CAEP
Annual Plan

Produced: Aug 14, 2023, 04:43 PM UTC - By Epifanio Cruz

41 Pasadena Area Consortium
CONSORTIUM APPROVED

2023-24

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

As Pasadena Area Consortium (PAC) members approach the second year of implementing its Three Year Plan, members are excited to acknowledge the attainment of some Three Year Plan goals, but continue to focus on achieving Three Year Plan goals not yet met.

The most notable accomplishment from 2022-23 is that PAC Services enrollment surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Regional Need #2 in the PAC 2022-23 Annual Plan called for members to increase enrollment and member efforts paid significant dividends. In 2022-23, total PAC CAEP Program Services enrollment was 122% of the pre-pandemic enrollment in 2018-19. In 2022-23 PAC members served 5,493 students in CAEP programs compared to 4,497 students in 2018-19. Each PAC member experienced 2022-23 enrollment increases compared to 2018-19 levels: 2022-23 enrollment was 23.1% higher for PCC, 7.5% higher for PUSD, and 60.6% higher TCUSD.

Another consortium triumph was that all three PAC members were awarded Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funding for the next four years. The PAC 2022-23 Fiscal Management component of the Annual Plan required members to leverage other funding streams to ensure Annual Plan strategies, activities, and SMART goals would be successfully achieved. Now all three PAC members can use WIOA Title II funds to leverage CAEP funds and better attain 2023-24 Annual Plan goals.

In previous focus group meetings, stakeholders acknowledged that correcting PAC data corruption should be an integral component of the PAC Three Year Plan and subsequent Annual Plans. The PAC 2022-23 Annual Plan called for improved data aggregation and dissemination and created activities aligned to that end. PAC members are pleased to recognize that 2022-23 Annual Plan data coordinator meetings and subsequent efforts have resulted in sound data which PAC members can confidently use to drive institutional improvement.

All PAC members continue to serve as strong workforce development partners. Both K-12 members had great success with Career Technical Education programs. Both Temple City and Pasadena got numerous CTE programs listed on the California Employee Training Provider List (ETPL) and successfully completed cohort enrollment with regional America's Job Center of California (AJCCs). These cohort CTE programs delivered WIOA Title I revenue to the schools and nurtured positive relationships with AJCCs as called for in California Education Code 84906.

These positive relationships with AJCCs and analysis of regional labor market data have PAC member CTE programs set up for success 2023-24. PAC members analyzed EDD Labor Market Information (LMI) data and consulted with regional AJCCs in getting CTE programs on the state ETPL. LMI data for Los Angeles County depicts the sizeable labor shortages that exist in Healthcare (most notably Home Care Aides), hospitality (most notably food preparation), logistics, and manufacturing. PAC members have existing programs to help train these workers, but the far more significant problem is finding the potential employees to train. PAC members are exploring increased marketing efforts and improved AJCC partnerships to become part of a regional solution to the labor shortages.

PAC members are proud of consortium-wide increased enrollment, increased non-CAEP funding, improved data aggregation and dissemination, and continued strong relationships with the workforce development agencies. However, PAC members recognize significant work remains.

Since PAC members now have two years of reliable data, it is clear that each PAC member has Participation, Persistence, and Performance rates below state averages.  These outcomes must improve.

Also, though PAC enrollment has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, gaps still exist in the region served by PAC members that demonstrate tremendous need for CAEP programs. PAC members served nearly 5,500 regional adults in CAEP programs, but regional needs for these programs are profound. The primary cities served by PAC members have nearly 100,000 residents over the age of 5 who "Speak English < Very Well" and nearly 40,000 residents over the age of 25 without a high school diploma or equivalency. PAC members have a vision of providing services and programs to close these gaps for all regional adults.

Finally, though PAC members have fostered stout partnerships with workforce development agencies, members did not create a comprehensive Regional Workforce Development Action Plan. This needs to be accomplished in the 2023-24 Program Year.

Funding allocations for member institutions were consistent for this Annual Plan to be a success. Board deliberations over 2023-24 CAEP Allocations were informed by student enrollment and participation, existing funding sources, and member carryover. The 2023-24 negotiations created parameters and processes that can be successfully duplicated over the next three years to ensure allocations are efficient and fair.

Regional Planning Overview

In the Three Year Plan, PAC members created meaningful metrics to address regional needs for adults in employment, English language acquisition, and diploma/equivalency achievement.

