CAEP
Annual Plan

Produced: Aug 15, 2023, 02:04 AM UTC - By Joe Trejo

67 West Hills College Consortium
CONSORTIUM APPROVED

2023-24

Plans & Goals

Executive Summary

The West Hills Adult Education Consortium (WHAEC) will continue enhancing educational programs and expanding course offerings through its partnerships with educational institutions, workforce development organizations, employers, and community members while focusing on student success and completion. During FY 22-23, the consortium served 1,503 students. Currently, four of eight consortium members offer Adult Secondary Education (ASE) programs for high school diploma courses, of which two are ACS/WASC accredited adult schools (Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Three members offer High School Equivalency(HSE) preparation courses at six sites in our service area and online (via Zoom). This past year these ASE/HSE courses graduated 125 (HSD 51 and HSE 74) students. Six consortium members are offering English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and have implemented CASAS pre and post-testing. All members track the California Adult Education Program (CAEP) enrollments, and demographic information is entered into the TOPSpro/MIS database as mandated by the State Office of CAEP. ESL/Citizenship courses expanded as demand continued to grow in the service area. Consortium-wide, we had 21 students who learned sufficient English, passed the citizenship exam, and became US citizens. WHAEC members plan to continue to expand their CTE training, which includes basic computer skills, forklift certifications, truck driving, welding technology, construction trades, CPR/Health Care, industrial maintenance technology, manufacturing, office technology, agricultural mechanics, HVAC, green energy, and residential electrical to meet labor market demand in the service area.  WHAEC had 263 participants who completed these skills training. The colleges will continue to offer Non-Credit ESL, High School Diploma Equivalency/GED, classes for students with disabilities, short-term CTE, and basic computer literacy, which will provide a pathway into advanced CTE and/or College Academic degree programs. A consortium goal for FY 23-24 is to close the computer literacy gap, continue strengthening students’ transition to post-secondary education and solidify post-secondary education. WHC Coalinga and Lemoore's goal is to have the Pathways Navigators work with consortium adult learners to provide transitional services from adult schools to colleges' pathways. WHAEC members will refer their college-ready students to meet with the college Pathways Navigators to discuss career options further and develop a college educational plan. WHAEC members will continue to work with employers to identify local job demand needs to expand high-demand short-term CTE courses based on local needs to fill identified gaps in the service area within our region. In addition, WHAEC staff and instructors will work with students to identify their needs and connect them with technology resources in our colleges, school districts, and community. Computer skills and technology access continue to be an area for improvement for adult learners, and the means to close this gap will continue to focus on the coming year. The WHAEC consortium addresses systemic racial injustices within its members and partners by ensuring that equitable services are provided to all students. All WHAEC members have bi-lingual (English/Spanish) staff to provide equitable services to students. In addition, WHAEC consortium members will continue to collaborate on planning their course offerings and use the TOPSpro reports to identify students’ barriers and connect them to additional services in the service area. Lastly, the WHAEC director will review the Data Integrity Report quarterly with members to identify performance levels for continuous improvement of CAEP programs. The WHAEC quarterly data reports will provide members the opportunity to review their agency performance and create a performance action plan if necessary. Data-driven meeting discussions will assist members in understanding their current performance goals and implementing growth. 

Regional Planning Overview

WHAEC members will continue to collaborate on program implementation, development of career pathways, and industry sector strategies with a variety of partners, including regional partner organizations, the National Farmworker Job Program, High School Equivalency Program, Kings County Job Training Office, American Job Center of California, Department of Social Services, Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. The WHAEC and WIOA San Joaquin Valley and Associated Counties (SJVAC) regional planning aligns to offer courses in-demand industry sectors for the consortium region. WHAEC will expand/implement a regional marketing plan to further increase outreach to rural communities in our service area. 

WHAEC will leverage the aforementioned programs’ funding to co-enroll students and provide wrap-around services for student success. The leverage of state and federal funding will provide the opportunity to expand adult education courses and services.

In addition, the CAEP WIOA, Title II members providers will have the opportunity to provide English Literacy and Civics (EL Civics). The purpose of the EL Civics program is to support projects that demonstrate effective practices in providing and increasing access to English Literacy programs linked to civics education.


Civic Participation: This program supports the design, creation, implementation, and delivery of instructional activities that integrates civics education content with ESL instruction. This program connects literacy to the lives of learners and reflects their experiences as community members, parents, and participants in the workforce (231 of WIOA, Title II).

