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CAEP Annual Plan: 2022-23 18 Gavilan Regional Adult Career and Education Services

Status: Consortium Approved

California Adult Education Program : Annual Plan : 2022-23 Produced: Sep 14, 2022, 08:46 PM UTC Lisa Martin

18 Gavilan Regional Adult Career and Education Services

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

Gavilan Regional Adult and Career Education Services’ (ACES) vision is to help students move past barriers to education and empower them to continue pursuing their educational and career goals by offering a range of affordable and convenient classes in English as a second language, programs to earn a high school diploma or equivalency, and citizenship classes, as well as other basic skills and short-term vocational courses.

Gavilan Regional ACES aims to address the interruption to programs and class offerings caused by COVID-19 including the disproportionate impact the pandemic had and continues to have on students of color, including issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Similar to other consortiums across the state, the pandemic impacted enrollment in adult education programs and created staffing shortages. However, current data indicates a slow but steady return to pre-COVID-19 participation in adult education. Goals for the 2022-23 year include the following: rebuilding past program offerings; identifying how to expand existing programs, services and effectiveness; improving transitions to college and career; and developing and implementing both a community outreach effort and a needs assessment. Program areas to be served will continue to be English as a second language, high school equivalency, adult high school diploma, basic skills and short-term vocational programs.

Consortium members highlight the following accomplishments made during the prior year:

Gavilan Community College: To enable adult learners to access adult education programs, Gavilan College provided virtual/online courses for the majority of their programming. While some computer labs were closed, access to courses online were made accessible. Gavilan College recognized the importance of having reliable internet and is working to improve online/virtual access to courses while preparing to transition to in-person instruction. 

Morgan Hill Community Adult School: Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, last year the school was able to enroll 312 students and open an off-site ESL class. Further, 35 students graduated and three ESL students were promoted to Gavilan College. Eight scholarships were awarded for a total of $6,500. After waiting a year for our computers to be released because of the shortage, the school was able to replace the PC lab with 21 new computers and the Mac lab with 16 new PCs. Additionally, 25 laptops and 50 Chromebooks were acquired last year.

Gilroy Unified School District: In 2021, Gilroy Unified School District’s Adult Education program started out the year with no home base as it was necessary to pull out of the site of 20-plus years, which was located at the South Valley Middle School Campus. The adult education program has successfully relocated to the Mount Madonna High School Campus. In the 2021-22 school year, the program started with two teachers and ended the year with four teachers and a counselor. The adult education program came back strong from a dip in enrollment numbers during the 2020-21 academic year and has gone from all online learning to adding three 9 a.m.-2 p.m. days of open study with a teacher at the facility. The program’s enrollment nearly doubled and graduation numbers increased by more than 50%.

San Benito High School District: District and school staff have returned from COVID-19 committed to serving the community’s adult population. District staff will be assessing the needs of students in various programs over the course of the 2022-23 school year and based on both qualitative and quantitative data, changes to program offerings will be made for the 2023-24 school year.

Regional Planning Overview

Due to COVID-19, Gavilan Regional ACES experienced significant interruption in programming and class offerings including lower enrollment and staff shortages. Goals for the 2022-23 year include the following: rebuilding past program offerings; identifying how to expand existing programs, services and effectiveness; improving transitions; and developing and implementing both a community outreach effort and a needs assessment. Program areas to be served will continue to be English as a second language, high school equivalency, adult high school diploma and short-term vocational programs.

In addition to funding existing programing in ASE, ABE, ESL and short-term vocational, the consortium will:

  • Conduct systematic reviews of data to assess progress toward metrics and to improve systems.
  • Hire both member-specific staff to support expansion of services and consultants to complete specific tasks.
  • Increase communication about programs and services across the consortium (both among members and across the regions’ community).
  • Engage regional business, workforce agencies and other stakeholders.

Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Gavilan Regional ACES seeks to strengthen and increase enrollment in ESL and high school equivalency (HSE) programs to meet the English language and educational needs of the region. Nineteen percent of Gavilan Regional ACE’s population earned less than a high school education and 26% reported speaking English less than well. Among consortium members, San Benito County has the highest percentage of population between the ages of 18 to 24 with less than high school educational attainment compared to other members.

