nova-logo-final2

CAEP Annual Plan: 2020-21 37 North Orange County Regional Consortium for Adult Education (NOCRC)

Status: Consortium Approved

California Adult Education Program : Annual Plan : 2020-21 Produced: Aug 15, 2020, 05:47 AM UTC Steve Zamora

37 North Orange County Regional Consortium for Adult Education (NOCRC)

Plans & Goals - Consortium Approved

Executive Summary
The North Orange County Regional Consortium's (NOCRC) Executive Committee initiated the development of local effectiveness measures to ensure data-driven decision making. The primary goal continues to be the expansion of practical, research-based strategies and assessing the needs of the region based on the three-year plan and our most current situation given COVID-19, state budget reductions, and systemic racial injustices. NOCRC's efforts continue to focus on the success of improving existing adult education models and services through partnerships and innovative approaches. Our mission for adult education has continuously focused on immigrant education, literacy skills, high school diploma and equivalency completion, workforce development, independent living, family support, and transition to further education. NOCRC's adult education providers have developed and delivered new remote instruction opportunities for adults to support academic successes in all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) instructional areas. All NOCRC district members have adjusted their learning environment to address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, budget reductions, and systemic racial injustices.ADDRESSING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC:Since March 2020, all instruction at North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) has been and continues to be offered via distance education using the NOCE Distance Education Plan as the guide. The Distance Education (DE) Workgroup, an extension of the NOCE Academic Senate, was formed in September 2019 when the NOCE Three-Year Plan for Distance Education was implemented. Additionally, a comprehensive Online Teaching Certificate (OTC) 20-hour training was developed and implemented. To date, more than150 instructors completed the training. As required by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the NOCE DE Workgroup developed the Distance Education Addendum, which is being completed for every course intended to be taught online. In compliance with Title V requirements for Distance Education offered at community colleges, NOCE DE Addendum covers areas such as accessibility, teaching methods, evaluation strategies, and frequent and effective contact with students. The goals are set for the 2021 Spring Semester: for all faculty assigned to teach online to have completed OTC, and for all scheduled courses to have an approved DE Addendum. NOCE will continue to offer most DE courses asynchronously. A limited number of critical, in-person Career Technical Education (CTE) Program lab instruction will be offered on campus, following all social distancing requirements, to support students in completing the requirements for their career certificates. After the Governor’s executive orders forced in-person classes to close in March, North Orange County Regional Occupational Program (NOCROP) quickly transitioned to online, distance learning. As all NOCROP adult career, technical education courses are in the Health Sciences industry; many have a clinical/skills aspect that requires face-to-face or hands-on learning. NOCROP has utilized both new and existing resources to further support pre-existing and incoming students during this unprecedented transition, including, but not limited to, the following: •The NOCROP Counseling Department developed and disseminated a digital Distance Learning Resource Guide for students, which addressed pertinent topics such as how to be successful as an online learner, technical skills, academic support, webinars and apps for self-care, mental health needs, as well as food and basic needs resources. •Instructors have been equipped with pieces of training and resources better to enhance the distance learning experience for adult learners. •The recently unveiled NOCROP Student Portal has proved successful in allowing for constant communication between staff, students, and instructors for updates regarding start dates, clinical requirements, and any other assistance students may request. •Students who asked for additional tech support were provided Chromebooks to better transition into distance learning successfully. •In July, a further fully online section of Medical Terminology: Anatomy & Physiology was opened, and met maximum enrollment numbers, due to high demand from students.
Regional Planning Overview
NOCRC consortium members from numerous and contrasting school districts provide services to students residing in Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Placentia, Seal Beach, Stanton, and Yorba Linda. Partnerships in service delivery encompass the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), Joint Power Authority (JPA), Regional Occupational Programs (ROP), social services, government municipalities, and workforce agencies. These regional efforts expand and advance the quality of adult education, including improvement of literacy skills, completion of high school diplomas, college preparation and transition to postsecondary study, and completion of postsecondary certificates, degrees, or training programs. The consortium's current programs are focused on creating human service design strategies that generate innovative concepts with an emphasis on eliminating barriers to retention and piloting models for success. In the last three years, NOCRC service delivery has utilized all authorized program areas (under EDC § 41976) to address the needs of our various communities and to provide robust education, support, and new workforce pathways to over 30,000 culturally diverse, multi-lingual adults annually (NOCE Office of Institutional Research and Planning 2017/18 Institutional Effectiveness Report, March 2019, p. 36). Programmatic evaluation of the consortium's capacity to deliver services and educational offerings is executed by regional workgroups whose charge is strategic implementation, continuous improvement, and alignment with the three-year regional plan. NOCRC has a workgroup designated for each CAEP eligible program area. NOCRC workgroups are comprised of consortium member practitioners. Considering the three-year plan and current regional needs, NOCRC Executive Committee comprised of all consortium’s members sets annual priorities for CAEP services, which are referenced by NOCRC workgroups when developing annual strategy proposals.

Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
The goals for the five CAEP areas for the next three years will emphasize regional collaboration to align CAEP's educational pathways across social guidelines and cultural gaps. The objectives in the NOCRC's three-year plan correlates with AB104 outcomes, namely gains in literacy skills, high school diploma achievement, postsecondary study transition, certificate and degree attainment, job placement, and wage mobility. A new emphasis will be considered within the strategies and workgroups to address COVID-19 restrictions and systemic racial injustice. An example of regional collaboration in 2019/20 was establishing a partnership with Magnolia Elementary Unified and the Orange County Sheriff's Department's prisons program for the purpose of creating a dual referral system for adults to include English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, mental health services, and Career Technical Education (CTE) workforce preparation. Furthermore, NOCRC has streamlined several internal procedures to maximize time and resources for each CAEP program area, thus expediting services to our communities. For example, a more efficient process for approving budget transfers within existing strategies was implemented, allowing the consortium to redirect funding where it was needed most. NOCRC has made great strides in educating all members on mandated CAEP metrics and in aligning approval of CAEP-funded proposals with success measures. Another example of addressing a regional need was equipping adult learners and adult education providers with cultural competency, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. NOCRC funded and offered regional training workshops on the New World of Work/21st Century skills.COVID-19 emergency shifted regional needs and caused NOCRC to reprioritize its planning strategies.A regional need that emerged after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and became the consortium’s priority is ensuring continuous access to adult education programs and services and ensuring that students can complete their diplomas and certificates without interruption. An example of addressing this need was the implementation of the NOCE student laptop loan program to ensure online learning for adult learners who otherwise would not have access to computers.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NOCRC members have worked to quickly adjust from in-person instruction to remote instruction to continue to provide academic support to adult learners in our region. Moreover, NOCRC members have also worked to transition from in-person counseling support to online counseling support to serve our adult population in the best capacity possible. NOCE transitioned to remote instruction in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 health crisis. The survey was sent out to NOCE students currently enrolled to assess their needs due to the large-scale changes within their new remote learning environment. After five weeks of data gathering, a total of 235 survey responses were gathered from students. Key findings indicated that many students (72 percent) did not know who to contact if they experienced any technical issues with their remote instruction. The highest need among NOCE students was around receiving guidance from staff regarding their classes as well as access to equipment such as a laptop or computer to participate in their remote courses. Of the students surveyed without computers at home, 54 percent shared that they would like to have access to a computer lab. Among students who indicated they have computers at home, 22 percent shared they would still like to have access to a computer lab. The top three resources needed by surveyed students included assistance with meals, emotional support, and assistance with health/wellbeing. The survey was distributed to students via an electronic Qualtrics link available in both English and Spanish. The link was shared through NOCE’s monthly newsletter, social media platforms, and on the NOCE website. Using the distance education attendance collection formula, as prescribed for community colleges in Title 5, NOCE will continue to monitor enrollment and participation levels of adult learners in online learning.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
To measure the progress and effectiveness of the strategies that are implemented at NOCRC to meet the regional needs, the NOCE Office of Institutional Research and Planning (OIRP) developed several tools, including an alignment tool, an evaluation report, a data collection manual, and strategy proposal scoring rubric. NOCE OIRP developed an alignment tool (Excel spreadsheet) that mapped the NOCRC strategies funded under CAEP program areas and their alignment with CAEP outcomes based on the Adult Education Pipeline LaunchBoard Metric Definition Dictionary and Calculations. The tool is intended to help consortium members understand how well their implemented strategies are aligned with desired CAEP outcomes. The spreadsheet also mapped out the type of data that will be collected for each strategy, its data sources, and the frequency of data collection. The OIRP team also shared the tool at statewide “MIS Noncredit Data and Accountability Workshops” hosted by WestEd, which led to a meaningful dialogue on best practices to collect adult education data, examine it, and share its implications with consortium stakeholders. To ensure the success of all adult education students, NOCE OIRP will analyze enrollment, service, and other local data to measure the effectiveness of each funded CAEP strategy and the progress towards meeting the regional needs as outlined in the strategy proposals. The alignment tool that mapped the strategies to the CAEP outcomes served as the foundation for the annual end-of-the-year evaluation report that will examine CAEP outcomes as well as the local metrics such as successful course completion, retention, and persistence rates of students served by CAEP. The evaluation report will also serve as a planning tool for the consortium stakeholders for their proposed strategies for 2021/22. NOCE OIRP also developed a data collection manual to outline institutional processes to improve the data collection for CAEP funded strategies. The manual outlined best practices and tips on how to collect complete data across programs, which will ultimately lead to a submission of completer data. In addition to developing the data collection manual, OIRP has held several internal pieces of training with consortium members related to effective data collection methods and the importance of program evaluation in program planning. In order to better assess strategy proposals based on how well they are designed to meet the regional needs, a scoring rubric was created to be utilized by the workgroup members as a guiding tool to outline their planned strategy as well as an evaluation tool to determine whether to fund the strategy or not. One of the main criteria the proposal will have to address is how well their strategy is addressing the regional needs and their plans on how to close service gaps in the region successfully. Once the regional need is addressed, proposals will have to highlight how they plan to incorporate different consortium partners through the region, define goals and objectives related to meeting the regional need, and provide details of how they plan to achieve those goals, and measure its progress as outlined in their data collection plan. NOCRC is also implementing a local data gathering procedure through NOCE OIRP to extract data and continue to adjust to remote instruction, distance learning, and online student support.