Citizenship Preparation: This program uses ESL methodologies and citizenship preparation material to prepare learners to take and pass the USCIS (formerly INS) written and oral citizenship test. The program includes outreach services, skills assessment, curriculum development and instruction, professional development, naturalization preparation and assistance, and program evaluation (231 of WIOA, Title II).

Integrated EL Civics (IELCE): This program connects literacy to the lives of learners and reflects their experiences as community members and parents with an emphasis on participation in the workforce. It gives learners the opportunity to concurrently participate in literacy instruction, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training (243 of WIOA, Title II).


Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Need for Computer Literacy Classes: The implementation of technology continues to grow rapidly. Adult learners need to obtain computer literacy skills to stay in the workforce and advance their education. 

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

The Computer Literacy regional gap was identified based on data from TOPSPro, student surveys, members' CAEP programs quality assessment, and community/student feedback. In accordance with the United States Census Bureau, 63.2% of the WHCCD residents have access to broadband, and 12% of the households do not have a computer. In today's world of technology, computer skills are required for adult learners to thrive personally and professionally due to the digital world that we live in. WHAEC's goal is to continue to prepare the students to use computerized software to improve their academic skills and use technology to improve their learning outcomes. Computer literacy will assist the students in transitioning to college or CTE programs. 

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

WHAEC will measure the effectiveness of the computer literacy classes by providing a pre and post-assessment to measure the students' skills. In addition, WHAEC will use TOPSpro to track student enrollment, progress, persistence, completion, and continued education and/or job outcomes. 

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Need for English as a Second Language, and Citizenship classes: The WHAEC service area has a great need for ESL and Citizenship classes in their underserved rural communities. Adult learners need to obtain the necessary language skills to stay in the workforce, become citizens of the US, and advance their education. 

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

The ESL and Citizenship regional gap was identified based on data from TOPSPro, student surveys, members' CAEP programs quality assessment, and community/student feedback. In accordance with the DATA USA, 38.07% of the WHCCD residents are foreign-born. WHAEC's goal is to continue to prepare the students to have the necessary language skills to transition to Career Technical Education (CTE) and college courses to improve their learning outcomes. 

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

WHAEC will measure the effectiveness of the ESL and Citizenship classes by providing a CASAS pre and post-test to measure skills gains and ESL level gains. In addition, WHAEC will use TAPSpro to track student enrollment, progress, persistence, completion, and continued education and/or job outcomes. 

Regional Need #3

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Need for Career Technical Education (CTE) Courses: WHAEC will provide CTE courses to meet the regional job demand need. Adult learners need to obtain the necessary industry-based skills to stay in the workforce and have the opportunity to promote. 

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

The CTE gap was identified based on data from TOPSPro, student surveys, members' CAEP programs quality assessment, and community/student feedback. In accordance with the WHAEC CAEP Three-year plan, 53% of the students who participated in the Adult Education Survey want more CTE short-term courses. WHAEC's goal is to continue to prepare the students to obtain the required industry skills to meet the workforce occupations' needs and use the skills to improve entry employment and wage increase outcomes. 

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

WHAEC will measure the effectiveness of the CTE classes by using TOPSpro to track student enrollments, progress, persistence, completion, and job placement outcomes. 

Regional Need #4

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs

Need for High School Equivalency (HSE) and High School Diploma (HSD) classes: WHCCD will provide HSE and HSD classes district-wide. WHAEC will provide in-person and online (Zoom) classes to close the educational gaps of the students.

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

The HSE and HSD regional gap was identified based on data from TOPSPro, student surveys, members' CAEP programs quality assessment, and community/student feedback. In accordance with the United States Census Bureau, 56.8% of the WHCCD residents have less than a high school diploma. WHAEC's goal is to continue to prepare the students to have the necessary secondary education to transition to Career Technical Education (CTE), college, or to advance in the workforce.   

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

WHAEC will measure the effectiveness of the HSE and HSD classes by providing a CASAS pre and/or post-test, grade level increases to measure skills gains. In addition, WHAEC will use TAPSpro to track student enrollment, progress, persistence, completion, and continued education and/or job outcomes. 

Address Educational Needs

2023-24 Strategies

Expand ESL courses to other cities in the WHAEC service area

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

English As Second Language Instruction

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. The ESL classes will assist students in advancing their education and employment.

