CAEP
Annual Plan

Produced: Aug 8, 2023, 04:51 PM UTC - By Rhonda Balmain

28 Capital Adult Education Regional Consortium
CONSORTIUM APPROVED

2023-24

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

The Capital Adult Education Regional Consortium’s (CAERC) 2023-24 planning period continues to focus on restoring and expanding adult education programs and services across the region.  As enrollments reach pre-pandemic levels, the consortium looks for flexible instructional options to help students persist and meet their educational needs and career goals.  CAERC’s annual planning process involved the review of the consortium’s goals and nine regional strategies from the 2022-25 Three-Year Plan, analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and the assessment of the current levels of adult education needs and offerings.  Participating members also evaluated the progress of the consortium’s short-term outcomes from the three-year plan.  They made recommendations regarding CAERC’s intermediate objectives and regional strategies for the current planning cycle.

Key Accomplishments in 2022-23

CAERC Short-Term Outcomes from 2022-25 Plan

Target (increase by)

22-23 Outcome

Increase enrollments across the seven program areas

5%

+12%

Increase the number of students that become participants (+12 hours) across the seven program areas

5%

No change

Increase persistence rates (students with pre & post-tests) across the seven program areas

5%

+6%

Increase the number of students entering employment across the seven program areas

3%

+3%

Increase the number of students transitioning to secondary or post-secondary education or training

3%

+4%

Increase enrollments in career pathways (including Career Technical Education, Workforce Preparation, and Pre-Apprenticeship programs)

2%

-9%


CAERC’s key accomplishments for the previous program year focused on enrollment recovery and transitions.  CAERC enrollments across the seven program areas went from 9,750 in 2021-22 to 10,918 in 2022-23 resulting in a 12% increase.  Although the consortium did not meet the target for increasing the percentage of students that became participants, the consortium’s rate of 83% is holding steady and is above the state average.  Additionally, the rate of students with paired pre and post-tests (persistence) increased by 6%, surpassing the short-term target.  Regarding transitions to secondary, post-secondary education and training, and entering employment, CAERC’s members met the short-term target set in the three-year plan. 

The consortium’s effort to strengthen transitions to community colleges and expand support services for this population of students was demonstrated by the collaboration between the Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) and CAERC, resulting in two small pilot programs.  The first pilot provided the opportunity for adult education ASE students to co-enroll in for-credit community college courses while they worked on their secondary credentials; five students from San Juan Adult Education’s secondary education program participated.  The second pilot supported the co-enrollment of CAERC’s ESL students in one of several LRCCD’s for-credit virtual and in-person ESL Labs; three students from the consortium participated.  While both cohorts were small, the benefits were considerable, and plans are to continue collaborations with LRCCD for the current program year and expand interest in these opportunities.  Finally, CAERC’s Transition Navigator’s Hub is nearing completion and will be launched in the fall 2023-24 program year.

The focus for the 2023-24 annual plan will align with CAERC’s regional strategies and intermediate outcomes from the current three-year plan.  In addition, CAERC will re-examine strategies to increase student participation rates across the seven program areas and continue offering professional development to build strong career pathways, including collaborations with WestEd and CALPRO already scheduled for the program year.

Regional Planning Overview

CAERC members will continue to sustain, expand, refine, and offer high-quality courses and services that provide the region’s adult learners with the academic and employability skills needed to identify and meet their personal, educational, and career goals.  In support of these objectives, CAERC will align and strengthen the development of courses and services to enable transitions and expand career pathways that correspond to high-demand labor needs in the area.  CAERC will also focus on support for high-level English learners to transition to secondary programs and career training courses and enable equitable access to instruction via participation in the California Distance Learning Cooperative.  Members will collaborate to strengthen regional partnerships to increase funding and leverage existing structures and expertise to benefit adult learners in the region.  Data collection and reporting efforts will continue to improve with the overall goal of aligning outcomes and improving the accuracy of self-reported data.


Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Enrollment Recovery: During the CAEP 2022-25 planning process, CAERC members identified student enrollment recovery and outreach as a regional need.  The consortium saw overall enrollments increase substantially in the 2022-23 program year.  However, an analysis of enrollments by program areas exposed opportunities for growth in adult basic and secondary education and career technical education.  Enrollments in these programs fell by several percentage points. 

