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CAEP Annual Plan: 2022-23 34 Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium for Adult Education

Status: Consortium Approved

California Adult Education Program : Annual Plan : 2022-23 Produced: Sep 16, 2022, 03:14 PM UTC Ivan Ayro

34 Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium for Adult Education

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

Serving 34,920 students in 2020-21, the Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium for Adult Education is the second largest consortium in California. The Consortium boundaries encompass the communities of Baldwin Park, Bassett, Charter Oak, Covina, Diamond Bar, the southern portion of Glendora, Hacienda Heights, City of Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, La Verne, Pomona, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, Valinda, Walnut, and West Covina. The Consortium area lies in eastern Los Angeles County and is a vital part of the Southern California economy. The 385-square-mile region is home to almost a million people.

The Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium includes seven school districts and one community college. The Consortium sites include Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education (BPACE), Bassett Adult School, Charter Oak Adult Education, Covina Valley/Tri-Community Adult School, Hacienda La Puente Adult Education, the Mt. San Antonio College School of Continuing Education, Pomona Adult & Career Education (PACE), and Rowland Adult & Community Education (RACE). Representatives from each site participated on the three-year planning team, the Steering Committee, and program teams that provided input to the plan.

Consortium faculty, staff, and managers are working to account for the needs of current students as well as prospective students in an educational environment largely shaped by the statewide COVID-19 response and current protocols. Currently, there are broader opportunities to build upon the goals from the June 2019 3 Year Plan than in previous years. There is also the opportunity to reflect upon how the Consortium can support people in our region as they respond to the employment shifts that have resulted from the COVID-19 era. While unemployment has dropped from the peak of 19 percent in May 2020 to 4.9 percent in March 2022, this shift requires reexamination of adult education priorities in the region to target areas where there are gaps between the number of skilled workers and projected job openings.

The 2022 Annual Plan and the 2022-25 3 Year Plan are focused largely on developing stronger pathway programs particularly in the healthcare field, growing CTE opportunities, improving educational opportunities for adults with disabilities and people lacking high school credentials, and increasing transitions to post-secondary education and employment. The Consortium will work to reconnect with students who did not complete their courses as well as recruit new adult learners via marketing efforts and direct outreach. Online learning has also improved among Consortium members, in particular for employed students, parents, and individuals with unreliable access to transportation. The 3 Year Plan includes instructional strategies to ensure that students can access high-quality instruction from their homes, if that is their preference. This includes expenditures related to expanded technology for distance learning for students and staff, as well as professional development for faculty. There is a continued focus on interaction and engagement with America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC). AJCCs and related student support agencies, which will include increased opportunities for co-locations at member sites as per the June 2019 3 Year Plan. The 2022 Plan will also further the goal from the June 2019 plan, which is the establishment of integrated transition counseling across adult schools and college programs. In addition, Consortium faculty and staff will continue the important work of examining practices within a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion framework to ensure that all students are welcomed and supported in our programs, both online and in person.

Particular attention will be paid to growing health careers programs, programs for adults with disabilities, CTE programs (both online and in person), and adult secondary education. In addition, support will be provided to assist students in applying those skills through transition to employment or post-secondary opportunities. The need for increased adult secondary education is shown by the fact that twenty percent of people in the region over the age of 25 have not earned a high school diploma or equivalent. CTE programs are crucial as the highest demand occupations in the region are in healthcare, particularly, Medical Assistants, Vocational Nurses, CNAs, Physical Therapist Assistants, and Personal Care Aides. Targeted CTE programs can also address the need for trained workers in fields such as business, hospitality, manufacturing, and skilled crafts. It is also critical to develop and grow programs for Adults with Disabilities, as only two percent of the over 10,000 individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the region are currently served. Consortium members have long been a source of training in these areas and can leverage their experience and knowledge to address the changing vocational and academic needs of people in our region.

Regional Planning Overview

The Mt. SAC Regional Consortium will implement the 2022-25 three-year plan through strategic planning, team collaboration, and student-centered decision making. The three-year planning process provided an opportunity to examine the current state of Adult Education in the region and provided critical conversations and data to stakeholders.

The goals of the three-year plan require the engagement of the Workgroups, the Steering Committee, and Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium Leadership. The workgroups will meet regularly to discuss the how to mitigate the regional needs and ensure that students are provided with the best possible curriculum, instruction, and student services at each member site. Members will share best practices and develop strategies to address student and programmatic needs. These plans will be then be implemented in classrooms and offices and will be presented at the annual Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium Conference. The workgroups will also facilitate professional development opportunities, including topics focus on distance learning, student outcomes, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.

