Produced: Aug 15, 2025, 10:54 PM UTC - By Cynthia McGregory
2025-26
Plans & Goals
Assessment
Activities & Outcomes
Objective #1: Address Educational Needs
Enhance and develop course curriculum
Increase student completion rates
By June 2028, the Adult Education Center will increase the percentage of students attaining a HSD/equivalency by 10%. AEC will also increase the percentage of AEC students earning a GED/high school diploma/equivalent, completing ABE/ASE goals, and completing courses by 3% annually in all three areas. Santa Monica College will increase the number of Noncredit CDCP certificates awarded by 10% by June 2028. In 2025-26, SMC will increase the pass rate of ESL and CE courses by providing student workshops on how to qualify for a certificate, counselor visits to classes to clarify requirements and process, and support noncredit faculty participation in SMC’s SGPS (Gateway to Persistence and Success) online platform to support student success and retention. SMC will also increase number of certificates offered. With the new ESL conversation courses, the ESL department will develop new ESL Listening and Speaking certificates to be offered by Spring 2027. This aligns with the CAEP objectives of increasing student enrollment and completion, facilitating transitions into post-secondary education or employment, and reducing achievement gaps. Short and intermediate outcomes we expect to see include an increase in certificates and diplomas awarded, an increase in student enrollment, and a long-term outcome of an increase in job attainment by our completers.
Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers
- All: Participants (202AE)
Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date
| Responsible Position | Responsible Member | Proposed Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Luis Jauregui | Santa Monica CCD | 06/30/2028 |
| Cynthia McGregory | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | 06/30/2028 |
Enhance and develop mirrored course offerings
Mirrored ESL courses (noncredit ESL sections that align with credit-bearing classes) will be added or expanded at Santa Monica College to support transitions to college credit programs and ensure continuity for learners seeking longer-term academic goals. These courses are designed to help students build the academic language, study skills, and confidence needed to succeed in credit-bearing environments, reducing common barriers such as unfamiliarity with college systems, lack of academic preparedness, and fear of transition. By creating a bridge between noncredit and credit pathways, mirrored courses offer a structured, supportive entry point into postsecondary education. They also promote persistence by clearly linking ESL progress to attainable educational and career outcomes. Additionally, these courses reinforce language skills through academic content, helping students demonstrate measurable EFL gains while simultaneously preparing for college-level work. SMC will improve collaboration between the noncredit program and credit instructors by creating a comprehensive teacher guide and establishing regular check-ins with the faculty lead and counselors to ensure student success. SMC will develop a new mirrored course (ESL 921: Pronunciation, Rhythm, and Intonation) and submit it to the Curriculum Committee for approval by Spring 2026. In Fall 2025, SMC will provide an informational presentation on mirrored courses to Department Chairs who oversee noncredit CE courses that may lead to credit courses with potential for mirroring. The noncredit team will work with any departments interested in developing new mirrored courses to explore the feasibility of creating those courses for their program. This alignment not only supports smoother transitions but also increases the likelihood of student success in both ESL and subsequent academic programs.
Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers
- All: Participants (202AE)
- Student Barriers: English Language Learner (149AE)
- Transition: Transitioned to CTE (636AE)
- Transition: Transitioned to Non-Developmental Credit College Course (637AE)
Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date
| Responsible Position | Responsible Member | Proposed Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Luis Jauregui | Santa Monica CCD | 06/30/2028 |
| Lizbeth Koenig | Santa Monica CCD | 06/30/2028 |
Objective #2: Improve Integration of Services & Transitions
Provide targeted professional development
Provide targeted professional development focused on enhancing instructional quality, student engagement, and best practices to improve learner persistence. We will offer professional development opportunities for SMC and AEC faculty and staff to support high-quality curriculum delivery, effective technology use, and instructional strategies that promote learner persistence and retention. Topics may include student engagement, best practices to enhance learner persistence, and utilizing data to support at-risk students. Professional development activities will include professional learning communities at the AEC and SMC. SMC will also host a CALPRO Regional Workshop: Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners in 2025-2026. By equipping educators with the tools to identify and address barriers such as inconsistent attendance, limited digital literacy, and low academic confidence, these training sessions will help create more inclusive and responsive learning environments. As a result, this will contribute to improved Educational Functioning Level (EFL) gains by increasing instructional effectiveness and aligning teaching practices with the diverse needs of adult learners. Ultimately, targeted professional development is a key strategy for improving student persistence and retention, ensuring that learners receive support throughout each stage of their educational journey.
Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers
- All: Participants (202AE)
Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date
| Responsible Position | Responsible Member | Proposed Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Liz Koenig | Santa Monica CCD | 06/30/2028 |
| Patricia Hernandez | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | 06/30/2028 |
Set completion targets for programs
Annually, the percentage of students who achieve the desired learning gain will be at/above the state target, as reported on TopsPro CAEP Performance Reports. Additionally, Santa Monica College will aim to increase the percentage of noncredit students successfully transitioning to credit by 6% by June 2028. This aligns with CAEP objectives in facilitating transitions to post-secondary education, reducing achievement gaps, and aligning with statewide initiatives. The short and long-term goals are for both agencies to achieve or exceed state averages in all categories, with a corresponding increase in the number of students transitioning to credit programs.
Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers
- All: Participants (202AE)
Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date
| Responsible Position | Responsible Member | Proposed Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Luis Jauregui | Santa Monica CCD | 06/30/2028 |
Objective #3: Improve Effectiveness of Services
Increase enrollment and persistence
By June 2028, increase the number of students enrolled in CAEP-funded programs by 10%. SMRC will increase the percentage of students sustaining 12+ hours each year by 5 %. Both agencies will carry out this activity. Key metrics to monitor will be the increase in enrollment and persistence data. AEC aims for a short-term goal of a 6% increase in enrollment by June 2026, and SMC aims for a 3% increase in enrollment. Both agencies aim to increase the number of students who persist for 12 or more attendance hours. The intermediate and long-term goals are that students will persist in the program, complete the program, and earn their CDCP certificates or diplomas. SMC will continue to increase enrollment by opening new sections in response to student demand. SMC will increase the number of course offerings. And SMC will increase their marketing efforts, both in-person and digitally. SMC will increase persistence by calling students with 0-11 hours of attendance, sending a check-in email to students the first weeks of class, encouraging instructors to send welcome emails to all new students throughout the semester, and supporting faculty collaboration on enhancing persistence in professional learning circles. This will then lead to either transitioning into post-secondary education or the workforce. This contributes to CAEP objectives, increasing student enrollment, improving literacy skills, and reducing achievement gaps.
Adult Education Metrics and Student Barriers
- All: Reportable Individuals (200AE)
- Student Barriers: English Language Learner (149AE)
- Students and Programs: Career Technical Education (1003)
Responsible Positions, Responsible Consortium Members, and Proposed Completion Date
| Responsible Position | Responsible Member | Proposed Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Luis Jauregui | Santa Monica CCD | 06/30/2028 |
| Cynthia McGregory | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | 06/30/2028 |
Fiscal Management
Alignment & Carryover
CAEP spending will be aligned with the objectives outlined in this annual plan, as well as the three-year plan. This includes, but is not limited to, the following areas: salaries and benefits for program management and classified staff, faculty salaries and benefits, support for curriculum development, outreach and marketing, program supplies and instructional materials, and professional development opportunities.
Each member is responsible for utilizing carryover funds by the established deadlines. SMC Noncredit prioritizes the use of these funds to achieve our annual plan goals, ensuring that all funds are spent on time. AEC will continue to enhance educational offerings using CAEP carryover funds in alignment with CAEP's annual plans.
- This includes a focus on the following areas:
- Stakeholder engagement activities
- Marketing and outreach
- Community partnerships
- Professional development
- Creation of new courses
- Continued development of Mirror courses
- One-time purchases of equipment and supplies for existing and new programs
- Programs and activities aimed at improving retention and completion rates
- Social media outreach and other digital marketing initiatives
- Additional student support efforts (e.g., Zero Textbook Costs, school supplies, etc.) to help reduce access and equity gaps. to help reduce access and equity gaps.
Usage
Consortium Objectives & Activities Overview
Objectives & Activities
| Activity | Origin | Included in Annual Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Objective #1: Address Educational Needs | ||
| Enhance and develop course curriculum | THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28 | |
| Enhance and develop mirrored course offerings | THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28 | |
| Increase student completion rates | THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28 | |
| Objective #2: Improve Integration of Services & Transitions | ||
| Provide targeted professional development | THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28 | |
| Set completion targets for programs | THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28 | |
| Objective #3: Improve Effectiveness of Services | ||
| Increase enrollment and persistence | THREE-YEAR PLAN 2025-28 |
Certification
Santa Monica CCD - Member Representative
Scott Silverman - Dean, Noncredit & External Programs
- silverman_scott@smc.edu
- (310) 434-4370
Luis Jauregui - Project Manager
- jauregui_luis@smc.edu
- (310) 434-3403
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified - Member Representative
Cynthia McGregory - Principal
- cmcgregory@smmusd.org
- (310) 392-2494 ext: 66208
Patrick Miller - Director of Assessment, Research, and Evaluation
- p.miller@smmusd.org