Activities in the 2023-24 Annual Plan to meet these metrics will result in the continued aggregation and dissemination of quality consortium data, increased enrollment, higher student participation, persistence and performance, and better instruction from professional development.

These Activities include:

  • All PAC individual member institution Data Coordinators will continue to meet on a quarterly basis to share best practices and improve PAC data collection protocols. Key deliverables will include member quarterly Data Integrity Reports and CAEP Summary Tables that reflect accurate enrollment, participant, and performance data. Best practices will include strategies to improve pre- and post-testing numbers and increase the number of participants (students who complete 12+ hours of instruction).
  • PAC member institutions will use generalized and targeted marketing efforts to increase student enrollment in ESL, ASE, and CTE programs.
  • All PAC individual member institution stakeholders will set SMART goals for student participation and persistence, implement protocols to improve participation and persistence rates, and monitor goal progress throughout the year.
  • Create a Regional Workforce Development Action Plan by fall 2023 and implement all Action Steps of the Plan to improve alignment with the workforce development system.
  • By the end of the 2023-24 program year, PAC members will strengthen consortium-wide strategies to improve transitions to post-secondary.

Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Improve Participation, Persistence, and Performance rates for PAC students.

Participants are defined as any  student who receives 12 or more hours of instruction. Persistence is defined as the percentage of students who took a Comprehensive Assessment System for Adult Students (CASAS) pre-test that then completed a post-test. Performance is defined as students earning a Gain in a CASAS Educational Functioning Level (EFL) or a high school diploma or equivalency.

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

Members analyzed extensive TOPSpro Enterprise (TE) data over the previous two years. CAEP Summary Tables culled from TE demonstrated that approximately 25% of PAC students who register in PAC CAEP Programs do not stay long enough to become Participants earning 12 hours or more of instruction. PAC member Persistence and Performance rates are below the state averages when compared to averages found in the CASAS data portal.

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

Ongoing PAC Board reports from the Program Director and quarterly TOPSpro Enterprise Data Coordinator meetings will allow continuous monitoring of participation, persistence, and performance rates.

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Increase enrollment for all PAC member schools. Even though current PAC student enrollment is higher than 2018-19 levels, enrollment of priority adult populations is too low compared to regional needs.


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

PAC faculty and stakeholders analyzed the population characteristics of the major cities served by PAC member institutions to identify regional gaps and better understand the communities we serve. These population characteristics were gleaned from 2020 Census data. According the Census data, 99,755 regional residents over the age of 5 "Speak English < Very Well," and 39,585 regional residents over the age of 25 do not have a high school diploma/equivalency.

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

Ongoing PAC Board reports from the Program Director and quarterly TOPSpro Enterprise Data Coordinator meetings will allow continuous monitoring enrollment.

Address Educational Needs

2023-24 Strategies

Community Outreach & Targeted Marketing

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Increase student enrollment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)

Leverage Community Based Organizations, K-12 district parent email lists, and community college district stakeholder networks to email marketing collateral, expand awareness of CAEP programs, and increase enrollment. 

Increase targeted marketing efforts for for all PAC schools' CAEP programs. 

Members believe that effective marketing by all PAC members resulted in increased Services enrollment in 2022-23. Members will continue these efforts in 2023-24.


Set and Monitor Goals for Student Participation and Persistence

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Set & Meet Annual Goals for Student Persistence

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

If there is to be success in achieving this strategy, members must set and continually monitor participation and persistence goals. To that end, below are PAC SMART goals for Participation and Persistence.

Each PAC member and the consortium as a whole has a SMART goal to improve Participation and Persistence based on the PAC 2023 Fall Annual Data Report. 

  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, the PAC consortium will increase Participation rates from 58.1% to 63.1%.
  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, PCC will increase its Participation rate from 56.8% to 61.8% and Persistence rate from 49.4% to 54.4%.
  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, PUSD will increase its Participation rate from 73.1% to 78.1% and Persistence rate from 38.9% to 43.9%
  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, TCUSD will increase its Participation rate from 55% to 60% and Persistence rate from 19.3% to 45%

Strategies will include:

  1. Front load counseling so students are encouraged to stay for at least 12 hours before making the choice to drop a class
  2. Create student incentives such as awards, certificates, and formal recognition to improve attendance and increase Participation rates. (Research demonstrates student recognition increases engagement which should lead to increased Participation.)
  3. Increase student services, focusing on expanding student equity and access.