The Steering Committee will continue to meet and provide leadership and resources to ensure that program development proceeds as laid out in the three year plan timeline and that professional development opportunities are available to faculty and staff.

Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium Leadership will facilitate the Steering Committee and workgroup conversations. The Consortium Manager will also ensure that the goals of the three-year plan remain at the forefront of decision-making. The Consortium Counselor will travel around member sites and will provide students and prospective students with information about college and career opportunities.


Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Career Technical Education / Short-term Vocational Programs (CTE/STV) / Transitions to Post-Secondary.

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

Los Angeles Country, where the Consortium is located, is home to a wide variety of industries. The COE LA County Sector Profile reports that primary existing sectors are Business & Entrepreneurship (employing 629,158 people) followed by Retail, Hospitality and Tourism (411,359). However, job growth in these fields is projected to diminish by up to 5 percent by 2024. While the Health sector currently comprises 188,328 employees, it is poised to have the highest level of job growth between 2019-2024 at 11 percent. This number is supported by Labor Market data that places Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapist Assistants, and Personal Care Aides among the top ten highest fastest growing occupations in the region.

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

Annual reporting of those making benchmark progress for 2021-22 will establish a baseline for effectiveness. 

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Provision of adult basic education and/or academic education for high school diploma or equivalency. 

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

With 14,840 students enrolled in the ABE/ASE program, the consortium is capable of meeting a significant regional need for those seeking to increase basic skills, improve job skills, and/or attain a high school diploma or equivalency. However, this number is lower than it was pre-pandemic. Consortium members will work to engage students with services, which is crucial as educational achievement data indicate that 20% of regional residents over the age of 25 lack a high school diploma or equivalent and that percentage is higher among foreign-born populations (27%), those who reported speaking English “less than well” (47%), and individuals near or below the poverty level (27%). In addition, Los Angeles County residents have lower literacy and numeracy rates than California and the nation overall per NCES.

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

An annual review of student enrollment, educational functional level achievement counts (basic education), diploma momentum progress, and completion with historical comparative data will establish a baseline for effectiveness and progress. 

Regional Need #3

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Improving regional services to Immigrants

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

Our immigrant population is reflected in the higher regional rate of foreign born and individuals who speak a language other than English. Of foreign-born individuals, the populations identify evenly as Asian (48%) and Hispanic/Latino (47%). The primary languages spoken in foreign-born households are Spanish (45%), Chinese and Mandarin (10%), Tagalog (6%), Cantonese (5%), and Korean and Vietnamese (3%). This linguistic diversity is also representative of the general population, with English being the primary language spoken at home (39%), followed by Spanish (38%).

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

An annual review of student enrollment, educational functional level achievement counts with historical comparative data will establish a baseline for effectiveness and progress. 

Regional Need #4

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Education, Training and Support for Adults with Disabilities

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

Department of Developmental Services data show that there are 10,337 people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the Consortium area and only two percent of those students are currently being served. In addition, adults with disabilities are also much less likely to be employed than individuals without disabilities (17.9% compared to 63.7%, respectively). In 2021, 29% of workers with a disability were employed part time, compared with 16% for those with no disability (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). Despite the fact that most adults with ID are underemployed, 62% of adults with ID in a competitive setting have been at their current job for 3 years or more (Special Olympics). In the San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center area only 9% of regional center consumers are receiving wages, compared to 13.5% across California (Dept. of Developmental Services).

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

An annual review of student enrollment, participation and completion with historical comparative data will establish a baseline for effectiveness and progress. 

Regional Need #5

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Transfer to College

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

Adult Education Pipeline data show that the Mt. San Antonio Consortium consistently outperforms the state average for students transitioning to Postsecondary from ESL, ABE, and ASE programs (32% for the Consortium compared to 17% statewide in 2019-20). However, it is anticipated that this cohort number decreased as a result of COVID and the switch to distance learning. This expectation is based on Mt. SAC enrollment data that shows a decrease in headcount by fifteen percent from 2019-20 to 2021-22. It is imperative that the Consortium expand its proactive approach to student services and transition support so students are able to continue with their education at the postsecondary level.

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

An annual review of postsecondary transfer rates with historical comparative data will establish a baseline for effectiveness and progress. 

Address Educational Needs

2022-23 Strategies

ESL & ABE Programs

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Increase GED & HS Completers

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Success: Participants Who Earn a High School Diploma or Equivalency (AE 633 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (CTE) (AE 636 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (credit college) (AE 637 - Overall)

English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and/or Adult Basic/Adult Secondary (ABE/ASE) will continue with emphasis on instructional strategies related to accelerated progress, student retention and persistence, adding transition to higher literacy, diploma, Integrated Education and Training (IET) and post-secondary opportunities. Outreach and marketing efforts to pandemic related stop-out students. 


