Career Pathways for Low-skilled Adults: Stages in Systems Development Judith A. Alamprese

1. Career Pathways for Low-skilled Adults: Stages in Systems Development Judith A. Alamprese Principal Scientist, Abt Associates 2012 NCWE Conference October 21, 2012 judy_alamprese@abtassoc.com

2. Today’s Presentation • Role of a state “system” in fostering effective career pathways services for low-skilled adults (skills at secondary level or below) • Key components of an Adult Basic Education (ABE) Career Pathways State “System” • Approaches to implementing state career pathways system • Examples of state adult basic education career pathways activities implemented by Virginia and Oregon

3. Why state systems for ABE Career Pathways? • Workforce Investment Act, Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act administered through state adult education offices—fund local ABE services, provides professional development, collects and analyzes data, evaluates ABE services • Multiple components of coordinated services required for effective ABE career pathways—some of which can be facilitated by state agency coordination • Increasing opportunities for states to leverage resources that can support development and delivery of local career pathways services • As local ABE programs implement career pathways services, interest in states’ role in supporting these services & examining “value added” of a system

4. Data Sources for Presentation Abt Associates work on: • Adult Education Coordination and Planning Project, US Dept. of Education (2004-2009) • Oregon Pathways for Adult Basic Skills Transition to Education and Work (OPABS), Oregon Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (2006-2013) • Reading for Transition to Postsecondary Education Project, US Department of Education (2007-2012) • Policy to Performance Project (with Kratos Learning), US Department of Education (2009-2012) • Points of Entry Project (with Kratos Learning), Open Society Foundations, 2011-2013)

6. State Approaches to Developing ABE Career Pathways System • Developing a State Vision for ABE Career Pathways System • Positioning ABE transition/career pathways • Collaborative approach in defining vision (state-local) • Approaches to communicating a vision/framework • Forming & Sustaining Partnerships to Support a System (Inter- and Intra-agency) • Building new & strengthening existing partnerships • Maintaining & expanding partners

7. State Approaches to Developing ABE Career Pathways System • Supporting Local Implementation of ABE Career Pathways Services—from Development to Going to Scale • Target population of learners—Bridge from ABE to postsecondary (10-12th grade equivalent), Pre-Bridge (8-10th grade equivalent)—build a pathway for all skill levels • Types of services/interventions—developing ”standardized” models, key components of services with flexibility (“bottom up”) • Provision of technical assistance & training to facilitate implementation of services • Use of pilot testing/revision/further testing cycle to improve quality of practices and guide development of policy • Collection & analysis of data during pilot test phases

8. State Approaches to Developing ABE Career Pathways System • Developing policies or guidance to support career pathways services • Depends on state approach to policy • WIA, Title II—state can embed requirements for pathways in Request for Application for local adult education services • Use WIA, Title II, State Leadership monies or monies leveraged from partners to test “models” of career pathways services in local programs

9. State Approaches to Developing ABE Career Pathways System • Types of policies or guidance to support career pathways services • Target population (Pre-Bridge, Bridge); whole system of learners • Required partners and partnership activities • Services to provide in addition to instruction • Instructional services • College & career awareness/readiness • Accelerated instruction (expedited time & level of difficulty) • Dual enrollment in ABE/ESL and CTE courses • Data collection requirements—states developing longitudinal data systems to track postsecondary outcomes and to promote local use of tracking systems to monitor services

10. State Examples • Virginia • State adult education office in state Department of Education • Local ABE grantees mix of local education agencies, community colleges • Oregon • State adult education office in Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD) • Local Adult Basic Skills (ABS) services delivered in state’s 17 community colleges

11. PluggedIn VA (PIVA) Career Pathways Model • Intervention developed by local ABE community college grantee and ABE professional development provider • Initial intent to develop technology skills of adults in southwestern VA to meet industry needs along with GED credentialing; aligned with governor’s initiative to encourage public-private partnerships & state’s promotion of GED completion • Local development team needed to customize curriculum to address industry’s needs • Four components of PIVA services (6-month intensive courses) • GED curriculum/Career Readiness Certificate • Occupationally contextualized curriculum (e.g., Allied Health) • Professional soft skills • 21st Century skills • Earn GED, Microsoft Certification, industry certification, community college credit

12. VA State Expansion of ABE Career Pathways • Applied to participate in US Dept. of Education’s Policy to Performance Project • State Vision: ABE strategic plan outlined vision of ABE learners participation in further education, employment; positioned ABE as part of the state’s career pathways system • Initial Partnerships: Strengthened partnership with Virginia Community College System (VCCS); worked within state Dept. of Education & other agencies on longitudinal state tracking system

13. VA State Expansion of ABE Career Pathways • Career Pathways Services: Expanded PIVA under Policy to Performance Project—two additional pilot sites • Provided technical assistance • Collected implementation and outcome data • Technical Assistance • Developed PIVA implementation manual • Identified need to provide technical assistance in local partnership development, work with business & industry to customize curriculum (ways to leverage developed curricula)