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
ANSWERING THE CALL TO ACTION:To be deliberate and intentional in identifying and eliminating systemic barriers to racial justice, inclusion, and equity, NOCE is taking a three-pronged approach: acknowledge the past and identify existing obstacles, make concrete plans to address the obstacles, and act boldly and without delay.Acknowledge:•Revise the Campus Climate Survey by including specific questions eliciting information on the instances of overt racism and unconscious bias at NOCE•Dive deeper with student and employee focus groups to identify patterns in experiences, structural inequities, etc. •Host school-wide forums with campus leadership, employees, students, and community partners to engage in transparent conversation surrounding systemic inequalities to become an anti-racist institution
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
Plan:•Review and revise as needed the NOCE Strategic Plan, Student Equity Plan, and other plans to include specific action steps to advance anti-racism and to build an equity-minded culture at NOCE •Review and revise as needed campus policies and procedures to ensure that they support and promote equity and inclusion•Review and change as required NOCE’s mission and vision statements as well as institutional learning outcomes to ensure that they communicate NOCE’s commitment to equity and social justice•Develop interaction norms for the NOCE workspace and classroom to promote a campus culture of inclusion •Incorporate the topics of social injustice, systemic inequality, and anti-racism within all campus committee and workgroup agendas
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
Act:•Offer school-wide professional development around anti-racism, justice, and equity, including training on how to engage campus teams under challenging conversations on race, unconscious bias, and microaggressions •Engage faculty in developing and delivering inclusive and culturally competent curriculum•Implement a mentorship program for incoming faculty•Develop and implement strategies to ensure the retention of employees of color •Create inclusive learning and working environment at NOCE campuses•Review hiring practices through the equity lenses, specifically, diverse representation on the hiring committees, advertisement, recruitment pool, recruitment materials, and intervieweesThe Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) Board of Trustees passed a resolution on June 22, 2020 (resolution 20-04) condemning racism, declaring the following:"the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District will establish a study course entitled “Ethnic Studies” for the District’s high schools and continue to review our curriculum to improve along with many criteria, particularly the fair and representative inclusion of underrepresented voices, with a distinct focus in 2020-21 on our entire social studies curriculum."Los Alamitos Unified School District has taken several measures to address systemic racial injustice. For the past two years, a diversity and inclusion consultant was hired to create and lead their Human Relations Task Force. This task force has analyzed, and modified district-wide discipline policies spearheaded the creation of an inclusive curriculum at all levels, and supported the implementation of restorative practices district-wide. Additionally, this academic year, a diversity and inclusion Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) was hired to support further the adoption and implementation of inclusive curriculum at all levels. There also exists a diversity and inclusion committee at the district high school that has existed for four years who have worked to promote equity and tolerance in all aspects of campus life. The goal for the 2020/21 program year will still be to emphasize regional collaboration to align and calibrate NOCRC's educational pathways across physical, cultural, and social margins. Our plan's objectives align with AB104 outcomes, namely gains in literacy skills, high school diploma achievement, college preparation and postsecondary study transition, certificate and degree attainment, job placement, and wage mobility. NOCRC has effectively adopted and integrated new policies to include all CAEP metrics in the approved strategies and to plan for budgetary reductions. NOCRC has also reshaped student services, including offering remote counseling to adjust to the current virtual environment and has invested in digital outreach strategies. Our NOCRC marketing plan has been digitized to meet the online outreach that is needed to share resources and educational programs with our community. We also have revised an updated online promotional and outreach materials to reflect the current situation in our educational programs and support services methods. Finally, NOCRC will continue to strengthen CAEP program areas not only to support the three-year cycle and align CAEP metric requirements but also to continue to adapt to any social and financial changes while delivering CAEP outcomes. NOCRC is committed to the success of adult learners in the North Orange County community.

