Narrative Analysis Tool
Instructions
The Narrative Report responses below can be further filtered by one or more states, as well as keywords.
For more information on Narrative Reports please see the technical assistance documents.
| State | Establishment or operation of a high-quality professional development programs |
|---|---|
| Alabama | State leadership funds were used to support high quality professional development to all levels of practitioners. Virtual, hybrid and face-face models have been used in programmatic, regional and statewide trainings developed based on the needs of the programs, state and National Reporting System best practices. The changes in measurable skill gains gave all practitioners the opportunity to revisit and dive deeper into the tracking of and meaning of the gains that allow students the opportunity to move forward. The Alabama Association for Public and Continuing Education (ALAPCE) holds an adult education summer conference every year. The summer conference was held in person in Montgomery on June 5, 6, and 7, 2022 with over 400 practitioners in attendance. Session topics span the field of adult education: literacy, numeracy, high school equivalency, work-based learning, English as a Second Language and Civics Education, and National Reporting System Measures, data analytics, contextualized instruction, integrated education and training, and serving incarcerated learners. Participants were also encouraged to attend professional development events hosted by the state Workforce Development Board and the Alabama Community College Association, as appropriate. Regional directors' meetings were held in all three adult education regions on a bi-monthly basis in a virtual format and quarterly in-person. Professional development for these trainings were developed from the regional needs, workforce demands, research-based practices for improving NRS performance measures along with results from compliance monitoring. Specific national and state level professional development highlights for PY 2021-2022 include the conclusion of the LEAD Institute (sponsored by NASDAE and AIR), OCTAE’s Teaching the Skills that Matter (TSTM) training which includes a three-year sustainability plan, and OCTAE’s Virtual Training Institutes: Cultivating a Language and Content Focus for English Learners. Statewide professional development teams have been created to conduct train the trainer opportunities and to assist in the strategic implementation of content learned from participation in these events. |
| Alaska | Leadership funds support professional development through conferences, in-person and virtual meetings, and other means of programmatic communication. Program coordinator training and conferences are traditionally held in Anchorage. These meetings are used by the leadership team to disseminate information regarding regulations, policies, and promising practices. Due to COVID-19 precautions, Alaska’s PY 2021 Statewide Adult Education Conference was held virtually on March 2-4, 2021. The State AAE Office partnered with the Alaska Adult Education Association (AAEA) to provide a virtual conference platform that brought Alaska’s teachers, program coordinators, and staff a viable, virtual conference option. The PY 2021 conference began with a keynote address by Kate Redmon from Light & Salt Learning. Her feature address was on “Strength for the Journey: Walking Educational Pathways Beside the Adult Learner.” The three-day conference included dedicated training for new Program Coordinators. Presentation strands also included English as a second language (ESL), workplace literacy, correction, Integrated Education and Training (IET), assessments, and adult education instructional practices. The second day’s keynote speaker was Scott Thornbury who presented on “Teacher talk: how talk scaffolds learning and engagement.” Registration was open to program staff, teachers, program coordinators, data entry clerks, tutors, and adult education staff. The virtual conference was open to any individuals involved or interested in adult education in Alaska and other states who were interested in the available professional development opportunities. Alaska is planning a hybrid conference for PY 2022 to increase participation for rural programs with limited travel funding. We anticipant increased participation due to the hybrid availability. The AAE Program Coordinator Annual Meeting took place October 5-7, 2021. It began with an intensive New Program Coordinator training on October 5th. The meeting was held in a hybrid fashion with approximately two-thirds of the Program Coordinators attending in person. The State AAE Director presented on topics including the Desktop Monitoring, Barriers to Employment, and Educational Strategies. The first day intensive training allowed for new program coordinators to ask questions on training topics including Grant and Fiscal Responsibility, Professional Development, Measurable Skill Gains, and Introduction to National Reporting System (NRS) Tables. The AAE Office has found that this training is beneficial to new and seasoned program coordinators that would like to brush up on grant management skills. In addition to these conferences, the AAE State Director held monthly meetings for program coordinators to provide relevant program information, training with guest speakers, or technical assistance. Depending on their job functions, AAE staff are required to attend a specific number of hours of annual professional development courses. The State AAE Office provides opportunities for professional development, training, and technical assistance. Local programs are required to report annual professional development hours for all staff to the AAE Office through the AlaskaJobs system. Alaska AAE program coordinators, teachers, and staff participated in virtual on-line training offered by the Center for Applied Linguistics, LINCS, GED Testing Services (GEDTS®), Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE), and Alaska Career Information System (AKCIS). |
| American Samoa | Secondary education is addressed through the General Education development program which previously included the GED testing curriculum, but currently implements the HiSet curriculum. The local Department of Education has approved the HiSet test as a high school equivalency credential in the territory of American Samoa Curriculum. Preparatory classes are held at the American Samoa Community College campus through the Adult Education Literacy and Extended Learning (AELEL) department. This department is temporarily located in the MPC Building on the second floor. The exam will earn credential for future needs with the High School Equivalency Test. The AELEL department will assist with test cost, upon HiSet test referral through successful completion of classes of all subject areas of HiSet curriculum. HiSet participants who have successfully completed the high school equivalency exam are advised to join the American Samoa Community College with the various educational programs offered on campus. |
| Arizona | Professional Learning System: Arizona’s professional learning system incorporates required training activities for local providers to fulfill grant contract requirements; and provides required and optional state leadership initiatives to improve the effectiveness of programs and adult educators that result in improving student outcomes. Arizona Adult Education is a standards-based system and the framework for this system is based on the Learning Forward-Standards for Professional Learning, the Arizona Adult Education Teacher Standards, and the Arizona Adult Education Content Standards. The PL Standards provide guidance for planning, implementing, and evaluating effective professional learning at the state and local program levels. The teacher standards address what adult education teachers need to know and be able to do to plan and implement effective instruction in English Language Arts, mathematics, and English language proficiency. The content standards guide what students need to know and be able to do to be college and career ready and guide the instructional content for adult educators. Professional learning opportunities and initiatives are aligned to the required and permissible state leadership activities and to the standards as previously described. In addition, all state leadership initiatives are based on research and evidence-based practices that integrate professional learning models, such as learning communities and study groups. Due to ongoing COVID restrictions, all state leadership offerings were delivered virtually. The state office provided multiple resources for local providers and adult educators including asynchronous and synchronous trainings in standards-based instruction and virtual instruction, online curricula and educational technology resources, a teaching and learning repository, and the development of an Adult Education YouTube Channel. Please refer to the State Leadership Activities Chart below for more information. Grant Contract Requirements: There are multiple grant contract requirements and assurances in place to assist local providers in planning, implementing, and evaluating high-quality PL, such as: 1) Local providers must set aside and expend a minimum of 10% of adult education grant funds and any earned income for PL that is aligned to the AZ AE Standards and the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning; 2) Adult educators must hold a valid AZ Adult Education Certificate; 3) Certified teachers are to be compensated by local programs for participating