ABE Policy, Accountability & the NRS Summer Institute 2011

Let’s play…

Question 1 The NRS defines how many official adult student levels?

Question 1: Student Levels

Question 2 Name the adult student levels defined by the NRS.

Question 2: Student Levels 1.Beginning ESL Literacy 2.Low Beginning ESL 3.High Beginning ESL 4.Low Intermediate ESL 5.High Intermediate ESL 6.Advanced ESL 7.Beginning ABE Literacy 8.Beginning Basic Education 9.Low Intermediate ABE 10.High Intermediate ABE 11.Low Adult Secondary 12.High Adult Secondary These are also called EFL s, or E ducational F unctioning L evels

Question 3 What are the major NRS student goals?

Question 3: Student Goals 1.Educational Gain 2.Entered Employment 3.Retained Employment 4.Receipt of Secondary Credential 5.Entered Postsecondary Education

Question 4 NRS student goals should be obtainable by the end of the program year. What is the start date of the program year in Minnesota ABE?

Question 4: Program Year

How do you determine “educational gain” in ABE? Educational Gain in ABE = Completing a NRS Level

Question 5 What is the name of the state ABE database?

Question 5: ABE Databases

Question 6 The ABE databases produce tables A & 1-12 that programs submit annually. Programs should check them regularly. What are the most important tables for programs to check?

Question 6: Most Important The most important tables to check are: Table A:A:Shows enrollees & contact hours Table 4:4:Shows participant level completions Table 4B :Shows post-tested participants

Question 7 Table A displays enrollees while Tables 1-12 display participants. What is the difference between an enrollee and a participant?

Question 7 Enrollee/Participant

A closer look at Table 4 1.What level has the most students? 2.What was the average overall participant level completion rate? 3.Compare data with the state targets. In which levels did the program meet or exceed state targets? 4.In which levels did the program not meet state targets? 5.What can you do with this information in your role?

Consequences of Low Performance Report Card ABE Program Improvement Policy Provisional Approval Status Program Improvement Process

The Minnesota ABE web site is the best place to check for policy and accountability information. Two section highlights:  ABE Law, Policy and Guidance  ABE Accountability and NRS

ABE Student Eligibility Adult Basic Education means services or instruction below the postsecondary level for individuals: Who have attained 16 years of age; and Who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under State law; and Who qualify under one or more of the following conditions:  Are unable to speak, read, or write the English language;  Do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and have not achieved an equivalent level of education;  Lack sufficient mastery of basic educational skills to enable the individual to function effectively in society.

It’s time for ROUND TWO… … and answer the question.

Situation #1 A potential learner comes in asking for GED classes. He is 15 years old. Is he ABE eligible?

Situation #2A What if the potential learner is 17 years old?

Situation #2B What if the17-year old potential learner who is a high-school student wants to attend evening ABE classes with his parents?

Situation #2C What if the17-year old potential learner is a high school graduate?

Situation #3 You have a new potential learner walk in to your ABE class at the correctional facility. She just wants to study budgeting skills. Should she be an ABE student?

ABE Eligible Content All students in state and federally funded ABE programs must be receiving instruction in at least one of the core content areas. Core content areas:  Reading  Writing  Mathematics  Speaking  Listening  ESL/ELL  GED/H.S. Diploma

Conditional Content Conditional content is supplemental to core content instruction.  For example, students may receive instruction regarding computer skills if they are using the computer or software applications to assist them in learning the core content of writing. Examples of conditional content areas:  Citizenship/civics  Basic technology skills  Employability skills  Study skills  Health or financial literacy

Situation #4A You have a potential learner who only wants to get some computer skills so she can get a job. Should you enroll her in ABE?

Computer Literacy In order for an approved ABE program to count hours related to computer literacy content for a student, one of the following two eligibility criteria must be met: 1) The student must score below high school equivalency level on one or more basic skills content areas (reading, writing, math, or speaking) using an adult appropriate standardized test, 2) AND the student must have a primary NRS literacy goal in ABE, ESL, or adult secondary, and be participating (enrolled) in instruction related to that goal

Situation #4B What do you need from this learner if she wants to only take a computer skills course?

Conditional Work Referral Adults The following conditional content will be allowed without student participation in core content areas (and under specific referral conditions): Basic Technology Skills (e.g.- Basic Computer Literacy) Job Seeking Skills (e.g.- Résumé Writing, Interviewing, and Job Searching) Soft Skills Necessary for Work (e.g.- SCANS skills)

Conditional Work Referral Adults Eligibility and Referral Requirements –the student must: be 16 or over and not enrolled in public (K-12) school; and be referred in writing by a state or local governmental agency such as a Workforce Center, workforce investment board, or MFIP providing agency, specifically for any one or more of the content areas noted above. Note: Referral by a college or other post-secondary educational/training institution is not acceptable under this policy.

Conditional Work Referral Adults Exemption from NRS: Conditional Work Referral Adults are not subject to the NRS processes such as pre and post testing. The adult will not be counted in any of the NRS tables but would be counted on Table A for revenue generating (contact hour) purposes.

Situation #4C Can you count ABE contact hours for:  Registering this new student?  Testing this new student?  The student’s homework?  Counseling this student?

Contact Hour Policy BROAD DEFINITION: ABE Contact Hours are: All personal contact hours where the learner was with an ABE teacher, counselor, volunteer tutor or other ABE-funded staff working toward planning, assessing progress toward, and attaining basic academic and SCANS skills and ABE-related personal education plan goals; and All verifiable learner time during which ABE teachers, counselors, volunteer tutors or other ABE- funded staff worked with the learner to plan or debrief independent learning, on-the-job training or other community-based learning activities.

Recording Student Attendance All ABE consortia must be able to verify the accuracy of student contact hours reported to MDE-ABE Program staff are responsible for recording accurate attendance of in-class or other instructional, intake, goal-setting or assessment time with students Student attendance records must be on file and available to MN Department of Education fiscal auditors and ABE staff

Distance Learning Policy Instructional Delivery Models : Distance Education – Students are able to work independently at a distance and have strong computer literacy skills Hybrid – This is a blended instructional delivery model for students who need some in-class pre- teaching, but are able to work independently at a distance and have strong computer literacy skills In-Class – Students need in-class guided instruction and have strong computer literacy skills

Distance Learning Policy Count contact hours (AKA seat time) for: Orientation Testing Other time where the teacher is instructing or working with the student Count proxy hours (AKA time allocated for successful lesson completion) for: Student work with the distance learning curriculum Do NOT double count hours! For example, do not count contact hours for time when the student is working in the classroom on a distance learning curriculum if you are also counting proxy hours for that completed work!

For More Information… Minnesota Department of Education – ABE Web Site: National Reporting System (NRS):

Questions? For local program policies and procedures, contact your local program supervisor. For questions regarding state ABE policy and operations, contact Brad Hasskamp at or For questions regarding assessments and NRS, contact Todd Wagner at or