Produced: Aug 14, 2024, 11:54 PM UTC - By cara Vienna
2024-25
Plans & Goals
- Executive Summary
North Orange County Regional Consortium for Adult Education’s (NOCRC) vision focuses on addressing the educational needs of adult learners in the region by collaborating with its members and regional partners to deliver innovative and inclusive adult education programs and support services for adult students to reach their personal and professional goals. NOCRC will continue to progress toward its vision by implementing strategies mapped out in the 2022-2025 Three-Year Plan designed to address the needs of adult learners in the North Orange County region through its adult education providers, North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE), North Orange County Regional Occupational Program (NOCROP), and Garden Grove Adult Education (GGAE).
NOCRC has progressed in meeting the objectives outlined in the three-year plan through the implementation of strategies in the 2023-24 program year concentrating on outreach, re-establishing community partnerships, student re-engagement, expanding program and course offerings, increasing educational functioning level (EFL) gains and certificate completions, and extending transitional counseling services. Below is a summary of NOCRC’s key accomplishments in 2023-24:
- Outreach Efforts:
- Marketing campaigns were coordinated including billboard campaigns, bus advertisements, mail-in postcard advertisements, digital display ads, stop-out campaigns, and a Career Technical Education (CTE) awareness campaign.
- Re-establishing Community Partnerships and Re-engaging Stop-Out Students
- NOCE’s English as a Second Language Program (ESL) created new community partnerships while simultaneously re-establishing pre-pandemic community partnerships to serve English learners with instructional and support services. This led to a 70% increase in the NOCE ESL course offerings at community locations.
- ESL developed a Community Engagement Team to directly contact students who dropped out of ESL courses. This resulted in 40% of students re-engaging.
- Program and Course Offerings
- Expansion of the direct instruction program for NOCE’s Basic Skills Program led to a 10% increase in the number of students utilizing direct instructional support.
- To support industry need, NOCE CTE developed and launched the Google IT Support Professional Pre-Apprenticeship Program and iOS Swift Programming courses.
- NOCROP updated its curriculum and increased course offerings in the Dental Assistant, Anatomy & Physiology, Sterile Processing Technician, and Medical Assistant courses to meet industry needs.
- EFL Gains and Certificate Completions
- GGAE’s ESL program saw a 19% Increase in EFL gains for students with 12+ hours, which exceeded the 15% increase target set in the three-year plan.
- The NOCE Disability Support Services (DSS) program offered its first two workforce courses and a CDCP Certificate in Child Care and is working toward the approval of six more certificates for which curriculum has been created.
- NOCE’s K-12 Student Success program expanded offerings in parenting courses which led to a 263% increase in students receiving local certificates over the prior academic year.
- Transitional Counseling Services
- To promote noncredit-to-credit transition, NOCE’s transitional counselor collaborated with NOCCCD credit college faculty to offer noncredit ESL students the opportunity to participate in a credit ESL session.
In the 2024-25 program year, NOCRC will continue to focus on achieving the targeted goals set in the three-year plan. The primary goals for 2024-25 are listed below:
- Increase the availability of instructional support in NOCE high school open lab locations to support and meet student need.
- Improve NOCE’s CTE course and certificate completion, thereby increasing student transition into the workforce or credit CTE programs.
- Expand course offerings at NOCROP in healthcare programming, thereby increasing the number of healthcare workers in the field, especially in vocational nursing and dental assisting.
- Increase enrollment, transition, and employment outcomes in NOCE’s DSS program through offering distance education courses, developing a district Inclusion Ally program, and regional collaboration with employment programs.
- Maintain and expand community relationships across the North Orange County region to offer NOCE’s ESL courses at community-based locations and provide greater access to English learners with limited transportation.
- Increase persistence and EFL gains in participants of GGAE’s ESL program through the use of additional Burlington English licenses.
- Increase student enrollment in K-12 Student Success courses by expanding course offerings at NOCE locations and community locations throughout North Orange County.
- Improve persistence, completion, and transition outcomes for NOCE students by providing foreign transcript evaluation, encouraging transitional appointments with academic counselors, and expanding events that encourage transition to college.