in PL initiatives and planning time for instruction; 4) Instruction and print and digital curricula must be aligned to the AZ AE Content Standards; 5) Providers are required to submit proposed professional learning implementation plans for state review; and 6) Annual PL reports are required to be submitted to describe the interventions and strategies that were implemented at the local program level with the 10% PL set- aside. During this PY, the state office, in collaboration with the AZ Department of Education-Certification Division and Pearson Evaluation Systems, implemented four adult educator proficiency tests now available through the AZ Educator Proficiency Assessment (AEPA) System. These assessments in Adult Education English Language Arts, Mathematics, English Language Acquisition, and Professional Knowledge were developed and piloted over four years. Accountability Required Permissible AZ Adult Education Data Management System (AAEDMS) Training Description: Multiple training sessions on using AAEDMS, including entering data, reviewing, and approving data, generating and analyzing reports, and performance measures. Audience: Administrators, data entry staff Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(D) 223(2)(E) AZ Adult Educator Proficiency Assessments-Standards Setting Conference Description: This four-day conference was the last phase of a four-year process to develop and pilot four adult educator assessments for the AZ Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Program. The assessments in the areas of Adult Education English Language Arts, Mathematics, English Language Acquisition, and Professional Knowledge, were designed to assess content knowledge and adult education professional knowledge for AZ adult educators. Audience: Selected adult educator task force members 223(1)(B) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(J) 223(2)(M) Administrator Orientation & Refresher Training Series Description: Virtual webinar series to assist program administrators new in their roles to assume program leadership responsibilities and selected administrators, who would benefit from review. Modules delivered by AES unit teams to provide guidance on grant requirements. Audience: Administrators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(A) 223(2)(E) 223(2)(M) Annual Business Meeting Description: Meeting to provide technical assistance to adult education providers with closing out PY 2021-2022 and preparing for PY 2022-2023, including changes to processes or policies. Audience: Administrators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(A) 223(2)(E) 223(2)(M) Creating Effective IETs Description: This training series was developed based on the OCTAE sponsored IET Design Camp. Module 1 was delivered at the end of FY20 and Modules 2-3 were delivered in FY21. Audience: Administrators, College and Career Navigators, IET Coordinators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(A) 223(2)(D) 223(2)(H) 223(2)(I) Pipeline AZ Training and Assistance Description: Training on the implementation of Pipeline AZ, a career planning and transition platform, connected with Arizona employers. Audience: College and Career Navigators, administrators Delivery: Virtual, in-person 223(1)(C) 223(2)(E) 223(2)(F) 223(2)(M) TABE Coordinator Training Assessment Description: This training provided an overview of the DRC INSIGHT portal permissions available to the TABE Coordinator in adult education programs. Session outcomes include adding and editing test proctors, examinees, and test sessions, as well as reviewing current guidelines on remote proctoring and the Arizona Adult Education Assessment Policy. Audience: TABE administrators Delivery: Webinar 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(K) TABE Proctor Online Course Assessment Description: On-demand online course required for WIOA Title II program personnel who will be proctoring sessions of the TABE 11&12 & TABE CLAS-E assessments. Some topics covered in this course include preparing testing locations, accessing sections in the DRC INSIGHT portal, getting students started with their online testing sessions, and monitoring for testing violations. Audience: TABE proctors Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(K) TABE Coordinator Certification Online Course Assessment Description: On-demand online course required for Arizona WIOA Title II program personnel who oversee site implementation of the TABE 11&12 and TABE CLAS-E assessment. Some topics covered in this course include: the Arizona Adult Education Assessment Policy, creating and editing student profiles in the DRC INSIGHT Portal, creating testing sessions in INSIGHT, scoring assessment responses, and proctoring the TABE assessments. Audience: TABE administrators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(K) HSE PLUS Career Readiness Pathway Training Assessment Description: A series of training sessions designed for adult education staff responsible for implementing the HSE PLUS Career Readiness Pathway. This training provides guidance on the requirements and the supporting documentation to successfully complete this HSE pathway. Audience: Administrators, College and Career Navigators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(D) 223(2) (E) Leadership Development Required Permissible 2021 Virtual Adult Education Institute Description: The annual three-day institute for adult educators featured an Administrator Strand and an Instructor and Support Staff Strand. A variety of concurrent sessions were delivered focused on standards-based instruction, language acquisition strategies, educational technology, and program operations. Audience: Program directors, administrators, instructional leaders, instructors and support staff. Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(J) 223(2)(L) 223(2)(M) AZ Shop Talk Description: Bi-monthly webinars to provide information and updates to Title II providers. Audience: Program directors, administrators, other key personnel Delivery: Webinar Series 223(1)(D) 223(2)(A) 223(2)(E) 223(2)(M) 2021-2022 LEAD Institute Description: The LEAD Institute was developed by AIR to build leadership skills for adult education administrators. The AZ LEAD Institute also focused on building and expanding IET programs at the local program level. Audience: Program administrators, instructional leaders, and selected state staff Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(G) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(K) Identifying the Best HSE Pathway for Learners Description: Overview of the three AZ pathways to earn an AZ High School Equivalency diploma. The training included criteria for pathway eligibility, requirements, the process for completion, and how to guide HSE candidates to the most appropriate pathway. Audience: Administrators, College and Career Navigators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(D) 223(2) (E) Identifying the Three AZ HSE Pathways to Students at Rio Salado College – College Bridge Pathways Description: A panel from Rio Salado College-College Bridge Pathways, shared their experience introducing the three Arizona HSE Pathways to their Adult Education students and the process they have implemented to assist students as they complete their journey to earn a High School Equivalency Diploma. Audience: Administrators, College and Career Navigators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(D) 223(2) (E) Assessment Coordinator Update Webinar Description: An informational webinar for Assessment Coordinators at WIOA Title II Adult Education Programs. The webinar focuses on the Adult Education Assessment Policy, the TABE certification process, and updates from DRC. Audience: Assessment Coordinators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(D) 223(2) (E) Using GED Manager in WIOA Title II Adult Education Programs Description: This webinar session was developed for Adult Education users with access to the GED Manager system. Participants learned how to use the system to track their adult education students’ GED testing progress, instructional tools available in the system, and how to contact students interested in enrolling in Adult Education classes using GED Manager. Audience: Administrators/Coordinators, College and Career Navigators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(D) 223(2) (E) Managing Program Improvement through Distance Learning Description: A four module workshop series to review programmatic practices in the areas of orientation, assessment, and data analysis to improve distance learning services. Audience: Administrators, Instructional Leaders, and data staff Delivery: Virtual Blended (synchronous session per module & asynchronous assignments) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(B) 223(2)(E) 2022 Mountain Plains Adult Education Association (MPAEA) Annual Conference Description: This annual conference was held in Tempe, AZ and was a collaboration with the MPAEA and AZ Association for Lifelong Learning (AALL) Boards and ADE Adult Education state staff. The three-day hybrid conference featured keynote speakers and presenters for adult educators from the nine MPAEA states. Audience: Adult educators Delivery: Hybrid 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(J) 223(2)(L) 223(2)(M) Planning for Effective Professional Learning Description: A series of webinars focused on the AZ Planning Professional Learning Guide and PL Implementation Plan to assist program staff to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate effective professional learning at the program level. Audience: Administrators, instructional leaders, PL coordinators Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(2)J 223(2)M Standards-Based Instruction Required Permissible 2021 Virtual Adult Education Institute Description: The annual three-day institute for adult educators featured an Administrator Strand and an Instructor and Support Staff Strand. A variety of concurrent sessions were delivered focused on standards-based instruction, language acquisition strategies, educational technology, and program operations. Audience: Program directors, administrators, instructional leaders, instructors and support staff. Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(J) 223(2)(L) 223(2)(M) 2021-2022 Teaching and Learning Webinar Series Description: This bi-weekly webinar series was designed to build teacher content and instructional skills in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, English language acquisition, and best practices in virtual instruction. All webinars supported the implementation of the AZ Adult Education content and teacher standards. Audience: Administrators, ABE & ESOL Instructors, Instructional Leaders Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(J) 223(2)(L) 223(2)(M) Teaching Civic Engagement Seminar Series Description: This three-part seminar series was facilitated by trainers with Street Law, Inc. and was designed to assist ABE and ESOL teachers to effectively integrate civics into instruction for adult learners. The seminar included an overview of the new Arizona Adult Education Literacy Through Social Studies Standards. Audience: Administrators and ABE and ESOL Instructors Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(K) 2022 Civic Learning Conference Description: A one-day conference sponsored by the ADE-K-12 Standards Division and ADE-Adult Education, focused on the six proven practices of civics learning. Audience: K-12 and adult educators Delivery: F2F 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(K) English Language Standards in Action 2.0 Description: Two state staff and five adult educators, selected from local programs, completed the three-week SIA Training Series. This cohort was charged with planning the statewide training series in FY22, to roll-out the newly revised Arizona Adult Education English Language Proficiency Standards, incorporating the SIA activities. Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(G) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(K) IDEAL 103: Designing an EdTech Maker Space Description: Service-learning professional development process where educators learn new skills using edtech while co-creating reusable learning resources. Audience: Instructional Leaders Delivery: Virtual Blended (synchronous session per module with asynchronous assignments) 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) IDEAL 103: Building an EdTech Strategy Toolkit Description: Designed to walk instructors through a thoughtful process of designing strategic, sustainable instructional routines that leverage edtech and are centered around the factors that most impact their learners. Audience: Teachers Delivery: Virtual Blended (synchronous session per module with asynchronous assignments) 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) LINCS ESL Pro Module 2: Digital Literacy and Language Acquisition and ESL Pro Coaching Description: This training series, led by Dr. Kathy Harris, was designed to assist ESOL teachers to build instructional strategies in digital literacy skills to deliver effective instruction in language acquisition. Teachers practiced applying these strategies using the state provided ESOL online curriculum, Burlington English. Audience: ESOL teachers Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(1)(D) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(G) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(K) Online Curriculum Training for Odysseyware Description: Monthly training sessions were developed and provided for instructors to understand and gain access to the state-provided ABE online curricula, to support the implementation of blended instructional models for ABE students. Audience: Administrators, ABE Instructors Delivery: Virtual (synchronously and asynchronously) 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) 223(2)(C) Online Curriculum Training for Burlington English Description: Monthly training sessions for instructors to understand and gain access to the state-provided online EL curricula, to support the implementation of blended instructional models to transform the learning experience in ESOL classes. Audience: Administrators, ESOL Instructors Delivery: Virtual (synchronously and asynchronously) 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) 223(2)(G) 223(2)(I) Online Curriculum Training for EdReady Description: Multiple training sessions for instructors to understand and gain access to the state-provided online ABE curricula, to support the implementation of blended instructional models to transform the learning experience in ABE classes. Audience: Administrators, Instructors Delivery: Virtual (synchronously) 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) 223(2)(C) Online Curriculum Training for Discovery Education Description: Multiple training sessions for instructors to understand and gain access to the state-provided online curricula, to support the implementation of blended instructional models to transform the learning experience in ABE classes. Audience: Administrators, Instructors Delivery: Virtual (synchronously) 223(1)(B) 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) 223(2)(C) 2021-2022 STAR Training Series Description: The STAR program was designed to teach ABE instructors to use evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI) to help learners improve skills in the four essential components of reading. The AZ STAR Initiative focused on building the capacity of the previously trained STAR cohorts through refresher trainings and targeted technical assistance. Classroom observations were conducted, and team meetings were held with state STAR trainers and program teams. Audience: AZ STAR Trained Administrators and Instructors Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(A) 223(1)(B) 223(2)(C) 223(2)(I) 223(2)(J) 223(2)(K) 2022 Teachers ‘N’ Technology 2.0 Conference Description: A one-day virtual conference to provide quality professional development in the realm of educational technology in adult education. Audience: Administrators, Instructional Leads, and Teachers Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) Training Catalog Requests Description: Multiple training sessions held at the request of local providers on a range of topics including using specific digital tools, instructional strategies for virtual delivery, and the Hyflex model. Audience: ABE and ESOL teachers and instructional leaders Delivery: Virtual 223(1)(C) 223(2)(B) |
| Arkansas | Professional development services are administered by the AALRC, funded through the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative by ADWS/AES. The AALRC is a critical resource responsible for identifying, evaluating, and disseminating materials and information to adult education and literacy programs. ADWS/AES and AALRC give information through email, newsletters, and discussion lists and provide Zoom for webinars
The AALRC coordinates and presents in-depth professional development training that precisely coincides with the goals and vision of the ADWS/AES. This entails assuring that activities enhance teachers’ knowledge, skills, and abilities, are diverse, and encompass the whole person. The AALRC consistently assesses the needs of Adult Education program areas through evaluations/surveys, meetings, and general discussions or requests by phone and email. They provide any new software, materials, or resources necessary to accommodate the changing needs of adult education teachers and staff.
As limitations created by the national COVID-19 pandemic were lifted, the state could conduct more in-person professional development workshops. Two of those meetings were the Fall and Spring Administrators’ Meetings, during which ADWS/AES and the AALRC provided professional development and updates on initiatives. The Fall meeting focused on leadership development and the progression of WAGE™, a job training program for unemployed and underemployed adults. The Spring meeting highlighted recruitment, motivation, IET development, and moving programs forward.
Recognizing the profound impact that COVID-19 made on society, the AALRC incorporated training on mental health and wellness, including the importance of self-care. Although the number of in-person training increased this year, ADWS/AES and the AALRC recognized that virtual or distance learning would continue to be an essential tool for educating students and staff; as such, efforts have continued to find ways to accommodate program needs in the areas of distance learning and technology. The AALRC’s plan to offer more online training was finalized this year. An additional self-paced course in Customer Service and Learning Disabilities: Applications was added to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) online portal for programs. The AALRC has also created a YouTube Channel that houses recorded training on using specific software applications and other relevant training beneficial to users. Providing easy access to these workshops allows users to review and refresh their learning at their convenience. Other online professional development forums are maintained through Canvas and LINCS as well.