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

The data sources for the 2022-23 program year include the following:

  • CAEP- Summary Table (TOPSPro Enterprise - TE)
  • CAEP Outcomes Report (TE)
  • CAEP Enrollees by Hours (TE)
  • Barriers to Employment Report (TE)
  • Student Registration Information
  • Marketing Engagement (via social media tracking and analytics)
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?

Progress will be assessed by tracking enrollments as measured by TE data with the goal of increasing this indicator by 5-7% from the 2021-22 consortium level base (intermediate outcome from 2022-25 Plan).  In addition, the consortium will develop a marketing action plan and expand awareness of and use of the Capital Adult Education Asset Map tool among regional service providers and the adult population. This metric will be measured by the number of inquiries submitted to capitaladulted.org. 

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Transitions: In 2022, CAERC members examined the consortium’s capacity to support adult learners’ transitions via the self-assessment tool provided by CAEP.  On a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest score, members rated the consortium, and areas of growth were identified for the following indicators:

  • Entry: 3.63
  • Progress: 3.60
  • Completion/Transition: 3.87

Although CAERC met and surpassed its short-term outcome for transitions to post-secondary education or training (see key accomplishments in the Executive Summary) in 2022-23, the consortium is slightly below the state average.  

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

The data sources for the 2022-23 program year include the following:

  • CAEP- Summary Table (TOPSPro Enterprise - TE)
  • CAEP Outcomes Report (TE)
  • CAEP Fact Sheet 2021 (data from 2020) https://caladulted.org/2021FactSheets
  • California Adult Education Pipeline: https://www.calpassplus.org/Launchboard/Adult-Education-Pipeline.aspx
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?

Progress will be measured by student outcomes and transitions to secondary or post-secondary.  The goal is to increase these progress indicators by 5% from the 2021-22 consortium level base (intermediate outcome from 2022-25 Plan) and continue facilitating the implementation of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) across the consortium.

Address Educational Needs

2023-24 Strategies

RS-1: Sustain, expand, and refine adult education courses and services in the region

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Sustain, expand, refine adult education courses

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Facilitate the development of the Annual Plan for 2023-2024
  • Work with members to define and expand support services and develop a common policy for reporting services
  • Facilitate discussions about program/course offerings and expansion, including promising practices and supportive services
  • Facilitate conversations about CTE programs, promising practices, and support services to engage member endorsement that enables leveraging of resources and eliminates the duplication of services
  • Support expansion of course offerings and delivery of instruction and support services as needed

We expect these activities will produce high-quality course offerings that meet our learners’ needs, provide additional support services for learners, and provide a common method for reporting them.


RS-2: Coordinate and expand marketing and outreach efforts

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Coordinate/expand marketing and outreach efforts

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Coordinate and facilitate workgroup meetings to identify and execute specific marketing strategies (targeted social media posts, asset map, etc.)
  • Maintain a schedule for members' submissions for promising practices and student success stories
  • Create Social Media Content for marketing purposes and outreach
  • Share and promote guidelines and recommendations for effective social media use
  • Continue social media presence to promote CAERC course offerings and services
  • Provide one-on-one support to assist members with marketing needs and Social Media presence
  • Develop and print promotion materials, including infographics
  • Develop and publish two issues of the CAERC Community Newsletter
  • Research PR marketing for the consortium

We expect these activities will result in increased student success story postings on social media, continued contributions of articles to the CAERC Community newsletter, and the launching of a consortium-level promotional campaign. 


RS-3: Host, support, expand use, and promote the regional asset map

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Host, support, expand use of Regional Asset Map

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Update, maintain, support, and host the regional asset map website
  • Offer one-on-one assistance for members to update their course offerings and information
  • Continue providing training to Transition Navigators on the use of asset map
  • Facilitate monthly/quarterly discussions on course offerings and revise infographics posted on the asset map

We expect these activities will increase the use of the online tool for identifying course and program offerings across the region by navigators and students and produce an updated and improved asset map tool.

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2023-24 Strategies

RS 4: Align and strengthen the development of courses to support transitions from ESL/ABE to ASE and

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Align & strengthen transitions from ESL/ABE to ASE

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Support the use of Canvas across the consortium
  • Support members participating in the California Distance Learning Cooperative via workgroup
  • Continue with the identified Subject Matter Expert to lead the consortium Canvas workgroup
  • Provide Canvas one-on-one support to members as needed
  • Explore adult education Canvas shells to facilitate use with member agencies utilizing the LMS
  • Support and enable member agencies to pilot Canvas with at least one adult education class
  • Fund additional Canvas seats for members to pilot additional classes
  • Identify a Subject Matter Expert to develop CASAS EL Civics Exchange materials that are 508 compliant and aligned to CTE/IET offerings

We expect these activities will produce equitable access to quality content and instruction, increase transitions to secondary, and enable adult learners’ development of college readiness skills.