Gaps In Service

New Strategies

Strategy #1
In response to COVID-19 emergency, the following existing strategies have been significantly modified to ensure their accessibility and success in an online learning environment Existing Strategy: ARISE HubThe ARISE (Academics, Relationships, Independence, Self-Advocacy, and Emotional Health) Hub provides specialized support for students experiencing stressors from academic and campus life. The ARISE Hub was designed to support individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has since expanded to help students with mental health needs, anxiety, and stress. The hub has proven beneficial to students from all NOCE programs. ARISE supports student transition, persistence, and completion. The ARISE Hub is a sensory-friendly space where students can decompress, seek guidance, and socialize with peers. This has proven to be a useful resource/strategy to fill a gap for students needing this type of support over the past year, and in particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hub is a unique service that offers individual and group counseling, small group instruction, and an instructional course. Staff provides services and resources that support the educational, vocational, and personal goals of students. ARISE has served 173 students, including 1,284 individual visits to the Hub since it moved online on March 16, 2020, when the COVID-19 crisis resulted in the closing of the NOCE campuses.
Strategy #2
Online High School Diploma Program Over the course of the past several months, the High School Diploma Program has moved from 100% on-campus teaching to 100% online teaching. During that time, HSDP faculty have been able to create online course options for U.S. History, U.S. Government, Economics, World History, Health, and Biology. Reading, Language, and Math competency exams were made available online for those students who had completed graduation requirements except for these exams. To assist students who are close to graduating, faculty made an amendment to the program’s residency requirement. Instead of requiring residency to be in English or math only, faculty agreed to an exception for spring and summer that allows students to earn residency credits for Biology, Health, and World History. Additionally, faculty-approved the recently developed online College Prep courses in math and English to count for high school diploma credits and residency. Since these courses were originally designed to be offered in an online format, and they provide the instruction and additional support for students to be successful in their English and math studies.
Strategy #3
Existing Strategy: Outreach, Pathways, Student Support, Entry/Reentry, and Workforce and Program Development (NOCE)The Career Technical Education (CTE) Program fills a gap by building relationships with employers for the purpose of increasing work-based learning and employment opportunities for students. The program also develops new curriculum and/or revises existing programs to meet industry needs and fill identified training gaps. Career Pathway Specialists assist students in the Career Resource Center with resume building and job searching, as well as offer workshops on other related career training and 21st Century Workforce skills, including social diversity awareness in the workplace. To comply with social distancing guidelines for COVID-19 and ensure the health and safety of staff and students, the Career Resource Center now provides all services through remote means. Since transitioning to remote service delivery, Career Pathways Specialists have provided career services to over 85 students through 257 remote meetings.
Strategy #4
Existing Strategy: Outreach, Pathways, Student Support, Entry/Reentry, and Workforce and Program Development (NOCROP)The NOCROP CTE Program fills a gap by increasing student access to high-wage, high-demand career pathways by providing integrated pathways with multiple entry/exit points and stackable certificates. The program has added equipment and supplies for new programs and/or existing programs to meet industry standards while also increasing course offerings by leveraging blended, online, and other modalities to accelerate student learning.
Strategy #5
The NOCROP COVID-19 Task Force continues to monitor the situation and is committed to completing hands-on and skills-based components as soon as the requirements and recommendations from the CDC, Orange County Healthy Agency, and state government allows so. Another achievement for NOCRC has been in the instructional area of K-12 Student Success. Under the Curriculum Exploration Strategy, a new online course is being offered for parents of K-12 students who are dealing with the added stresses of being quarantined due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. This course helps equip adults with tangible tools to parent effectively considering the current climate. Parents are presented with protective measures to help minimize the trauma children are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lifeskills Education Advancement Program (LEAP) Parenting team worked diligently to offer Spanish translation to better serve the district’s Spanish-speaking students and parents. Acquiring basic needs continues to be a significant barrier to NOCRC students’ access to and ability to continue educational programs. NOCE has provided emergency aid in the form of grocery store food vouchers to more than 150 students. The NOCE Emergency Aid Program was offered to students through braided resources including a hunger-free campus initiative, the Student Equity and Achievement fund, and a large private donation as well as donations from staff and faculty. Additionally, NOCE hosted two student laptop loan distribution events. NOCE distributed 239 laptops to currently enrolled students. These students are now better prepared to engage in their studies, and for some, to return to class (virtually) since campus closures. CAEP and Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) II funds were used to purchase student loan laptops.

