CAEP
Annual Plan

Produced: Aug 14, 2023, 10:26 PM UTC - By Lori Hawkyard

64 State Center Adult Education Consortium
CONSORTIUM APPROVED

2023-24

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

The State Center Adult Education Consortium (SCAEC) remains committed to our mission of empowering adult learners within our area with essential skills for employment, lifelong learning, career progression, and self-improvement. In partnership with regional community partners, we aim to strengthen adult education and guarantee access to high-quality programs for our students, ultimately fostering their success in higher education and their chosen careers.

2022 - 2023 Major Accomplishments

  • Conducted a study, "Open Doors and Bridging Gaps," which analyzed barriers in student transitions and produced a series of college courses held at regional adult schools
  • Adult schools supported and trained by SCAEC Data Specialist as needed
  • Collaborated with Reedley, Clovis, Madera Community, and Fresno City Colleges to offer non-credit offerings
  • Continued working on Curriculum Alignment/Pathways Project
  • Increased amount of ESL courses at community partner sites
  • Increased CTE course offerings
  • Increased collaboration with community partners
  • Increased sub-region collaboration
  • Parlier USD added as a funded member
  • Number of WASC Accredited schools continues to increase
  • Marketing/Outreach: College Field Trips; created consortium-wide marketing publication; increased outreach efforts by continuing to offer Job Fairs, Resource/Next Step Fairs, Resume Workshops, and Financial Literacy Workshops; increased social media presence and marketing efforts; planned and facilitated annual College Showcases
  • Presentations: CAEAA, CAEP, CALPRO, CCAE, RP Group’s Strengthening Student Success Conference, CASAS
  • Transitions: A transitions data dashboard is currently in development with support from State Center Community College District; over 12,000 potential students served with support and outreach; created a student list for collaboration with college counselors; identified and recruited students for SB554 eligibility; increased transition services consortium-wide to accommodate new programs; maintained hybrid model to meet with students; provided students with the support needed to continue their education during the pandemic including assisting with FAFSA and CCCApply; SCCCD and SCAEC hosted an annual college showcase for adult education staff and partners; streamlined transition services with colleges; specific adult education counselors have been hired at each college


SCAEC’s Three-Year Plan lays the groundwork to allow us to achieve our goal of improving adult education services for the next three years and beyond. To accomplish this, SCAEC has selected several strategies focused on achieving the three CAEP Priority Objectives for 2023-2024:

  • Create a plan to address the lack of ESL instructors, teaching assistants, and tutors
  • Undertake a marketing campaign aimed at increasing awareness of educational opportunities and the advantages of participating in educational and training programs, thereby increasing enrollment, transitions to post-secondary or career, and regional partnerships
  • Implement a Student Ambassador program to assist in regional outreach efforts
  • Support sites in increasing student tutoring services throughout the consortium
  • Co-locate college classes on adult school campuses to aid in transitions to college
  • Continue offering résumé and college financial literacy, college transitions, and parenting workshops
  • Utilize the Adult School Transition Specialist and College Counselors to aid students in the college application process
  • Create a centralized system for tracking adult school students to facilitate advising
  • Create a document enumerating the services available to adult learners, including a one-page document for referrals

Our action plan will be implemented to strengthen partnerships within the region and provide for new strategies and programs, such as workforce readiness classes, career pathway programs, and industry certification courses. SCAEC management will continue to support all member agencies. SCAEC will also continue to analyze and establish action items based on data provided by the Open Doors and Bridging Gap's pathways project that focuses on alleviating challenges to post-secondary transitions.

SCAEC is organized into four distinct sub-regions: North, Clovis, Central, and South. This arrangement enables members to delve into the unique requirements of their immediate communities while preserving an overarching focus on the wider State Center region, thanks to the leadership and guidance of our management team and the collaboration across different positions. This structure fortifies our assurance that our Consortium will persist as a model of high-quality adult education in the future. Our confidence stems from our excellent leadership, visionary guidance, and relentless dedication to the continuous enhancement of adult education and student success.  SCAEC is poised to meet or even surpass all the objectives delineated in our 2022-2025 Three-Year Plan. 

Regional Planning Overview

In 2023-2024, members of the State Center Adult Education Consortium (SCAEC) will implement chosen strategies and initiatives, per the three-year plan, to address the adult education needs within our region. Utilizing extensive labor market data and engaging crucial stakeholders such as students and community partners, SCAEC is set to carry out strategies to improve our process further. By doing so, SCAEC will be equipped to anticipate forthcoming shifts in the economic, educational, and workforce landscapes, empowering adult learners with superior training, education, and the skill enhancement required for securing employment, fostering career progression, and spurring personal development. This collective endeavor will emphasize the importance and positioning of adult education within our region.