Unique goals accomplished this program year through a collaborative effort include:
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| California | California used state leadership funds to implement strategies identified in our unified state plan, to develop and deliver high-quality professional development, to provide technical assistance to sub-grantees, and to monitor sub-grantees for compliance with grant requirements. The majority of California’s state leadership funds are used to contract services from three providers known as State Leadership Projects (SLPs). These organizations annually develop and deliver high-quality professional development and technical assistance. In March 2020, as it was evident that adult education programs would be closing down and preparing for online/distance learning, the CDE held a conference call with the SLPs to ensure we were ready to support adult education teachers as they moved to teaching online. The SLPs moved quickly to provide training for teachers and continue to do so as online and distance learning is becoming the norm in California. During the 2021–22 year the SLPs continued to support sub-grantees with training and technical assistance-related teaching and assessing in a remote environment. This also included professional development related to hybrid instruction. CALPRO (Professional Development) is responsible for designing and implementing a large-scale statewide professional development project for all California funded Adult Basic Education agencies including those funded by WIOA, Title II: AEFLA-funded and California Adult Education Program (CAEP)-funded agencies and consortia. The American Institutes for Research (AIR), as the managing agency for CALPRO, provides opportunities for adult educators to interact and learn through evidence-based and collaborative PD about administrative and instructional practices to improve student learning. CASAS (Assessment and Accountability) is responsible for providing a standardized assessment and accountability system for all levels of ABE, ASE, and ELA programs and for reporting program enrollment and outcome data to the state. California agencies use the CASAS Reading GOALS and the Math GOALS test series for ABE and ASE and the CASAS Life and Work Listening and the Life and Work Reading test series for ESL. CASAS assessments help to place learners in appropriate levels of instruction, diagnose learner strengths and weaknesses, target instruction, and certify learner proficiency at specific levels of instruction or readiness to exit adult education. CASAS offers computer-based assessments, CASAS eTests®, to help place students into programs quickly; monitor learner progress; and generate student, class, and program level reports to inform instruction. Statewide student and program accountability data is collected and reported using TOPSpro® Enterprise, a learner management and accountability software. The web-based software collects student demographics, records assessment results, tracks student attendance, and monitors and tracks student and program learning outcomes and goal-attainment data. The software offers more than 80 data reports, including the National Reporting System (NRS) and Joint Statewide tables required for federal data reporting and the California payment points and California Adult Education Program (CAEP) reports for California statewide data results. OTAN (Technology and Distance Learning) provides technology integration training, online curriculum, online courses, and other programs and activities to support the use of instructional technology to deliver curriculum. OTAN hosts a yearly technology symposium, manages the state Continuous Improvement Plan for adult education agencies, and assists in expanding the ability of adult education providers to (1) communicate with one another and their adult learners through multiple methods, (2) develop digital leadership skills, and (3) provide capacity-building services to adult education agencies. OTAN embraces the vision of leading adult education through support for and the effective application of technology. |
| Colorado | Professional learning in the 21-22 program year continued and expanded many of the offerings from the prior year. Each month, five hours of training was provided for instructors and their administrators through Professional Learning to Chew On, Instructor’s Corner, and Learning Network online meetings. These trainings were developed and facilitated by trainers from Hamline University and Minnesota Literacy. Reading activities in these trainings included phonemic awareness, phonemes, phonics, fluency, comprehension, inference, decoding, and building vocabulary. Math and Universal Design for Learning were also included in these training sessions. Twenty instructors and administrators completed the year-long training. The training also included a focus on the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education and the English Language Proficiency Standards. Designers’ Club and Directors’ Talk continued to be offered monthly as 1-hour online meetings. Designers’ Club covered the following topics: distinguishing English language learning needs from learning disabilities; classroom accommodations and accessibility; multi-sensory training; and Universal Design for Learning. Directors’ Talk covered activities around metacognition and growth mindset and provided opportunities for adult education program directors to connect and share their knowledge and resources across the state. AEI offered an online and no-cost version of the EDU 134 course which covers the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education and the English Language Proficiency Standards, a required component in earning Colorado’s Adult Basic Education Authorization (ABEA). The course specifically covers: listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, vocabulary, and syntax. Over 70 instructional staff, who teach across the state, have completed the course since the Spring of 2022. |
| Connecticut | The CSDE delivers its state leadership and professional development services through our RESC organization—EdAdvance as part of the Adult Training and Development Network (ATDN). The CSDE’s professional development model supports the implementation of the goals of Connecticut’s State Plan and consists of professional development basics and activities related to the implementation of College & Career Readiness Standards. Professional Development is provided to local Adult Education programs, services for One-Stop partners, Literacy Volunteers and other agencies through the Adult Training and Development Network (ATDN). Embedded in the majority of the professional learning and support sessions offered, the essential components of reading, as they relate to adult education, are crucial areas of focus. In collaboration with the CSDE, Digital ATDN, a branch of ATDN, worked to provide professional learning and support sessions on various technologies for learning that can assist with multiple aspects of teaching, assessment, and accommodations. These technologies, in the form of applications, resources, and software platforms, assisted agencies in applying effective instructional practices and a need for better assessment and ongoing monitoring of adult students' proficiencies, weaknesses, instructional environments, and progress, which can guide instructional planning. The components of reading were woven into both the on-demand, self-paced video training sessions, and various virtual professional learning sessions offered during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. These training sessions encouraged active learning providing teachers with opportunities to get hands-on experience designing and practicing new teaching strategies. Using real examples of curriculum, student work, and instruction, teachers can participate in the same style of learning they are designing for their students. Although the training sessions did not occur in person, training content and assignments were designed for the participants to actively participate in their learning and receive feedback after the review of the required assignments in lieu of hands-on learning. Instruction in strategies for teaching English language learners and improving the practice of teachers of English language learners is embedded in the professional learning and support sessions and can have important implications for improving the equity of instruction and promoting inquiry-based, literacy-integrated instruction in various academic areas to improve English language learners’ reading achievement. Through professional learning and support sessions, spaces are created where teachers can share ideas and collaborate in their learning that relates new instructional strategies to teachers’ students and classrooms. By working collaboratively, teachers can create communities that positively change the culture and instruction of their targeted audience. Collaboration can be achieved in a one-on-one setting, small group setting, or across agencies with other professionals. In collaboration with the statewide Disability Consultant, mini workshops focusing on adults with needs were presented to the adult education field for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Topics including Welcome and Going for the Gold in the Paralympics, Exploring Cognitive Issues Experienced by COVID Long-Haulers, Accessible Materials for Adults with Disabilities, and Self-Care for Staff in Trying Times were offered to the adult education field to provide resources, background information, and contacts for agencies as it relates to working with adults. Additionally, two other disability workshops were offered to the field (The Intersection of Learning Style, Learning Difference and Learning Disabilities and The Short and Long-Term Repercussions of Stress on Learning). The Disability Consultant spends time compiling pertinent information for the state adult education professionals, and also consults with agencies on an as-needed basis should a question arise specific to the accommodation or modifications necessary for various student needs. The format in which professional learning training sessions were offered during the 2021-2022 fiscal year continued to evolve to meet the needs of the adult education programs, staff, and the field of participants. The majority of sessions were offered virtually and continued to, in addition to general interest topics, promote and emphasize digital literacy, as well as accommodate for the pivot to virtual learning. Technology platforms, such as Google Classroom, Zoom, CANVAS, etc. were introduced to the field, and targeted professional learning and support training sessions were provided to assist agencies with the implementation of these platforms. Additional technological apps were also introduced, allowing agencies to effectively utilize effective methods of instruction and information dissemination, while still providing students with a “classroom” feel. Apps, such as EdPuzzle, Padlet, Jamboard, Mentimeter, etc. were introduced to the field and additional training and support sessions were provided so the implementation could be as seamless as possible. The creation of a Digital App where “how-to” videos and resources were made available to all adult education professionals was developed by the Statewide Distance Learning Coordinator. Continuous professional learning and support sessions were provided at various levels of ability to continue to show the advantages of using these platforms and apps. In 2021-2022, approximately 2,322 participants attended over eighty-eight (88) training sessions and virtual conference presentations at CAACE, CASAS, and COABE, as well as a virtual one-day Summer Institute, which was developed and conducted with over 429 participants. |
| Delaware | To ensure high-quality professional development opportunities for Delaware adult educators, Delaware aligns professional development activities with the Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD) standards and policies. Additionally, during PY21 the State participated with IDEAL Distance Learning Training. Seven local programs in addition to the State Resource Center, the ACE Network, and the State Team completed World Ed’s Introductory 101 course. The ACE Network was the first professional development group to complete this course and to use the online learning or hybrid models for use with professionals.