Seamless Transitions

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Existing Strategy: ESL Offsite Student and Location DevelopmentStudents with barriers to attendance such as transportation and childcare, can enroll in off-site community-based multilevel English-language instruction. This allows students to begin their English as a Second Language (ESL) Program courses, building skills and confidence in a community location to help students transition into onsite higher-level English courses and/or transition into CTE Programs, the High School Diploma Program, or specialty ESL courses. A new Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP) certificate in “ESL Multiskills” is available beginning in the 2020 Fall Semester to students who pass Multilevel and Family Literacy courses, with the goal being to encourage student participation and persistence. ESL Program faculty plan to revise the core curriculum to include topics on diversity, equity, and inclusion and shift the focus of courses from assimilation to cross-cultural understanding. Dedicated counseling support will continue to be provided by NOCE counselors who will focus on providing academic guidance and referrals to support resources at NOCE and in the community. Off-site ESL counselors will continue to promote and support students in completing applications for the NOCE Emergency Aid food voucher program and laptop loan program. They will also inform students about academic and career programs offered through the district and develop educational plans. To ensure the health and safety of staff and students during the COVID-19 pandemic, all ESL Program instruction and student support services are being offered remotely through at least the 2020 Fall Semester, with remote service delivery to be continued or adjusted depending on the developing situation. The ESL Workgroup Leader is in regular contact with off-site/community-based partners to keep them informed about ongoing support for their adult learners, and to maintain those partnerships in preparation for a return to in-person instruction.
Strategy #2
Existing Strategy: NOCRC Student Services for TransitionIn response to additional support needed due to our current remote environment, the Transition Workgroup shifted the focus for transition counselors to increase general NOCE counseling support. Counselors will support students in career and education exploration, connection to NOCE and community resources, and transition. Counselors will connect with instructional program directors and faculty to determine additional academic counseling support that students need as well as to conduct in-reach activities with current NOCE students to provide information about resources, programs, and services available to them. During the 2019 Fall Term, a full-time counselor position focused on transition was approved to be hired at NOCE. This position, which will be funded through braided CAEP and Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Program funds, will centralize transition activities under the NOCE Counseling and Student Services department. Having a full-time counselor focused on student transition will help reduce duplication of activities and create a more coordinated message to students about transition options. The counselor will provide coordination of current efforts and identify and implement new activities based on identified gaps. In addition, this full-time counselor will provide core services that will positively impact completion rates as a student develops a timely and accurate educational plan in conjunction with receiving ongoing support and guidance. The hiring process for this position was delayed due to the pandemic; the anticipated start date is January 2021. Parenting classes are often a gateway to additional NOCE services and course offerings. The K-12 Student Success workgroup boasts a history of transitioning parenting students to ESL, Basic Skills (BS), and CTE programs and courses. As outlined in the CAEP K-12 Student Success strategies, parenting instructors present NOCE program and course information to their students and encourage them to advance their educational careers by enrolling in additional NOCE programs and courses.

