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CAEP Annual Plan: 2019-20 12 Contra Costa Adult Education Consortium

Status: Consortium Approved

California Adult Education Program : Annual Plan : 2019-20 Produced: Aug 16, 2019, 7:32 PM UTC Vittoria Abbate

12 Contra Costa Adult Education Consortium

Plans & Goals - Consortium Approved

Executive Summary
During the 2018-19 implementation period, the Contra Costa County Adult Education Consortium (CCCAEC) made progress across most strategies from the previous CCCAEC Three-year Adult Education Plan while increasing its capacity to expand and strengthen CAEP services during the next three-year period. The CCCAEC’s workgroups continued to advance their work in establishing shared processes, aligning career and academic standards, and bolstering student support strategies. Curriculum-specific workgroups (ABE/ASE, AWD, CTE, ESL) aligned their monthly meeting times and locations to allow for more frequent and nimble collaboration across disciplines to better serve adult learners in a holistic manner, contextualize courses, and identify additional needs. The CCCAEC made significant strides in realizing the long-held goal of establishing shared regional data systems through the rollout of Community Pro. Implementation included significant efforts to design and align data collection and data entry procedures across all member agencies entailing substantial investment in coordination and training. Improved capacity to track student information across the Consortium, as well as the completion of a multi-year, regional student needs assessment, informed the development of the new three-year plan adult education plan for 2019-2023. Increased data capacity and an investment in a robust planning process resulted in this collaboratively developed and data-driven plan from which the Consortium has now derived targeted and strategic implementation priorities and tasks for the 2019-20 period. Building on the progress of the previous year, the CCCAEC will use California Adult Education Program (CAEP) funds in 2019-20 to continue efforts to increase access to academic and career learning opportunities; remove barriers commonly faced by adult learners by expanding awareness of and connections to psycho-social support services and resources; and implement tiered strategies for student acceleration through the continuum of CAEP pathways. Over the next year, the CCCAEC will focus on the following goals:●Maximize alignment of intake and referral practices across CCCAEC member agencies to ensure consistent processes and information during intake, registration, and orientation ●Increase career readiness by expanding opportunities for contextualized courses, work-based learning opportunities, and professional certifications and programs●Support student acceleration by designing, aligning, revising curricula and supports to prepare CAEP students for career and/or college ●Increase access to CAEP services through the addition of evening and weekend courses and distance learning opportunities●Increase engagement with and connectedness to external community support services ●Evaluate current Consortium organization and operational structures to optimize efficiency and impactBuilding on the CCCAEC’s efforts and progress made in 2018-19, this annual plan will serve as a workplan informing how the consortium will move forward in 2019-20 to address priorities, implement strategies, and meet objectives set forth in the CCCAEC’s Three-Year Plan. As the CCCAEC moves forward with this year’s activities and efforts, it will continually monitor progress and make adjustments to approach and strategy to ensure the timely and successful completion of goals. It is expected that the implementation schedule of some strategic activities may vary across subregions in accordance with the needs of respective communities and member agencies. Lessons learned at the subregional level will continue to be leveraged to benefit the entire Consortium.
Regional Planning Overview
The Consortium has adapted strategies and related activities from its new Three-year plan into intermediary tasks for the purpose of developing the 2019-20 annual plan. Tasks and strategies described within this annual plan have been developed directly in response to the services gaps and needs of adult learners that were identified through the CCCAEC Gaps Analysis Report and the Three-year Plan planning process. As well, the consortium is adapting an internal implementation plan guided by the Three-year plan that directly reflects strategies and activities discussed in this report to ensure tactical considerations are fully accounted for and that all activities and tasks may be effectively monitored.

Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
There is a lack of awareness among students & CCCAEC members of community-based resources and opportunities available to students.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
Nearly all students experience challenges outside of the classroom that have direct impacts on their ability to be successful in school. Adult learners often experience intersecting social, economic, and cultural challenges that create barriers to meeting their academic or career goals. Major findings from the CCCAEC’s recent Three-Year planning process and Gaps Analysis Report indicate barriers related to financial need and related services, needed support for behavioral health and life challenges, additional support and services related to independent living assistance for those with disabilities, and childcare.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
The CCCAEC will measure progress toward meeting this goal by documenting existing and new services and partnerships, and other resources that offer supports to students. The overarching goal will be to increase the number of formalized partnerships and referrals between support services providers and CCCAEC members and the Consortium as a whole.