Currently, San Benito, Gilroy and Morgan Hill adult schools offer high school equivalency programs. From 2016 to 2018, enrollment in these programs were steady. However, in 2019, the consortium experienced a significant decline in enrollment and rebounded slightly in 2020.

Gavilan and Morgan Hill also offer ESL courses. From 2016 to 2019, ESL enrollment was climbing steadily year over year. However, enrollment declined in 2020-21. While efforts to mitigate COVID-19 were put in place, namely online instruction, for many, quality internet service was a challenge. The need for face-to-face courses remains.

While Gavilan Regional ACES has been addressing ESL and high school equivalency needs, due to the pandemic, gaps in service have emerged.

How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?

Gavilan Regional ACES accessed educational attainment and English language proficiency data from the American Community Survey 2020, and reviewed Launchboard and CAEP fact sheets.

How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?

Gavilan Regional ACES will engage in a systematic review of data to assess progress toward these goals. Specifically, consortium members will review local indicators including enrollment data on a per-semester and annual basis to track increases in enrollment in these two programs (ESL and HSE). Further, consortium members will review retention rates by reviewing member-specific exit surveys. The consortium will work to ensure their strategic goals are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) during monthly consortium meetings.

Local indicators with year-one targets (number of participants) that the consortium and individual members will assess to measure progress include the following:

Consortium-level targets: Year 1 

English language learner (AE 305-overall)                                  735

Low literacy (AE 311-overall)                                                        1,000

Number of adults served (AE 200): Year 1 

Consortium level                                                                            1,900

Gavilan College                                                                             1,000

Morgan Hill Community Adult School (MHCAS)                            175

Gilroy Unified School District (GUSD) Adult Education                   80

San Benito High School (SBHS) Adult Education                           38

Participants with educational functional level gains ESL (AE 400-ESL): Year 1

Gavilan College                                                                               250

MHCAS                                                                                            28

GUSD Adult Education                                                                     –

SBHS Adult Education                                                                      –

Participants with educational functional level gains ABE (AE 400-ABE): Year 1

Gavilan College                                                                                 –

MHCAS                                                                                            62

GUSD Adult Education                                                                     –

SBHS Adult Education                                                                      –

Participants with educational functional level gains ASE (AE 400-ASE): Year 1

Gavilan College                                                                                30

MHCAS                                                                                            –

GUSD Adult Education                                                                    –

SBHS Adult Education                                                                     –

Participants who earn a high school diploma or equivalency (AE 633-overall): Year 1

Gavilan College                                                                               –

MHCAS                                                                                           33

GUSD Adult Education                                                                   30

SBHS Adult Education                                                                   11

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Gavilan Regional ACES seeks to increase employment and income levels of the region. Among the consortium’s population with income near poverty or lower, 39% have less than a high school education and 40% speak English less than well. Further, among those near poverty or lower, 60% are not in the labor force, 8% are unemployed and 32% are employed. The region fares slightly higher than state averages for the same demographics except for those who are employed, where the region has a lower percentage of the population at or below poverty who are employed (see table 1).

Table 1. Among population near poverty or less, percentage by demographics

                                                               Gavilan Regional ACES      Statewide

Less than high school education             39%                                       30%

Speaks English less than well                 40%                                       34%

Not in labor force or unemployed            68%                                       67%

Employed                                                32%                                       34%


Among the overall population with no high school diploma, 61% speak English less than well and 55% are either not in the labor force or are unemployed. Compared to state averages for these measures, the region has a higher percentage of the population that speaks English less than well. However, the region has a slightly higher percentage of this population employed than the state average (45% vs. 39%)(see table 2).

Table 2. Among population with no high school diploma, percentage by demographics

                                                               Gavilan Regional ACES      Statewide

Speaks English less than well                  61%                                       49%

Not in labor force or unemployed             55%                                       61%

Employed                                                 45%                                       39%


Several efforts to support the economic needs of adult learners of the region are in place. For example, Gavilan College refers all students, including adult learners, to resources provided by “El Centro,” which includes assistance with housing, food, financial aid and financial literacy. It also refers them to a regular roster of partner services as well as direct support for justice-impacted students. MHCAS houses “The Market,” a food pantry, to its students. In addition, Gavilan College provides services and accommodations to students verified with a disability through the Accessible Education Center (AEC). To further support the economic needs of adult learners, Gavilan Regional ACES offers short-term vocational programs in Spanish in entrepreneurship and small business ownership.