- Regional Planning Overview
In the third year of implementation of the 2022-25 Three-Year Plan, NOCRC plans to focus its efforts on meeting the objectives and outcomes outlined in the three-year plan through the following activities: building and offering programs and courses for industry-relevant career skills such as healthcare pathways; creating new and maintaining existing community partnerships to offer ESL; providing greater access to software to enhance student experience in ESL; coordinating opportunities for adult learners transitioning into college and/or career; and ensuring relevant data on student progress and outcomes is accurately captured and reported.
The NOCRC consortium's annual planning process is a structured and collaborative effort aimed at aligning strategies and activities with the needs of adult learners and the California Adult Education Program (CAEP) outcomes. For the 2024-25 year, the priorities were reviewed by the NOCRC Executive Committee members as part of their annual review and budget development. During this review, strategies and activities proposed for the next year's budget were evaluated to ensure alignment with the overarching goals outlined in the three-year regional plan. Consortium members are required to present their strategies for the upcoming year, demonstrating how these plans address the identified needs of adult learners and contribute to achieving CAEP outcomes. Before these strategies and activities are presented, they are discussed within the advisory groups for the CAEP program areas that will implement them, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded planning process.
Healthcare is one of the in-demand industry sectors in the OC Region, and given the aging population within the region, the need for healthcare support services and occupations is growing (OC Planning Unit Regional Plan, pp. 28-29). Using the newest, most cutting-edge, and industry-relevant technology in the classrooms, NOCROP will continue to provide and expand industry-specific career training for adults seeking employment in medical assisting, vocational nursing, nurse assisting, and dental assisting. NOCROP has partnered with over 40 clinical, dental, and medical facilities to provide students with a variety of opportunities for completing their externship and clinical hours to prepare them for the workforce.
In addition to focusing on the career technical educational needs of students, NOCRC had identified the English learner student barrier as a target area in the three-year plan based on its assessment of the region's population. To provide greater access to ESL courses across the North Orange County region, the NOCE ESL program is re-engaging with community partners and forming new partnerships to provide ESL courses at offsite community-based locations such as community centers, churches, K–12 campuses, etc. NOCE offers courses at locations that are far more accessible to adult learners in an effort to remove obstacles for any students with limited transportation. GGAE, as the other ESL provider within the consortium, will be expanding the number of Burlington English licenses assigned to students taking GGAE ESL courses with the intent to increase students' language proficiency, mastery of competencies, engagement, persistence, and EFL gains, resulting in improved completion rates.
To enhance the integration of services and transition, NOCE’s Counseling and Student Services department will expand transitional services to students under the purview of a designated transition counselor. The counselor will continue to teach the Transition to College course and coordinate the Adult College and Career Transition program, which hosts a number of transition events including college tours and workshops. Furthermore, the transition counselor will coordinate the annual Dream Your Future conference which focuses on familiarizing adult education students with credit college pathways and opportunities. The goal is to increase the number of students who transition to Fullerton College or Cypress College by creating awareness among students about the transition process, including educational and career options, financial aid, transfer considerations for undocumented students, and the North Orange Promise program.
Lastly, to improve the effectiveness of services provided, NOCRC will continue to prioritize managing data collection efforts across the consortium to ensure all relevant data on student progress and outcomes is captured and reported to the state. Additionally, in-depth training will be provided to consortium members and staff around CAEP data and accountability requirements. An annual evaluation report will be developed to assess the effectiveness of CAEP-funded activities.
Meeting Regional Needs
Regional Need #1
- Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
Entry-Level Healthcare Workers
The healthcare sector's reliance on Medical Assistants, Nurse Assistants, Vocational Nurses, and Dental Assistants is evident from the projected employment growth and the identified supply gaps. These roles are crucial in supporting the daily operations of medical facilities, ensuring that healthcare services are delivered efficiently and effectively. The significant demand for these professions, combined with the modest educational requirements for entry, presents substantial opportunities in adult education for individuals seeking careers in the healthcare industry.
Based on the analysis of the Orange County Region's Strong Workforce objectives and labor market data, NOCRC recognized a critical need to enhance programs and services that focus on better preparing adults in the region for healthcare career pathways, including expanding offerings industry-recognized certifications in healthcare professions, providing portable skills training, and developing additional partnerships with local healthcare organizations to create externship opportunities. These efforts will address the evolving healthcare workforce demands and ensure that adults in the region are equipped with the skills and experiences needed for long-term career success.
