CAEP Annual Plan: 2019-20 62 South Orange County Regional Consortium (SOCRC)

Status: Consortium Approved

California Adult Education Program : Annual Plan : 2019-20 Produced: Aug 15, 2019, 11:45 PM UTC William Neddersen

62 South Orange County Regional Consortium (SOCRC)

Plans & Goals - Consortium Approved

Executive Summary
The South Orange County Regional Consortium (SOCRC) will continue to build on the accomplishments achieved from the previous three year plan to meet the new goals identified in the 2019-2022 3-year plan. There have been strong gains in meeting the needs of the adult learners within the consortium, but areas were identified to further meet their needs. To begin the development of the 2019-2022 3 year plan, each agency reflected on the quality of collaboration among SOCRC consortium members, and the impact of the collective work in the surrounding communities in the areas of capacity, connection, entry, progress and completion/transition. Four goals were created to move the work of the SOCRC: 1) develop support amongst members to deliver adult education, 2) build on strategies to engage learners through professional development, 3) meet individual student needs and interests by career exploration and goal planning, and 4) align and articulate programs in the consortium. From these goals come our vision to continue our outreach and programs to local communities to engage Adult Education Students across the region. The plan focus for 2019-2020 is to have members continue to increase the retention of adult education program (AEP) students and their successful completion of coursework in AESL, CTE and general education curriculum classes. Classes provide students a variety of modalities within the consortium including onsite, online and hybrid platforms. SOCRC members will develop a program map that articulates the paths to success from adult programs to college or workforce readiness for all learners in the region to reference as they create their individual plans and goals. Curriculum retreats will be scheduled to begin the curriculum alignment between agencies. During 2019-2020, members will also update the SOCRC governance plan and bylaws to allow for full member participation to deliver high quality AEP. The members will maximize the impact of their allocations in alignment with this plan and the three year plan. Primary focus of the allocation will be on continuing to offer a variety of classes to help our learners achieve their goals of building language skills, workforce ready skills, and bridge to certificates and degrees. During the 18-19 year, sites added pronunciation and conversational classes in response to student surveys. Saddleback College continued to expand our portfolio of classes for Adults with Disabilities (AWD). We also enhanced our Career Technical Education in the areas of Pharmacy Technician, Surgical Technologist and Dental Assistant in partnership with College and Career Advantage (CCA). The Surgical Technologist, Pharmacy Technician, and Dental Assistant programs articulate with courses that begin at the high school level. CCA has worked to located placed internships which can lead to employment. We ask the full-time faculty at Irvine Valley and Saddleback Colleges to collaborate with the SOCRC so that we may dovetail with other program efforts such as Strong Workforce and Guided Pathways, supporting and not supplanting each other's resources. Our resource allocations reflect these efforts and are consistent with our three year plan. We continually assess our ability to address the five program areas under the program.
Regional Planning Overview
To begin the development of the 2019-2022 3 year plan, each agency reflected on the quality of collaboration among SOCRC consortium members, and the impact of the collective work in the surrounding communities in the areas of capacity, connection, entry, progress and completion/transition. Four goals were created to move the work of the SOCRC: 1) develop support amongst members to deliver adult education, 2) build on strategies to engage learners through professional development, 3) meet individual student needs and interests by career exploration and goal planning, and 4) align and articulate programs in the consortium. The plan focus for 2019-2020 is to have members continue to increase the retention of adult education program (AEP) students and their successful completion of coursework in AESL, CTE and general education curriculum classes. Classes provide students a variety of modalities within the consortium including onsite, online and hybrid platforms. Professional development will be offered to share the best practices in these modalities between agencies. SOCRC members will develop a program map that articulates the paths to success from adult programs to college or workforce readiness for all learners in the region to reference as they create their individual plans and goals. These maps will be shared by each agency with their communities. Curriculum retreats will be scheduled to begin the curriculum alignment between agencies. During 2019-2020, members will also update the SOCRC governance plan and bylaws to allow for full member participation to deliver high quality AEP. Action plans for each of the goals have succinct steps with checks and balances to monitor implementation. Part of the action plans have established dates check progress.