Student Acceleration

New Strategies

Strategy #1
The following strategies were specifically designed to accelerate student attainment of educational goals. NOCRC research team supports acceleration efforts by designing data visualization tools to aid in evaluating the effectiveness of acceleration strategies and by developing local measures to support state-mandated outcomes. New StrategiesHigh School Diploma Program (HSDP) Book LoansTo accelerate student progress and ensure program completion in emergency and remote environment, the high school diploma department will be piloting a book loan program in Fall 2020, for subjects in which online textbooks are not an option. This program was introduced to remove barriers for students with financial difficulties and to address the needs of NOCE’s disproportionately impacted students as a way to enable them to access the required textbooks. This program will be piloted at one center as a no-touch loan program to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Strategy #2
CTE Program AccelerationTo accelerate student progress through to certificate completion, the NOCE CTE department is condensing 12-week courses to nine weeks, with instructors covering the same content within the reduced timeframe. By providing nine-week courses in 18-week semesters, students are now able to take multiple courses within a semester, thereby accelerating their certificate completion timeline. This also allows for multiple entry points into the program, as students who miss the start of the term no longer have to wait until the following term to begin the program.
Strategy #3
ESL Distance Learning EducationEstablishes distance learning offerings that provide students with the necessary means to advance in their English language skills online, creating the opportunity for 24/7 access to education. Implementation includes the development of a 12-hour “Introduction to Online Learning” module series tailored for ESL Program students that will serve as an introduction and pathway to higher education. Module series will count as 12 hours of ESL Learning Center toward CDCP certificates and will be developed so that it can be delivered fully or partially online to allow for a safe educational experience as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. This introduction will help students develop their digital literacy skills to participate successfully in Distance Education offerings and utilize online support services. The implementation also includes the development of level-appropriate online student orientations specifically targeted to the English language learner population. These orientations will help streamline the matriculation and onboarding process, with an end goal of enrolling students into classes and onto an educational pathway.
Strategy #4
ESL Course AlignmentDevelops and aligns NOCE course curricula with curricula from Cypress College and Fullerton College as it pertains to the implementation of AB 705. Includes collaboration with North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD) to ensure specific course curriculum alignment measures are met for the successful student transition from noncredit to credit ESL Program courses. Upon development and alignment of course curricula, students will be prepared for a successful transition from noncredit to credit ESL Program courses.
Strategy #5
ESL Noncredit Pathway to College Facilitates a pathway for ESL Program students to transfer from a noncredit ESL course to either a credit-based ESL Program course at one of the NOCCCD community colleges, or to the NOCE CTE Program or High School Diploma Program. This pathway enables students to progress in their English language learning capabilities through an academically based lens, including lessons based on speaking, listening, and academic reading and writing.