- How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
NOCRC examined the labor market information for Orange County through the CAEP Fact Sheets, the 2021-24 Orange Regional Planning Unit Regional Plan, and the 2021-24 Strong Workforce Program Orange County Regional Plan to identify the knowledge and skills deemed desirable by employers in the healthcare industry, which is expected to grow in the region.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in the Medical Assistant field is expected to grow by 18% from 2020 to 2030. This growth rate is significantly faster than the average for all occupations, highlighting the rising need for medical assistants across the country. The Employment Development Department of California projects a 14% growth in employment for Vocational Nurses in Orange County from 2018 to 2028. This data underscores the local demand for Vocational Nurses, reflecting a broader trend within the healthcare sector. Research from the Orange County Center of Excellence (COE) in August 2021 reveals a supply gap for Dental Assistants in the region. The report projects an annual availability of 1,965 Dental Assistant jobs over the next five years due to retirements and attrition.
- How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
Career Technical Education (CTE) is crucial for preparing adult students for skilled employment in various medical careers. NOCROP provides quality programs that equip adult students with strong foundational knowledge and essential skills in specific CTE pathways. Students also gain experience with cutting-edge equipment and innovative technology, preparing them for careers as Licensed Vocational Nurses, Certified Nurse Assistants, Dental Assistants, and Medical Assistants. NOCROP partners with over 40 clinical, dental, and medical facilities, offering students diverse externship and clinical hour opportunities. Additionally, NOCROP plans to use CAEP funds to support certification preparation and exams for Medical Assistant, Nuse Assistant, and Vocational Nursing to prepare students for licensure exams.
The strategy’s effectiveness in meeting CAEP outcomes will be evaluated both through the examination of local data as captured in NOCROP’s student information system, Orbund, and through CASAS TOPSpro CAEP reports. Furthermore, various data points that include grades, success rates in classes, program completion rates, and employment rates will also be collected and examined for growth. AEP dashboard data will also be used to supplement local data to examine completion, transition, and employment outcomes.
Regional Need #2
- Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
In its three-year plan, NOCRC had identified English learners as a population on which it should focus its services. NOCRC is home to over 700,000 diverse adults, 38% of whom are foreign-born individuals. NOCRC’s foreign-born population speaks more than 90 various languages in their homes. Through analysis of North Orange County’s census data, as captured on the CAEP Fact Sheets, nearly one-third of these foreign-born adults within the NOCRC’s service region speak English less than well. The need for continued ESL instruction and support services is evidenced by the dramatic increase in enrollment in ESL classes across all service providers. For instance, NOCE ESL enrollments increased by 27% within a single year between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
To meet the targets set within its three-year plan and meet the needs of adults within the region, NOCRC members continue to focus on providing instruction and support services to adults with limited English proficiency.
Adults enrolling in ESL classes often face challenges such as lack of transportation and limited availability due to work and family care priorities, underscoring the need for flexible learning options. NOCRC service providers address this need by offering online instruction and classes at multiple community-based locations. NOCE’s ESL Outreach and Offsite Re-engagement/Development strategy and the GGAE Literacy Gains strategy outline the plan to expand both options.
- How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
NOCRC utilized the CAEP Fact Sheets and the Adult Education Pipeline (AEP) LaunchBoard to identify the potential adult population within the service area and the population that is served within the consortium. The Fact Sheets were used to examine the key demographic characteristics of the adult population within NOCRC consortium boundaries. The data were used to determine the proportion of adults within the region who need adult education services based on their educational attainment (below high school diploma), English language ability (limited English), and/or employment status (unemployed). The AEP LaunchBoard data was used to identify whether the proportion of students served by NOCRC is reflective of the total adult population within the North Orange County region and identify any subgroups where gaps still exist.
Additionally, based on the local data collected through various surveys, NOCE students have identified many barriers that impact their educational journey, including lack of transportation, lack of childcare, scheduling conflicts, family and job commitments, and technology barriers. Furthermore, during the development of the three-year plan, NOCRC gathered diverse stakeholders' input through open planning sessions and monthly consortium executive committee meetings to dive deeper into the data and collect qualitative insights from on-the-ground implementation of existing strategies and programs to gain a more nuanced understanding of student needs.