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
The CCCAEC has limited flexibility and accessibility of course offerings to accommodate adult learners with barriers to access and completion.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
Major findings from the CCCAEC’s recent Three-Year Plan and Gaps Analysis Report indicate that difficulty finding classes that accommodate adult learners’ schedules is a significant barrier to access and completion of CAEP services. Many adult learners have daytime responsibilities that can prelude participation in CAEP services during standard daytime hours including employment, providing care to family members and children, and in many cases, a combination of the two. The CCCAEC Gaps Analysis Report identified that a challenge for adult learners is finding the courses they need during a time that works for them. While this issue has been known by adult education centers and community colleges, the work of the Consortium has also informed CCCAEC’s understanding that the solution may lie in a more subregional, coordinated approach to delivering CAEP programs.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
The CCCAEC will measure progress towards meeting this need by measuring the number of courses that are available in distance education modalities and during alternative times such as evenings and weekends following implementation.

Gaps In Service

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Gap: Lack of awareness among students & CCCAEC members of community-based resources/opportunities available to students Strategy 1.1: The CCCAEC will expand resources and opportunities through strengthened partnerships with CBOs.1.1.1: Convene CBO Partner Taskforce/Workgroup1.1.2: Assess current CBO and service inventory and identify gaps in current partner network1.1.3: Develop recommendations to bolster and or supplement gaps in support services1.1.4: Engage in partnership building with local and regional CBOs1.1.5: Formalize existing and new partnerships with regional CCCAEC membersTo address gaps in the awareness and levels of student support services, the CCCAEC will expand resources and opportunities through strengthened partnerships with CBOs and industry partners. The CCCAEC aims to reduce barriers, improve accessibility, and increase success, and it sees building partnerships with community-based organizations as part of a holistic strategy to support adult learners with complex needs. The CCCAEC will leverage its network of community partners and service providers across the county to strengthen current partnerships and build new ones. This strategy will enhance and expand the level of appropriate linkages and referrals for psychosocial supports and safety net services; reduce barriers to needed support; and improve accountability and sharing of information about community-based supports and services. To implement this strategy, a Community-Based Organization (CBO) Engagement Taskforce/Workgroup will be convened to lead efforts to study and document existing partnerships with entities providing support services in the County. The Taskforce/Workgroup will conduct an assessment of consortium member agencies and develop an inventory of community-based partners, the services they provide, and the nature of the current partnerships (i.e., existence of MOU’s). This information will be used to identify and describe current types and levels of community-based services available, gaps in available supports, and potential opportunities for new partnerships. Evaluation criteria will also be developed to assess service partner performance based on responsiveness, timely delivery of services, and navigability. The resulting inventory of CBO partners and support services will serve as a resource for all CCCAEC members in assisting adult learners with meeting their needs as well as drive outreach efforts to expand the current partner network. With support from the Taskforce/Workgroup, educational agencies across the Consortium will establish formalized referral pathways and MOUs with local service providers to increase levels of support for adult learners. The CBO Engagement Taskforce/Workgroup will report to the CCCAEC Steering Committee regularly and submit recommendations to bolster and/or supplement gaps in support services.
Strategy #2
Gap: Limited flexibility and accessibility of courses to accommodate adult learners Strategy 1.2: Increase opportunities for alternative class times and distance learning1.2.1 Assess current course, schedule, and location needs for CAEP courses in each region 1.2.2 Develop subregional alignment of courses and schedules 1.2.3 Conduct site analyses to determine optimal location/resources for classes and additional offerings in each sub-region1.2.4 Pilot additional and alternative-schedule classes (weekend/evenings/distance education)The CCCAEC will accommodate adult learners who balance the responsibility of employment, parenting, and caregiving, through increased opportunities for alternative class times and locations. Agencies will also provide greater opportunities for distance learning and service participation. To accomplish this, the consortium will maximize its capacity and resources by coordinating sub-regional course schedules and offering co-located classes where possible.To implement this strategy, subregional taskforce/workgroups consisting of membership of both community colleges and proximal adult schools will convene to assess current course, schedule, and location needs for CAEP courses in each subregion. The respective taskforce/workgroups will develop strategic priorities for providing CAEP services in a manner that maximizes accessibility and moves toward greater course alignment. The taskforce/workgroup will then work to develop a shared subregional schedule that increases coordination of course offerings and schedules across member agencies. Each taskforce/workgroup will conduct a facility analysis across its subregion to identify and map available classroom spaces and resources. The taskforce/workgroup will seek to reduce duplication of classes in order to apply resources toward expanding the number and variety of classes available at alternative times, such as evenings and weekends.Following planning and assessment activities, the subregional groups will present their plans to the Consortium Steering Committee and begin implementation. Planning and assessment is likely to occur during FY 2019-20 with changes to calendars and locations happening during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Seamless Transitions