Set and Monitor Goals for Student Performance

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Set & Meet Annual Goals for Student Performance

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Progress: Participants with Educational Functioning Levels Gains ESL (AE 400 - ESL)
  • Success: Participants Who Earn a High School Diploma or Equivalency (AE 633 - Overall)

If there is to be success in achieving this strategy, members must set and continually monitor student Performance goals. To that end, below are PAC SMART goals for Participation and Persistence.

Each PAC member and the consortium as a whole has a SMART goal to improve Participation and Persistence based on the PAC 2023 Fall Annual Data Report. 

  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, PCC will increase its Performance rate from 29.4% to 35.4% and its HSD/HSE completion rate from 17.3% to 24%.
  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, PUSD will increase its Performance rate from 26.7% to 32.7% and its HSD/HSE completion rate from 22.7% to 27%.
  • By the end of the 2023-24 Program Year, TCUSD will increase its Performance rate from 7.9% to 20% and its HSD/HSE completion rate from 0% to 12%. 

Strategies will include:

  1. Implement successful PLCs to analyze data and share effective instructional strategies.
  2. Implement professional development that focuses on quality andragogy and first best instruction.
  3. Explores strategies to increase student services and equity.

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2023-24 Strategies

Align PAC CTE Efforts with Workforce Agencies

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Workforce Development Action Plan

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

This strategy and goal is a holdover from 2022-23.

Create a Regional Workforce Development Action Plan by fall 2023 and and implement all Action Steps of the plan to improve alignment with the workforce development system.


Increase PAC CTE Completion and Employment Rates

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Workforce Development Action Plan

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Action steps in the Workforce Development Action Plan will focus on improving completion and employment outcomes. 

Part of achieving this goal is aggregating better employment and completion data for CTE programs. All schools need to invest in resources to assist increasing survey completion for WIOA Title II Employment and Earning surveys 


Increase Student Transition to Postsecondary Institutions

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Increase transitions to postsecondary institutions

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

By the end of the 2023-24 program year, all PAC members will strengthen consortium-wide strategies to improve post-secondary transitions. PCC Counselors will coordinate with K-12 counselors and staff to implement a number of strategies such as school information sessions, registration assistance, guided PCC tours where possible, and one-on-one academic counseling. PCC will also work on increasing collaboration with credit programs to assist with students transition to post-secondary.

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2023-24 Strategies

Continue to Use Improved Data Collection Protocols

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

PAC TOPSpro Enterprise Coordinator meetings

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)
  • Success: Participants Who Earn a High School Diploma or Equivalency (AE 633 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (credit college) (AE 637 - Overall)

Continue quarterly TOPSpro Enterprise Data Coordinator meetings to create a forum for sharing best practices which will result in improved data collection and increased consortium student participation, persistence, and enrollment.


Professional Development

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Professional Development

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Employment and Earnings: Participants Who Became Employed in the 2nd Quarter After Exit (AE 505 - Overall)
  • Progress: Participants with Educational Functioning Levels Gains ESL (AE 400 - ESL)
  • Success: Participants Who Earn a High School Diploma or Equivalency (AE 633 - Overall)
  • Transition: Participants with Transition to Postsecondary (credit college) (AE 637 - Overall)

This goal is a holdover from the 2022-23 Annual Plan.

Create a PAC Professional Development Plan by fall 2023 and and implement all Action Steps of the plan to improve Professional Development. PD should focus instructional strategies to increase student Participation, Persistence, and Performance. The Plan will also focus on strategies to improve student services and enhance student equity. 



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.

Funding allocations for member institutions were aligned to achieve the Annual Plan goals. Board deliberations over 2023-24 CAEP Allocations were informed by student enrollment and participation, existing funding sources, and member carryover. The 2023-24 negotiations created parameters and processes that can be successfully duplicated over the next three years to ensure allocations are efficient and fair. Members will leverage CCD apportionment, WIOA Title I training fees, and Title II AEFLA funding to ensure Annual Plan strategies, activities, and SMART goals will be successfully achieved.

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

Two members have no carryover.  The one member with carryover should have less than the 15% that is acceptable per the PAC CFAD.

Certification

Pasadena Area CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Francisco Suarez

08/03/2023 10:49 AM PDT

Pasadena Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Epifanio Cruz

08/14/2023 09:42 AM PDT

Temple City Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Robert Westgate

08/03/2023 11:19 AM PDT