- How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
To support the needs of English learners within the region, NOCRC continues to support two strategies focusing on closing the barriers students reported as a challenge to their education such as lack of transportation and limited availability.
NOCE’s ESL Outreach and Offsite Re-engagement/Development strategy focuses on providing ESL instruction to adult English learners in North Orange County at community-based locations such as K-12 sites, community centers, churches, etc. These ESL classes allow for greater accessibility to students who might otherwise face obstacles in attending classes at NOCE campuses such as transportation difficulties or childcare responsibilities. Through this strategy, the NOCE ESL program staffed the ESL Community Engagement Team which focuses on maintaining community partnerships and providing ongoing support to community partners to engage and retain students throughout the year. The impact of this activity will be measured using both local and CAEP data. Locally, the NOCE ESL program keeps a record of all the offsite locations where ESL classes are offered to examine growth in the number of sites engaged to offer classes. Additionally, student enrollments are tracked through the student information system and data is examined annually through the NOCRC Evaluation Report. Enrollment data connected to outreach efforts will be a key measure of this strategy's success. The AEP dashboard will be used to examine NOCE’s progress in meeting the targets set in the three-year plan around the English language learner barrier.
NOCRC’s second ESL strategy, the GGAE Literacy Gains strategy, focuses on supporting students both in the classroom and outside of the classroom through the use of Burlington English software to meet the needs of adults with limited availability. Under this strategy, the GGAE ESL program will maintain Burlington English licenses while acquiring additional licenses to be used by English learners to support their progress. The GGAE data team will routinely generate CAEP summary reports in CASAS TOPSpro and progress reports in Burlington English for analysis of student learner outcomes. Additionally, GGAE will continue to provide professional development for instructors to review data and strategies for reteaching and best practices.
Address Educational Needs
2024-25 Strategies
Garden Grove Adult Education Literacy Gains
Activity that Applies to this Strategy
Garden Grove Adult Education Literacy Gains
Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy
- Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
Garden Grove Adult Education (GGAE) will continue to offer Burlington English licenses and increase the number of Burlington English licenses assigned to students attending ESL and CTE/ESL Support classes for workforce preparation. The Burlington English lessons also provide opportunities for students to prepare for a transition to multiple levels as well as career exploration, with the goal to increase persistence and EFL gains. The following activities will support the GGAE ESL Literacy Gains Strategy:
o Coordinate Professional Development with Burlington English representative.
o Align Burlington English content modules with the Ventures curriculum.
o Assign Burlington English seats to all ESL active students.
o Teach in-class lessons during designated teaching time.
o Generate and analyze Burlington English reports.
o Analyze NRS Tables and Persister Rate data quarterly.
o Prepare students to maximize Burlington English usage during summer and other school breaks.
ESL Outreach and Offsite Re-engagement/Development (NOCE)
Activity that Applies to this Strategy
ESL Outreach and Offsite Re-engagement/Development
Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy
- All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
NOCE’s ESL Outreach and Offsite Re-engagement/Development strategy focuses on providing ESL instruction to adult English language learners in North Orange County who are unable to attend classes at NOCE’s main sites (Anaheim Campus, Cypress Center, and Wilshire Center) and/or prefer taking ESL classes in their neighborhood. NOCE ESL as the adult education provider partners with K-12 districts and other community partners to plan, arrange, and offer these classes at community-based offsite locations such as K-12 sites, community centers, churches, etc. The offsite ESL classes allow for greater accessibility to students who might otherwise face obstacles like transportation difficulties or childcare responsibilities. The following activities will take place to strengthen partnerships with existing and include new community-based sites for NOCE’s offsite ESL classes:
o Update the annual ESL Community Engagement Plan to support existing off-site classes, re-engage previous community partners, and expand to new partners and sites
o Establish an online portal where NOCE ESL Community Liaisons visiting community events can enter interest, availability, and contact info to track the number of students who enroll as a result of ESL Community Engagement efforts.
o Identify or develop a centralized system for tracking potential students' origin and their enrollment status.
