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Can We Talk? A Frank Discussion About the Future of Basic Skills. Randy L. Whitfield, Ed.D. Associate Vice President of Basic Skills. History of Adult Education. November 3, 1966 – Adult Education Act signed into law Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the act this year
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Can We Talk? A Frank Discussion About the Future of Basic Skills Randy L. Whitfield, Ed.D. Associate Vice President of Basic Skills
History of Adult Education • November 3, 1966 – Adult Education Act signed into law • Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the act this year • In 1970 the community colleges & cbo’s funded were serving 26,398 students. • Last year we served over 110,000.
Program Enrollment • Enrollment has declined in every program, especially Adult Basic Education and ESL. • In 2005 – 2006, the total number of students served decreased by 2,573 • In 2004 – 2005, the total number of students served in ABE decreased by 1,754 • The problem with the decrease is that the number of people who need our help has not decreased – they are either not coming into our programs or, even worse, they are enrolling, but finding that our programs do not fit their needs.
What Members of Congress Want to Know About Students • Can they get jobs? • Can they keep their jobs? • Can they go on to further education and training? • Did they increase a level in their learning ability? • What specific skills did they learn?
Sir Winston Churchill “It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.”
State 75% Retention Rate Measures • Progressing within level • Completing level entered or predetermined goal • Completing level and advancing to next level
Federal (National Reporting System) Performance Outcome Measures • Completed an educational functioning level • Entered employment • Retained employment • Obtained a GED or secondary school diploma • Entered postsecondary education or training
Adult Basic Education (ABE) & Adult Secondary 2006-2007 Core Indicator #1: Demonstrated Improvements in literacy skill levels in reading, writing, and speaking the English language, numeracy problem-solving, English Language acquisition, and other literacy skills. • Beginning Level ABE 20% • Beginning Basic Education 38% ABE • Low Intermediate ABE 39% • High Intermediate ABE 42% • Low Adult Secondary Education 52%
English as a Second Language (ESL)2006-2007 • ESL Literacy 38% • Low Beginning Literacy 32% • High Beginning Literacy 32% • Low Intermediate ESL 39% • High Intermediate ESL 38% • Advanced ESL 24%
Core Indicator #22006-2007 Placement in, retention in, or completion of postsecondary education, training, unsubsidized employment or career advancement • Postsecondary Education 31% • Placement in Employment 31% • Retention in Employment 32%
Core Indicator #32006-2007 Receipt of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent Earn Adult High School Diploma 50% or GED
Federal Funding • Federal funding for colleges is currently allotted based on a percentage of your college’s state funds. • Future federal funding will be based on a formula which will include outcome measures.
Federal Funding In the future, community colleges will not automatically receive federal funding. They will compete with community based organizations and other eligible agencies for the funding.
Are You Living in the Past or Looking Toward the Future? The programs that will survive are those that are looking toward the future.
Sparky AndersonManager of the Detroit Lions “I’ve got my faults, but living in the past isn’t one of them. There’s no future in it.”
I sentence you . . . To a day in your classes. Pretend you are a student and actually participate in a class. Sit in one of your open labs for 2-3 hours and work independently. When you have a question, wait like all other students until the instructor is free to help you.
Will Your Program Survive? Quality of Instruction Questions • Are your instructors teaching classes instead of handing out books? • Are you offering group-taught classes for all programs including ABE, ESL, GED/AHS, and CED? • Are your instructors using TV411, Madison Heights/Lifelines, Crossroads Café, On Common Ground, English for All and other new and exciting videos and computer programs? • Do you share adult education research with your instructors so they know how to teach adults.
Will Your Program Survive? • Are your instructors going to workshops, then implementing what they learned? • Are your instructors letting all students work on computers? • Are your materials up-to-date and designed specifically for adults? • Do you include recreational reading in all your classes? • Do you keep up-to-date about new ways to teach adults? • Are lessons presented in different ways so that different learners can be successful? • Do you teach study skills in your program?
Will Your Program Survive? Program Questions • Are students dropping out of your program? • Do you have adequate facilities with environments conducive to learning? (Would I want to be in this room?) • Are your staff members friendly and helpful to students? • Are you using managed instruction? • Are your programs easy to find? • Do you have policies that run students off? • Do you let problem students run other students off?
Will Your Program Survive? • Do you offer any distance education courses? • Are you or someone on your staff out constantly recruiting students? • Do you assume that everyone who comes to your classes is there to get a GED or AHS diploma? • Are you moving toward having fewer class sites, but in better facilities with more equipment? • Are you in danger of having a GED test compromise?
What Are Your Program’s Main Goals? • Are you teaching students to pass a test or teaching them to live their lives? • Do you want students to remember what they’ve learned long enough to pass the GED or AHS Competency Test? • Do you want students to remember long enough to be successful in life?
Carl Holmes • “AND THEN SOME . . . these three little words are the secret to success. • They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies. • The top people always do what is expected . . . and then some. • They are thoughtful of others, they are considerate and kind . . . and then some. • They meet their responsibilities fairly and squarely . . . and then some.
Carl Holmes • They are good friends and helpful neighbors . . . and then some. • They can be counted on in an emergency . . . and then some. • I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place. • Their spirit of service is summed up in these three little words . . . and then some.”
Sometimes we become lazy and don’t try hard enough any more . . .