14. VA State Expansion of ABE Career Pathways • Policies • New Request for Application (RFA) for ABE services for 2012—moved to regional service delivery model in 8 areas; included career pathways requirements • RFA: partnerships with employers, local workforce systems; promotes integration of ABE transition activities into operation of ABE services • Leveraging Resources through Ongoing Partnerships • Virginia Community College System (TAACCCT grant)—providing career navigators who are expected to work with ABE learners • ABE working Virginia Employment Commission (TAACCCT grant) & VCCC to expand PIVA to lower skill levels of learners • Line item in governor’s budget to fund PIVA sites—planning, start-up, & maintenance in all 8 regions

15. Oregon Pathways for Adult Basic Skills Transition to Education & Work (OPABS) • Career pathways “model” for preparing Adult Basic Skills (ABS) learners to transition to postsecondary education, training, & employment; earn certificates, credentials, degrees & obtain jobs • Coordination: ABS with CTE, advising (within college), Career Centers, other partners • Instruction: 7 OPABS standardized courses & Advising Modules • Bridge (10-12th GE) Reading, Math, & Writing • Pre-Bridge (8th-10th GE): Reading, Math & Writing • Career & College Awareness; Develop Leaner Career Plan • Advising Modules: College Placement Test, College Application, Financial Aid • Advising/Counseling • Referral to postsecondary courses, Career Centers

16. OPABS Vision for ABS Program Activities Set Learners’ Expectations for Jobs in Oregon High-Demand Industries • Refer Learners to PostsecondaryEducation/Training • College Courses • Career & Technical Courses • Occupational Training Conduct Internal & External Public Relations About OPABS Collaboratewith College Departments & Services Deliver OPABS Pre-Bridge, Bridge, College/Career AwarenessCourses, Advising Modules Provide Orientation Intake, Placement, & Assessment to Facilitate Learners’ Pathway • Set Learners’ Expectations for Attainment of: • College Degree • Occupational Certificate, Credential Develop/Update Learners’ Pathway Plan Refer Learners to Support Services, Career Centers

17. Oregon’s ABS Career Pathways • Vision • OPABS included in early conceptualization of Oregon’s Career Pathways (CP) Initiative (Pathways to Advancement) • Overall CP Initiative aimed at ensuring that Oregonians can obtain skills to enter & advance in living wage, demand occupations • Early development (2005-2009) of OPABS was undertaken alongside overall CP initiative • OPABS vision: • Developed by CCWD, local ABS directors, external consultant • Incorporated into presentations—State Board of Education, Local WIBS, Career Centers, State Pathways Alliance, legislative committees, CCWD Commissioner’s Ways and Means Committee testimony

18. Oregon’s ABS Career Pathways • OPABS Vision: • Build a pipeline of prepared ABS learners to enter postsecondary education, training programs, & jobs in high-demand career areas through the use of a set of occupationally contextualized Reading, Math, and Writing courses, along with a Career and College Awareness course that are offered in a cohort model • Initiate a basic skills system change that is sustainable & that develops formal connections to postsecondary education departments & services and to employment through WorkSource Oregon & Career Centers

19. Oregon’s ABS Career Pathways • Coordination/Partnerships • 2009: ABS became required partner in state’s Career Pathways grants to colleges; outcomes included increasing # of ABS learners transitioning from ABS to credit postsecondary CTE • 2011: Oregon awarded Accelerating Opportunity Planning grant; OPABS central focus of collaborative planning process • CCWD coordination: internal partners’ leadership group from ABS, CTE Deans & Directors, Advising & Counseling, Student Services, Institutional Research, Developmental Education • ABS part of longitudinal data system development effort

20. Oregon’s ABS Career Pathways • Technical Assistance & Training • 4 phases • Research, benchmarking & development of courses; initial pilot testing by course developers from 6 colleges (2006-2007) • Expanded pilot testing in 9 ABS programs; intensive training & technical support (2007-2008) • Cohort-model implementation began; training modifications; intentional connections to Career Pathways grant applications (2009-2011) • Additional courses in development; 11 of 17 colleges implementing OPABS; strengthening systems connections; expanded training options; further testing of courses in Alaska with PowerPoint format (2011+) • Support for ABS program directors on systems change (recruitment, intake), coordination, use of data, integration with colleges’ other career pathways activities

21. Oregon’s ABS Career Pathways • Resources • State funds: Community College Strategic Fund • Federal funds: DOL Incentive Grant; WIA, Title II State Leadership funds • Local: Community College General Fund, WIA Title II local grants • Next Steps: State • Define key elements of OPABS courses • Refine OPABS training—develop local OPABS trainers • Fully integrate Oregon’s ABS Learning Standards into OPABS courses • ABS Programs • Increase number of OPABS cohorts per term • Build lower-level courses to articulate with OPABS • Increase customization for special certificate programs