Improve Integration of Services & Transitions
2024-25 Strategies
NOCRC Student Services for Transition
Activity that Applies to this Strategy
NOCRC Student Services for Transition
Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy
- All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
To increase the number of students participating in transition services and increasing the number of students who transition to credit colleges within the district, the activity supports a full-time counselor overseeing and coordinating transition efforts, including the Adult College and Career Transition (ACCT) program. The services include developing an education plan with students through counseling appointments, increasing awareness about the transition process through workshops focused on topics such as financial aid, career development, and the Dream Your Future conference, and supporting students with the transition to credit colleges by offering the Transition to College course.
Improve Effectiveness of Services
2024-25 Strategies
Career Technical Education: Data and Accountability (NOCROP)
Activity that Applies to this Strategy
Career Technical Education: Data & Accountability
Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy
- All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
NOCROP will expand training on the Orbund student information system (SIS) for new and transferred staff to fully utilize the SIS and reduce manual processes for quarterly reporting requirements. Additionally, enrollment and registration efficiencies will be implemented to increase student retention. The following activities will lead to the successful implementation of this strategy:
o Collection and cleaning of student data
o Training for support staff using Orbund SIS for collecting student data
o Increasing efficiencies in enrollment and registration through communication and unlimited access for students
o Gather data to record students' results on the certification and licensure.
o Designate a lead position to assist with student enrollment, input and monitor data, and serve as the liaison with SIS staff.
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.
The use of all CAEP funds will continue to be evaluated according to the NOCRC decision-making guidelines and the State’s approval processes. The NOCRC decision-making guidelines are revised annually to ensure compliance with the latest laws and regulations. For example, this year’s revisions included defining member effectiveness and incorporating remaining carryover funds to avoid excessive carryover.
With the exception of consortium administration costs, each approved expenditure is linked to an existing strategy in the CAEP annual and three-year plans. This linkage is documented through NOCRC forms that record the initial allocation and transfer of funds. CAEP funds are allocated to consortium members to support the implementation of strategies outlined in the annual and three-year plans. Each strategy must identify the CAEP outcomes it aims to support.
Every year, the NOCE’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning produces an evaluation report for all strategies included in the annual plan. This report is published when the next year’s budget is being developed, allowing consortium members to review, eliminate, or revise activities to maximize service effectiveness. NOCCCD will continue to serve as the Fiscal Agent for NOCRC, providing fiscal and administrative support to all regional adult education providers.
- An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2024-25.
As indicated in the NOCRC CFAD and Decision-Making Guidelines, CAEP carryover funds for NOCRC are reported at the May Executive Committee Meeting, during which projections and encumbrances are assessed. Monthly and quarterly budget reports are also provided for member review. If members need to return funds to the consortium, they become available for redistribution to another funded member or for regional spending. All service providers have the first right to repurpose carryover funds previously approved for them, provided proper justification is submitted to the Executive Committee. Approval from the Executive Committee is required for items exceeding $60,000.
Certification
Anaheim Union High - Member Representative
Araceli Chavez - Program Specialist
- chavez_ar@auhsd.us
Fullerton Joint Union High - Member Representative
Melissa Freeman - Coordinator of Educational Services
- mfreeman@fjuhsd.org
- (714) 870-2805
Garden Grove Unified - Member Representative
M'Liss Patterson - Director
- mpatterson@ggusd.us
- (714) 663-6305
Los Alamitos Unified - Member Representative
cara Vienna - Assistant Principal
- cvienna@losal.org
- (562) 370-3032
North Orange County CCD - Member Representative
Valentina Purtell - President
- vpurtell@noce.edu
- (714) 808-4670
Janeth Manjarrez - Director, California Adult Education Program
- jmanjarrez@noce.edu
- (714) 462-9579
North Orange County ROP - Member Representative
Jennifer Pesavento - Administrator, Instructional Programs
- jpesavento@nocrop.us
- (714) 713-3239
Orange County Department of Education - Member Representative
Fatinah Judeh - Coordinator
- fjudeh@ocde.us
- (714) 349-3073
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified - Member Representative
Rebecca Allen - Coordinator, Venture Academy
- reallan@pylusd.org
- (714) 986-7170 ext: 44001