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CAEP Annual Plan: 2019-20 57 Sequoias Adult Education Consortium (SAEC)

Status: Consortium Approved

California Adult Education Program : Annual Plan : 2019-20 Produced: Aug 14, 2019, 12:00 AM UTC Tamara Ravalin

57 Sequoias Adult Education Consortium (SAEC)

Plans & Goals - Consortium Approved

Executive Summary
The Sequoias Adult Education Consortium (SAEC) 2019/20 Annual Plan is aligned to the SAEC Three Year Plan which was developed by bringing together regional adult education and social service providers in the Tulare and Kings County area. SAEC formal governance committees and regional efforts were leveraged to determine adult education needs and capacity to fill needs. Existing goals and strategies were refined and new strategies were developed. SAEC covers parts of Tulare and Kings Counties. Its membership is made up of the COS and the ten School Districts within the geographic boundaries of the Community College District. The members are as follows: • Alpaugh Unified School District • College of the Sequoias • Corcoran Joint Unified School District • Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District • Exeter Unified School District • Farmersville Unified School District • Hanford Joint Union School District • Lindsay Unified School District • Tulare Joint Union High School District • Visalia Unified School District • Woodlake Unified School District Additionally, SAEC includes partner organizations representing local community agencies and community based organizations. SAEC members serves a total of 9,700 students in the Program Areas of Adult Basic and Secondary Education (ABE/ASE), High School Diploma/High School Equivalency (HSD/HSE), English as a Second Language (ESL), and Classes and Courses for Immigrants, Adults with Disabilities, and Career and Technical (CTE). A further 1,700 students are served by the SAEC’s partner organizations. Program area courses are delivered through flexible course offerings near students. Courses are often held during morning, afternoon, and evening times. Many are offered in rural communities. Two members provide services in county jails.The SAEC region covers parts of Tulare and Kings Counties and is located in the Central Valley with a rural, agriculturally-based economy. The regional economy, being primarily agricultural, is sustained by a large number of low wage jobs engaged by immigrant and migrant worker populations as well as a poorly-educated native population. Historically, the region has high-unemployment rates, low educational-attainment rates, higher than average high school dropout rates, and a large immigrant population, all of which contributes to a great need for Adult Education. Recently, the region has experienced a new demand for CTE programs in advanced manufacturing specific to logistics.The gaps identified during the planning process include: Student Access to Programs: Lack of Classes at Varying Times and LocationsStudent Access to Locally Controlled and Provided Programs Training Programs: Specifically for English Language Learners Aligned Curriculum in Specific ProgramsSAEC developed strategies to address these gaps as well as ways to establish and improve student transitions to reach academic and career goals, improve student acceleration, develop professional development, and leverage partner resources. These strategies were developed by program area committees comprised of faculty, teachers, administrators, counselors, and representatives from partner organizations. Additionally, SAEC members have participated in regional WIOA Core Partner convenings to gather information for the planning process. SAEC hosts annual summits in partnership with the region's workforce development board to further develop an understanding of regional needs and appropriate strategies. These annual events have excellent participation and garner valuable feedback on the strategies developed during the planning process. The plan articulates strategies to fill gaps, transition students, accelerate students through transitions, provides professional development to staff, and leverages regional resources. CAEP funding is distributed to members in accordance with the historic fund distribution of funding methodology and in alignment with the SAEC Three Year Plan. SAEC member base fund allocations were determine by adding together maintenance of effort by members and by an estimated cost of strategy implementation. The member base fund allocation is adjusted annually as the consortium receives increased allocations for COLA. Member allocations have been increased by percentage of overall COLA increase to SAEC.
Regional Planning Overview
The SAEC 2019/20 Annual Plan, in accordance with the SAEC Three Year Plan, will be implemented by SAEC Members and SAEC Governance Structures.The SAEC Three Year Plan, and the strategies described in it, will be implemented by SAEC members. SAEC has ten member districts, seven of which are direct funded. The seven funded members provide programs and services to meet the region’s needs for adult learners. The SAEC Board oversees the overall implementation of the region’s adult education system with the assistance of an Executive Director, who in consultation and coordination with SAEC, manages, plans, and coordinates the activities of the consortium to ensure that program goals, objectives, outcomes and deliverables are completed within the scope and timeline of SAEC plans. In addition to its board, SAEC has five governance committees. The SAEC Leadership Committee is comprised of adult school and community college administrative staff. Its members are the lead administrations of consortium adult schools and related college programs. The Leadership Committee’s primary function is to ensure the implementation of the SAEC Three Year and Annual Plans. The SAEC Leadership Committee provides direct support to the SAEC Board as it governs the implementation of consortium plans. Furthermore, SAEC leverages four additional standing governance committees to provide opportunity for stakeholder input, professional development, and strategies to support the implementation of a high quality adult education system.Overall program evaluation is done by the SAEC Board each year. Member districts provide the SAEC Board with Member Effective Reports annually. These reports demonstrate the member’s implementation and effectiveness as an adult education provider and member of the consortium. The information provided during the SAEC Member Effectiveness Reports helps the Board make decisions related to the SAEC Three Year Plan implementation.

Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
Training Programs: Short-term CTE and Pre-Apprenticeship or Apprenticeship Programs remains a need in the region.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
The importance of these programs was indicated by both educators and employers. SAEC conducted regional employer and educator surveys.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
SAEC will monitor implementation of new courses, student enrollment, and student performance outcomes. While apprenticeship programs are difficult to implement in the region, SAEC will monitor pre-apprenticeship group-sized training enrollment, pre-apprenticeship completion, apprenticeship placements, work experience placements, and job hires. Short-term CTE courses will be added as appropriate. Specifically, SAEC has identified the need for additional training for logistics technicians based on regional economic development partner plans and anticipates the launch of an additional logistics technician program. No new offerings in Pre-Apprenticeship or Apprenticeship Programs are planned for the 2019/20year. Resource limitations prevent the addition of adequate programs in this area.

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
Deficiency of Technical or Computer Skills.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
This gap/regional need was indicated by both educators and employers. SAEC conducted regional employer and educator surveys.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
SAEC members will include computer and technical standards into existing courses. Members will pilot Google Suite courses for students in 2019/20. Student digital literacy skills will be monitored through educator survey and teacher created assessments. SAEC will monitor staff participation in professional development opportunities which focus on the integration of technical or computer skills into curriculum and instruction.

Regional Need #3

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
Sharing of Information and Resources.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
This gap was identified through the survey administered to education providers.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
SAEC will monitor the participation of staff in consortium meetings, committees, and professional development opportunities. SAEC will monitor student access to the Regional Integrated Service Delivery System by tracking student contact and referral data. SAEC will monitor Tulare WIB Common Referral Form use data.

Regional Need #4

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
Students Access to Programs.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
The importance of these programs was indicated by educators. SAEC conducted regional educator surveys.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
SAEC will monitor locations of courses offered and student enrollments, student attendance, and course completions. Student accessibility to program is caused primarily by student proximity to current program offerings. Providers will work to leverage partner locations in the region to offer courses in locations close to clusters of potential students. Funding limits will prevent agencies from offering course in addition to their traditional offerings, so members will relocated existing service delivery as feasible.

Regional Need #5

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
The Lack of Classes at Varying Times and Locations.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
The need for course offerings at various times or locations was determined through analysis of current programs and regional efforts. Several SAEC members either historically offered Adult Education courses and discontinued them, or never offered service. Additionally, districts that currently offer Adult Education courses have added new offerings in the past 2 years, but are still offering fewer courses than they did previous to program reductions. Regional demographic data indicate that SAEC members are currently meeting less than 10 percent of the regional adult education need.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
SAEC will monitor the number of courses and the time of day courses are offered by members in each program area throughout the region. SAEC will monitor student enrollments, attendance, and completion rates for courses. Furthermore, information about course offerings and availability will be maintained in a comprehensive listing available through the SAEC website. Resource limitations prevent the addition of adequate programs in this area.

