CAEP Three-Year Plan: 2022-23 63 South Bay Adult Education Consortium/Southwestern

The consortium started the assessment process with a student survey. Approximately 500 responses were collected from current and former students from Sweetwater Adult Ed, Coronado Adult Ed, and Southwestern College Continuing Ed. Pertinent questions included "I've taken classes in the following programs: ESL, Basic Skills, HSD/Equivalency, Career Training, Other", "If we could improve on one thing, what would it be?", "What has helped you to reach your goals?" and "What has hindered you from reaching your goals?". The top six responses for areas of improvement include (in order of popularity): 1) More variety in class days/times (26%), 2) Different types of training programs (21%), 3) More options to work from home (17%), 4) More time with a counselor or other staff to help me reach my goals (14%), 5) No improvements needed (12%), 6) Registration process (10%). The most common responses for what has helped students to reach their goals include: supportive teachers, supportive family, ESL classes in general, internal motivation, and Southwestern College general program and availability. The most common responses for what has hindered students from reaching their goals include: work schedule conflicts/shift changes, caregiver challenges, pandemic challenges, financial issues, and limited class availability/schedule conflicts.

The survey responses were incorporated into a larger Consortium Summit presentation. The audience for the summit included faculty, staff, counselors, administrators, students, and community partners. The remainder of the presentation included a demographic overview of our students and the programs that they enroll in. Data from the Launchboard Adult Ed Pipeline was referenced extensively in this section. Next was an overview of our regional community, to show a comparison between our students/program offerings and the community, and to identify gaps in programs and services. The South Region San Diego County Subregional Profile was referenced in order to identify the top industries, businesses, and certifications needed in our region. The CAEP Fact Sheet was referenced to identify the various communities of need in our region, including Adults with Disabilities, Foreign Born, Limited English, Near Poverty or Less, No High School Diploma, Unemployed, and Disconnected Youth. Next was a comparison of our student outcomes compared with state averages. The Launchboard was referenced extensively in this section as well. Comparisons included students that go from reportable individuals to participants, participants who earned their HS Diploma or Equivalency, ESL/ABE/ASE participants that transitioned to CTE, ESL/ABE/ASE participants that transitioned to credit college, employment 2 quarters after exit, and median annual earnings. The last set of data included in the presentation was in reference to equity gaps, and the Launchboard data was again referenced extensively in this section. Multiple datasets from the Launchboard organized by gender and race/ethnicity were used in response to the question: Are particular demographic groups achieving outcomes at higher rates that others?.

After the presentation, four students who have made the transition from adult ed to Southwestern College and beyond provided their testimonials. Testimonials included a confirmation of several pieces of the data we had just reviewed. 

The final section of the summit included four breakout sessions of all attendees. Each breakout room was tasked with answering one of the following questions: 1) Which populations are we not serving but should be serving? 2) What challenges do our students have that hinder them from coming to our programs/What program features might be barriers to students coming to our programs? 3) What are gaps or unmet needs in our existing programs and services? 4) How can we leverage community and member partnerships to better assist our students in realizing their goals?. Responses were collected via Jamboard.

Members utilized the data presented and collected at the summit to assist in forming their member metrics and activities. The Consortium level metrics and student barriers relied on the same sets of data. The consortium determined that all four available student barriers to employment should be included in this three year plan since our community of need in these subgroups is extensive: English Learners, Low Literacy, Long Term Unemployed, Low Income. When determining the target numbers for the consortium level adults served and student barriers, the consortium agreed to repeat the 2019-2020 figures that are available in NOVA, recognizing that that is the most recent dataset before the pandemic. Data from 2020-2021 was not a factor in any metric target because of the profound effect that the pandemic had on all aspects of the community and our programs and services. Data from 2021-2022 was also not a factor in any metric target because it was not a complete year's worth of data.

All career training programs offered around the consortium participate in Industry Advisories. Members are invited to participate in each other's Industry Advisories and work toward further consolidating where applicable. 

Articulation between adult CTE programs and credit Southwestern College programs have proven a successful avenue for students to complete career pathways. Nearly all Sweetwater CTE career training programs are articulated with Southwestern College credit career training programs. Sweetwater and Southwestern College have worked closely together over the previous three year plan cycle to ensure that students are able to complete a career pathway and enter the workplace. In addition, Coronado and Southwestern College are currently working to create an articulated pathway for Child Development. 

Sweetwater Union High School District is the sole member of the consortium that participates in WIOA. Sweetwater's WIOA CIP goal identified for 22-23 is directly aligned to progress metrics described in the three year plan. The CIP goal states: By April 1, 2023, SUHSD Adult Education students will complete Educational Function Level Gains (EFLs) as follows:64% of ABE/ASE participants will reach EFL gains (currently at 53.94%), and 59% of ESL participants will reach EFL gains (currently at 48.91%). Supporting activities include training teachers to use the SUHSD Google CASAS Score Sheet to interpret the Student Gains Report, training new teachers at least two weeks before TOPS day, increasing the participation of Testing Technicians in CASAS training and professional development, allowing for teachers in each program area to discuss progress/areas of improvement needed, and scheduling regular meetings division-wide to in inform teachers about CIP progress. Also, Sweetwater has developed IET support for all career training programs, ensuring that English learners in career training programs have the English support needed to complete their training.