Professional Development

New Strategies

Strategy #1
OCDE Alternative, Community, and Correctional Education Schools and Services (ACCESS)In 2019/20, ACCESS leadership participated in Leading for Access and Equity: A Cultural Proficiency Approach series of workshops. The workshops were centered around shared priorities in personal and professional work, a guide for colleagues to address student access and achievement gaps, and build professional capital for changing conversations. The intent of the series was to bring the series to our program and share it with staff this school year. The work was student-focused with an emphasis on self-identifying biases and recognizing academic gaps for students of color and those with socially and economically disadvantaged circumstances, as well as building a culture of inclusivity.
Strategy #2
NOCROP Keenan Safe Schools TrainingNorth Orange County Regional Occupational Program (NOCROP) utilizes Keenan Safe Schools Training which offers a whole range of online learning modules for employees. Included are three modules (Cultural Competence and Racial Bias, De-Escalation Strategies, and Diversity Awareness Staff-to-Student) which instructors and support staff complete. NOCROP also plans to utilize the excellent resources offered by Orange County Human Relations (OCHR). NOCROP’s instructional coach will attend their training on implicit bias, then develop a staff development workshop for instructors

Leveraging Resources

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Community Schools Model DevelopmentThe Community Schools Model provides for two years of one-time funding to Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) to implement the community schools model. The strategy would develop and implement activities to serve children, parents, and the community by providing social and health-based services at no charge to families. Successful community schools have had a positive impact on K-12 student outcomes, including increased attendance, decreased behavioral issues, and increased academic performance. While NOCE will provide adult education instruction and services funded by CAEP and CCC general fund apportionment, AUHSD will provide classroom space and outreach services to parents and other adults in the community.
Strategy #2
New DSS Instructional OfferingsBased on the identified regional needs for adults with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education and employment, NOCE will develop curriculum for certificate programs in Workplace Skills Training - Retail and Customer Service, Relationships in the Workplace and Community, and Social and Communication Skills for the Workforce and the Community, as well as independent living skills instruction.
Strategy #3
Digital MarketingIn order to create brand awareness of NOCRC, the consortium leveraged resources from CAEP and Strong Workforce Program (SWP) to contract a vendor to develop and implement a digital marketing plan. As part of the contract with Interact Communications, NOCRC has worked for the last year on various marketing tactics including brochures, videos, digital ads, search engine marketing, social media ads, digital radio, and digital video ads. The media buy for the advertising campaign was set to launch for the 2020 Spring Term, however, due to COVID-19, was rescheduled to launch to promote courses for 2020 Summer Term. In addition, Interact developed a brand style guide for NOCRC and also implemented a news center site on the website. Each month Interact and NOCRC collaboratively write articles that highlight NOCRC strategies, success profiles, and current events to feature in a newsletter that is sent to community partners and leaders in North Orange County. NOCRC has contracted with Stamats Communications to develop a new website. The new site will provide access to meeting agendas and minutes, annual plans and reports, Executive Committee membership and contact information, workgroup strategies and information, news center articles, special events, and more. The new website is set to be launched in November 2020.