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face transportation, and technology barriers in their rural communities. CAEP courses need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the transportation and access to technology gaps. 

Short-Term Outcome: WHAEC's goal is to assist 505 students in enrolling in ESL courses. WHAEC's goal is to increase ESL enrollments by 5% yearly. 


Expand High School Diploma/High School Equivalency Courses in the WHAEC area

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

HSD/HSE Diploma Instruction

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. The HSD/HSE will assist students in advancing their education and employment. 

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face transportation, and technology barriers in their rural communities. CAEP courses need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the transportation and access to technology gaps.  

Short-Term Outcome: WHAEC's goal is to assist 95 students in completing the HSD/HSE. WHAEC's goal is to increase the HSD/HSE competition rate by 5% yearly 


Provide Computer Literacy Courses in the WHAEC services area

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

CAEP Orientation and Enrollment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Strategy Description Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. The computer literacy courses will assist students to have access to an equitable education and advance in their education/employment.

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face transportation, and technology barriers in their rural communities. CAEP courses need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the transportation and access to technology gaps. 

Short-Term Outcome: WHAEC's goal is to assist students with equitable education and increase general enrollments in the CAEP courses. WHAEC's goal is to increase CAEP enrollments by 5% yearly. 

Improve Integration of Services & Transitions

2023-24 Strategies

Improve the process for students transitioning to postsecondary and the workforce

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

HSD/HSE Diploma Instruction

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Strategy Description Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. The transitional services will assist students to advance in their education and employment. 

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face barriers in accessing college student services due to the distance between the rural communities. CAEP transitional services need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the access to college student services gaps. 

Short-Term Outcome: WHC Coalinga and Lemoore Pathways Navigators will work with adult schools to provide transitional services in the consortium services area. In addition, CAEP staff will assist adult learners in transitioning to available courses in their CAEP programs. WHAEC's goal is to increase enrollments, ESL, and HSD/HSE completion by 5%. 


Expand Pathways Navigators and Counselors engagement services with students to maximize services

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

CAEP Orientation and Enrollment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Strategy Description Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. The integration of academic advising and counseling services will assist students to advance in their education and employment. 

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face barriers in accessing college student services due to the distance between the rural communities. CAEP transitional services need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the access to college student services gaps. 

Short-Term Outcome: WHAEC CAEP members will integrate academic advising and counseling services into their programs. WHAEC's goal is to increase course completion by 5%. 


Coordinate course offerings between consortium members

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

CAEP Orientation and Enrollment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. The coordination of CAEP course offerings among CAEP members will ensure that courses based on students' needs are offered in the services area. 

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face transportation, and technology barriers in their rural communities. CAEP courses need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the gaps. 

Short-Term Outcome: WHAEC's goal is to increase CAEP enrollments by 5%. 

Improve Effectiveness of Services

2023-24 Strategies

Educate Adult Learners on CAEP and follow up services

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

CAEP Orientation and Enrollment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Strategy Description: CAEP members will provide a CAEP orientation to new students, and they will inform students about services, and program metrics requirements. This activity will assist with student enrollment, retention, and will inform students about CAEP services in their communities. Educational Needs: WHAEC adult learners have a high educational need in their rural communities. 

Barriers and Gaps in Services: Adult learners face transportation, and technology barriers in their rural communities. CAEP courses need to be offered in the adult learners' communities to close the transportation and access to technology gaps. 

Short-Term Outcome: CAEP staff will orient all new students and increase enrollments by 5% yearly. 


Provide professional development to CAEP staff on programs' new metrics

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

CAEP Orientation and Enrollment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Strategy Description: WHAEC director and CAEP members will share best practices between members. The objective of this activity is for administrators and staff to implement innovative ideas and practices to improve their programs. 

Educational Needs: WHAEC members need to continue to implement the usage of technology and leverage classroom technology to improve the quality of the courses. 

Barriers and Gaps: CAEP members have access to limited technology resources for their programs. 

Short-Term Outcome: CAEP staff will have the required program knowledge to assist in the improvement of the program enrollments and completion by 5% yearly. 


Take a consortium-wide recruitment approach

Activity that Applies to this Strategy

Recruitment

Metrics that Apply to this Activity/Strategy

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

Strategy Description: WHAEC director and CAEP members will take a consortium-wide recruitment approach. The objective of this activity is for administrators and staff to implement innovative recruitment ideas and practices to increase program enrollments. 