Delaware delivered professional development events occurring throughout the year. Topics included:
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| District of Columbia | In FY22, OSSE AFE, in collaboration with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and other partners, offered professional development workshops and technical assistance on WIOA, Integrated Education and Training (IE&T), program design, and strategic leadership to sub-grantees to increase their capacity to offer high-quality IE&T and supportive and transition services to District residents. Additionally, OSSE AFE, in collaboration with UDC, hosted three mini-professional development institutes that focused on Accessible Online Tools for Contextualizing Learning for Older Youth & Adults (Fall 2021), Building Blocks for Education, Training and Workforce Providers - Strengthening the College and Career Readiness Aspects of Your Program (Spring 2022), and Help Students Succeed and Get the Outcomes You Need: Managing the Learning Environment for Student Persistence in Education, Training and Workforce Programs (Summer 2022). Other professional development offerings included CASAS Implementation, CASAS eTest Coordinator and Proctor Training, DC CASAS Remote Testing Implementation, TOPSpro and CASAS bi-monthly check-in sessions, Literacy Adult and Community Education System (LACES) Beginner and Intermediate training, LACES monthly check-in sessions, and other related trainings. In FY22, OSSE AFE continued its partnership with UDC to offer the Graduate Certificate in Adult Education Program (GCP) to 11 adult educators to prepare them for certification and/or state licensure in Adult Education. The GCP provides adult educators with an opportunity to engage in either one or two three-credit course(s) over a 15- to 24-month period for a total of 24 credits. Three adult educators completed the program and earned a graduate certificate and 11 continued their studies in pursuit of the certificate. UDC also offers the Master of Art (MA) in adult education program, for which the graduate certificate program is aligned, and credits may be applied. Two adult educators enrolled in the MA program in FY21, and one student who enrolled in the program in FY20 earned an MA degree in FY22. |
| Florida | The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) demonstrated a strong commitment to the area of adult education professional development in 2021-2022 by establishing a designated Bureau of Adult Education. The creation of this new structure included the addition of the positions of a bureau chief, a director of adult education professional development and accountability, and a coordinator of professional development. A designated position for the areas of adults with disabilities and corrections was also filled in 2021, in addition to maintaining four existing programmatic positions. The new positions focus on ensuring the quality and quantitative value of trainings, coordination between providers to ensure a unified and seamless system of delivery, and longitudinal studies of the direct impact on Florida’s data outcomes. Integrated Education and Training (IET) continues to be a primary focus of the state’s adult education professional development activities, as well as serving adults with disabilities and greater coordination with career and technical education stakeholders, the state’s workforce board, Career Source and other core partners.
Professional development activities supported by FDOE with state leadership funds in 2021-2022 included grants to the Institute for the Professional Development of Adult Educators (IPDAE) through Indian River State College, Adult and Community Educators of Florida Foundation (ACE of Florida) and the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC). Eighty-nine regional and statewide webinars and workshops were coordinated and supported by leadership grantees in 2021-2022 based on professional development priorities identified by program area advisory committees, needs assessments, input received from training evaluations and the DCAE staff. These trainings were conducted both in-person and virtually with greater emphasis on quality in-person facilitation. Additionally, local providers were provided in-depth virtual and in-person training needed to complete a local and regional needs assessment and a strategic collaborative plan for adult education. Other priorities identified for implementation included research-based reading and math strategies, differentiated and contextualized instruction, adults with disabilities, integrated education and training, and Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) web-based certification. Implementation of college and career readiness standards in Adult Basic Education (ABE), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and GED®, with an emphasis on all four subject test areas, were included in professional development provided to stakeholders. Major professional development activities are included in the section below:
ACE of Florida Foundation
Through ACE of Florida, a variety of professional development initiatives were provided on the following program areas: English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), GED, and Adults with Disabilities. ACE of Florida continued to provide professional development for adult ESOL instructors, as they developed lesson plans and provided instruction using the FDOE Adult ESOL curriculum frameworks. Trainings were implemented through a train-the-trainer initiative to increase the number of Florida-based adult ESOL practitioners who provide effective training opportunities to local education agencies statewide.
Trainings for ABE practitioners included three regional part-time teacher academies throughout the 2021-2022 program year with 61 participants. The annual statewide conference was held in October of 2021 with 380 participating adult education stakeholders. ACE of Florida also hosted a state-wide summer symposium in June of 2022, for adult education administrators, with over 120 practitioners in attendance. Experts from various subject areas served as presenters to address issues relating to Integrated Education and Training (IET), data reporting, adults with disabilities, family literacy and WIOA partnerships. ACE also offered professional development opportunities in the areas of Adults with Disabilities and Teaching Skills that Matter, with approximately 185 attendees combined.
ACE worked in consultation with Education Strategy Group (ESG) to develop recommendations for the 2023-2027 WIOA-AEFLA RFP process. The provider was successful in completing the following deliverables through June 30, 2022:
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| Georgia | GOAE assessed and adapted its professional development (PD) offerings throughout FY22 based on the continued disruptions in service caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As programs reopened and closed once again, GOAE continued to offer virtual professional development opportunities to meet the needs of adult education programs, program administrators, and program staff who could not attend in-person PD. GOAE continued to collect, evaluate, and implement professional development solutions by taking into account research from the first year of the pandemic and its impact on adult education programs and student learning. GOAE built upon professional development provided in FY21 by expanding the following instructional support initiatives in FY22:
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| Guam | The State faced another year of critical employee turnover in leadership and staff, requiring an adjustment period and training. The Virtual NRS State Workshop on New Horizons: Virtual Learning and Service Delivery in Adult Education came at an opportune time for the new employees to attend. The workshop focused on the environmental factors shaping adult education related to the pandemic. Attending virtual webinars or workshops met with challenges due to time differences. Guam is 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. SAO sent an adult education faculty and administrator to attend conferences on the mainland. The opportunity to go off-island provided valuable experience to adult education educators and providers to learn from the sessions and others to network and visit display booths on products and resources. Conferences attended were the 2022 Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) and Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) National Summer Institute 2022. The I-BEST model and the strategies to teach student literacy, work, and college readiness skills were shared through one of those conferences. The IET offered at the beginning of the program year revealed that the program needed to modify the teaching modality to strengthen the program's quality to improve student outcomes. The success rate was ten percent. SAO reached out to the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to conduct a workshop on the I-BEST model, a team-teaching approach where students receive instruction from two instructors in the same course. One instructor provides job training, and the other teaches basic reading, math, or English skills. The model has been proven effective, especially for adult education programs. Furthermore, for new employees not trained in the competency-based assessment system (CASAS), SAO also reached out to CASAS to provide training. SAO has successfully coordinated with SBCTC and CASAS to conduct the requested training. The two-day workshop offered engaging and powerful sessions that featured Creating Pathways to Student Success utilizing the I-BEST model and sessions with CASAS and TOPSpro Enterprise application or use and NRS Accountability on federal reporting requirements. Local program faculty, staff, administrators, and State staff were in attendance. Over ninety percent of the participants were satisfied with the sessions, topics, content quality, and workshop usefulness. It is important to note that despite the pandemic, mitigation measures were exercised throughout the program year and during the face-to-face workshop. |
| Hawaii | Professional Development
In PY 2021 – 2022, professional development for the local service provider was focused on the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a research-based framework for learning and addresses the professional development areas specified in section 223(a)(1)(B) listed below.