CTE/STV Programs

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Growth of CTE Programs and Pathways (All)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Long Term Unemployed (AE 309 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)

Career Technical Education /Short-Term Vocational programs will be evaluated based on post-pandemic demand and continue as planned, with new programs implemented, or current offerings discontinued, based on adequate enrollment levels and supportive labor market data indicating regional or specialized demand. Integrated Education and Training (IET) and post-secondary opportunities. Outreach and marketing efforts to compensate for pandemic-related stop-out students and dislocated workers. Programs where we will seek to grow are “green jobs”, which include solar-related trainings such as installation and manufacturing; health care programs, including Certified Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Medical Assistant, Home Health Aide and Vocational Nursing; and construction-based areas that will include Basic Tools. These programs also align with the regional employment priorities according to the Workforce Development Board Regional Plan.


Contextualized Instruction or IET

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Expand IET Program (HLPAE)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)

Institutions will focus on development/provision of contextualized instruction or Integrated Education and Training (IET) models, leveraging ESL/ABE/ASE programs with Career Technical Education/Short-Term Vocational programs and/or strategic partners, i.e. America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC) 


Online Learning

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Expansion of Online CTE Offerings (HLPAE)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Long Term Unemployed (AE 309 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)

Development and facilitation of blended, hybrid or online courses to support student acceleration. 


Education, Training, and Support for Adults with Disabilities

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

AWD Program Development and Expansion (Mt. SAC)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Long Term Unemployed (AE 309 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)

In order to improve services to adults with disabilities in the region, services such as the Mt. SAC IMPACT program will be expanded. In addition to Life Skills courses, programs offered to Adults with Disabilities by Hacienda La Puente Adult Education include supported community employment opportunities in the areas of Food Services (catering), Building Maintenance, Landscape Gardening, and Production Workshop. Unfortunately, upcoming changes in WIOA legislation will require the closure of the Production Workshop in Hacienda La Puente Adult Education the coming year, resulting in the discontinued employment and servicing of nearly 100 clients in this program and further compounding the status of this population in the community as being underserved. In addition, partnerships will need to continue with both the East San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Centers, as well as be established with prospective employers.

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2022-23 Strategies

Expand IET

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Expand IET Program (HLPAE)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)

Institutions will focus on development/provision of Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs, leveraging ESL/ABE/ASE programs with Career Technical Education/Short-Term Vocational programs and/or strategic partners, i.e. America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC). 


ESL Transitional Support to ASE and Beyond

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Increase GED & HS Completers

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Success: Participants Who Earn a High School Diploma or Equivalency (AE 633 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (CTE) (AE 636 - Overall)

Institutions will focus on the development of transitional activities to support high-level English learners to transition to Adult Secondary Education programs as well as future academic and career pathway options. DREAMers are also served by the Mt. SAC DREAM Program and transition support from Consortium sites will be provided for qualifying students. One pathway is Adult Special Admit, as undocumented students can take concurrent college courses at no cost.


ASE & CTE/STV Transitions to College and Career

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Post-secondary and Employment Transitions (All)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (CTE) (AE 636 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (credit college) (AE 637 - Overall)

This activity will focus on developing new pathways and expanding existing pathways for adult learners that lead to employment or college enrollment. All consortium members will be included and will involve their counselors and counselor workgroups, as well as the Consortium Steering Committee and AJCCs. Member institutions may designate staff to support (and track) students identified as transitional candidates who move along identified pathways of the consortium. The Steering Committee also agreed to hire a college counselor to focus on transitions from adult schools to college.

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2022-23 Strategies

Develop Partnerships & Additional Sites

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

New Adult Literacy Center (BPACE)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Members may develop collaborative partnerships to provide satellite instruction of CAEP programs at school sites, other locations and/or distance online instruction. K-12 schools or community partner sites. Alternate locations may be more accessible or leverage additional resources for adult learners. An annual review of student enrollments, key performance elements (educational functional level, completions, transitions, etc.) with historical comparative data will establish a baseline for effectiveness and progress. 


Marketing

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Enhance Pathway to College and Career (RACE)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Given the need to reconnect with students post-COVID, members may provide major focus of resources on marketing and recognition activities, events and items including print and electronic media, and branded items to promote and inform the community regarding program offerings.