The 2023-2024 Annual Plan will primarily target resolving difficulties in transitions to higher education, bridging service gaps by offering more CTE programs, enhancing programs to improve fundamental skills such as GED, ABE, and HSD, as well as ESL courses, expanding services for adults with disabilities, and constructing robust pathways to higher education and job opportunities, ensuring our students are well-informed about these. Members aim to extend student tutoring services to expedite their path to success. 

In addition, SCAEC will maximize outreach efforts; for instance, our Transitions Team will consistently circulate through our member sites and both of America’s Job Centers of California in Madera County and Fresno County. They will also work closely with dedicated adult education counselors at each college campus, reaching out to over 12,000 potential students throughout the year. We will reinforce our marketing endeavors and utilize both social media and traditional marketing channels. SCAEC will organize multiple workshops for students and host a college exhibition that provides updates on the offerings of each member college.

By adopting these strategies and actions, SCAEC is assured that not only will our region's adult students receive improved services, but they will also exhibit positive outcomes, as observed by our selected metrics.


Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

The SCAEC region needs more short-term CTE courses aligned with local workforce needs to increase the employability of adult students. Overall, there is a lack of easily accessible, no-cost programs in entry-level, high-demand occupations such as health, construction, manufacturing, and more. It is important that the programs offered align with the needs and requirements of the industries students will enter and preferably include industry-approved certification opportunities.

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

Our members have surveyed students to ascertain their needs and interest in CTE courses remain high. Labor market information provided by the EDD, Madera, and Fresno Workforce, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Outlook Handbook, CDE EOP job projection data from the CalJOBS website, and labor market demand data from the Centers of Excellence’s Labor Market Scan were analyzed and helped us determine that more courses are needed. We also gathered feedback from advisory committee members representing local industry, multiple industry-education partnership groups, such as Madera Workforce, the San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance, and the current employment rate and poverty rate all substantiate the need for SCAEC members to continue to offer and expand high demand programs/CTE course offerings.

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

The effectiveness will be measured by tracking enrollment numbers, attendance rates, completion rates in CTE courses, the number of industry certificates issued to students at the end of each course, and the number of students who transition to credit-bearing courses at the college. 

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Lack of awareness of adult education services and course offerings throughout the region. One challenge for students pursuing education is a lack of knowledge about the options available to them, particularly in adult schools and community colleges’ non-credit departments.  For example, we also currently lack a “soft handoff” from K12 schools to adult schools and believe that more information about adult education will help with awareness and thereby increase enrollment numbers.

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

SCAEC held five sub-regional community forums where partners, students, stakeholders, and college and adult school staff were invited to share their successes and needs. Surveys were deployed in order to gather data, including community needs and input surveys.

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

Effectiveness will be measured by an increase in both marketing and enrollment campaigns and an increase in student enrollment.

Regional Need #3

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

There is a high demand for ESL and high school diploma programs, with an emphasis on basic math and literacy skills and English fluency, but within our region, there is a dearth of these course offerings, coupled with the lack of transportation options and/or access to technology for our students.  

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

This gap was determined by analyzing data from the CAEP Regional Fact Sheet, using the Interactive Map from the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration, Eligible to Naturalize Populations in the U.S. tool, and the current census, our region has a high immigrant population and a limited number of noncredit, introductory ESL classes. Furthermore, demand can be attributed to demographic data from the American Community Survey - 2020 showing that only 21.6% of adults in our region have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, 23.3% do not have a high school diploma, 24% of adults lack English proficiency, only 54% of adults are employed, and 25% are at near-poverty or less. 


SCAEC also conducted a direct survey of our students, which documented that students needed more opportunities to take ESL and Citizenship classes nearer their homes or where their children attended school, as transportation and our large consortium size remain a problem. SCAEC also held five sub-regional community forums where partners, students, stakeholders, and college and adult school staff were invited to share their successes and needs. 


Furthermore, we analyzed our own retention/completion data and faculty and administrative assessment data through program review and needs assessments.

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

Effectiveness will be measured through ESL enrollment numbers, ESL level advancement numbers, retention, and completion data, as measured by our CASAS testing, as well as completion of EL Civics COAPPS and benchmark attainment data. The increase in the number of ESL classes offered by SCAEC members will also be weighed.

Address Educational Needs

2023-24 Strategies

Increase the Number of ESL and ABE Instructors and Assistants

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Increase of ESL and ABE Instructors and Assistants

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)

SCAEC members will create a plan to address the lack of ESL and ABE instructors, teaching assistants, and tutors by creating stronger connections with organizations to help provide a potential source for instructors, allowing for a consortium-facilitated pool of qualified ESL and ABE instructors, assistants, and tutors to be built. 