RS-5: Strengthen the development of transitional activities and services that support ESL/ABE to ASE

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Strengthen transitions to post-secondary or work

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Continue transitions workgroup meetings and engage in activities to share information and develop resources
  • Provide information and support member institutions with case management support for adult learners transitioning to post-secondary or workforce
  • Develop a system to track students identified as transitional candidates who move along identified pathways within the consortium
  • Workgroup to engage in activities to build consortium-wide capacity
  • Maintain the Transition Navigator Resource Hub website and link to capitaladulted.org
  • Continue collaboration with Los Rios/ARC to identify steps to implement SB554 (Dual Enrollment)
  • Continue partnership with Rios Los to co-enroll consortium ESL students at the intermediate high and advanced levels
  • Continue collaboration with Los Rios to co-enroll consortium HSD students through Advanced Education
  • Participate in CALPRO Supporting Student Transitions through Post-Secondary Education Workforce Clinic to align transition support across the consortium

We expect these activities will result in targeted support services that address the academic needs of students, provide resources to support agencies’ Transition Navigators and increase knowledge of post-secondary or employment options.


RS-6 Expand career pathway courses to align with high-demand markets in the region

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Expand career pathway courses

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Establish a career pathway workgroup to identify industry sectors and continue collaboration with LRCCD
  • Evaluate available VESL Health Care, Soft Skills, Workforce Readiness, and Business Technology curriculum and opportunities
  • Consortium leads to continue collaboration with Los Rios American River Community College Training Grant Project to support curriculum alignment for Public Sector Pathways and Refugee Career Pathways
  • Contribute to current projects between LRCCD and K12 adult education in the areas of supporting refugees through CTE and ASE
  • Coordinate Labor Market Training and Professional Development (CAEP TAP, West Ed) 

We expect these activities to produce a program of action that results in more adults in the region achieving their educational and employment goals.

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2023-24 Strategies

RS-7: Offer Professional Development to support regional strategies

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Offer PD to support regional strategies

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Facilitate discussions to identify specific consortium-wide professional development topics and activities
  • Provide PD for administrators on key TE reports
  • Compile a list of trainers on topics of interest for site-level PD (equity, blended learning, etc.)
  • Coordinate professional development on identified topics, including all program areas
  • Attend professional development to support program development and expansion as well as the implementation of regional strategies; share CAERC’s promising practices
  • Coordinate a Consortium-Wide Professional Development Day

We expect these activities to produce increased knowledge and understanding of topics related to the consortium’s goals. 

 


RS-8 Strengthen Regional Partnerships to increase funding and leverage existing structures and exper

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Strengthen regional partnerships

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Facilitate discussions and collaboration during meetings
  • Facilitate the development of new administration onboarding materials
  • Continue developing and updating fact sheets for each member and consortium as a whole
  • Update CAERC Shared Fiscal and Budget Agreement Policy to align with AB 1491 Carry-over guidance
  • Facilitate the establishment of a formula for future allocations of new funds as needed
  • Report to the Leadership Oversight Panel through letters and face-to-face meetings (with the CAERC Director) and seek guidance
  • Maintain, update, and host the CAERC website

We expect these activities will result in joint planning, implementation, and evaluation of program actions to increase services to adult learners in the region.


RS-9 Strengthen and support data collection and reporting efforts

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Strengthen/support data collection and reporting

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)
  • Coordinate and facilitate monthly/quarterly workgroup meetings
  • Updated intake tools to more accurately identify student goals and barriers to align to support services across the consortium
  • Support the development of a common assessment policy to guide both non-WIOA and WIOA members
  • Refine program year checklist/workflow for data managers and administrators.
  • Develop Update-guidelines to enable consistent data collection and outcomes reporting
  • Develop and share resources to support the use of CASAS reports to inform classroom instruction and provide training to teachers
  • Pay annual CASAS support fee, record management fee, and e-tests for non-WIOA members
  • Provide TE and ASAP site support to CAERC members
  • Continue monthly CAERC E-Newsletter
  • Continue to provide SME support to data and accountability workgroup participants and member agencies

We expect these activities will produce accurate outcomes data showing adult education’s value to legislators, funders, partners, and members.

