Exploring the Adult Basic Education Transitions Regional Model

1. Exploring the Adult Basic Education Transitions Regional Model

2. Learning Objectives • Learn about the history of three-year initiatives (Next STEP is the current initiative) • Understand why the regional model was created • Describe the regional model • Identify the Regional Transitions Coordinator in your region • Learn about seven “innovative ideas” to consider implementing in your region

3. History of the State ABE Three-Year Initiatives

4. The creation of three-year initiatives for Adult Basic Education consortia came from the following needs:

5. 1. The need to emphasize a current area of development that the federal Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) has identified as a priority.

6. 2. The need to focus on an area where the entire ABE system in Minnesota needs to improve.

7. The idea to set aside a portion of the federal funding allocation to support the three-year initiative was borrowed from other states who were using a similar method.

8. How many state ABE three-year initiatives have there been in Minnesota? Can you name any of them? What years were they an initiative?

9. FAMILY LITERACY • This was Minnesota’s first three-year initiative. • It covered 2002, 2003, and 2004. • Small Consortia received $5,000 • Medium Consortia received $10,000 • Large Consortia received $15,000 • The total Federal Funding Allocation for each year was around $375,000

10. WORKFORCE PREPARATION • This was Minnesota’s second three-year initiative. • It covered 2005, 2006, 2007. • A minimum of $5,000 was designated to each ABE consortia with the maximum being $20,000. • The total Federal Funding Allocation for each year was around $324,000. WILMA provided Professional Development to assist the ABE field with implementing Workplace Education. WILMA was funded through supplemental services.

11. TRANSITIONS TO POST-SECONDARY • This was Minnesota’s third three-year initiative. • It covered 2008, 2009, 2010. • A minimum of $5,000 was designated to each ABE consortia with the maximum being $20,000. • The total Federal Funding Allocation for each year was around $401,000. The Transitions Conference was held in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Funding for this conference was provided through supplemental services and was sponsored by ATLAS.

12. NEXT STEP(Statewide Transitions Expansion Priority) • This is Minnesota’s fourth three-year initiative. • It will cover 2011, 2012, 2013. • $20,000 will be provided for each ABE Transitions Region including the Department of Corrections (DOC), Minneapolis, and Saint Paul. • The total federal funding allocation for each year will be approximately $200,000. ATLAS will be providing professional development to help the ABE field imbed transitions skills at all levels of programming. ATLAS is funded through supplemental services.

13. Advancing the goals of adult basic education (ABE) from high school completion or its equivalency to college- and career-readiness is central to the Office of Vocational and Adult Education and its vision of adult education in the 21st century. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/transition.html

14. Why a Regional ABE Transitions Model?

15. Family Literacy Partners Provide funding for the development, expansion or enhancement of Family Literacy. This money supports Family Literacy programs that provide the four components – Adult Education, Early Childhood Education, Parenting Education and Parent and Children Time. Adult Basic Education partners with other programs operating under school district Community Education offices.

17. Workforce Preparation In an era of political and governmental emphasis on employment and job-related economic growth, it is prudent for the state ABE office and for local ABE providers to be visible as key players in the economic future of the State. ABE must demonstrate successful involvement in the Workforce Preparation endeavor and build strong relationships with other governmental programs that have direct, discernable missions in employment and economic development. Adult Basic Education partners with some businesses and WorkForce Centers.

19. Transitions to Post-Secondary A three-year initiative dedicated to expanding and enhancing the capacity of Minnesota’s ABE system to provide programming that prepares adults for success in post-secondary education and training. Adult Basic Education partners with the Minnesota State Colleges and University (MnSCU) system. The focus is on the two-year technical and community colleges.

21. Critical Decision Point • The change in the use of the 10 year census to an annual community census in 2007-2008 has caused a decrease of 19% over the past four years. • Smaller consortia did not have the resources to continually build relationships with businesses, WorkForce Centers, and two-year post-secondary institutions. • The former funding model favored smaller consortia. • The decision was made to incentivize a regional model that build collaboration among consortia and have a larger impact on relationships with WorkForce Centers and post-secondary institutions.

22. Next STEP (statewide transitions expansion priority) It is uniformly agreed that the majority of in-demand and sustainable-living jobs require education or training beyond the basic academic skills. To address this need, ABE developed a three year initiative (2007-2010) to transition learners to post-secondary and training programs. The successful work completed during this initiative has shown a need to continue financial support to expand the development of transitions programming. Adult Basic Education continues to partner with WorkForce Centers, two-year post-secondary colleges, and business using a regional model.

23. The Regional ABE Transitions Model

24. How were the regions formed? • The state ABE office investigated the regional models of the ABE Professional Development regions and the newly formed Perkins regional models. • It was decided that a regional model would better support the transitions changes needed. • Each consortia was asked to align with the region where they had the strongest partnerships with other ABE consortia, businesses, workforce centers, and post-secondary institutions. • The result was seven ABE Transitions Regions. In addition the Department of Corrections, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul were designated as regions.

25. RTC Assistance to the ABE Transitions Regions • Prior to the formation of the “official” ABE Transitions Regions, regions had asked the state for support and help in building partnerships with WorkForce Centers and MnSCU institutions. • It was decided to provide support to each region through a Regional Transitions Coordinator who could focus on capacity building in the transitions arena. • Funding to support regional transitions coordinators initially came from the Workforce Investment Act Incentive funds that the state of Minnesota received in 2009.

26. Three of the 10 Core RTC Duties • Communicate and coordinate ABE collaborations with appropriate people/offices within the regional Minnesota WorkForce System. • Communicate and coordinate ABE collaborations with appropriate people/offices within the regional Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU). • Hold quarterly (minimum requirement) planning/update meetings with all ABE managers in the region.

27. Funding Assistance to the ABE Transitions Regions • The Next STEP (Statewide Transitions Expansion Priority) provides $55,000 to each region. • Part of the funding is designated to support Regional Transition Coordinators and the other part is designated to support transitions activities within the region.

28. Innovative Ideas from Year One of Next STEP

29. Seven Transitions Regions • Northwest • Northeast • Mid-central • West Metro • East Metro • Southwest • Southeast

30. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!! For more information on the three-year initiatives please contact: Julie Dincau 1500 Highway 36 West, Roseville, MN 55113-4266 651-582-8681 Julie.dincau@state.mn.us