Professional Development

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Post-secondary and Employment Transitions (All)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Long Term Unemployed (AE 309 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (CTE) (AE 636 - Overall)

Host/Sponsor professional development activities for respective staff and open to the greater adult education community including conferences and events related to instructional and/or leadership development, strategies to support student retention, persistence and/or acceleration; compliance training, adult student support and collaborative networking. Support participation of staff members in consortium related work groups, activities and events. 


Collaboration with AJCCs

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Career Support for Student (Bassett)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: Long Term Unemployed (AE 309 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Income (AE 310 - Overall)

Institutions will focus resources on supporting the co-location or satellite sites with mandated partners i.e. America’s Job Centers of California, Employment Development Department or related agencies enhancing student access to necessary resources. 


Technology & Equipment

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Post-secondary and Employment Transitions (All)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Members will focus resources on increasing technology, along with the maintenance and improvement of equipment and facilities housing adult learning activities. Technological support and infrastructure improvement will remain a commitment that will lead to enhanced and new online instructional opportunities for faculty and students. While remote learning is advantageous to many populations, it also highlights equity gaps in the region with regard to access to technology. This gap can be mitigated through coordinated efforts to provide technology, hardware support, access to high-speed internet, and technological support to students among programs that are continuing online. Professional development will also be made available to faculty to maximize the opportunities provided in an online environment.


Data Support

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Post-secondary and Employment Transitions (All)

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

The Steering Committee recently approved the hiring of a data staff member. This person will coordinate state reporting requirements and expectations, including increasing the consortium’s ability to show accurate participation and program enrollment, student characteristics, educational progress and milestones, and employment and wage gains.

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.

Member expenditures and allocations are clearly aligned with consortium goals and objectives as well as current and planned activities in the three-year plan. For K12 adult schools, the majority of their funding is allocated from CAEP.  A number of K12 members have been offering robust CTE programs, leveraging student fees collected for purposes of expanding and maintaining much needed CTE offerings. Mt. SAC has blended state community college funds to develop and expand CTE and adults with disabilities programs. Most members have been leveraging WIOA II funds to strengthen, expand, and develop ESL, Vocational ESL, Citizenship, and IET programs.  

Serving the educational and vocational needs of immigrant students within the region is a priority among the consortium members. This has been evidenced by the significant investment of funds by all members to support immigrant education. Serving and supporting immigrant students who seek language acquisition, vocational training, citizenship, and IET will continue as a priority with dedicated financial investments.  

Most member institutions and the overall consortium have prioritized the growth of CTE pathways as part of their planned activities. Increasing pathway opportunities will include collaborations among members.  Several consortium member institutions are seeking to expand health career program offerings, which directly addresses the regional need for healthcare workers.  Members will continue to leverage other funds, such as WIOA II, Strong Workforce Program, student fees, and community college apportionment.  

Increasing student transitions to post-secondary and employment is also a priority as a shared consortium objective. Individual member activities and objectives also emphasize improving and integrating support services. Past and planned expenditures demonstrate that counseling, advising, and other academic support are included for each member. The consortium has recently approved hiring a dedicated counselor for the region to focus on increasing students' transitions into degree seeking programs. 

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

Efforts to effectively and responsibly manage shared consortium carryover funds are already in place. The pandemic led to larger carryover amounts for the regional funds and some individual member funds. Some of the funds that were not spend from 2019-20 were redistributed to individual members to pay for outstanding program needs. This helped to expend almost all of these funds. Carryover funds not spent within 1-2 years are being held for emerging programs, particularly in CTE where demand for workers is high in areas such as health careers. Other carryover funds will support the goal of increased transitions to post-secondary and employment. Specifically, a counselor will be hired to focus solely on guiding consortium students to matriculate into credit pathways.

Certification

Baldwin Park Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Veronica Valenzuela

09/14/2022 08:30 PM PDT

Bassett Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Mr. Adder Argueta

09/15/2022 10:21 AM PDT

Charter Oak Unified - Member Representative

  • Director of Adult & Career Technical Education
  • IAyro@cousd.net
  • (626) 938-0280
Approved by Ivan Ayro Ed.D.

09/16/2022 08:14 AM PDT

Covina-Valley Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Ryan Maddox

09/15/2022 08:27 AM PDT

Hacienda la Puente Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Greg Buckner Ed.D

09/15/2022 08:48 AM PDT

Mt. San Antonio CCD - Member Representative

  • Chief Compliance and College Budget Officer
  • rroyce@mtsac.edu
  • (909) 274-5530
Approved by Dr. Madelyn Arballo Dr.

09/14/2022 07:59 PM PDT

Pomona Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Miguel Hurtado

09/15/2022 08:26 AM PDT

Rowland Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Gale Lee

09/14/2022 07:58 PM PDT