EL Civics – Citizenship Preparation Overview Louann Gigante, CASAS Program Specialist

Welcome and Introductions  Are you an EL Civics Citizenship Preparation: Teacher? Coordinator? Administrator?  How long have you been working in Citizenship Preparation?: Less than 1 year 1-3 years 4-6 years More than 6 years  Is your agency: Small? Medium-sized? Large? CASAS 20142

Goals and Objectives  At the end this session participants will be able to: Identify the requirements of the WIA II EL Civics Grant Identify the requirements specific to Citizenship Preparation Identify sources for resources for Citizenship Preparation Programs CASAS 20143

Workshop Strategies Aha! Sheet Parking Lot CASAS 20144

EL Civics Truth or Fiction?  You are going to see statements about Citizenship Preparation  React to each by moving under the sign that best describes your feeling about the statement: Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don’t Know/Don’t Care  In each group, introduce your self to one person you don’t know:  Your Name, Your Agency, Your work with El Civics CASAS 20145

EL Civics Truth or Fiction? 1.Each agency can only offer one El Civics Program, Civic Participation or Citizenship Preparation 2.Citizenship Preparation programs must give the CASAS Government & History Exam and the Citizenship Interview Text (CIT). 3.The successful completion of the assessments in question #2 meet the requirements for US Naturalization. 4.CIT Administrators and G&H Proctors cannot be the classroom instructor. 5.Students can repeat an assessment, if they fail it the first time. CASAS 20146

EL Civics Web site CASAS

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What Is EL Civics? The Federal Perspective  English Literacy and Civics Education promotes the development of integrated programs that incorporate English language and literacy instruction and civics education. CASAS 20149

El Civics WIA II Funding  EL Civics is funded under the 1999 Workforce Investment Act Title II (WIA Title II), Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA). CASAS

The Goal of EL Civics  To participate effectively in the education, employment, and civic opportunities of the United States, adult English language learners must: master English navigate American institutions such as: government education workplace banking health care CASAS

EL Civics Focus Areas  El Civics Agencies can do one or both: Civic Participation Connects language and literacy to the lives of learners Prepares them to function effectively as community members, parents, and participants in the workforce. Citizenship Preparation Connects language and literacy to the lives of learners, prepares them to become effective citizens and to take and pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) written and oral citizenship test. CASAS

Application for and Funding of EL Civics  Current and new agencies can apply for Deadline is January 28,  Agencies that are currently funded for one component of El Civics can apply for the other component in their WIA application.  What is funding rate now? The rate, according to Rich Berry, Manager of Adult Education's Support Office, for program year it is $ per Payment Point. CASAS

Citizenship Preparation  Requirements to earn payment points: Learners must take CASAS pre- and post-test to earn a payment point Learners may take the Citizenship Interview Test (CIT) and Government and History for Citizenship test (G&H) to earn payment points Agency staff must be certified to administer the CIT Agency staff follow administration manual guidelines to administer the Government and History for Citizenship test  Data Reporting: Follow the WIA II deadlines for quarterly data (find in the Administrator’s Manual)(find in the Administrator’s Manual) CASAS

 CASAS Government and History for Citizenship Test (G&H)  CASAS Citizenship Interview Test (CIT)  Both tests can be ordered from the CASAS Catalog CASAS Citizenship Tests 15CASAS 2014

Citizenship Interview Test  The CIT test administrator must be currently certified for students to earn a payment point.  To become a CIT test administrator, register for a self-paced online course at  NEW--CIT Certification expires each year on June 30. Test administrators must be recertified every year between Jan 1 and June 30 each year. Recertification is done online. Test administrators will be notified about Recertification procedures each January.  Contact Michelle Chu, or at ext. 103 with questions or for CASAS

Data Collection Required for EL Civics Agencies Entry Record: Create upon entry into program One for each EL Civics focus area a student attends must be for an EL Civics designated class EL Civics students must have instructional program of ESL (not ESL-Citizenship) Update Record: Create after > 12 hours of instruction Update Record in either an ESL or EL Civics focus area Pre-Test/Post-Test: All students, all programs Can be from any focus area but must be for reading or listening Civic Participation only: Additional Assessments Citizenship Preparation: Citizenship Interview Test* Government and History for Citizenship test* * Optional CASAS

EL Civics Class Designation Designate the appropriate focus area for each EL Civics class in the TOPS Enterprise Class Lister. CASAS

More EL Civics Information Find at Administration Manual for California pages (not yet approved) Guidelines for El Civics Programs (not yet approved) Citizenship Preparation FAQs CASAS

 US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),  Resources for: Learners Teachers Organizations USCIS Resources 20CASAS 2014

 Resources for Learners Who can/should apply for citizenship? How to apply for citizenship Help to study for the test Understanding Rights and Responsibilities Naturalization Resources in Spanish USCIS Resources (cont.) 21CASAS 2014

 Resources for Teachers Educational Products Lesson Plans and Activities Training Seminars Training and Professional Development Naturalization Information Add Your Program to America’s Literacy Directory Supplemental Resource Links USCIS Resources (cont.) 22CASAS 2014

 Resources for Organizations Grant Program Promising Practices Program Development Add Your Program to America’s Literacy Directory Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative Civics and Citizenship Toolkit Libraries USCIS Resources (cont.) 23CASAS 2014

 Innovative Instruction – Delivery and Content  Celebrating Success  Promotion and Outreach  Engaging the Receiving Community  Addressing Barriers to Citizenship  Civic Engagement  Utilizing Volunteers Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Promising Practices (CIGP) 24CASAS 2014

 Using the list of Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Promising Practices (CIGP), review the section you are assigned and with your partner or group, select two Promising Practices that could be implemented at your agency.  Share those with the group. Think About Your Program 25CASAS 2014

Who can answer your questions about WIA II/EL Civics? CDE Regional Consultants Policy and Fiscal Issues CASAS Program Specialists* Instruction, Assessment, Data Collection EL Civics Website * For a list of Program Specialists and CDE Consultants, go to and click on California EL Civics then click on WIA Title II Program Specialists Contact Informationwww.casas.orgTitle II Program Specialists Contact Information CASAS

EL Civics Truth or Fiction? Let’s go back and look at those Truth or Fiction questions: 1.Each agency can only offer one El Civics Program, Civic Participation or Citizenship Preparation 2.Citizenship Preparation programs must give the CASAS Government & History Exam and the Citizenship Interview Text (CIT). 3.The successful completion of the assessments in question #2 meet the requirements for US Naturalization. 4.CIT Administrators and G&H Proctors cannot be the classroom instructor. 5.Students can repeat an assessment, if they fail it the first time. CASAS

Review Goals and Objectives  At the end of this session participants will be able to: Identify the requirements of the WIA II EL Civics Grant Identify the requirements specific to Citizenship Preparation Identify sources for resources for Citizenship Preparation Program  Aha!! What new things have you learned and will use or implement at your agency? Write them down. CASAS

Reflection What have your written down on your Aha! sheet that you think will help you most as you implement EL Civics at your agency? When you get back to your agency, with whom will you share the information you have learned today? Teachers Support Staff Administrators 29 CASAS 2014