Educational Needs: WHAEC members need to continue to implement the usage of technology, social media, and leverage recruitment resources to increase program enrollments. 

Barriers and Gaps: CAEP members have access to different technology resources for their programs. 

Short-Term Outcome: CAEP staff will reach a wider adult student population and these recruitment activities will assist in the improvement of the program enrollments and completion by 5% yearly. 

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.

WHAEC will allocate funds according to the 3-Year Plan and subsequent Annual Plans under the provisions of the law and guidance from the State Office of CAEP. WHAEC members in good standing will receive at least as much funding as they did the previous year. For any year for which the CAEP allocation of funds to the consortium is less than the amount allocated in the prior year, the amount of funds to be distributed to a member of the consortium shall not be reduced by a percentage greater than the percentage by which the total amount of funds allocated to the consortium decreased as specified in CA. EC 84914. Leverage funding sources include WIOA II grants, CalWORKs, K12, federal funding, and community college in-kind funding. WHAEC's local needs will be taken into account, such as labor market projections and changing demographic data. Efforts will continue to be made to ensure that all regions and populations are served, with attention to those that are underserved and underrepresented. WHAEC members will continue to make their K12/college classrooms available at no cost to other members of the consortium. WHAEC members will continue the braiding of CAEP funds, with state, federal, and other local funds to maximize the level of services to adult learners. ABE, HSE, ESL, computer literacy, and short-term CTE courses will continue to be funded with high priority. WHAEC members will offer courses that are accessible to working students, and this may require an investment in Laptops, technology devices, or software for schools and students. WHAEC's priority is to invest in its staff by providing professional development to promote innovation. WHCC and WHCL are planning to continue to fund the Pathways Navigators to assist adult schools in transitioning their students to college. WHAEC director and members support the allocation of funds that will result in increased training opportunities and integration of ESL, adult basic skills education for students in the service area that will lead them to self-sufficiency. 

WHAEC members will have the option to allocate a portion of their CAEP funding to WHCCD (fiscal agent) to run the computer literacy classes for their agency. If necessary, WHCCD fiscal agent will purchase a set of laptops that can be used district-wide; the K12 school districts do not have computer labs any longer because K12 students have access to district iPads or laptops.  

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

WHAEC will use the FIFO (First In, First Out) report to track that members are expending the CAEP funding within the required 30 months. In the event that members are not able to provide a plan to expend the funds six (6) months prior to the expiration of the funds, members have to agree to pass the funds to other members who can expend the funds by providing additional classes by the 30-month deadline. Any pass-through funds from CAEP member to member/fiscal agent will be approved by the consortium members during the final CAEP allocation approval. In the event, that a CAEP member is not able to expend their expiring allocation by December 31, 2023.  

Carryover Threshold: 20%

Effective fiscal year 23-24, If CAEP members' carryover is more than 20%, they will have to return the excessive carryover to the fiscal agent. It will be up to the description of the WHAEC director on how funds will be reallocated and used in accordance with the State Office of CAEP regulations to meet consortium expenditure targets. As WHAEC fiscal agent, WHCCD must comply with Title 5, Education Code 58311, and Adult Education Program Fiscal Management Regulations. Therefore, WHCCD will put a hold on the CAEP passthrough funds for members with excessive carryover or not meeting fiscal year expenditures. CAEP funds will be released as the members submit a course and expenditure plan and make progress.  In addition. WHAEC will use the Consortia Report on Governance Compliance of Rules and Procedures, the CAEP Fiscal Management Guide, and the AB104/CAEP Program Guide to ensure that programs are in compliance with carryover. 

Certification

Coalinga-Huron Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Claudia Vosburg

08/14/2023 10:28 AM PDT

Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Terry Anderson

08/14/2023 08:11 AM PDT

Golden Plains Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Joe Trejo

08/14/2023 07:04 PM PDT

Lemoore Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Valerie Botelho

08/14/2023 07:23 AM PDT

Mendota Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Mendota Unified School District Emilio Anguiano

08/09/2023 11:53 AM PDT

Reef-Sunset Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Jicela Soto

08/11/2023 08:11 AM PDT

West Hills CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Cecilio Mora

08/10/2023 05:41 PM PDT

West Hills College Coalinga - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Sarah Maokosy

08/14/2023 08:18 AM PDT

West Hills College Lemoore - Member Representative

Approved by Kurt Sterling Ed.D.

08/10/2023 07:10 PM PDT