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Strategy 2.1 Maximize alignment of student intake processes across CCCAEC member agencies to facilitate student transitions and align data collectionStudent Transitions2.1.1 Convene Taskforce/Workgroup2.1.2 Assess intake, orientation, and registration practices across all CCCAEC member agencies2.1.3 Report findings and present tool proposal to Steering CommitteeAlign Data CollectionYear 12.1.4 Evaluate and align data collection across all consortium sites (in collaboration with Transition Specialists/Data and Accountability Workgroups)2.1.5 Develop prototype tools/processes/data protocols/orientation content in collaboration with Community Pro implementation leads and in consultation with workgroupsYear 22.1.6 Pilot instruments and processes across intake, registration, orientation As the CCCAEC has worked to create a more seamless adult education system, it has become clear that the current system lacks standard and consistent practices for enrolling and orienting new adult learners to the regional adult education system. Some adult learners lack clear information about academic and career training pathways, courses, and supports resulting in unnecessary course enrollments, delayed progress, and missed opportunities to utilize academic, transition, and ancillary supports. A more standardized and consistent process for intake, registration, and orientation will ensure that students receive accurate and comprehensive information, streamline enrollment and transition experiences for students, and reduce avoidable barriers to progression and completion. The ongoing implementation of CommunityPro across CCCAEC member agencies greatly increases the capacity to track individual student along the continuum of services, identify larger trends in the adult learner population, and increase inter and intra-segmental system communication. The CCCAEC will utilize this enhanced capacity to align intake, registration, and orientation processes to ensure that state-mandated data collection occurs and investigate opportunities for inter and intra-segmental student referrals. To implement this strategy the CCCAEC will convene a taskforce/workgroup to identify and assess current intake, registration, and orientation processes across all member agencies. Working with the existing Data and Accountability workgroup and Transition Specialists, the Taskforce/Workgroup will review existing tools and procedures currently in use to evaluate the extent to which initial student data collection and orientation content align across member agencies. The Taskforce/Workgroup will present findings to the Steering Committee and propose protocols and new instruments (if necessary) to standardize initial student data collection and data entry into Community Pro. The Taskforce/Workgroup will collaborate with the Steering Committee to develop core orientation content to ensure that students are provided with consistent information that promotes the CCCAEC’s regional approach to service provision (i.e., access to multiple entry points and pathways). Following approval of common student intake, registration, and orientation materials and processes, the CCCAEC will develop and rollout a coordinated implementation pilot that includes scheduled evaluative activities and opportunities for revisions. Throughout implementation, the Taskforce/Workgroup members, along with the Consortium Manager, will be available to provide guidance and technical assistance on using these resources.