However, there is a need to provide greater awareness of current short-term programs and increase enrollment of these programs to pre-pandemic numbers. Further, additional short-term programs need to be developed to meet the economic development needs of the region. The consortium will evaluate the best programs to develop and will consider the top five in-demand jobs (registered nurse, sales representative, first line supervisor, customer service representative, and general and operations manager) and skills (customer service, scheduling, sales, repair, budgeting and computer) and skill cluster (health care, administration, sales, and business and finance) during the first year of the three-year strategic planning process.

How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?

Gavilan Regional ACES accessed employment and labor market data from the Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research for the San Francisco Bay Area region, which includes San Benito and Santa Clara counties.

How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?

Gavilan Regional ACES will first determine which additional programs will be developed in the first year of the three-year strategic plan as well as support existing programs. In addition, a new outreach campaign will be developed that not only communicates offerings in an effective manner to community members not currently enrolled but also to existing students across the consortium region. For existing programs, the consortium will track enrollment and completion rates regularly (every semester). The consortium will work to ensure their strategic goals are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) during monthly consortium meetings.

Local indicators with year one target (number of participants) that the consortium and individual members will assess to measure progress include the following:

Consortium level targets: Year 1

Low income (AE 310-overall)                                            600

Long-term unemployed (AE 309-overall)                        700

Participants with transition to postsecondary (credit college) (AE 637-overall): Year 1  

Gavilan                                                                             25

MHCAS                                                                            15

GUSD Adult Education                                                       –

SBHS Adult Education                                                       –

Participants with transition to postsecondary (CTE) (AE 636-overall): Year 1

Gavilan College                                                               55

MHCAS                                                                            –

GUSD Adult Education                                                    –

SBHS Adult Education                                                     –

Participants with transition to ASE (AE 500-overall): Year 1

Gavilan College                                                               55

MHCAS                                                                           69

GUSD Adult Education                                                    –

SBHS Adult Education                                                     –

Address Educational Needs

2022-23 Strategies

Plan to identify partner obstacles/barriers to offer ESL and HSE

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Rebuild ESL and HSE Offerings

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)

For the 2022-23 year, the consortium will reconnect with past community partners including elementary school sites, libraries, migrant and low-income housing as well as local businesses to identify what is needed to bring back ESL and HSE course offerings within the community. Doing so will address educational needs and gaps in ESL services in the community. During the fall, Morgan Hill Community Adult School and Gavilan College will identify these partners and make initial contact to assess feasibility of offering ESL and HSE courses. During spring, these consortium partners will put in place necessary agreements to establish classes in fall 2023.


Outreach Consultant

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Community Outreach

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)

The consortium will increase community outreach efforts by assessing members’ current marketing and communications information and identifying gaps in messaging. The outreach campaign will include program offerings information and highlight program outcomes, and accurately target adults in the community. This may include development of multilingual collateral, student and partner testimonials, reaching out to partners to help promote awareness of program and class offerings through their onsite and online websites, and paid advertisements.

During the fall, the consortium will identify a contractor to conduct a needs assessment of outreach requirements and develop materials and outreach strategies based on best practices and culturally responsive approaches. During spring, the consortium will implement the outreach strategy.  Implementing a marketing and outreach campaign will raise awareness of the adult services available to our adult community. Many may not be aware of these services. Once aware they, may find a needed resource or program and utilize it thus increasing those we serve in our community. 


Needs assessments tool

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Develop integrated needs assessment tools

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)

In addition to information sharing through partner counseling meetings, the consortium will develop a needs assessment tool that can be integrated with each member’s current assessment collection efforts. Doing so will create a more aligned set of core needs assessment fields to better assess the needs of both student and community adult populations.

During the fall, the consortium will identify a consultant to develop such tools, methods of data collection and analysis plans. By the end of spring semester, the consultant will deliver items identified in the scope of work with developed items to be implemented in fall 2023.