With this, SCAEC members will continue to increase advertisement and job posting announcements and conduct recruitment processes and interviews. The increase in staff will allow extra time for tutoring at the adult school sites in addition to the multiple tutoring centers already at the college sites and will allow for an increase in the number of classes offered.


Continue a Coordinated Marketing Campaign to Increase Enrollment

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Adult Education Marketing Campaign

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

SCAEC will develop coordinated marketing and messaging to inform the community about the benefits of education and training for adult education students (e.g., the “I am an Adult Education Student” campaign) to help grow enrollment numbers for all of our programs. With this, SCAEC should see an increase in awareness of local programs and services for adult learners by June 2024. 

Some of the methods will be:

  • Radio spots
  • Billboards
  • Banners
  • Flyers 
  • Social Media
  • Marquee Signs
  • Television Ads
  • Mailers
  • Streaming Ads
  • Adult School Websites
  • Community events such as Career/Next Step Fairs
  • Utilizing the DMV Connection/Network for additional advertising

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2023-24 Strategies

Provide Students and Staff with a Document Listing All Services Available

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Create Document of Services

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)

The student transition process from adult school to postsecondary opportunities needs to be streamlined. To do so, SCAEC will create a document enumerating services available to adult learners, including a one-page document for referrals which will help streamline the referral process. This will increase student transitions from one partner to another to improve adult learner outcomes.

The document has been created for the entire consortium and provides students with a greater understanding of the options available to them within the Consortium and can help them make better-informed choices. Subregions are working on more detailed versions of this document.


Increase the Identification and Participation in Community Outreach Activities

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Coordinated Outreach

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • All: Number of Adults Served (AE 200 - Overall)

SCAEC will leverage outreach efforts by combining and coordinating events and activities throughout the consortium.  To do so, SCAEC will increase the identification and participation in community outreach activities by creating a shared outreach calendar among all adult education service providers with links to flyers and event details, as well as by creating an easy-to-update, online searchable list of available training programs and classes in our region.

A shared outreach calendar and a list of available training programs and classes in our region have been created. The consortium will work on developing a more efficient system to distribute/utilize these. 


Student Orientations to Improve Student Transitions

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Student Orientations

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)

Increase the number of adult students that will attend an orientation of student expectations, school procedures, student services, and CTE programs to aid in the improvement of student transitions, which will be measured by student completion of program orientations and responsibilities. By June 2024, a majority of students will create long-term and short-term goals, which will increase student persistence within the region. Furthermore, consortium members will embed career awareness and employability skills within ESL Programs and continue to encourage  ESL students to transition to the High School Diploma program. 

For any sites that are not equipped to provide orientation meetings, consortium transition specialists will meet with students one to one. 

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2023-24 Strategies

Develop a data document as a visual representation of consortium metrics.

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Data Dashboard

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

SCAEC must increase its collection and analysis of data in order to inform change and improve the equity of its programs. SCAEC will develop a shared data document used to analyze member allocations, performance, and outcomes, including carryover, spending, and enrollment. The document will be shared with members and on the SCAEC website for transparency. In addition, the newly formed compliance committee, upon referral from the SCAEC office, will review the document and assign technical assistance as needed. 


Establish and/or Expand Partnerships Throughout the Region to Improve the Effectiveness of Services

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Establishing and Expanding Partnerships

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

SCAEC will continue to identify partnerships (institutional, religious, cultural, etc.) to help build student enrollment and completion rates. Partners will be listed on the State Center Adult Education Consortium Partnership List.  By maintaining this list, SCAEC will be able to better leverage relationships within the communities we serve to ensure outreach is effective. Further potential partnerships will be identified, and the list will be updated.


Increase Student Tutoring Services Throughout the Consortium

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Student Tutoring Services

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

  • All: Adults who Became Participants (AE 202 - Overall)
  • Student Barriers: Low Literacy (AE 311 - Overall)

Many SCAEC members are now providing tutoring services in a hybrid or in-person model to adult students to increase their success and improve the services offered. This strategy will also help address student-specific learning needs; thereby, an increase in student Education Functional Levels (EFL) and Measurable Skill Gains (MSG) on the CASAS Assessments is expected by March 2024.

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.

The CAEP allocation is the primary source of funding for the majority of our members, and SCAEC members will spend their allocated CAEP funds with the goal of closing any gaps in service and meeting regional needs, as detailed in our 2023-2024 Annual Plan and based on our CAEP Three-year Plan for 2022-2025.