Student Acceleration

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Strategy 3.1: Create and Expand Opportunities for Accelerated Learning 3.1.1: Convene subregional faculty taskforces/workgroups3.1.2: Plan, design, and revise curricula and supports to prepare CAEP students for career and/or college3.1.3: Identify and develop ancillary academic supports to accelerate progress across the continuum of CAEP services3.1.4 Design/develop guided self-placement tools There is wide recognition among CCCAEC institutions that adult schools and colleges need to do more to accelerate student progress and increase successful completion. Over the past year, the CCCAEC workgroups have been engaged in planning to align curricula to similar standards, develop tools and resources to support transitions, and increase connections between adult education and community college programs to improve student success as students move from basic to college-level courses. The CCCAEC will continue to build on progress made in this area and develop additional opportunities for accelerated learning. The CCCAEC network of adult schools, community colleges, and partnering agencies will collaborate to ensure enhanced supports, tools, and opportunities are available to adult learners. To achieve this, subregional faculty Taskforces/Workgroups will convene to build on existing efforts driven by the ABE/ASE workgroup to develop curricula, support services, and mechanisms to identify students who are struggling or have dropped courses. Efforts will focus on promoting college readiness but also extend to supporting adult learners with the objective of completing shorter term certificates and professional training to increase employment outcomes. Subregional Taskforce/Workgroups will also include ESL and CTE faculty to further identify opportunities for contextualized courses and ancillary supports to enable acceleration through the continuum of CAEP services and pathways.
Strategy #2
Strategy 3.2 Increase Adult Learner Career Readiness Year 13.2.1: Identify ways to streamline certificate completion and gateways into employment3.2.2: Expand offerings of short-term curricula that focus on career readiness 3.2.3: Assess opportunities to increase contextualized course offeringsYear 23.2.4: Build effective pathways and tools (i.e. education plans) to support students moving from ‘Tier 1’ to ‘Tier 2’ employment opportunities3.2.5: Establish an Employer Relationship Taskforce/Workgroup3.2.6: Develop plan to increase industry partnerships and effective work-based learning opportunitiesThe CCCAEC has long noted that more can be done to increase the career readiness of adult learners through stronger partnerships with local industry partners and increased opportunities for contextualized learning and work-based learning. As such, the CCCAEC’s objective in this area is two-fold: 1) increase and enhance industry and business partnerships, and 2) expand career readiness opportunities for adult learners through contextualized learning, industry/profession aligned curricula, and work-based learning opportunities. The CCCAEC will assist adult learners to develop and strengthen the skills and competencies required for successful transition into their desired professional field through enhanced work-based learning opportunities, career exploration services, and relevant professional competencies integrated into the curriculum. The CCCAEC will also design and implement career exploration services that are initiated during the student intake phase. An essential component of this effort will be the consistent implementation of tools such as education plans that develop and support goal creation and career vision tied to job tier advancement.The CTE workgroup will explore innovative solutions to streamline and condense CTE courses within a given pathway to reduce the timeline to complete both core and prerequisite CTE course requirements. Several possibilities include combining certain courses within a CTE pathway, developing work-based or apprenticeship opportunities for course credit, and providing courses on alternative schedules. As well, ESL and CTE faculty will work to further identify opportunities for contextualized courses and ancillary supports to enable acceleration through the continuum of CAEP services and pathways. The CCCAEC will both increase and enhance opportunities for career readiness for adult learners by growing industry and employer partnerships to increase work-based learning opportunities and ensure appropriate professional competencies are integrated into the curriculum. To achieve this, the CCCAEC will convene an Employer Relationship Taskforce/Workgroup to identify and expand relationships with industry partners and regional employers. The Taskforce/Workgroup will identify gaps in current industry partnerships and develop a plan to bolster the level of work-based learning opportunities and curricula aligned to in-demand skills. Specific professional competencies will be mapped and integrated into career pathways.

Professional Development

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Strategy 4.1 Enhance CCCAEC staff and faculty capacity to deliver and track CAEP services4.1.1: Conduct training for appropriate staff on intake, registration, and orientation4.1.2: Continue to identify professional development that respond to changes to CAEP curricula, programs, and practices 4.1.3: Develop and maintain instructional pathways and student support referrals through trainings for K-12 and community college faculty, teachers, and staffThe CCCAEC will continue to support the member agency staff with training, technical assistance, and other support to maximize use of CCCAEC data systems, including Community Pro, ASAP, EMSI, and TOPSPro. In 2019-20 the CCCAEC will continue to roll out implementation of Community Pro and ensure K-12 adult education and community college staff receive sufficient and continuous training to optimize the use of this system. The CCCAEC will continue to identify additional conferences and trainings for co-participation by community college and adult education members. Over the next year, the CCCAEC will continue to provide shared trainings for faculty and staff at both K-12 adult education centers and community colleges. Contingent upon the completion of Strategy 2.1, trainings in the use of new tools and protocols related to intake, orientation, and registration will be provided to appropriate staff and faculty across the Consortium.