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2022-23 Strategies

Need assessment consultant

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Develop integrated needs assessment tools

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)

In addition to information sharing through partner counseling meetings, the consortium will develop a needs assessment tool that can be integrated with each member’s current assessment collection efforts. Doing so will create a more aligned set of core needs assessment fields to better assess the needs of both student and community adult populations.

During the fall, the consortium will identify a consultant to develop such tools, methods of data collection and analysis plans. By the end of spring semester, the consultant will deliver items identified in the scope of work with developed items to be implemented in fall 2023.


Develop tracking system

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Improve Transitions Tracking

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)

Individual partners in the consortium work with current students through counselors to help identify educational and career goals. Counselors provide students with necessary information to achieve educational and career goals. All adult schools in the region have or will have access to counselors who work to help them transition to college or work. Currently, consortium members do not have a formal structure to track or share information about postsecondary interests with other members. In addition, Gavilan does not currently have a mechanism to identify incoming adult education students.

As an initial step to understanding the region’s current transition from adult school to community college, Gavilan College will add the regional adult school codes into its application process. This will allow the college to track how many students transferred from member institutions.

In addition, partner counseling teams will hold periodic meetings to update and exchange information about contacts, financial aid, graduates, short-term vocational programs and other services. During the fall, consortium members will assist in scheduling periodic meetings for the spring.

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2022-23 Strategies

Assess current and new short-term vocational programs

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Offer Additional Short Term Vocational Programs

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Employment and Earnings: Median Change in Earnings (AE 801 - Overall)
  • Employment and Earnings: Participants Who Became Employed in the 2nd Quarter After Exit (AE 505 - Overall)

The consortium will use regional labor market (LM) data and input from regional business and workforce agencies to offer additional short-term vocational programs.

For fall, the consortium will conduct a landscape study of what is currently offered and what is missing based on labor market indicator (LMI) data. During the spring counseling meetings, information about existing short-term vocational programs will be communicated. Additionally, during this time, an assessment of additional short-term vocational programs will take place by reviewing data and consulting with regional business and workforce agencies. As noted previously, the consortium will consider in-demand jobs, skills and emerging skill clusters.


Career Services Staff

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Build Capacity for Career Services

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Employment and Earnings: Median Change in Earnings (AE 801 - Overall)
  • Employment and Earnings: Participants Who Became Employed in the 2nd Quarter After Exit (AE 505 - Overall)

Gavilan College is building its capacity to provide career services to its students. A new position will be hired to extend career services across the college, including adult education students. Services will include career panels, internships, resume and job search workshops, and career counseling. The goal is to have a bilingual person in the new position to provide greater service to English language learning students. The college will also continue to provide counseling and peer advisors to serve continuing education students.

During the fall, Gavilan College will develop and advertise the job position with the goal of hiring by spring. This staff member will also participate in the partner counseling teams as necessary to communicate resources and information to adult school counselors. As part of the job duties, the staff member will develop a mechanism for tracking adult education students’ participation. During the spring, the consortium will also examine ways to better track earnings.

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.

Planned allocations align with the annual adult education plan as it supports continued funding of existing programs that meet educational and economic regional needs. The current allocation is distributed as follows: Gavilan College (38.7%), Morgan Hill Community Adult School (35.2%), Gilroy Adult School (19.1%) and San Benito Adult School (6.8%). Each member works to serve specific needs in the community. Gavilan College continues to serve as the fiscal agent but also provides ESL, citizenship, short-term vocational and continuing education programming. Morgan Hill Community Adult School provides similar programing including adult basic education. Both San Benito and Gilroy Adult schools provide High School Equivalency (HSE) programing.

An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2022-23.

Carry-over funding will be used to support consultants identified in the one-year plan that will support outreach campaign and needs assessment tools.

Certification

Gavilan Joint CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Susan Sweeney

09/13/2022 04:40 PM PDT

Gilroy Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Greg Camacho-Light

09/14/2022 12:08 PM PDT

Morgan Hill Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Lisa Martin

09/14/2022 01:46 PM PDT

San Benito High - Member Representative

Approved by Claire Grissom

09/14/2022 10:17 AM PDT