Gaps In Service

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Regional Integrated Service Delivery System (RISDS): The Regional Integrated Service Delivery System will continue to address multiple regional needs. This strategy addresses the need to student support services as student engage pathways, the sharing of information, collaboration amongst members and partners, identification of needs, strategies to meet regional needs, and coordination of efforts by members and partners. RISDS, as a strategy, will maintain the SAEC Navigators, coordinate professional development (new staff, administrators, faculty), and conduct comprehensive community outreach. The coordination of SAEC committees and their work is also facilitated through the RISDS strategy. These committees maintain a host of activities which include regional intake alignment, regional curriculum alignment, sharing of best practices using a community of practice model, and evaluation of overall program area need and performance.
Strategy #2
Offer additional Adult Basic Education, HSD, GED/HSE, ESL, IEL Civics, CTE, and Classes and Courses for Immigrants Classes: SAEC members will continue implementation of classes that where new during the 2018/19 program year. New classes have been offered in all member communities. SAEC members and partners will continue to coordinate the delivery of courses to best meet the needs of each community. SAEC will continue to monitor levels of effort and need. Limited expansion of offerings in 2019/20 are due to limited funding levels.
Strategy #3
Embed computer skills into program area courses at the adult schools: Program area committees have identified ISTE Standards that align to WIOA Title II Technology and Distance Learning Plans (TDLPs). Staff will development awareness of the ISTE Standards through professional development and engage instructional practices to support student engagement of the standards.
Strategy #4
Offer access to computers and internet at regional centers and member school district locations: This strategy was implemented in 2016/17. Members will continue provision of access to hardware and internet service to students. Member have achieved a near 1 to 1 ratio of computers to students. All members provide high quality internet accessibility, with most providing campus wide wi-fi.
Strategy #5
Employer input to incorporate appropriate technical skills into CTE curriculum: Members will participate in joint advisory committees and seek input through local workforce development board advisory in 2019/20. SAEC seeks to leverage existing structures to avoid duplication of effort. This strategy is ongoing.
Strategy #6
Work-based learning (WBL) incorporated into CTE courses: Work-based learning activities will continue to be implemented in select CTE courses in 2019/20. SAEC members began implementation of this strategy in 2017/18. Members, in partnership with the Tulare County Office of Education, began the development of a WBL framework appropriate to adult education and engaged CTE staff in professional development. Limited instances of WBL activities for students occurred during that first year as the focus was on staff development. In 2019/20, SAEC Navigators and member CTE staff will implement more student activities to support this goal. Implementation will be monitored directly and evidence in student participation numbers, the creation of student artifacts, and evaluation of student learning outcomes.
Strategy #7
Add more CTE certificate programs/classes: In 2016/17 members added several new CTE courses. Current new offerings (Stainless Steel Purge Welding, Medical Billing and Coding, and QuickBooks) will continue in 2019/20. Visalia Adult School and Tulare Adult School will implement IEL Civics courses. Tulare Adult School will implement culinary arts, food processing for industry, and instructional aide training. Visalia Adult School will implement office skills training. Cutler-Orosi Adult School will implement security guard training. Jail Education Vocational Preparation (with support services from Probation and the One Stop) will continue in 2019/20.

Seamless Transitions

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Online Pathway Mapping Tool: The SAEC Online Pathway Mapping Tool is largely completed and in use by staff and students. SAEC will continue to train students and staff on use. SAEC will continue to maintain the online tool. Routine maintenance to the entire online resource and updating of regional employment data will continue from year to year as needed.
Strategy #2
Expanded college campus tours for Adult Basic/ Secondary Ed and ESL students at adult schools: This strategy has enjoyed success in past years. Students have benefited from the coordinated efforts of the adult schools and community college. This strategy will continue through 2019/20. Program specific tours will be added in 2012019/20 for students seeking transition to specific CTE programs. These will likely be small group tours highly customized to the students’ interests. SAEC Navigators will facilitate the coordination of tours.
Strategy #3
Adult education counselor at adult schools currently without counselors: This strategy has been implemented with the support of funding for one full time counselor. This strategy will continue as needed. Current funding levels do not support the addition of any new counselors at adult schools. The expansion of this strategy would require a reduction of service provision in another area.
Strategy #4
Counselor for ESL students: This strategy has been fully implemented at the community college. It will continue as needed. The provision of an ESL counselor at the community college has facilitated transition of students from the adult school programs to the community college programs and visa-versa. Furthermore, the position has facilitated the transition of ESL students to other certificate and degree programs.
Strategy #5
Outreach to employers to educate them on hiring Adults with Disabilities: This strategy is being implemented in accordance with the SAEC Regional Plan timeline. SAEC will leverage the SAEC Navigators to implement this strategy in 2019/20.
Strategy #6
Occupational Work Skills Curriculum Updates (AWD): This strategy will continue with implementation of occupation specific work skills curriculum during the 2019/20 year. The SAEC Adults With Disabilities Committee reviewed and approved the use of Project Discovery occupational skills curriculum for member adult schools. First year implementation will see delivery of retail sales curriculum and professional child care curriculum at Visalia Adult School in course designed primarily for adults with disabilities.
Strategy #7
Joint Advisory Committees: SAEC members will participate in joint CTE advisory committees as they develop in the region. Participation in joint advisory committees will facilitate program alignment and sharing of resources.
Strategy #8
Adult School Curriculum Alignment: All adult schools have aligned their HSD, HSE, ABE, CTE, and ESL curriculums. Staff will continue to participate in committees and professional learning communities to share best practices and student outcome data. This is a continuation of a previous strategies, but will be new work.
Strategy #9
ESL off-site coordinated delivery: In 2016/17 SAEC members experimented with intentional coordinated delivery of ESL courses at off-site locations. The pilot was successful. SAEC members will continue to expand coordination in other communities/towns in 2019/20.