Meeting Regional Needs

Regional Need #1

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
Increasing Capacity for AEP Students: The data from Cohorts 1, 2, and 3 of our Data and Accountability Study indicates that AEP students want more access to a wider variety of courses and locations on top of maintaining current offerings. This is especially true for Career Technical Education, where students are often waitlisted for classes due to high demand. We are working to address this gap by developing additional courses such as non-credit business computers and culinary arts, and class sections and responding to regional needs for more job and vocational skills preparation.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
The SOCRC has built in a system of checks and balances towards its progress by using both institutional and external data to ensure effectiveness. The members have worked together to create a collaborative Mission and Vision Statement in 2018, a comprehensive 3 year plan in Spring 2019, and this collaborative annual plan in summer 2019. All expenditures made by SOCRC members are presented to the consortium for review and approval under AEP and Education Code guidelines. When a large expense such as a capital outlay project is being sought by one of the members, the SOCRC must review and approve the expense to ensure that it is tied to one of the five AEP Program Area Objectives and allowable. The expense must directly respond to one of the regional gaps identified in both our annual plan and three year plan. Service gaps have been identified through analysis of data from CAEP reports and cohort studies. Specific gaps identified included: a need for more advanced AEP classes, more CTE classes, and more Adults with Disabilities classes. When possible, funds are directly applied to close these gaps.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
As a consortium, we meet monthly for regular planning meetings and four times a year for quarterly consortium meetings. Time is allocated at each monthly meeting to discuss the progress and identification of next steps to ensure the goals are achieved throughout the consortium. All members are asked to share out about their progress in the goal areas to monitor progress across all programs in the consortium. Class offerings and attendance numbers are part of the sharing which helps other members know what is being offered throughout the consortium.

Regional Need #2

Gaps in Service / Regional Needs
From the work of the 3 year plan, we identified a gap in service and regional need to align and articulate programs. We identified the need to increase agency alignment and articulation of programs including education and training programs with coordinated and consistent student support. We also identified that program maps needed to be developed that delineate requirements and align employment, career pathway opportunities, postsecondary education and training transition, and skills gains, across members and partners to increase successful transitions.
How do you know? What resources did you use to identify these gaps?
There were several different resources used to identify this gap. Members were surveyed in Spring of 2019 with Consortium Program Quality Self-Assessment. From the assessment, members identified the need to have clear completion and/or transitions between programs as well as coordinated student support. The cohort studies also identified from students the need for programs to have clear pathways to achieving employment or entering degree programs. At our monthly meeting with members, we also collected data through discussion about students transitions from adult ed classes to credit earning classes. Finally, partnerships with other consortium leads have been developed to look at their best practices and identify areas where our consortium can improve.
How will you measure effectiveness / progress towards meeting this need?
As a consortium, we meet monthly for regular planning meetings and four times a year for quarterly consortium meetings. Time is allocated at each monthly meeting to discuss the progress and identification of next steps to ensure the goals are achieved throughout the consortium. All members are asked to share out about their progress in the goal areas to monitor progress across all programs in the consortium. In the 3 year plan, we have action steps with timelines for meeting our goals. By March of 2020 a draft program roadmap/pathway will be presented with final draft approved by April 2020.

Gaps In Service

New Strategies

Strategy #1
Strategies to Increase Capacity: The 2019-20 academic year will be pivotal for increasing the SOCRC's growth and capacity. We are working on the development of new bylaws four our consortium. We are asking all members to be active participants in our monthly meetings and we will be restructuring the meetings to remain focused on our annual and 3 year plan goals and our progress towards meeting them. A committee drafting of the new bylaws is meeting from June 2019-October 2019. Revisions from suggestions made at public consortium meeting will be completed by November 2019 with final approval by December 2019.
Strategy #2
Strategies to improve transitions between programs: To increase coordinated, proactive engagement to students on educational and training options and choices, a consortium wide program roadmap will be developed. The roadmap will delineate requirements and align employment, career pathway opportunities, postsecondary education and training transitions, and skill gains, across members and partners to increase successful student transitions. A committee will be established by January 2020 to collect key elements that should be a part of the roadmap. From January to March 2020, the roadmap will be drafted. In May, the roadmap will be brought to the consortium for revisions/edits. The final draft will be brought for approval by June 2020.
Strategy #3
Strategies to increase existing programs: SOCRC is developing additional CTE courses. In Fall 2019, Irvine Adult School in collaboration with Coastline ROP will be offering a culinary arts class for students. Saddleback College is developing CTE courses during this year with the goal of approval to offer in the 2020-2021 school year. CCA is continuing to offer their CTE course (Dental Assistant, Pharmacy Technician and Surgical Technologist) with the goal of increasing student enrollment in those programs.
Strategy #4
Strategies for aligning and articulating programs: Identified from the 3 year plan is the need to align and articulate the education and training programs between the members. This larger goal is not planned to be completed until June 2022. For the 19-20 year, members will begin the alignment and articulation process in spring 2020. Members will share current program offerings and begin the discussion of course articulation and progression.

Seamless Transitions

New Strategies

Strategy #1
The South Orange County Regional Consortium works to be informed of regional workforce needs. A representative from the consortium will attend the regional workforce meetings, gather important information as to economic trends in the region. As identified by the 3 year plan, the need for alignment between programs and clear transitions for students is being addressed. As listed in Gaps In Service, strategy #2 and #4 will address alignment, articulation and pathways. We are also expanding CTE offerings across the consortium as listed in strategy #3.