Leveraging Resources

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Strategy 5.1 Evaluate Consortium Organization and Operational Structures to Increase Efficiency and Impact5.1.1: Establish Taskforce/Workgroup to evaluate and refine CCCAEC organizational, management, and workflow structure 5.1.2: Evaluate and refine current workgroup structure5.1.3: Evaluate and refine CCCAEC governance and management structures5.1.4: Evaluate and refine role of transition specialists 5.1.5: Implement changes to CCCAEC organizational and operational structures5.1.6: Examine opportunities for the Consortium to enter into formal partnerships as a single entityMost of the CCCAEC’s shared CAEP investments (transition specialists, workgroups, consortium management, etc.) are in their third year of implementation. The CCCAEC feels that conducting an evaluation is necessary to measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility of each investment. The objectives of this effort will be to identify what is working well, what is challenging, and identify areas for change, adjustment, and further investment. This evaluation process will ensure that the Consortium and, most importantly, adult education students get the most out how CAEP funds are invested. Implementation will be led by the Steering Committee with the governance and budget and fiscal workgroups supporting this effort. The CCCAEC expects to move forward with evaluating the workgroup structure and transition specialist roles and responsibilities, and consortium management model in the first quarter of FY 2019-20 and expects both the evaluation and subsequent planning to take most of FY 2019-20. The CCCAEC has assigned a Taskforce/Workgroup with initial planning around a framework for reviewing the CCCAEC’s governance structure. This effort will occur during the remainder of 2019. While these efforts seek to optimize the effectiveness of CCCAEC funds, efforts that leverage external resources will continue through ongoing collaboration with local workforce organizations, including the Contra Costa Workforce Collaborative (CCWC), DOR, Opportunity Junction, SparkPoint, and Project SEARCH. In the coming year, CCCAEC members will further ongoing collaboration with CCWC members to expand implementation of WIOA services at various CCCAEC locations and increase access to job seekers.

Fiscal Management

A narrative justifying how the planned allocations are consistent with the annual adult education plan which is based on your CAEP 3-year plan.
All CCCAEC members must submit a budget each year to the budget and finance workgroup, which reviews budgets and budget requests to ensure members’ proposed usage of CAEP funds aligns with the annual plan and the three-year plan. Once budget requests are approved by the budget and finance workgroup, a recommendation is made to the CCCAEC Steering Committee, which votes to approve or not approve the recommendation. This process is used for all fiscal planning and management, including annual budgets and workplans, changes to budgets, and requests for additional funds.
An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2019-20.
All members are expected to use carryover funds for their original purpose as outlined in each member’s budget and workplan (see prior answer for description of budget and workplan approval). If a member cannot use carryover funds for the original purpose or if they want to change carryover funds to a different expenditure, they must submit a budget request form to the budget and finance workgroup and provide a budget and justification for a change in funds. The budget and finance workgroup reviews all requests and makes recommendations to the CCCAEC Steering Committee for final approval.

Certification

Acalanes Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Steven France

2019-08-15

Antioch Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Robert Beck

2019-08-15

Contra Costa CCD - Member Representative

  • Arzu Smith
  • Director of Finance Sercvices
  • asmith@4cd.edu
  • (925) 229-6946
  • Kim Schenk
  • Sr. Dean Curriculum and Instruction
  • kschenk@dvc.edu
  • (925) 969-2036
  • Jinpa Tharchin
  • Fiscal Operations Specialist- Grant
  • jtharchin@4cd.edu
  • (925) 229-6962
  • Daniela Ballif
  • Fiscal Services Manager - Diablo Valley College
  • dballif@4cd.edu
  • (925) 969-2019
Approved by Daniela Ballif

2019-08-15

Contra Costa Co. Office of Education - Member Representative

Approved by Contra Costa County Office of Education Lindy Khan Ed.D.

2019-08-16

Liberty Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Debbie Norgaard

2019-08-15

Martinez Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Suzanne Murphy

2019-08-15

Mt. Diablo Unified - Member Representative

  • Vittoria Abbate
  • Director, College & Career and Adult Education
  • abbategv@mdusd.org
  • (925) 685-7340 ext: 6711
Approved by Vittoria Abbate

2019-08-16

Pittsburg Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Lisa Williams

2019-08-15

West Contra Costa Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Jeff Carr

2019-08-15