Reecie Stagnolia, Interim Vice President, Kentucky Adult Education Tools for the New Pathway: Work Readiness Certificat

1. Kentucky Employability Certificate Reecie Stagnolia, Interim Vice President, Kentucky Adult Education Tools for the New Pathway: Work Readiness Certificates and Integrated Training National Training Institute, Seattle, Washington November 14, 2008

2. “Kentucky’s reality is that we will sink or swim not on how well we educate our youth, but on how well we educate our entire population, whether age 15, 25, 55 or 75.” Ron Crouch, Director, Kentucky State Data Center 2

3. Kentucky’s Strategic Education Initiatives Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) - 1990 Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act (House Bill 1) - 1997 Adult Education Reform (Senate Bill 1) – 2000

4. Senate Bill 1: The Adult Education Act of 2000 “Adult illiteracy is a fundamental barrier to every major challenge facing Kentucky, including early childhood education, education reform, economic development, and improving the health and well-being of Kentucky’s families and communities”

5. Adult Education Task Force Report and Senate Bill 1 • Provide a multi-faceted strategy • Narrow funding disparities among counties • Require performance and accountability • Use incentives to drive change • Create statewide competency-based certifications • Emphasize coordination • Conduct a statewide public communication campaign • Avoid a “one-size fits all” strategy

6. Governing Principle Kentucky Adult Education Act of 2000 – Senate Bill 1 "An efficient, responsive, and coordinated system of providers that delivers educational services to all adult citizens in quantities and of a quality that is comparable to the national average or above and significantly elevates the level of education of the adults of the Commonwealth."

7. Target Population Source: U.S. Census, 2000

8. Why is it important? • “No country however rich, can afford the waste of its human resources.” • Franklin D. Roosevelt

9. Why is it important? Per capita income 84% of the national average 49th in high school completions and GED Strong correlation or direct link between educational attainment and income. Source: US Census

10. National Workforce Training Programs In a poll of more than 80 corporate site location consultants, Georgia’s workforce training program was ranked number one in the country. Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky rounded out the top five. Source: Expansion Management, August 2007

11. An easily understood, conveniently attained, and universally valued workforce credential Based on objective, standardized results Nationwide portability An internationally recognized assessment organization Available for immediate use

13. What is ACT’s WorkKeys®? Standard system used in the business community created by ACT. Allows business to have a common language regarding workplace skills through job profiling, skills assessment, and instructional support. Compares the skills of workers with the skills required by the job. WorkKeys Foundational Skills assessments measure cognitive abilities such as applied mathematics, reading for information, and locating information.

14. ACT’s Occupational Profile Database • More than 4,668 job profiles are contained in the ACT job profile database. • 90 percent of the 4,668 job profiles require a minimum skill level of 5 on the WorkKeys Foundational Skills assessments. • Alignment with O*NET (Occupational Information Network) database. http://www.act.org/workkeys/profiles/occuprof/index.html

18. WorkKeys®and the KEC The Kentucky Employability Certificate is based on three WorkKeys skill areas: Reading for Information Applied Mathematics Locating Information

19. Reading for Information Measures a person’s skill in reading and using work-related information including: Instructions Policies Memos Bulletins Manuals Governmental Regulations

20. Applied Mathematics Measures a person’s skill in using mathematical reasoning to solve work-related problems: Calculating percentages, discounts and mark-ups Performing multiple mathematical operations Calculate perimeters and areas of basic shapes

21. Locating Information Measures a person’s skill in using workplace graphics such as: Diagrams Floor plans Tables Charts Graphs Forms

22. The Value of the KEC • Employers recognize the KEC as a meaningful credential and have “confidence” in the skills that credential holders possess. • Documented employee skill levels • Pool of certified applicants • Citizens recognize the value of the KEC in terms of making them more employable and documenting their skills to employers. • Provides skill-based credentials to Kentuckians • Portability among jobs, industries and states

23. How does an individual earn the KEC? • Score at • Level 4 • Level 5 Targeted Instruction/ Assessment in Three Skill Areas: Math, Reading and Locating Information Receive Certificate Yes No Re-assess as Needed Targeted Instruction

24. Kentucky Employability Certificate Levels Core employability skills for approximately 30% of the jobs *in the process of being added Core employability skills for approximately 65% of the jobs Core employability skills for approximately 90% of the jobs

25. The Kentucky Employability Certificate

26. The Kentucky Employability Certificate

27. State Support Kentucky Adult Education (state funds) will provide 100% funding to Adult Education eligible students for KEC associated costs of assessments, scoring, targeted instruction and KEC fees. Available at “no charge” to business and industry.

28. Kentucky Employability Certificates Issued to Adult Education Students 11,893 KECs Issued to Adult Education Students

29. It’s all about the students!

30. I-BESTIntegrated Basic Education and Skills Training Commitment to enroll more students from underserved populations and improve academic achievement among all students Demographic Imperative • Non-English Speaking Adult Population • High School Drop Out Rates • Workforce, …. grow or shrink? Economic Imperative • 1990’s Growth • 2000 Neck-n-Neck • 2001-2003 Recovery, BUT…. 30

31. The “Tipping Point” ResearchEconomic attainment: 1 year of college level credits + a credential is the tipping pointfor students needing to find career pathways Study tracked 35,000 working age adult students who came to CTC’s with high school education or less, or non-English-speaking 6 years after college start, the highest value-added for work success • 1 year + credential gives future earnings bump: • = $7,000 more per year for ESL students • = $8,500 more per year for an ABE student • = $2,700 and $1,700 more per year (respectively) for workforce students entering with a GED or HSD only • Jobs that need 1 year college level credit + credential are among those in greatest demand