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| Idaho | Idaho’s professional development (PD) funds are distributed to local programs. To identify PD needs, directors, instructors, and other key AE staff met to review program data trends related to performance measures and other program-related data. Research-based practices and guest speakers were identified and utilized. Idaho used a PD model that places equal emphasis on local-level core training, state-level training, and specialized national training. Following are examples of PD opportunities that may cross the various levels of PD. Local-level core training PD FERPA compliance, CASAS, LiteracyPro (LACES), Next Steps Idaho, Launch Idaho, teaching methods to incarcerated participants, Burlington English, digital resilience, blended learning, new teacher onboarding, NRS, and assessment policy. State-level PD Local director’s meetings, LACES, TABE, CASAS, Essential Education, and strategic plan initiatives: Recruitment, Retention, and Marketing Strategies, Teaching Skills that Matter, digital resilience, sustaining standards-based instruction, and IET and pre-apprenticeships. National PD LINCS, COABE, NRS, National Director’s meeting, MPAEA, Correctional best teaching practices, and Correctional Education Association Conference. Idaho had a team participate in the Standards-in-Action Training 2.0. This team presented their experience and learning with the other AE instructors throughout the state. Discussion took place as to the best methods for participants to mentor newer instructors in Idaho’s AE programs. Additionally, the state director participated in training and webinars presented by NASDAE and NRS. Training materials were disseminated to all local programs. Each local program was required to have a PD specialist to track training. This specialist helped complete the quarterly desk audits with PD updates. Due to the recent pandemic, Idaho has experienced staff turnover, and these specialists updated training records and training needs within their respective regions. |
| Illinois | AEFLA Leadership funds were used to support the Title II activities identified in Illinois’ Unified State Plan. These supports ensured the 72 adult education programs spanning 57,914 square miles consisting of community colleges, public schools, and community-based organizations provided English Language, literacy, career pathway, and employment instruction to all AELFLA participants. The Professional Development Network provides supports to AEFLA programs in the following areas: 1) the development and dissemination of instructional and programmatic practices based on the most rigorous or scientifically valid research available and appropriate, in standards aligned instruction in reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, English language acquisition programs, distance education, integrated education and training programs, STAR Reading, and staff training, 2) the role of eligible providers as a one-stop partner to provide access to employment, education, and training services; and 3) assistance in the use of technology to improve system efficiencies. Specific examples of the high-quality professional development offered by the ICCB AEFLA funded PDN include the following:
Equity and Access for All Learners and ADA Coordinator Training
To best combine current educational research with the needs of adult learners, the Designing for Equity and Access for All Learners professional development extended throughout PY21. The training reflects the priority of ensuring equity and access for all learners by infusing elements of Universal Design for Learning, effective instructional practices, and designing standards-based instruction with learner needs in mind. Finally, all adult education programs are required to have an officially trained American with Disabilities Act staff representative who completes training on ADA and accessibility.
Instructional Effectiveness: ABE/ASE
The expectation of instructional effectiveness occurred through intentional, and expert delivered professional development beginning with a New Teacher Orientation (NTO) course required of all new instructional hires. This course offered an overview of the Illinois Adult Education system including policies, data practices, importance of assessment, instructional methodology for adult learners, program design, and the introduction to professional development resources.
Professional development courses supported the development of standards-based instruction through the implementation of Instructional Staff Professional Pathways. This process meets Illinois’’ goal of sustaining a systematic development of Standards Proficient Instructors and the development of Content Specialists and Master Teachers to provide instructional leadership, coaching, and curriculum improvement in all adult education content areas. As a part of the standards-based instruction, the PDN continued the STAR training and integrated this training as a foundational component of the Evidence Based Reading Instruction, EBRI, and Content Specialist Pathway. Illinois policy requires every program to have standards proficient instructors.
English Language Learning
The ICCB, through its PDN, focused sustained efforts across multiple fiscal years to ensure continuous improvement of English Language Acquisition (ELA) instruction and delivered ESL Proficient, Specialist and Master Teachers training. This sustained initiative ensured instructors integrated the English Language Content Standards into their instructional practices. Additionally, the PDN supported a catalogue of web-based, on-demand learning opportunities through their iLEARN system with 22 specific ELL topics.
Bridge, Integrated Education and Training, and Career Pathways
Under the guidance of the ICCB, the PDN convened the annual Transitions Academy to assist adult education program administrators leverage system and community partnerships as they developed Bridge and ICAPS (Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System) programs. The Transitions Academy focused on increasing awareness of the expanding partnership between Adult Education and Career and Technical Education as it relates to the State’s ICAPS model, Perkins V, and Illinois Programs of Study.
The outcomes of this year-long academy included expanded services to multiple populations of students that connect individuals to trainings for middle-skill jobs which require some postsecondary education leading to sustainable wages.
Statewide Meetings, and Conferences
The strategic and coordinated planning of the statewide meetings and conferences by ICCB staff, the Professional Development Network, and key stakeholders provided extensive opportunities for providers to network with state staff, receive high quality professional development aligned with OCTAE priorities, connect individuals for peer-to-peer support, and connect with staff members to schedule program specific technical assistance.
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| Indiana |
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| Iowa | Iowa's professional development system is designed to coordinate state-level high quality professional development activities within Section 223(a). The projected impact of professional development on instruction and adult learner outcomes is evaluated by the following criteria:
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| Kansas | The state provides and facilitates relevant professional development opportunities to Adult Education across Kansas. Local programs receive a dedicated allocation for professional development and may apply for additional funds to support training opportunities. Instructors engage with College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) training in self-paced courses hosted online through the learning management system (LMS) developed in partnership with Wichita State University, in addition to the recently created Becoming an Adult Educator course, an introduction to andragogy and the teaching of adults. Through the same portal, all staff are able to share and access resources on a variety of topics, including links to state-created training videos. For PY2022, KBOR added a review of state policies to the LMS, required of all local program directors and available to all local staff. Many opportunities are available for no-cost professional development, including the monthly leadership meetings hosted virtually or in-person by the state and attended by all programs. During these meetings, information is disseminated and topics of current interest are discussed; data reviews and training for the Adult Education Student Information System (AESIS), the information management system used in Kansas are provided; and technical assistance with budgets and reports is made available. Local staff regularly review National Reporting System (NRS) policies and practices with training available through NRS and are encouraged to access courses and webinars through LINCS and the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), which are available free of charge. Programs are also encouraged to use professional development funds to attend relevant national conferences, including COABE, GED, Correctional Education Association, and more. All programs send one or more representatives to the state conference hosted by the Kansas Adult Education Association (KAEA). KBOR also facilitates STudent Achievement in Reading (STAR) training and, for PY2022, has added Reading Horizons training as another option for an evidence-based reading curriculum. The state further assists local programs in coordinating technical assistance and professional development opportunities with vendors used in Kansas, including Burlington English, Aztec, and Essential Education. In addition to required professional development activities for program leaders and instructors, KBOR planned to expand requirements for PY2022, including having representatives from all programs attend national Adult Education conferences and designating the number of hours of professional development all staff must have within a program year. Programs will be incentivized to meet these goals as part of the performance-based funding formula. |
| Kentucky | Professional Development Programs OAE provided five professional learning courses focused on essential components of reading. The courses emphasized GED-aligned, Corrections-friendly reading instructional resources and strategies as well as improving adult learners’ listening skills to enhance comprehension. Student diagnostic report data was analyzed and leveraged to improve student outcomes. Additionally, OAE launched the first statewide Blackboard-based mathematics distance learning pilot in PY21. Five local providers participated in three Spring 2022 cohorts. The course was aligned to all GED High Impact Indicators (HII) for Mathematics and included formative and summative assessments for each GED HII-aligned module. 16 participating local instructors and program directors and 84 students participated in the pilot. 15 students earned their GEDs by the conclusion of the project. The intent is to use the course as a model for future OAE-initiated instructional initiatives. At the conclusion of PY21, OAE hosted a statewide KYAE Education Summit for WIOA partners and stakeholders. The event focused on creating better understanding of Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Workplace Literacy (WPL) models of instruction. In PY21, programming for OAE’s primary IET, GED+Plus, ended in the Fall semester of 2021 due to a low completion rate. Out of 223 IET participants, only 5.56% achieved post-secondary transcripts. By utilizing LINCS IET training materials, meeting with OCTAE and other states (OH, IN, VA), and participating in targeted training from World Ed, OAE developed an IET/WPL planning tool and application process for the Local Provider Network. |
| Louisiana | By continuing to provide online design and instruction training to faculty and staff, we are better positioned to facilitate teaching in a digitally inclusive environment. Other necessary training included both in-person and virtual options.
