic Plan and with the new National Reporting System cohort-based goals: enter employment, retain employment, obtain a secondary credential, and enter post-secondary.

How Are We Doing? We will work together in assessing our progress and implementing additional recommendations in the plan. Why? Shared commitment to continuous improvement. What? Agency outcomes or “incremental steps” in implementing action items. When? At least annually. Why? Because “Adult Education Matters” The “best practices” agencies had in place prior to the strategic planning process helped frame the recommendations in the “Blueprint for Action.” Our goal now is to not only bring those to scale but to be able to document the progress we make and its impact on moving individuals and the state forward. What? To be determined (e.g., agency self evaluation, AEO survey, etc.) Many of the action items center on “collaboration” and “transitioning” students to postsecondary education, training, or the workforce. These align with statewide initiatives such as the WIB’s new Strategic Plan and with the new federal NRS cohort-based goals: enter employment, retain employment, obtain a secondary credential, and enter post-secondary. Gathering information on agencies’ progress in implementing action items in the Guide aligns with other initiatives or requirements. When? At least annually Although many agencies have parts or all of some recommendations in place, we have not gathered that information in any uniform and collective manner in the past. An initial survey may be appropriate to establish a baseline. We will also want to explore the resources and technical support needed to assist agencies. Agencies will want to assess their respective capacity for certain recommendations and determine which ones are more readily “doable” and which ones, while desired goals, require more time. Some may not be within the current capacity of an agency.

Adult Education Matters! By implementing a service delivery model that is student-centered, responsive to local need, and connected to other service providers, Adult Education demonstrates its relevancy in building educational and workforce capacity for the state.