Leveraging the work of the Strong Workforce K-12 Pathway Coordinator, the subregion is hosting two dozen pathway meetings that include high school, charters, adult school teachers, community college faculty, and program administrators to collaborate and discuss courses and programs within industry sectors. Topics include:

• Sharing curriculum, discussing articulation and other early college credit options
• Industry recognized certifications – what’s being offered, are they aligned, are there gaps
• Work-based learning – what’s being done, are there opportunities for collaboration (virtual and in-person events, tours, guest speakers, etc.)
• Student recruitment/enrollment – how is enrollment? what is being done by whom? Trends and areas for improvement, such as retention.
• Advisory committee meetings – what’s currently being done and who’s invited, opportunities for collaboration
• Professional Development opportunities – internal, external, shared possibilities

The meetings are being recorded and notes are shared so that those who were unable to attend can benefit from the discussions. There is a plan for these meetings to be held twice a year to help streamline programs, increase early college credit opportunities, and share resources that benefit all students.

According to the 2021 CAEP Fact Sheets, the community that our consortium serves contains the following demographics:

Adults with Disabilities: 51,231

Foreign Born: 145,544

Limited English: 42,020

Near Poverty or Less: 62,948

No High School Diploma: 65,926

Unemployed: 24,071

Disconnected Youth: 2,433

According to the Launchboard Adult Education Pipeline, our consortium served 9,285 adults, including 6,014 participants in 2019-2020 in the following program areas:

ESL: 3,316 participants

ABE: 1,366 participants

ASE: 1,180 participants

CTE: 2,044 participants

Adults with Disabilities: 84 participants

In 2020-2021, our consortium served 4,560 adults, including 3,307 participants in the following program areas:

ESL: 1,427 participants

ABE: 631 participants

ASE: 752 participants

CTE: 1,590 participants

Adults with Disabilities: 229 participants

Similar to other consortia around the state, our consortium saw a significant drop in enrollment in 2020-2021 due to the pandemic. As we begin to recover from the impact of the pandemic on our enrollment, the fact remains that all program areas should maximize course offerings in all program areas over the next three year period in order to better serve the large community of need. However, adequate transportation and childcare continue to be common challenges shared amongst students. Our student survey uncovered an additional layer of challenges that students face as a result of the pandemic. The pandemic has exacerbated issues associated with work schedule/shift changes, being a caregiver of both older adults and young children during sickness and quarantine, and personal finances. Our consortium is committed to offering a mix of in person, online, and hybrid options in order to maximize the number of students served.

The majority of students in all program areas report at least one barrier to employment. However, the consortium recognizes that the self-reporting nature of adult education data collection may result in an underreporting of student barriers to employment. Along those lines, the adults with disabilities population may be underreported as well, as students may not be fully aware of a potential disability. Despite the pandemic's massive influence on enrollment, the Adults with Disabilities program area has seen an increase in enrollment. This can be attributed to the ramping up of Sweetwater's Disability and Access Resource Center (DARC) academic and workforce services during the pandemic (including Workability II). Other workforce services that gained momentum during the pandemic include Goodwill of San Diego County's Job Readiness Certificate Program. The certificate program is embedded into Southwestern College's noncredit Stepping Stones to Success program, as well as Sweetwater's career training and Workplace ESL programs. 

All members of the consortium participated in the development of the three-year plan. Our student survey went out to current and former students at Coronado Adult Ed, Sweetwater Adult Ed, and Southwestern College Continuing Ed. The consortium summit was attended by members of our consortium Implementation Team, Advisory Committee, and Consortium Directors Counsel. Also in attendance were community college faculty, adult school teachers and counselors, classified staff, administrators, current and former students, and community partners from the Department of Rehabilitation and Education Opportunity Centers. The consortium Implementation Team developed member metrics and activities, and the consortium Advisory Committee developed consortium metrics. Both the Implementation Team and the Advisory Committee contributed to various narratives within the plan, and approved the final draft to be considered at the Consortium Directors Council for final approval. 

The number of participants per program area above are taken from the 2020-2021 academic year, which is the most recent complete year of data. Since that entire academic year was impacted by the pandemic, enrollment in all program areas is much lower than usual. However, thankfully we did not see any closures of entire program areas or workforce services. Preliminary data from 2021-2022 shows an increase in enrollment in all program areas over 2020-2021. Although the table above shows no enrollment in EL Civics or K12 Success program areas, this is actually a result of a difference in coding structures. Sweetwater Adult Ed offers EL Civics, but EL Civics participants are coded as ESL. Southwestern College offers a K12 Success program through their YES Academy over the summer, in workshop format, and so those participants are not coded as accumulating hours in a class. In addition, Sweetwater Adult Ed offers some Workforce Reentry programs but they are coded as CTE to align with K-12 credentialing requirements; a teacher can be credentialed in CTE but not Workforce Reentry. Although preliminary data show an overall increase in enrollment over 2020-2021, further increases are needed to reach pre-pandemic levels. When pre-pandemic enrollment levels are reached, there is still much room for a further increase in enrollment in all program areas due to our large community of need. Some workforce services were initiated during the pandemic, and continue on as an essential complement to CAEP program offerings. Sweetwater's Disability and Access Resource Center (DARC) initiated a multitude of academic and workforce services to both adults with disabilities and the general adult education population as well, including a new Workability II program. Community Partner Goodwill Industries of San Diego County initiated services around a Job Readiness Certificate program for Southwestern College's noncredit Stepping Stones to Success program (CAEP AWD program), as well as Sweetwater's CTE and Workplace ESL programs. Workforce services continue to expand with this partnership, and most recently include a pathway for students to enter a paid training program.