CAEP
Annual Plan

Produced: Aug 15, 2023, 11:15 PM UTC - By Sharon Brown

53 Accel San Mateo County
CONSORTIUM APPROVED

2023-24

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

San Mateo County is a dynamic regional economy that has been seriously challenged during the past three years. Despite the challenges, ACCEL San Mateo County consortium members continuously rise to the occasion demonstrating their creativity, resilience, ingenuity, and commitment to our students and communities.  ACCEL members continue to engage and develop relationships with stakeholders in our communities, working together to develop innovative strategies, adapting to the ever-changing needs of our students while remaining committed to their educational, career, and community success.

Since its inception, ACCEL has continued to provide educational and training needs for individuals with barriers to employment and careers, college and integration into our communities by offering high-quality postsecondary and industry-recognized credentials and degrees to promote better economic opportunities, greater equity, and sustainable career pathways.

ACCEL San Mateo County consortium consists of 9 member agencies located within the 4 sub-regions of San Mateo County:  Jefferson Adult School – Daly City, South San Francisco Adult School – South San Francisco, San Mateo Adult & Career Education – San Mateo, La Costa Adult School – Half Moon Bay, Sequoia Adult School – Redwood City, Skyline College – San Bruno, College of San Mateo – San Mateo, and Canada College – Redwood City, and the San Mateo County Office of Education. 

ACCEL’s mission is to provide adult learners with the basic knowledge and skills they need to participate in civic life and the workforce.  Our vision is to help students get from where they are to where they want to be by creating pathways to success.  

Current trends in workforce and education in this post-Covid 19 pandemic continues to accelerate the need for education and training to address our region’s skills based employment environment. 

As our region continues to recover from the pandemic, ACCEL continues in its commitment to serve as a vital resource for our communities, meeting the educational needs of adults who desire to advance their education, reach new career goals, and become further integrated into our communities.

PLANNED ALLOCATIONS:

ACCEL San Mateo County’s funding allocations for program year 2022-2023 were in alignment with our three-year strategic plan. Consortium members worked effectively to achieve the goals and objectives as set forth in our annual plan.  ACCEL’s objectives focused on the continuous improvement of adult education throughout the region.

PRIMARY GOALS PROGRAM YEAR 2023-24:

ACCEL primary goals for program year 2023-24, as well as the next two years align with our vision of helping our learners develop the foundational skills, career and/or community transitions necessary to prepare them for advancement in their careers and communities.

ACCEL’s strategic focus on continuous improvement in our programs resulted in identifying transferrable skills valued by employers and delivering education and training solutions for individuals to upscale their skills in high growth in-demand sectors.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2022-2023: 

ACCEL has made progress across the strategies identified in the consortium’s annual plan. ACCEL member organizations have continued advancing our priorities of collaboration, shared processes, aligning career and academic standards, establishing relationships with nonprofit and community based organizations to leverage resources for student support services, increasing accelerated learning and on-going development of short term career technical education.

Our accomplishments:

●   Aligned the high school graduation requirement to 150 credits for all ACCEL member adult schools in the region

●   Implemented Spanish GED Program

●   Developed Workforce Skills Programs for ESL students (IET): Introduction to Health Careers and Professional Communications for Business & Beyond

●   Expanded and enhanced collaborative partnership between ACCEL member adult school (San Mateo Adult & Career Education) and College of San Mateo

●   Established a Clear Pathway Exam for adult school ESL advanced students

●   Developed an in-demand CTE program: Network Engineering Training Program (NEXT) – collaborative partnership between ACCEL members Jefferson Adult  
     Education & Skyline College

●   Added new CTE programs: Phlebotomy, Medical Billing & Coding and Construction Trade Math Test Prep, San Mateo Adult & Career Education

●   Developed ACCEL Data & Accountability Team.; team members are working to develop standardized data practices across the consortium

ACCEL Outreach & Partnerships New Relationships:

●  Goodwill Industries San Francisco, San Mateo & Marin

●  Lighthouse Silicon Valley

●  Daly City Chamber of Commerce

●  Daly City Partnership


Regional Planning Overview

ACCEL San Mateo County has a rich history of providing programs that assist adults in improving their skills, achieving their educational goals, and transitioning to postsecondary education, employment or community.  ACCEL members collectively work towards the same goals: providing high-quality education; post-secondary, industry recognized credentials and degrees to meet the demands of our ever changing economy.

The consortium leadership team and steering committee reviewed the most current data from the following sources: (1) Demographic data and labor market data for the San Mateo County and SF Bay Area Region; (2) CAEP Consortium Fact Sheet, dated April 2021; and (3) Research Data compiled by ACCEL Workgroup Project Teams: Support Services & Career Technical Education to better understand regional needs, assess consortium capacity, and further develop strategies and goals.