Student Acceleration

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Supportive services at regional centers: SAEC Navigators connect students to regional services at centers. This strategy has been fully implemented and will continue in 2019/20. Navigators will receive additional training in case management strategy. The region would benefit from the addition of navigator to serve the AWD population and facilitate work in that program area. Limited funding restricts the consortium’s ability to add another navigator.
Strategy #2
Professional Learning Community (PLC) Data Analysis: SAEC Member staff have participated in PLCs. The PLC process will be refined in 2019/20 and staff will move from norming group behaviors and dynamics to analyzing student performance outcomes. This is not necessarily an entirely new strategy, but a planned refinement of an existing strategy. SAEC will continue to organize and facilitate PLCs for staff through the consortiums program area committees.
Strategy #3
Digital Badges for Civic Integration in English as a Second Language Programs at Adult Schools: SAEC members with adult schools that provide ESL will develop a digital badges to support students on a pathway to civic integration or immigrant integration. The badges will be developed in partnership with Riverside About Students Adult Education Consortium, South Bay Adult Education Consortium, and ALLIES adult education consortium. This strategy was delayed for 1 year as the Immigrant Integration workgroup as described in AB2098 convened to define statewide implementation of immigrant integration metrics. The basis for the badges will be framed on the work done by the AB2098 workgroup on Immigrant Integration. The SAEC Executive Director is a member of the AB2098 workgroup and contributed to the statewide effort and to provide information on the progress of the workgroup back to the region. The digital badge creation process will occur during the 2019/20 program year. Student access to the badges is expected late in the 2019/2020 program year.

Professional Development

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Teacher and faculty training on how to identify and make accommodations for students with disabilities: Staff and students have benefited from professional development focused on support students with disabilities. Many students in adult education have an undiagnosed learning disability and are beyond the age limits of some supportive programs. Staff must be aware of strategies to support such learners. This strategy will continue implementation in 2019/20.
Strategy #2
Shared professional development activities: SAEC members have done well to share professional development activities throughout the region. Professional development opportunities are organized and implemented by program area, but based on total consortium need. One member typically takes the lead on facilitating the delivery and all members send staff to participate. Members will continue to share activities with staff from other schools. For example, adult school staff from multiple districts, through program area committees, have identified and scheduled curriculum specific trainings. Professional development planning and completion will continue. Such planning and delivery strategies will expand to other program areas. It has been difficult to include college instructors because they are not available. Schools will better communicate and coordinate events in 2019/20.
Strategy #3
Staff will participate in local, state, and national conferences to learn and share best practices in adult education: While much of the professional development needed can be developed and delivered by regional subject matter experts or by consultants brought into the area, sometimes staff must travel outside the region to gain access to the most current professional development. Part of this strategy will be the delivery of a conference, or summit, for members and stakeholders. For 2019/20 this conference will be delivered in partnership with the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County. The conference with focus on regional economic mobility. The conference will be held in the Fall.