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.

For each CAEP Fund annual allocation from the state, CAERC first determines the cost for services as a Program Manager and Fiscal Agent.  This consortium-level annual budget consists of staff salaries and other associated expenses for the following services:

  • Facilitating and carrying out consortium business and working meetings
  • Facilitating and carrying out the work defined by members under annual regional strategies
  • Facilitating annual and strategic planning processes
  • Leveraging regional resources and activities for the benefit of the adult learners
  • Carrying out administrative work in support of the overall activities

For each CAEP Fund annual allocation from the state, members receive the base allocation from the previous year.  Education Code 84914 guides the allocation process for all members as follows. As a condition of receipt of an apportionment from the program, a consortium shall approve a distribution schedule that includes both of the following:

 1. The amount of funds to be distributed to each member of the consortium for that fiscal year.

 2. A narrative justifying how the planned allocations are consistent with the adult education plan.

For any fiscal year for which the Chancellor and the Superintendent allocate an amount of funds to the consortium greater than the amount allocated in the prior fiscal year, the amount of funds to be distributed to a member of that consortium shall be equal to or greater than the amount distributed in the prior fiscal year, unless the consortium makes at least one of the following findings related to the member for which the distribution would be reduced:

 1. The member no longer wishes to provide services consistent with the adult education plan.

 2. The members cannot provide services that address the needs identified in the adult education plan.

 3. The members have been consistently ineffective in providing services that address the needs identified in the adult education plan and reasonable interventions have not resulted in improvements.

For any year for which the Chancellor and the Superintendent allocate an amount of funds to the consortium less than the amount allocated in the prior year, the amount of funds to be distributed to a member of that consortium shall not be reduced by a percentage greater than the percentage by which the total amount of funds allocated to the consortium.

For each CAEP Fund annual allocation from the state, the members may opt in or opt out of receiving one-time additional allocations and reallocations of funds as described in the section titled “Reallocation of Unspent Funds Policy”.

An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2023-24.

The Capital Adult Education Regional Consortium will take a dual-tiered approach to reallocate unspent funds:

 TIER 1: CONSORTIUM-LEVEL UNSPENT FUNDS

  1. Identify funded strategies that can benefit from an increased allocation and reallocate unspent funds
  2. Identify unfunded strategies that can be funded and reallocate unspent funds
  3. Reallocated funds must be spent as stated in Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

TIER 2: REMAINING CONSORTIUM-LEVEL UNSPENT FUNDS AND MEMBER-LEVEL UNSPENT FUNDS

  1. Members who have spent down 100% of their consortium allocation will be eligible for the reallocation funds
  2. Eligible members may opt-in or opt-out of accepting reallocation funds
  3. Distribution will be based on CAERC’s 2015-16 allocation funding formula in proportionate to percentage received with the number of members who opt-in
  4. Members opting-in can elect to accept funds in full amount or partial amount based on CAERC’s 2015-16 allocation funding formula
  5. Reallocated funds must be spent as stated in the original Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
  6. Members must return unspent funds within 30 days of notice
  7. The consortium will not distribute reallocation funds until all unspent funds are returned
  8. Members who have not returned unspent funds will have all future allocations withheld by the consortium until funds are received

Certification

Amador County Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Kelly Hunkins

08/03/2023 10:25 AM PDT

Davis Joint Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Grace Sauser

08/03/2023 02:20 PM PDT

El Dorado Co. Office of Education - Member Representative

Approved by Carey Buchanan

08/03/2023 09:54 AM PDT

Elk Grove Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Angela Rodriguez

08/04/2023 09:09 AM PDT

Folsom-Cordova Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Rhonda Balmain

08/08/2023 09:51 AM PDT

Galt Joint Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Joe Schallberger

08/03/2023 09:48 AM PDT

Los Rios CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Jamey Nye

08/03/2023 12:33 PM PDT

Natomas Unified - Member Representative

Approved by David Rodriguez

08/08/2023 09:40 AM PDT

Sacramento City Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Sue Lytle Gilmore

08/03/2023 09:59 AM PDT

Sacramento Co. Office of Education - Member Representative

Approved by Renee Collins

08/03/2023 12:13 PM PDT

San Juan Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Richard Judge

08/03/2023 09:58 AM PDT

Twin Rivers Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Tanya Praest

08/03/2023 11:03 AM PDT

Washington Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Stephanie Groat

08/08/2023 09:00 AM PDT