During FY 2021-2022, WRU demonstrated its commitment to high-quality professional development activities that included but were not limited to:
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| Maine | The State Office’s goals for the professional development system in FY22 were to focus on strategies to support part-time staff, to implement the Teaching Skills that Matter (TSTM) initiative statewide, to support leadership development of program directors, and to continue to support local providers use of educational technology in remote, HyFlex, and distance learning settings. Led by the State PD coordinator, the statewide professional development advisory committee made up of adult education staff representing a diversity of roles and providers, continued to play an important role in the professional development system. They assisted with setting professional development goals, provided feedback, and problem-solved PD challenges, such as recruitment and retention, new tools, and requirements. The committee analyzed professional development data and CASAS assessment data and surveyed the regional adult education Hubs to identify needs in the field and key topics for professional development in FY23, such as social emotional learning, foundational reading skills, numeracy, and integration of technology. Nearly 90% of Maine’s adult educators are part-time with many of them working more than one job. The State Office continued to look for ways to ensure that professional development opportunities were available for all educators and to increase participation. Staff trainings were offered multiple times and in different locations and contexts, including on Zoom, in-person, and as HyFlex. Other trainings were developed as on-demand modules resulting in greater participation and access. Synchronous events were held later in the afternoon and on varied days of the week so that part-time teachers and teachers who also teach in the K-12 system would be able to attend. The CASAS implementation trainings included modules for analyzing TopsPro reports for instruction and were delivered using the HyFlex model, with in-person participants joined by remote participants. The HiSET Test Center Administrator training was developed as an on-demand training which made it more accessible for local providers needing to train new staff, and training for the state’s data management system was curated to be used as a training tool for local providers. These on-demand trainings are shared in the state’s Schoology groups. The State Office continued to solicit experts in the field to deliver mini-courses, webinars, and workshops through Zoom or in facilitated or self-paced courses on Schoology. Professional development courses and webinars focused on improving instructional strategies, including, courses in distance learning instruction and assessment, expanded offerings in social emotional learning, TESOL methodology, and CCRS-SIA and ELPS. The State Office worked with LINCS to offer a webinar series about serving all learners which encouraged participants to look at the accessibility of all aspects of their programming. After participating in the federal TSTM training, the State Professional Development Coordinator and teacher team developed and facilitated a TSTM training for Maine’s adult education practitioners. The statewide training included 23 educators from across the state and focused on implementing the TSTM materials in various teaching contexts. An in-person training in September introduced the materials, and three webinars focused on diversity of teaching, math-science connections, and alignment with current curricula. Participants also worked with a coach and implemented the toolkit lessons in their classrooms and participated in an online community of practice. In April, the group reconvened in-person to share the impact of their work on their teaching. In FY23, the State Office and TSTM team will continue with their year two implementation plan. To support the many new adult education program directors, to encourage leadership development among current directors, and to build leadership among aspiring directors, the State Office offered the Leadership Excellence and Development Institute (LEAD). Developed by AIR in partnership with NASDAE, LEAD focused on developing leadership skills, data- and research-based decision making, and workforce alignment in the context of adult education programming. Participants completed a Leadership-in-Action plan specific to a need within their program. In FY22 most local providers began to hold in-person classes again, but nearly all offered some classes at a distance (synchronous or asynchronous) to support learners with barriers to participation. As a result, the State Office prioritized supporting local providers with strategies for using educational technology effectively and building learner and staff digital skills. The popular Tech Talk series continued with a focus on using technology in the classroom and for recruitment. Courses in distance education instruction assessment and recruitment, intake, and orientation asked participants to create courses and materials to use in their contexts immediately. The State Office’s membership in the IDEAL consortium ensured that local providers had access to high-quality distance learning resources to share, including introductory courses in blended and mobile learning and open educational resources through WorldEd’s elearning platform. IDEAL facilitators led courses in solving instructional challenges of remote teaching and building an edtech strategy toolkit, which was offered in partnership with New Hampshire. Both courses were designed around the participant’s teaching context with learner’s needs and skills at the center. Communication from the State Office about professional development and relevant resources is shared through the group feature of Schoology, the statewide listserv, and a weekly ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) newsletter. Topic-specific groups, such as State Office Technical assistance, eCASAS, HiSET, and Data/MaineSTARS, house fiscal and program guidance, reporting templates, recordings of webinars/meetings. Each group also fosters a community of practice where the field can support each other by asking questions and sharing resources. The State Office continued to use the statewide listserv (almost 400 members) to disseminate promising practices and to share listings for upcoming professional development opportunities sponsored by the State Office and our partners. The weekly ICYMI newsletter highlights key fiscal and program updates, upcoming professional development and office hours, links to articles or other resources, and successes from the field. Monthly office hours continued to connect staff from around the state. They were facilitated by local practitioners and offered for specific program roles (advising, data, ESOL teachers, math, and ELA/Literacy teachers). The office hours for teachers had low attendance, so the State Office is working with the facilitation team to determine needed adjustments to reengage the field in FY23. State Office personnel attend relevant and appropriate federal and regional technical assistance trainings, such as National Reporting System on-line trainings, OCTAE Shop Talks, CASAS Summer Institute, the NASDAE National Training Institute, IDEAL consortium summer institute, COABE National Conference, Learning Forward Conference, and LINCS webinars, and then report back to our local service providers with information, materials, and guidance on key information learned. When appropriate, the State Office invited practitioners from the field to join the trainings. While the State Office personnel attended some in-person trainings in FY22, they are still able to benefit from the online trainings that would not be available otherwise due to travel costs. |
| Maryland | Maryland requires all adult education grantees to submit an annual Professional Development Plan that demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement in learner achievement and instructor effectiveness. based on identified programmatic goals. Professional development plans must be data-driven based on student outcomes, local and state goals, instructor needs, assessment surveys, classroom observation, and other data to determine professional development needs. In PY 21 local agencies began to transition to in-person instruction to meet student demand for such, while continuing to provide hybrid and virtual classes. The Maryland Labor team and local program staff worked in tandem to ensure access to the shifting landscape of course delivery. The Maryland Virtual Training Institutes (MD VTI) were offered in December and June of the program year. All content was recorded and archived to enable resource sharing on the website as part of the quality professional development efforts. In PY21, the state offered 17 unique sessions on topics aligned with instructional practices and WIOA implementation. A total 212 unduplicated participants attended at least one session of the VTI. Sessions are designed to be brief and include topics that can be easily incorporated into instruction. Most importantly, they are designed by practitioners and offered at no cost. Feedback for VTI has been very positive. As in previous VTIs, participants and presenters have joined from outside of Maryland