CAEP
Annual Plan

Produced: Aug 7, 2025, 11:52 PM UTC - By Bryan Wilson

55 Santa Clarita Valley Adult Education Consortium
CONSORTIUM APPROVED

2025-26

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

The Santa Clarita Community College District (College of the Canyons) and the William S. Hart Union High School District (Golden Oak Adult School) have established collaborative efforts since the first collaboration in 1969. As the only community college and high school district in the service area, the Districts work collaboratively to achieve CAEP outcomes. Our goals are to develop strategies which enhance equity, access, and comprehensive adult education to the Santa Clarita Valley region, while improving and expanding upon adult education programs and partnerships. The Gateway SCV consortium, located in Santa Clarita, California, strives to improve the role of adult education within our area by creating and offering support to adult learners through career pathways, basic skills, high school equivalency as well as ESL. Further, the consortium works with community partners to provide access and equity for our adult learners through services such as educational counseling as well as adult school career courses in addition to the college credit and non-credit program areas which fall under the California Adult Education parameters. In this ever-changing global economy, we pride ourselves in preparing adult learners to improve their lives and gain skills or education.

According to the CAEP Fact Sheet data received by College of the Canyons and Golden Oak Adult School in the Hart District, roughly 14.9% of adult residents in our valley have less than a high school diploma, and 9% of adults have limited proficiency in English while 27.6% speak Spanish only in the home. In addition, 4% of adults in the valley are unemployed and 35% are not in the workforce (for unknown reasons) as of 2024. This all speaks to a substantive demand for our two agencies to collaborate and align in the most efficient manner possible to quickly, yet strategically, launch new opportunities and expand upon existing adult education programs to a larger number of residents. Past launches have included Spanish for Educators, Rising Scholars (courses justice-involved students), pathways to custodial, and teaching assistant programs, and a plethora of healthcare programs to name a few. This three-year plan focuses squarely on alignment and partnership in order to more efficiently reach our potential student population. In previous years of our consortium work, much of our attention was on improvement of existing programs. In this plan document, we identify the service gaps which still exist and construct a strategy for better collaboration and minimization of barriers for our students while providing worthy professional development for faculty and staff. Through these efforts and more intentional planning, we seek to strengthen the identity of Gateway SCV and build awareness of services and programs within the Santa Clarita Valley. Ultimately, this will aid students in accessing educational opportunity and career mobility regardless of which institution they attend.

Plans & Goals

How (if at all) do the consortium’s previous program year goals differ from the current year’s goals?

Goals have changed or new goals have emerged for the upcoming year

Why have the consortium’s goals changed for the upcoming year?

One of our main goals to create a communication portal and forward-facing website for prospective or current students, educators, and staff was unable to be completed due to contract specifications regarding costly insurance creation demands and security requirements on the part of the hosting entity.  GatewaySCV is moving forward with a cost-effective alternative which will provide the safety (even though there are no FERPA-related data, payments, or other sensitive information) and expertise we need to move forward.  A domain name has been purchased, and we will begin the process of creation. 

How much progress did the consortium make towards its previous program year goals?

A good deal of progress - most goals were met

All previous goals were met except the new website.  That will be accomplished in the coming year. We are extremely proud of the pathway mapping done for Healthcare and ESL as well as well as collaboration for Dual Enrollment.  The team of educators in GatewaySCV has never been stronger, and we work well together to meet the needs and assist with goals of both institutions and our students. 

What barriers did the consortium face in making progress towards its previous program year goals?

Contracts

A main goal to create a communication portal and forward-facing website for prospective or current students, educators, and staff was unable to be completed due to contract specifications regarding costly insurance creation demands and security requirements on the part of the hosting entity.  GatewaySCV is moving forward with a cost-effective alternative which will provide the safety (even though there are no FERPA-related data, payments, or other sensitive information) and expertise we need to move forward.  A domain name has been purchased, and we will begin the process of creation. 

What are the goals for the consortium for the current program year?

Our strategic plan has been laid out in the Three-Year Plan based on the college planning documents as well as those of the adult school including WASC.  The items marked in the area above are for the upcoming year as the ones not checked were addressed in previous years. However, as gaps are discovered and new opportunities arise to assist our community, we will definitely keep the unchecked items in mind. It is prudent to revisit previous plans and outcomes as needs of the community change.  For the current year, our plans will address the above in various ways as we move toward more data usage, collaboration, and marketing to create opportunities for current and future students, faculty, and staff.  However, given the uncertainty about federal and state funding, new courses or programs, additions to facilities or staffing requiring financial resources will be placed on hold for the next two to three years.