CAEP allocation funds are aligned with the Consortium’s objectives of addressing educational needs, improving the integration of services and transitions, and improving the effectiveness of services. To accomplish those three priority objectives, the consortium’s members plan on increasing the number of ESL and ABE staff, relying on the proper collection, analysis, and communication of data, and expanding regional partnerships to better leverage resources and services, as well as maintain strong communication and outreach.

Our members are committed to continued progress towards the realization of the vision and goals of the SCAEC Three-year Plan and will continue to implement identified strategies that fill the regional gaps in service in order to better support adult students across the SCAEC region.

Lastly, members will work with their district’s finance department to ensure that all CAEP expenditures are in alignment with the SCAEC Annual Plan and Three-year Plan. Budgets are reviewed on a quarterly basis.

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

SCAEC members will incorporate remaining carry-over funds primarily through the following means:

  • Expand our range of course offerings and increase the number of instructional hours by hiring additional faculty and funding certificated salaries.
  • Purchase or lease initial start-up materials and/or equipment required for any new course offerings.
  • Purchase or lease needed equipment for existing programs.
  • Expand facilities to accommodate the increase in enrollment.

AB1491

To adhere to AB1491 legislation, SCAEC will form a compliance committee to assign technical assistance to non-compliant members. SCAEC bylaws were revised to address the legislation as follows:

Excessive Carryover Definition for Consortium

AB1491 defines excessive carryover as more than 20% of allocated funds from one or more prior fiscal years.

Consortium Excessive Carryover Policy

Beginning with the 2023-24 program year, Consortia exceeding 20% carryover annually will be required to submit a written expenditure plan and be assigned technical assistance by the Chancellor’s Office and CDE.

Excessive Carryover Definition for Member

Excessive carryover refers to the percentage of allocated funds that a member has carried forward from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year beyond the percentage threshold. The percentage threshold for excessive carryover for the member of the Consortium is 20% of the member's annual allocation.

Member Excessive Carryover Policy

Beginning with the 2023-24 fiscal year, the consortium office must review the carryover amounts reported in NOVA by each member quarterly and notify any member who has fallen below the following spending targets: Q1 - 20%, Q2 - 40%, Q3 - 60% and Q4 - 80%.

If a member's carryover exceeds the percentage threshold for one fiscal year, the Consortium may take action, such as requiring a written plan describing how the member will spend this carryover amount, including timelines, or how the member will reallocate excessive carryover funds to another member or return to the Consortium office.

If a member's carryover exceeds the 20% threshold for two consecutive years, the Consortium is authorized to take action by withholding 100% of the member’s excessive carryover amount through an allocation amendment upon certification of the second consecutive fiscal year of excessive carryover. Withholding of the member’s allocation will be decided by a majority vote of the Board and cannot exceed the excessive carryover amount. 


Certification

Caruthers Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Tod Tompkins

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

Central Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Melissa Fairchild

08/11/2023 03:25 PM PDT

Chawanakee Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Brenda Smith

08/14/2023 03:13 PM PDT

Clovis Community College - Member Representative

Approved by Gurdeep Hebert

08/11/2023 03:30 PM PDT

Clovis Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Marci Panoo

08/14/2023 01:05 PM PDT

Dinuba Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Jonathan Torres

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

Fresno City College - Member Representative

Approved by Donna Cooper Ed D.

08/11/2023 03:53 PM PDT

Fresno Co. Office of Education - Member Representative

Approved by Janet Sloan

08/11/2023 03:28 PM PDT

Fresno Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Mr. Rodney A Branch

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

Golden Valley Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Leslie Goston

08/11/2023 03:27 PM PDT

Kings Canyon Joint Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Tim Cowdrey

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

Madera Community College - Member Representative

Approved by Shelly Conner

08/14/2023 02:21 PM PDT

Madera Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Ara Keledjian

08/14/2023 09:36 AM PDT

Parlier Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Jose Garza

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

Reedley College - Member Representative

Approved by Sandra Fuentes Dr.

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

Sanger Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Lori Hawkyard 3528991

08/14/2023 03:25 PM PDT

Selma Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Rosa Baly

08/11/2023 03:51 PM PDT

Sierra Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Anthony Abrams

08/11/2023 03:26 PM PDT

State Center CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Sherri Watkins

08/11/2023 03:31 PM PDT

Valley ROP - Member Representative

Approved by Fabrizio Lofaro

08/12/2023 05:04 PM PDT

Washington Unified - Member Representative

  • Principal of Alternative Education
  • gthor@wusd.ws
  • (559) 495-5691
Approved by Grant Thor

08/11/2023 03:25 PM PDT

Yosemite Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Jarrod Bordi

08/11/2023 04:12 PM PDT