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.
NOCCD will remain the fiscal agent for NOCRC. NOCRC Executive Committee adopted general budget decision principles and specific guidelines for evaluation CAEP-funded positions. Each NOCRC workgroup assessed their strategies and eliminated the ones that did not align with CAEP metrics or with the above-mentioned principles and guidelines. NOCRC will continue to invest most funds into remote instructional programs and creating outcome-driven services for adult learners in the North Orange County region. NOCRC adopted a collective approach to ensure that each workgroup has access to CAEP funding while ensuring that workgroup strategies meet student needs and CAEP MIS outcomes. Lastly, to align with state standard procedures, our consortium established and adopted a screening criterion in hiring CAE-funded permanent positions through NOCE. This was a needed process that ensured that CAEP funds earmarked for permanent positions are spent on supporting CAEP eligible program areas and NOCRC regional plans. BUDGET REDUCTIONS:During the CAEP 2020/21 budget planning process, all NOCRC members reviewed and assessed CAEP strategies that needed to shift in order to support remote instruction and systemic racial injustice while addressing state budget reductions. NOCRC workgroups also strategized on combining CAEP strategies and/or eliminating others to adjust to the new state budget guidelines. It was a complicated process achieved through a collective approach, first between each adult education provider and then among all NOCRC members, for maximum student support and institutional capacity. Considering that CAEP 2020/21 strategies will most likely be offered in a remote environment and anticipating budget reduction, NOCRC adopted the following decision-making principles. NOCRC Budget Decision Making Guidelines1.NOCRC is a student-centered consortium. Budget decisions should focus on maximizing resources to support the access and success of adult learners.2.Make decisions with the goal of developing long-term and sustainable programs. 3.While being compliant with CAEP requirements, evaluate all possible scenarios, and consider innovative approaches to maximize accessibility and learning outcomes.4.Be good stewards of human, financial, and physical resources by adopting the principle of “good use of funds” when designing CAEP strategies5.To increase the consortium’s capacity, rely on the strengths of every consortium member, and avoid unnecessary duplication of services.6.As appropriate, leverage other funding sources to ensure the breadth and sustainability of NOCRC programs and services. 7.Use data when making decisions with the understanding that other, non-quantifiable, factors may be considered as well. 8.Ensure that personnel cost is not beyond 85% of the total CAEP program area 9.Review and keep in mind that higher costs should be invested in instructional activities for the CAEP outcome pathway. Criteria for Budget Reduction Strategies due to COVID-19 Emergency 10.To respond to the current emergencies, consider eliminating budget items supporting in-person instruction, such as facility rental agreements and current off-site locations.11.Prioritize CAEP core services, i.e., strategies supporting outcomes in CAEP program areas.12.Consider eliminating travel and conference fees or minimize the amount to an absolute need and only related to CAEP activities. 13.Leverage existing structure and program offerings of NOCRC members and use CAEP funds to support what is in place. 14.When considering staffing structure for CAEP strategies, review the existing and proposed permanent positions. Keep sustainability in mind. 15.One-time personnel cost will not be considered if it does not support CAEP activities only in lieu of the budget reduction (AUHSD and ROP in mind) Personnel Screening Criteriafor CAEP proposed positions16.Does this position support a core service that is aligned with institutional priorities at this time?17.Would this strategy duplicate a program, service, or initiative that is already offered or being planned by NOCE?18.Can another NOCE staff or faculty member perform the job responsibilities?19.Is the strategy project-based with a definite start and end date appropriate for the position?20.If the strategy is part of a pilot project, is there a sustainability plan that is feasible?21.Is this a best practice that can be scaled?NOCRC will continue to strengthen CAEP areas for the next three-year cycle, aligning with CAEP metric requirements. Using CAEP guidance regarding mandates, formalized outcomes, and programmatic alignment, NOCRC will continue to identify new approaches to meet the education and workforce needs of adult learners, especially during the current health and social challenges. NOCRC is a resilient consortium that will continue to adjust based on social circumstances and budgetary constraints.
An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2020-21.
NOCRC has also decided to use carryover funding to support 2020/21 approved strategies and upcoming one-time proposals for student success and support. All current activities will be paid through carryover funds until funding is fully spent. NOCRC has also adopted new fiscal and budget procedures to ensure full expenditure in a compliant and timely manner. Moreover, CAEP workgroups have submitted one-time proposals to be funded by carryover that will align in supporting remote instruction, and diverse and inclusive student support activities while leveraging other NOCRC member resources.

Certification

Anaheim Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Carlos Hernandez

08/13/2020 04:02 PM PDT

Fullerton Joint Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Steve Zamora

08/14/2020 10:47 PM PDT

Garden Grove Unified - Member Representative

Approved by M'Liss Patterson

08/12/2020 09:52 AM PDT

Los Alamitos Unified - Member Representative

  • Kenneth Lopour
  • Assistant Principal – Student Support Los Alamitos High School
  • klopour@losal.org
Approved by Kenneth Lopour

08/14/2020 06:43 PM PDT

North Orange County CCD - Member Representative

  • Janeth Manjarrez
  • Director, California Adult Education Program
  • jmanjarrez@noce.edu
  • (714) 462-9579
Approved by Valentina Purtell

08/14/2020 12:01 PM PDT

North Orange County ROP - Member Representative

  • Dana Lynch
  • Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services
  • dlynch@nocrop.us
  • (714) 502-5877
Approved by Dana Lynch

08/12/2020 10:52 AM PDT

Orange County Department of Education - Member Representative

Approved by Fatinah Judeh

08/12/2020 10:48 AM PDT

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Carrie Bisgard

08/14/2020 08:28 AM PDT