How will the consortium measure progress towards the goals set for the current program year?

The main way we will measure the goals will be data analysis.  It will be difficult considering differing mechanisms and guidelines for adult schools and community colleges, but data will be integral.  Further, each institution already completes program assessments, so we will collaborate for efficacy.  Both summative and formative assessment data will also be collected, and based on that information along with the CAEP Fact Sheets and our own community data, gaps can be identified and addressed.  Communication between institutions is at the forefront, and we are fortunate to have a Team which not only collaborates and communicates, but one that is action-focused and driven to assist our community in bettering lives and reaching goals. 

Assessment

Regional Needs Assessment

Please identify the categories of needs in your region.

Please identify resources used to identify these gaps.

The Santa Clarita Economic Development data has been a great help for our data needs as has the college MIS and adult school surveys and TopsPro.  The CAEP Fact Sheets as well as many other available data such as census contribute to our understanding of the community overall. The South Central Region Center for Excellence, housed at COC,  is also available for LMI and employer data when looking for areas of need in the community where new programs should be developed.  

The need gaps are revisited often since our community needs change often. Though the data clearly show gaps, we have already begun to address them from our last Annual Plan to this one.  As every consortia knows, data collection between/among institutions is very difficult as each have different requirements and tracking. 

Activities & Outcomes

Objective #1: Address Educational Needs

Improve Attendance

THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28

Improving enrollment, attendance, and retention will be a main focus of both institutions with deliverables increasing by 5% the first year and 3% each year after until the next planning session. Both Golden Oak Adult School and College of the Canyons School of Personal and Professional Learning will track these outcomes and promote programs to achieve this outcome.  This activity will contribute to all goal groups because any student who reaches a goal will be included in the data.  Looking at the achievement targets (5% initially and 3% thereafter), we feel these goals for attrition are attainable and will further enable us to look at the prescribed metrics to evaluate efficacy.  However, given the uncertainty about federal and state funding, new courses or programs requiring financial resources will be placed on hold for the next two to three years.

Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers

  • All: Reportable Individuals (200AE)

Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date

Responsible PositionResponsible MemberProposed Completion Date
AdministrationSanta Clarita CCD06/30/2026

Objective #2: Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

Dual Enrollment

THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28

Dual enrollment for students 18 years and older may enhance community members' ability to complete their goals, whether it be at the adult school or community college level. Both the college and the adult school will work in tandem to strategize and develop or streamline processes to track students, data, and efficacy of dual enrollment programs. Furthermore, this area will include marketing and networking to highlight the program's availability to those who qualify. Transitions and EFL levels are two of the CAEP objectives this proposal will meet, though others may come to light as the program begins.College of the Canyons and Golden Oak Adult School collaborate to develop processes for an adult dual enrollment program. Working together, students will have the resources and support from both the college and the adult school to successfully complete their HS diploma, GED, or HiSet program while taking college credit courses. This will require points of contact at both institutions to ensure a smooth and seamless process for students while also identifying any pinch points that may dissuade students from continuing in the program. This year’s annual plan will include implementing processes, identifying potential students and partnership opportunities in order to develop strategies and close identified gaps.

Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers

  • All: Participants (202AE)

Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date

Responsible PositionResponsible MemberProposed Completion Date
AdministrationWilliam S. Hart Union High06/30/2028
AdministrationSanta Clarita CCD06/30/2028

Objective #3: Improve Effectiveness of Services

Professional Development Tracking

THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28

Though marketing has been addressed in the past, the differing needs, resources, and geographical barriers to students may be alleviated with stronger marketing of overall programs rather than just the adult school or college individually, so both agencies will carry this out. The tenor of the plan is to address all CAEP areas, and should contribute to all of the goals below while simultaneously closing gaps and barriers.

For this annual plan, we will examine past marketing efforts to identify gaps and efficacy. Then we will strategize on how to move forward based on our research outcomes.

Professional Development is integral to any organization so it is important for the consortium to look at both organization’s Professional Development offerings and see where there may be overlap to combine Professional Development opportunities further ensuring students are receiving the best educational opportunities available while also building a stronger connection between the college and the adult school faculty and staff. To ensure we are meeting goals of professional development, we will be looking at ways to effectively track, credit, and report professional development between/among members. By streamlining tracking, administrators, staff , and faculty can share their expertise in a meaningful way, which in turn is a benefit to students and the community, which in turn can meet any CAEPobjective.


For this annual plan, we will investigate and research possible tracking mechanisms.

Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers

  • All: Reportable Individuals (200AE)

Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date

Responsible PositionResponsible MemberProposed Completion Date
CoordinatorSanta Clarita CCD06/30/2028
AdministrationSanta Clarita CCD06/30/2028
AdministrationWilliam S. Hart Union High06/30/2028

Fiscal Management

Alignment & Carryover

The breakdown of deliverables in years one through three have been disaggregated into our Annual Plan. The allocation requests are consistent with consortium bylaws to support the needs of communities served by both GatewaySCV members as well as institutional need to deploy, maintain, and track programs offered. For the current year, the Board has approved the additional COLA at a 50/50 rate allocation in addition to the formerly set base allocations (approximately 70/30 Adult School/Community college )which have not changed. At this time, our consortia is working with CAEP and State finance personnel to ascertain why the amounts in NOVA are not reflective of our agreed percentages, why they do not match what is in NOVA, and importantly, did we physically receive the correct amount, regardless of what is in NOVA. Currently, we have been informed by the State that corrections, due to the time passed for the initial error (2020/2021), will need to be done at the programming level, but we are still waiting for information on the rest of our concerns as they directly relate to our ability to fulfill our goals for students, and our ability to provide efficacy in our WEP to reduce carryover.   Finally, given the uncertainty about federal and state funding, new courses or programs requiring financial resources may be placed on hold for the next two to three years.


Presently, the CAEPTap Team has reached out to the State on our behalf regarding a discrepancy in the NOVA allocation and actual allocation.  This issue has halted progress in many areas as we must know our true numbers to budget appropriately and resolve any carryover. As the carryover for the adult school was due to district personnel changes, with the added guidance from a district director and a CAEP handbook being created, at the present time, we are on track to solve the issue but are waiting for true budget numbers from the State.  The CAEP coordinator will also make sure to alert all members, including District officials and finance personnel, of any training that may impact them, which is also included as part of our handbook.  It was determined by the consortium that GOAS had a carryover of 37.5% in late August of 2024.  In discussions with GOAS, the consortium learned that the site was waiting on further guidelines from the district regarding the use of CAEP funds available in the 2023-2024 school year for GOAS to purchase new furniture for adult education classrooms. GOAS has expressed to the district a desire to increase adult education class opportunities in ESL to address the needs of the SCV adult community. Currently, there are two classrooms that are occupied by a Special Education Transition program. GOAS is working with the district to identify a new location for these courses which will enable GOAS to expand courses.  In the late spring of 2024, the district superintendent announced he would be leaving the district and moving up north. This change in leadership, coupled with labor negotiations from both bargaining units, slowed down the district's decision to move the SPED Program. This resulted in GOAS not purchasing the furniture because they were not aware of the final decisions regarding moving the SPED classes. Once the consortium provides final approval for GOAS to retain and spend the  20% threshold, and with Golden Oak Adult School just learning in October of 2024, the interim superintendent has decided the earliest the SPED program would be moved is the 2025/2026 school year. With this final update, GOAS plans to use the carryover funds to purchase SMARTBOARDS and new computers for each of the existing GOAS classrooms. The consortium coordinator has met with all of the new parties, has provided training, discussed planning and NOVA as well as consortium processes; however, that process was not complete at the time of the Q4 deadline.  Members are working to fulfill the adult school's plans going forward in order to reduce carryover.  Additionally, a handbook for new members has been created to address any turnover issues in an expedient manner.  

Usage

How does the consortium plan to use allocated funds in the upcoming year?

All carryover from the previous fiscal year will be spent by December of 2024 and is on target to spend all the current 2024/2025 CAEP funds by the end of the 2025 FY. This will be completed by adding a bilingual counselor to the GOAS staff to support adult students. Additional plans for spending include increasing collaboration meetings with adult teachers to support the learning needs of students and purchasing updated instructional materials to support the needs of adult learners. Further, activities specified in our Written Expenditure Plan will be carried out, as long as the NOVA reporting and internal reporting and State communication issue is resolved. 

Consortium Objectives & Activities Overview

Objectives & Activities

= consortium has included this activity in an Annual Plan from the 2025-28 Three-Year Plan
= consortium has NOT selected this activity in an Annual Plan from the 2025-28 Three-Year Plan
ActivityOriginIncluded in Annual Plan
Objective #1: Address Educational Needs
Improve Attendance
THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28
Objective #2: Improve Integration of Services & Transitions
Dual Enrollment
THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28
Marketing
THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28
Objective #3: Improve Effectiveness of Services
Professional Development Tracking
THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28

Certification

Santa Clarita CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Kim Haglund

08/07/2025 04:10 PM PDT

William S. Hart Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Bryan Wilson

08/07/2025 04:52 PM PDT