The goals and strategies outlined in ACCEL’s Annual Plan 2023-24 will be implemented through ACCEL’s member agencies and its strategic action project teams. These strategic action project teams consist of consortium steering committee members throughout the region, workforce development board members, transition staff, adult school directors, administrators, college workforce development directors, deans, faculty members, and staff.

ACCEL’s project teams develop and implement strategic work plans in alignment with its three-year and annual plans, share data, findings, program recommendations and best practices with ACCEL’s Steering Committee. Project team members work collaboratively and share responsibility for the achievement of project milestones, as well as defining the parameters for evaluation and program effectiveness.

Data derived from the project teams guide ACCEL’s strategies for the identification of regional needs, addressing regional gaps, leveraging resources, and potential collaboration/partnership with local government, non-profit and community-based agencies.

Building on the work of our project teams, we will continue to focus on our strategic priorities as specified in our 3 Year Strategic Plan, which include but are not limited to:

●  Career Pathway Projects/Employer Engagement Opportunities

●  Alignment of Data Systems Across Member Adult Schools and Community Colleges

●  Network Structure (Consortium Capacity & Organization)

ACCEL will also continue to develop existing and new in-demand, short term career education programs such as: AWS Amazon Cloud Computing, clinical medical assisting with phlebotomy, introduction to health careers, dispensing optician, pharmacy technician, medical billing & coding, office support specialist, career exploration courses and assessments.

In partnership and collaboration with stakeholders in our region, ACCEL is working to create learning opportunities that align with statewide education, training, and employment strategies to ensure all adult learners have access to and success across programs that are cohesive, coordinated and innovative to promote better economic opportunities, greater equity, and sustainable career pathways.

The implementation of our three-year plan rests on the following guiding principles:

●  Responsiveness and Access

●  Innovation

●  Collaboration and Alignment

●  Professional Development & Training

●  Accountability

Continuous improvement is one of the pillars of ACCEL’s work. ACCEL members are developing and/or improving programs utilizing evidence informed practices to meet the needs of our adult learners.



Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education

According to the American Community Survey 2020, the following are the relevant facts regarding the San Mateo County region’s demographics:

● Overall Population: 611,046


● Foreign Born: 251,579

● Limited English: 38,734

● Near poverty: 50,856

● No High School Diploma/HS Equivalency: 62,191

The employment status of those with educational levels of less than high school:


● 39% are employed

● 3% are unemployed

● 57% not in the labor force

 


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

According to the most current educational data obtained from San Mateo County 2022, there are 62,191 adults who have no high school diploma, GED or high school equivalency.

The educational data by gender 25 years or older:


● Females with less than 9th grade education: 16,784

● Females some high school – no diploma: 10,151

● Males with less than 9th grade education: 14,418

● Males some high school – no diploma: 11,387


In addition, there are 6,598 families in San Mateo County who are living below poverty; and there are 4,318 families with children living below poverty.

Get Healthy San Mateo County - Low Wage Worker Profile indicates:


●    Individuals with lower educational achievement more likely to work in low wage jobs

●    Nearly 30% of low wage workers in the County are 25-64 years of age

●    1/3 of low wage workers in the County reside in households whose earnings are 200% below the federal poverty level

●    80% of workers living below the poverty level are low wage earners.


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

ACCEL’s Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education program effectiveness will be measured by data such as: student assessment scores, completion of courses, certificates, and surveys.

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Programs for Immigrants

San Mateo County 2022 demographic data states that there are 765,773 individuals living in the county. Of these 765,773 individuals, 35% of county residents are foreign born and 45.8% of individuals living in the county are non-English speakers.

The most common languages:

● Spanish - 131,510 (18%)

● Chinese (including Mandarin & Cantonese) - 69,746 (9.6%)

● Tagalog (including Filipino) - 50,273 (6.92%)

Data resources also included English language proficiency (ESL learners in schools as well as census data on English language ability) unemployment and poverty.

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

San Mateo County 2022 demographic data states that there are 765,773 individuals living in the county. Of these 765,773 individuals, 35% of county residents are foreign born and 45.8% of individuals living in the county are non-English speakers.

The most common languages:

● Spanish - 131,510 (18%)

● Chinese (including Mandarin & Cantonese) - 69,746 (9.6%)

● Tagalog (including Filipino) - 50,273 (6.92%)

Data resources also included English language proficiency (ESL learners in schools as well as census data on English language ability) unemployment and poverty.