32. A Deliberate Strategy for Systemic Innovation to Change! • Research & Data – Integrated Models • A Gathering of Leaders – National, State and Local • Demonstration Projects – Integrated Adult Basic Education & Workforce Training

33. What is I-BEST ? • Pairs a basic skills instructor with a professional-technical instructor in the same classroom at the same time • Provides academic and workforce skills that lead to a living wage job on a viable career path

34. What is I-BEST ? • Contradiction to ideas of pre-requisite skills or certifications • Approach to non-traditional students/workers that assumes ABE and technical instructors will fundamentally change how they teach students all along career pathways and into the foreseeable future

35. What is I-BEST ? • Right level of education in the right amount for students to succeed in current and “next step” workforce training • Basic skills curriculum contextualized to skills needed for success along a particular job and career path • Strategy that results in a much faster rate of skill attainment than sequencing basic skills and workforce training

36. From where you are … to where you want to be The IBEST Revolution Pierce College Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training

37. The Pierce IBEST Revolution!

38. Integrated Basic Skills & Corrections/Protection Officers and Corrections Careers ProgramFort Steilacoom Campus-Days I-BEST Approved In 14 weeks students are prepared to be licensed and work as Protection or Correction Officers Earn a Pierce College Corrections/Protection Officer Certificate Earn 20 credits towards a Certificate in Criminal Justice Earn 5 credits towards a Certificate in Homeland Security Earn 20 credits transferable to an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice Corrections Officers earn $27,000-$42,000 per year with excellent benefits.

39. Basic Skills Curriculum in Context An Example from the Corrections Protection Officers Program: Speaking: is focused on the skills needed to do things such as communicate clearly andeffectively with correctional officers, inmates and/or juvenile offenders and to promote correctional facility safety. Listening: is focused on the skills needed to do things such as understand directions, offenders’ requests and explanations, and follow safety warnings. Writing: is focused on the skills needed to do things such as write observation, infraction, and incident reports; entries into daily logbooks; memos; resumes; and security management plans. Reading: is focused on the skills needed to do things such as comprehend the correction specific text books, policies and procedures, and technical reports. Math: is focused on the skills needed to do things such as read graphs and charts and perform basic math operations to include percentages and fractions used on the job in Corrections.

40. CPO Results after 7 Cohorts

41. Pierce College Integrated ESL & The United Union of Roofers Apprenticeship Program(Transfers to Clover Park Technical College Fall 2007) Pierce College & Local 153 Roofers Union Students begin work over $15.00 4 hours of theory daily 4 hours of on-the-roof practical application daily Upon completion of this 2-year program students are journey union roofers earning over $26.00/hr.

42. Roofers Results after 2 Cohorts

43. State Board for Community and Technical CollegesCustomized Workplace Solutions SBCTC Resource Team Workforce Education Continuing Education Basic Skills Workplace Basics:ESL and Adult Basic EducationPaid release time; site Customized Training ProgramDeferred payment50% B&O credit Job Skills Training ProgramDollar-for-dollar match Contract ServicesFee for service • Continuum of workplace services to meet employer needs: • Address range of needed information and skills sets. • Provide a continuum of options for employers to support training. • Education and career pathways to increase skills of incumbent workers • Work-based learning options within the work site and work day. • Options to continue to increase skills that can occur at colleges or use e-learning.

44. State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Customized Workplace Solutions – Workplace BasicsEnglish as a Second Language and Adult Basic Education • Continuum of instructional models: • Negotiated locally. • Addresses the needs of employers and workers and communities. • Meets the requirements for adult basic education programs, including assessment and reporting in WABERS. TRADITIONAL BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTIONoffered at a worksite. Success is measured by adult basic education gains, such as a GED. CONTEXTUAL BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTIONoffered at a worksite. Success is measured in workplace terms tied to job performance,like productivity. INTEGRATED BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTIONoffered at a worksite. Success is measured in terms of gains in both basic and workplace skills. WORK-BASED BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTIONoccurs as employees carry out their jobs. Success is measured in terms of gains in both basic and workplace skills.

45. Training for Airport Screeners New test for airport screeners after 9/11 1000 screeners facing layoffs, many non-native speakers 650 incumbent screeners attended classes and workshops Classes offered six days/week, at various times of day; most students attended 4-6 hrs/week for 10 weeks Content: reading comprehension, test taking and familiarity with test item format; speaking and interviewing skills, completing on-line application 400 screeners (61% of class attenders, 50% of those assessed overall) retained their jobs. National average at similar airports was 10-15%

46. Airport University Screening training led to Airport University Partnership: college workforce education, non-profit PortJobs Entry level jobs  Career pathway Job skills classes, computer skills, leadership class, ESL 765 students have successfully completed Airport University classes 84 students have received scholarships for area community and technical colleges

47. Developing HealthcareProject Partnership: Healthcare Workforce Institute, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, local hospital, community college Creating a “pipeline” of healthcare professionals Central supply  basic skills training  Surgical Technician Training  Certification

48. Developing HealthcareProject Make training possible, given Different work shifts Different skills gaps Limited time outside of work Opportunity to learn on the job Systematize, support, build on existing mentoring and training Strategies under consideration Assessment of skills needed and gaps “Modules” for use by mentors Some F2F class time Computer-assisted or on-line