Leveraging Resources

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Expanded adult education course offerings in districts where adult education was terminated, or never existed: Member districts without adult education courses provide classroom space (for courses offered after K-12 schools are out of class), computers, internet access, parent education funds, and other services such as after school programs that could provide childcare. Districts with adult education programs will continue to provide course in communities of districts who do not. By the third program year, SAEC had planned to implement 107 new courses. SAEC members have added 55 new course…while implementing other strategies. SAEC has been funded at half the amount requested.
Strategy #2
Co-Location of SAEC Navigators: SAEC Navigators are co-located at member and partner sites. SAEC Navigators provide student facing service to help students engage adult education and related services. (sub strategy of the SAEC Regional Integrated Service Delivery System). As part of the Regional Integrated Service Delivery System, SAEC Navigators will work with partner organizations to bring partner representatives into established resource centers throughout the consortium. For example, space at the Adult Schools and at regional partners has been set aside for use as a regional center for use by the SAEC Navigators. Additionally, in order to provide reach into the rural communities who have a need for these services, the SAEC school district Members have made use of existing school sites in the community such as elementary, middle or high schools and their resources. Partner agency staff would travel to these community sites once a week or perhaps once a month (dependent on need) to bring the services out into the community by making use of an elementary school’s computer lab or computer cart and wireless internet. This would be done after school hours and perhaps during the time children are at an after school program. Leveraging of these types of resources to help alleviate challenges such as childcare, transportation, or lack of internet access will make the regional centers more effective and more cost efficient. The delivery of these services can be facilitated by the SAEC Navigators.
Strategy #3
WIOA Title II participation: Five of six members with adult education programs successfully completed WIOA Title II applications for 2017/18. Those members coordinated their application completion through the consortium to ensure alignment. Participating members will continue to share resources and maintain alignment to the degree possible under WIOA Title II.
Strategy #4
Shared professional development opportunities: Members will continue to share professional development activities with other members. Members communicate professional development needs and events during regular leadership committee meetings. This is an ongoing strategy.
Strategy #5
Adult Perkins: Members with CTE programs participate in the Adult Perkins Grant.
Strategy #6
CalWORKS: Members with adult education programs participate in CalWORKS programs.
Strategy #7
Partners: SAEC enjoys partnerships with all major social safety net providers in the region. Partners include county offices of education, workforce development boards, all WIOA core partners, county libraries, county sheriff departments, and several community based organizations. Furthermore, SAEC participates in the Tulare Kings Collaborative. SAEC will continue to leverage these partnerships to benefit students and community. An example of a partner outcome is SAEC and the Tulare County WDB partnering this year to deliver a workforce development conference called Innovators by Design. This event will SAEC will focus on regional workforce trends and increasing economic mobility of those we jointly serve. SAEC partners will also participate on WDB committees which support adult education. Specifically, SAEC members participate on the Tulare County WIB Referral Committee (chaired by an adult education director), Communication Committee, Cross Training Committee, and MOU Committee. Another example of regional partnership is between SAEC and the Family Health Care Network, a regional health provider, as they jointly deliver the annual SAEC Velocity Tours. The Velocity Tours are awareness campaigns focused on adult education and health.
Strategy #8
Jail Education CTE: Visalia Adult School, in partnership with the Tulare County Sherriff’s Department, County Board of Supervisors, Tulare County Probation Department, and the Tulare County Workforce Innovation Board will pilot a new Career Technical Education program at the Tulare County Jail facility. The new courses will provide inmates with basic AC/DC control systems training and adult basic education. Support services in the form of enhanced post release care from Probation (RESET Program) and career readiness and placement from the Tulare County WIB through their mobile one stop in the jail. This new program will serve up to 96 inmates each year.
Strategy #9
Local Control Funding Support: Member districts are increasingly realizing the need to further support their adult education programs with locally controlled funds. Member districts will continue to support their programs to varying degrees of effort.

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 SAEC 2019/20 annual plan strategies align with the SAEC 3-Year Regional Comprehensive plan. Member allocations have been determined and approved by the SAEC Board and are reflected in the SAEC 2019/20 CFAD. All strategies listed in the SAEC 2019/20 Annual Plan align to the SAEC member allocation schedule. Base allocation for SAEC members was determined in planning for Program Year 1. Maintenance of Effort (MOE) by each member was declared by each SAEC member. Each member was allocated an amount equal to their declared MOE. SAEC Member representatives participated in establishing estimated costs for consortium strategies and then allocated new AEBG monies to members to implement specific strategies. The combined funds, MOE + Allocation, became the members’ base fund allocation. COLA has be provided to the consortium on occasion. The COLA was passed through to funded members by adjusting their allocation by adding the percent of funds COLA added to the consortium allocation as a whole.
An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2019-20.
SAEC members follow a first in, first out expenditure model. All 2019/20 work is a continuation of existing strategies with new work being refinement in implementation. SAEC will also evaluate member expenditures and possibly reallocate unspent funds to other members to provide relief to member districts with unspent funds. This process is evidenced and explained in detail in the SAEC 2019/20 Consortium Memorandum of Understanding. The SAEC members and Board review allocation of resources periodically throughout the year. As Consortium Allocation Amendments are needed, the SAEC Board will review and approve any amendments.

Certification

Alpaugh Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Gary Mekeel

2019-08-08

Corcoran Joint Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Rich Merlo

2019-08-08

Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Yolanda Valdez

2019-08-12

Exeter Unified - Member Representative

Approved by George Eddy

2019-08-08

Farmersville Unified - Member Representative

Approved

2019-08-08

Hanford Joint Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Victor Rosa

2019-08-09

Lindsay Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Tom Rooney

2019-08-12

Sequoias CCD - Member Representative

Approved by Brent Calvin

2019-08-08

Tulare Joint Union High - Member Representative

Approved by Tony Rodriguez

2019-08-13

Visalia Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Tamara Ravalin

2019-08-14

Woodlake Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Alfonso Gamino

2019-08-08