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

ACCEL’s programs for immigrants’ effectiveness will be measured by data such as: assessment scores, completion of courses, certificates, and surveys.

Regional Need #3

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Short Term Career Technical Education

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

Economic data on key industries and growth trends in the region were researched from existing sources. Source documents included the trends affecting workforce development in San Mateo County and the San Francisco Peninsula, SAMCEDA, the Labor Market Index, NOVA Job Works, the Economic Employment Department.

 Economic Inequity: 

San Mateo County is home to diverse industry sectors such as: bioscience, computer software, green technology, hospitality, financial management, health care, and transportation. In the southern part of the county lies the heart of “Silicon Valley” and is home to Stanford University, Facebook, Oracle, Linkedin, Gilead Sciences, Tesla, Kaiser Permanente, Visa, Inc., and the San Francisco International Airport.

 Advancing economic equity and mobility in San Mateo County is and continues to be a major challenge. In fact, income inequality has long plagued San Mateo County. The reality of the high cost of living in the county, especially for the high percentage of individuals who work in low-wage jobs exacerbates this challenge.

The housing affordability crisis is more acute in San Mateo than almost anywhere in the nation. Apartment rents increased significantly over the course of 2021 and the first half of 2022. The typical household would need to spend more than 50 percent of its pre-tax income to afford the median-priced home. Accumulating even a 10% down payment would mean saving $150,000 to $200,000, which is out of reach for almost anyone outside of the technology, asset management, corporate law, corporate management, or biotech industries.

San Mateo County All Together Better 2022 Demographics reports:

●    Average Household Income: $214,979


●    Median Household Income: $148,701

●    Families Below Poverty: 6,598

●    Families with Children Below Poverty: 4,318


Get Healthy San Mateo County - Low Wage Worker Profile indicates:


●    Approximately 50% of workers in San Mateo County are highly educated having earned a bachelor’s degree or higher

●    Individuals with lower education achievement more likely to work in low wage jobs

●    Nearly 30% of low wage workers in the County are 25-64 years of age

●    1/3 of low wage workers in the County reside in households whose earnings are 200% below the federal poverty level

●    80% of workers living below the poverty level are low wage earners.

Most low-wage workers in the county are Latino (35%), Asian (29%) and White (27%). Latino workers are three times more likely to be low wage workers than Whites.

Industry:

Approximately half of the City of San Mateo’s workers are employed in its top four industries—Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Retail Trade; Health Care and Social Assistance; and Accommodation and Food Services.

At a county level, the vast majority (88%) of low-wage workers are employed in industries such as: Arts, Entertainment and Recreation which encompass.  In addition, in the City of San Mateo - 2,489 low wage workers are concentrated in a sector entitled “Other Services.”

In San Mateo County, the manufacturing industry is dominated by two sectors: biotech manufacturing and computer/semiconductor manufacturing. Genentech accounts for about 40 percent of all manufacturing jobs in the county.

Manufacturing is forecast to remain a large and stable labor market industry in San Mateo County due largely to the growth of the computer and biotech sectors. However, they are both in the process of relocating jobs to lower cost regions including Florida and North Carolina, and even overseas. Consequently, minimal growth is expected over the forecast.

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

Assessment scores, completion of courses, certificates, industry certifications, strategic partnerships, surveys, intern/externships, and employment gains.

Address Educational Needs

2023-24 Strategies

Create and Expand Opportunities for Accelerated Learning

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Create and Expand Accelerated Learning

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Review and identify potential practices, course alignments, and tools that support accelerated and course completion.  Collaborate bi-regionally to build bi-directional transition supports and dual enrollment opportunities.


Expand Opportunities to Improve Access to Classes and Workforce Training to Farmworkers Across SMC

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Career Readiness

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Review and identify potential practices, course alignments, and tools that support accelerated and course completion.  Collaborate bi-regionally to build bi-directional transition supports and dual enrollment opportunities.

 


Increase High School Diploma/HS Course Offerings

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Increase HSD/HSE graduation rates.

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Success: Participants Who Earn a High School Diploma or Equivalency (AE 633 - Overall)

Sustain, expand, and increase the number of Adult basic and Adult Secondary course offerings as indicated by data sources (enrollment demand, course waiting lists, and increase student persistence rates).



Increase HSD/HSE graduation rates.

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Career Readiness

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Through development of additional course content on the online learning platform (Canvas), enhancing and standardizing common core aligned curriculum across all HSD/HSE classes, learners will have access to more robust materials to better prepare them for program completion and transition to postsecondary and/or workforce.  Increase HSD/HSE graduation rates by 5%


ESL Writing Curriculum: ESL Proficiency Standards

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Revise ESL writing Proficiency Standards

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Progress: Participants with Educational Functioning Levels Gains ESL (AE 400 - ESL)

Continue to access and evaluate writing strategies for ESL classes.  Review current peer-reviewed literature regarding writing for ESL adult students.  ESL coordinators and teachers review student writing assignment using the English Language & Proficiency Standards Rubric. 