Student Acceleration

New Strategies

Strategy #1
We have identified multiple strategies to implement and to improve curriculum and services being offered by the SOCRC. The focus for the year will be on aligning clear pathways which will include accelerated options to complete course or programs and allow for transitions into postsecondary education, training, and/or employment. This strategy is being addressed with gaps in service strategy # 2 and #4 which focuses on creating pathway maps and curriculum alignment. SOCRC will also be working towards a 3-5% increase in the completion/progression of students in program learning gains, high school diploma/HSE completion, and/or transfer to college or employment.

Professional Development

New Strategies

Strategy #1
For shared professional development, our emphasis this year will be on faculty best practices. We will work to create two dedicated professional development sessions in 2019-2020 to benefit our faculty, staff and students. These sessions will feature best practices that will help our AEP faculty to deliver the highest-quality instruction and support strategies possible. There will behalf-day events with curriculum for all who attend. Part of the discussion will include staff dialogue on alignment and articulation of program curriculum. This will support the 3 year plan goal of having alignment and articulation of curriculum.

Leveraging Resources

New Strategies

Strategy #1
SOCRC members are leveraging current resources to offer CTE classes to assist students in gaining skills that lead to certification or employment. Irvine Adult School is offering a new culinary arts class in Fall in conjunction with Coastline ROP. Another example would be College and Career Advantage providing state-of the art Pharmacy, Surgical and Dental courses for AEP students. To enhance these classes, faculty and staff have networked with local dental and medical organizations to assist AEP students with their placement after course completion. Our faculty have contacted local employer groups to serve as advisors to students. CCA staff holds annual meetings with local advisory to reflect on courses and meet the needs of employers in the community.

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 SOCRC has taken a strategic alignment approach to spending planned allocations that is consistent with both our annual and 3 year plans. Specifically, based upon our Mission and Vision Statements, the SOCRC members have created overarching goals, objectives and action steps that are directly linked to our resource allocations. Monthly-report outs guarantee that we are all updated and aware of the spend downs by our individual members. Requests for large capital outlay amounts are required to be presented to all SOCRC members for review and approval. Any site that is having delays in spending allocated funds will report these delays and reasons at quarterly meetings. Our objectives and action steps are further tied to individual key performance indicators for the SOCRC. We have a bi-annual review of expenditures and open discussions pertaining to the return on investment of the funds. We continually remind our SOCRC members of the allowable and unallowable spending parameters prescribed by the Adult Education Program. We will develop an orientation process for new members including information on spending guidelines. We often consult AEP personnel to ensure that we are in alignment with our resource allocation and regularly attend the technical AEP webinars, reporting back to our consortium members. SOCRC will hire an outside auditing firm to conduct a yearly financial audit as well.
An approach to incorporating remaining carry-over funds from prior year(s) into strategies planned for 2019-20.
Every effort is being made to reduce the total amount of funds being carried over by SOCRC members. Specific strategies have included: 1) Requesting monthly updates on percentages of funds expended by members; 2) Collective review and approval of State documents such as the CFAD and other key collaterals that show distribution of funds; 3) Heavy involvement of South Orange County Community College District Fiscal Services Administration and Staff for large transactions; 4) Ensuring that funds are released to sub-recipients in a timely manner to ensure that they are able to spend them on schedule. We have streamlined our efforts to make communication and information regarding budget expenditures available to all members. Reminders are provided to consortium members as to key deadlines for expending funds. Our fiscal representatives from both the unified school districts and the South Orange County Community College District are in constant contact regarding AEP expenditures. We have healthy, collaborative professional relationships and are able to keep all sub-recipients current with their funds. All efforts are made to mitigate the amount of carry-over funds from sub recipients. If funds are carried over, we have aggressive timelines for spending them down and tying them to AEP Program Objectives as much as possible.

Certification

Capistrano Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Meg Ervais

2019-08-15

Coastline ROP - Member Representative

Approved by Alita Salazar

2019-08-15

College and Career Advantage - Member Representative

Approved by Patricia Romo

2019-08-15

Irvine Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Dr. Rebecca Roberts

2019-08-15

Irvine Valley College - Member Representative

  • Debbie Vanschoelandt
  • Dean, Career & Continuing Education, and Integrated Design, Engineering and Automation
  • dvanschoelandt@ivc.edu
  • (949) 367-8310
Approved by Debbie Vanschoelandt

2019-08-15

Laguna Beach Unified - Member Representative

Approved by Chad Mabery Ed. D.

2019-08-15

Orange County Department of Education - Member Representative

Approved by Katy Ramezani

2019-08-15

Saddleback College - Member Representative

  • Karima Feldhus
  • Assistant Vice President, Community Education, Emeritus Institute, and K-12 Partnerships
  • kfeldhus@saddleback.edu
Approved by Karima Feldhus

2019-08-15

Saddleback Valley Unified - Member Representative

Approved by David Gordon

2019-08-15

South Orange County CCD - Member Representative

  • Kim McCord
  • Executive Director of Fiscal Services/Comptroller
  • kmccord@socccd.edu
  • (949) 582-4843
Approved by Kim McCord

2019-08-15

Tustin Unified - Member Representative

Approved by William Neddersen

2019-08-15