LITERACY ZONES: Regents Educational Reform Initiative

1. LITERACY ZONES: Regents Educational Reform Initiative Planning for A Literacy Zone

2. Today • Not a bidders conference • T.A. support for adult education programs, foundations, other providers interested in developing a literacy zone • Made in NY concept so no state or federal legislation • Currently first wave funded; opportunities over next several years for second and third waves, working through RAEN centers • Our assumption: any planning or steps to develop a literacy zone is good for adult education students, their families, their communities and for adult education results—multiple funding opportunities over next 2-3 years • Concept, elements, directions, lessons from first wave

3. More Background Thinking • Lessons learned through Literacy Zone pilots will be integrated into core adult education funding, as appropriate • SED role on two tracks: build up and pilot first wave; support planning for 2nd and 3rd waves • Already piloting new technologies, regional pipeline approaches, ASISTS metrics to tell more comprehensive story of impact of adult education when fully connected and leveraged

4. Context • Adult education nationally moving to a greater focus on career pathways and postsecondary transition for out of school youth and adults---beyond the GED • Also greater focus on aligning systems and resource streams • Simultaneously, NYSED implementing education reform effort called Literacy Zones that involve pathways out of poverty for all ages in a high poverty/immigration neighborhoods • Objective: statewide network of literacy zones connected as learning community on cutting edge of innovation for adult education • Neighborhood pipelines of opportunity/regional pipelines

5. Literacy Zones • Place-based strategy using an all hands on deck approach • Cross-lifespan: pre-natal through elderly • Cross-education: full continuum from baby basics and early childhood, k-12 and postsecondary, adult education as lead • Cross-system: vocational rehabilitation/independent living centers, libraries and cultural education, workforce and one-stops, health services, financial and legal, social services, foundations, volunteer sector, benefits and support services

6. Literacy Zone characteristics • Six characteristics: • High needs neighborhood or community of concentrated poverty/concentrated immigration with limited English language • Effective adult education provider as lead • 14 priority partnerships for programs, service and referral • 10 pathways out of poverty • Family welcome center as hub • Guiding coalition to develop LZ

7. Neighborhood of Concentrated Poverty/Limited English Language Proficient • Clearly defined target community: neighborhood, zip code, or community, not entire borough, city, region, county • Detailed evidence of concentrated poverty and/or limited English language proficiency • If low performing school in neighborhood, must be identified and connected as part of coordinated plan for raising literacy and English language proficiency, P-16 through adult • Literacy needs of the community clearly defined

8. Effective Adult education provider as lead applicant • Lead applicant has demonstrated expertise and results in providing adult literacy, esol, ged preparation • Could be part of consortium • Key investments • Community partnership coordinator • Full time case management • Statewide networking and training, including benefits training • Contextualized literacy to build skills to navigate complex systems

9. Family Welcome Center • Heart of every literacy zone: one or more, hub and spoke, serves as access portal to literacy, services, benefits, pathways • Stabilize family: benefits counseling, supports, program and services access, referral (literacy zone counselors and connections to other counselors) • Skills to navigate complex systems: health literacy, financial stability, postsecondary access, immigration, support for literacy at all ages • Pathways out of poverty • OPT testing for public; possible GED test online • Internet technologies (job/career zone, Learner Web, ASISTS, my benfits, Lotus Live and other social networking, e-literacy) • Volunteers to provide tutoring, remediation, help with technologies, and skills support across the continuum

10. Family Welcome centers • Fully and clearly described, including location • Accessible to parents and community • Access to web • Services and programs co-located on site • Space to administer OPT • ADA compliant • Center staff have skills and experience to work effectively with individuals from different cultures, backgrounds, languages • Connections to other case managers/counselors • Hub and spoke connections clear

11. 10 Pathways Out of Poverty • Raise literacy levels, birth through adult (100% literacy) • Programs to enable at risk in school youth to complete high school and move to postsecondary • Postsecondary transition for out of school youth and adults • Programs for public assistance recipients and 200% poverty leading to employment and advancement. • Incarcerated transition • Veterans transition • Pathways to citizenship and English language proficiency • Support for individuals with disabilities and their families • Support for mature workers and senior citizens to enable them to stay out of poverty. • Workforce development programs, including apprenticeship and career pathways.

12. Pathways • Tailored to needs of community • Clearly described, including connections and plans to build • SED will help build and enhance

13. Networking and interagency coordination • Literacy zones should provide comprehensive access to services and programs supporting individual or family • Literacy zone partnership matrix describes 14 priority services (handout) • Substantive partnerships with substantive letters of intents, mou’s, resource commitments • Roles and responsibilities clear • Planning clearly described; steps and agreements for coordinating services • Clear description of comprehensive support for families to increase literacy and English language proficiency

14. Guiding Coalition of Stakeholders • Clear commitment of stakeholders to develop literacy zone over long term • Planning calendar • Implementation calendar • Substantive letters of support

15. First Wave Just Funded • 18 very comprehensive Literacy zones with 43 family welcome centers---3 year, $15 million commitment supplemented by federal incentive grant funding • Dozen plus capacities, including: IBM support for social networking software and strategic planning; benefits training through Cornell University Waking Work Pay, DOH, OTDA, mybenefits NY portal; one-stop connections; career and job zone; disability training; work readiness curricula; piloting of ITTS and e-literacy; VISTA volunteers; training in NIFL LD curricula; connections to immigrant rights supports (DOL) etc. • Expand tracking of impact through ASISTS and semi-structured family interviews

16. Central New York Postsecondary and Workforce Pilot • 6 literacy zones in central New York supported by Regional Adult Education Network Center (Jim Matt) and strong community foundations • USDOE postsecondary transition and regional educational pipeline focus: 6 literacy zones provide support services, program connections, special transition services to create smooth pathways to 5 community colleges and 5 workforce investment boards to support regional economic development • Learner Web could be tool for developing Pathway Learner Plans for all 10 pathways • Start with postsecondary transition and transition to training and careers • CORD will provide comprehensive 9 month training on adult career pathways in key economic sectors: green jobs, advanced manufacturing, health care