 

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2023-24 Strategies

Short Term Career Technical Education Programs

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Career Technical Education For Credit Programs

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

ACCEL’s CTE Project Team will gather data from sources such as: workforce development boards, ACCEL college member workforce development directors, SAMCEDA (San Mateo County Economic Development Association) and the Employment Development Department for San Mateo County to identify employment sector trends and career sectors projected for growth within the next three to five years. Team members will also research existing local career pathways and short term training options.  Upon review of the data and aforementioned activities, team member will identify and rank the most viable career pathway options that match student career interests, abilities, and labor market demand. The stated activities will then guide discussions, proposals, plans and leveraging of resources.


ESL Students to Workforce

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Pathways to Support ESL Students to Workforce

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: English Language Learner (AE 305 - Overall)

Evaluate and modify program offerings and instructional delivery to support economic advancement.  Review and revise curriculum and EL Civics objectives for workforce skills training in ESL classes.  This activity is in alignment with the AB104 Objective of Seamless Transitions, CAEP State Priority of Learner Transition, Equity and Immigrant Integration. 


Community Engagement

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Community Outreach

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

 ACCEL will continue to work collaboratively with its members and partners to further develop and implement outreach strategies, establishing relationships with regional community-based organizations and local government agencies who provide support services. This activity is in alignment with the AB104 Objective of Seamless Transitions, CAEP State Priority of Learner Transition, Equity, and Immigrant Integration.


Short Term Career Technical Education - Non Credit

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Short Term Career Technical Education

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

From a prioritized list, develop and implement career pathways.  Develop strategies for classes beginning at the adult school and completed at the college.  Develop and implement marketing strategy to drive student recruitment & enrollment. This activity is in alignment with the AB 104 Objective of Seamless Transitions, CAEP State Priorities of Learner Transition, Leadership, Equity, and Program Evaluation.


Marketing

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Marketing

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Develop an ACCEL Marketing Project Team.  Team members will review the consortium’s current website and review the consortium’s marketing strategies.  The project team will develop a plan with project milestones designed to improve outreach and marketing, targeting identified populations with a goal of increased visibility and enrollment for all ACCEL member districts.

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2023-24 Strategies

Data Collection & Analysis

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Data Collection & Analysis

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

The ACCEL data project team will continue their review and development of processes and procedures for the standardization of data collection and reporting across the consortium.  Team members will also review and revise data collection and analysis process and procedures to align with CAEP barriers, metrics and WIOA. 


Support Services

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Support Services

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Develop and implement outreach strategies to build relationships with regional community-based organizations and local government agencies who provide support services. ACCEL will continue to conduct outreach to establish new relationships, strengthen existing relationships and referral pathways with existing and new local service providers.  Establish a referral process aligned across Consortium members, utilizing Community Pro. 

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.

ACCEL member agencies are implementing the strategies and activities developed through our strategic planning process under the direction of the Executive Director. ACCEL’s annual plan is consistent and in alignment with our CAEP 3-Year Strategic Plan. With California state assurances that funding will be ongoing, all members are committed to implementing our annual plan and spending for the program year 2022-2023 in the same manner.

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

ACCEL consortium members use the FIFO (First In – First Out) methodology to manage CAEP expenses. Members will use any carryover funds to meet their agency's responsibilities for the provision of consortium supported programs and services. CAEP funds not spent within the year they were allocated are rolled into the subsequent year’s budget to ensure continuity of staffing and services to adult education students

Certification

Cabrillo Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Drew Gamet

08/15/2023 12:46 PM PDT

Jefferson Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Mark Beshirs

08/15/2023 09:27 AM PDT

San Mateo Co. Office of Education - Member Representative

  • Executive Director, College, Career, and Secondary Education
  • sbrown@smcoe.org
  • (650) 802-5354
Approved by Sharon Brown

08/15/2023 04:14 PM PDT

San Mateo County CCD - Member Representative

  • Strategic Partnerships & Workforce Development
  • fordla@smccd.edu
  • (650) 738-7124
Approved by Lauren Ford

08/15/2023 01:36 PM PDT

San Mateo Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Angela Taylor

08/15/2023 03:23 PM PDT

Sequoia Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Tatiana Roganova

08/15/2023 09:34 AM PDT

South San Francisco Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Clare Jackson

08/15/2023 10:07 AM PDT