allowing for a rich exchange of information. In addition, several of Maryland’s Title II grantees actively incorporate archived VTI sessions into their new instructor and new staff orientations. In PY 21, adult education team members implemented “Gather and Grow” a content-focused professional development opportunity for ABE and ESL instructors based on local program need. Lesson Planning was chosen as a priority topic. Participants were assigned a reading material/ pre-workshop material before the session took place, and throughout the workshop, participants worked on creating effective lesson plans that were guided by CCRS Standards and CASAS Competencies. Separate sessions were offered for ABE and ESL practitioners. The lesson planning workshop in March 2022 garnered close to 20 participants in each group. Maryland began the Student Achievement in Reading (STAR) Pilot in September 2021 with six local programs (35 local staff) and three state staff participating in the initiative. The nine-month pilot ended in June 2022, with 93% of participants receiving Certificates of Completion. This exceeded the expected 60% completion success rate. As a result of the successful outcomes, a State Education Program Specialist and a local instructor will become State Trainers for Maryland and continue the STAR rollout. Communities of Practice (CoP) continue to be a valuable resource for leadership team members. Virtual meetings provided a forum for programs to share challenges and best practices with peers and provided a continuous avenue for open communication between State staff and the local program leadership staff. CoP meetings are scheduled quarterly for each local leadership team role - Program Administrator, Instructional Specialist, Intake/Assessment Specialist and Management Information Specialist, and additionally for Transitions staff, NEDP® Lead Advisor/Assessor and IELCE/IET Specialist/Coordinator. National/State Conferences Adult education team members attended national conferences, either virtually or in-person during PY21including Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), Executive Function Conference, National Association of State Directors of Adult Education, TESOL International Conference, Learning Disabilities of Association of Illinois Virtual Conference, Literacy and Language Institute, National Meeting for Adult Education State Directors, Math Institute and CASAS Summer Institute. Members of the team also presented at COABE. State conferences attended included Maryland TESOL, Maryland Association of Adult Community and Continuing Education (MAACCE), Governor’s Grant Conference, Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), and Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL). Members of the team attended and presented at the MD Workforce Association (MWA) Raising the Bar, MD VTI, MD TESOL, and Montgomery Coalition for English Literacy (MCAEL). |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts invested a total of $2,856,250 in state and federal funds to support professional development in PY2021-2022. Of that, just under $2,400,000 supported SABES, our professional development system. The balance was a contract with UPD Consulting to provide the first year of a three-year Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) Professional Learning Series. SABES consists of five centers. There are three curriculum and instruction centers (Math, ELA, ESOL) that provided a wide range of PD, such as the implementation of the CCRSAE, instructional strategies such as the essential components of reading, integrating technology, and formative assessment. The Program Support PD Center focused on such areas as educational leadership, career pathways, ADA resources, digital literacy, advising, and professional licensure. The PD System Communication Center was responsible for the statewide SABES website, calendar, and registration system and promoting SABES PD and maximizing adult educator participation in SABES PD. SABES provided 1,064 unique adult education staff with 328 high quality professional development (HQPD) opportunities in PY2021-22. There were 4,447 registrations, which means that, on average, staff participated in about four workshops, for a total of 6,893 hours. These were a combination of online, face-to-face, and blended PD offerings and support and were designed for novice, proficient, and advanced practitioners. Coaching and local provider-based PD was also available. ACLS has a dedicated staff person who is responsible for oversight of the state’s PD system and who regularly met with PD Center staff to provide support and guidance and to ensure alignment between state office priorities and PD system offerings. In addition, three ACLS program specialists were assigned as liaisons to specific areas of PD center work. ACLS, in partnership with UPD Consulting, launched its Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) Professional Learning Series in February 2022. These virtual ADEI learning sessions consisted of four cohorts, 14 communities of practice, and nearly 300 participants representing nearly all local adult education providers. The online year-one series ran monthly from February through June 2022, five sessions total. The primary focus of the ADEI sessions was to provide adult education practitioners with the skills and tools framework allowing participants to CONNECT to individuals and institutional truths, DISCONNECT from inequitable practices and systems, and finally to RECONNECT in the creation of liberatory communities. The CONNECT, DISCONNECT, and RECONNECT framework focused on providing practitioners opportunities for application and plans for testing individual Promising Practices throughout each session. The Promising Practices themes involved, (1) racial inequities in adult education, (2) characteristics of dominant culture, (3) deep listening & crucial conversations, (4) anti-racist resources and protocols, and finally (5) liberatory allyship. |
| Michigan | Professional Development Survey
In Fall of 2021, the Office of Adult Education, in partnership with EDSI, the state’s professional development contractor, launched the annual professional development survey. The survey was developed to gather data from local administrators and teachers on professional development needs, gaps and challenges, and preferences for communication.
Eighty-three (83) respondents from 60 adult education programs statewide, representing programs in all 10 adult education learning regions, responded to the 17-question survey. EDSI compiled the results of the survey and shared them with the Office of Adult Education at a staff meeting in January 2022, and to local fiscal agents and providers at the Transitions Workgroup Meeting in January 2022.
The results of the survey were used to drive the development of a Marketing and Communications plan to:
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| Minnesota | State leadership funds were used during 2021–2022 to support one Minnesota Adult Education Leadership Team position (the professional development specialist) to coordinate statewide professional development (PD) activities and assist local adult education program staff in designing and implementing effective PD. In addition, a statewide adult education PD advisory committee convened quarterly to identify key present and future PD needs, develop PD plans and resources, identify and implement best practices in PD, and coordinate and align PD activities for an efficient and effective PD system. This advisory committee has approximately 25 members, including state staff, PD providers, and local adult education instructors and administrators. Statewide professional development activities were also informed by adult education practitioner advisory groups in a number of different areas: Language and Literacy, Numeracy, Adult Career Pathways, Disabilities, Support Services, Distance Learning, Program Administration, Racial Equity, and Volunteer Engagement.
All PD activities were held virtually in 2021–2022 due to the ongoing pandemic. Key events and attendance totals for these are listed below:
Professional Development Event
Number of Events
Attendance Totals
Statewide ABE Summer Institute
1 2-day event
454
ABE Foundations for New Adult Ed Staff Webinar Series
3
72
Statewide Fall Conference
1
196
Statewide Spring Conference
1
192
Adult Language and Literacy Institute (ESL and ABE)
1 2-day event
214
ABE Math Institute
1
62
Integrated Education & Training (IET) Institute
1
57
Support Staff Conference
1
183
Assessment Trainings
18
325
Trainings for volunteers working in ABE programs
113
1344
ABE Volunteer Management Conference
1
74
In addition to these events, PD was provided through several job-embedded virtual activities, including an Evidence-Based Reading Instruction (EBRI) Webinar Series, a Pronunciation Webinar Series, and a new Writing Study Circle.
Most Minnesota adult education programs continued to offer remote and distance education options, and much of the PD offered this year was designed to support high-quality distance learning. Some examples include:
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| Mississippi |
The primary goal of the OAE’s use of state leadership funds is to provide high quality and ongoing professional development (PD) to ensure adult education practitioners can implement the requirements and intention of the WIOA. The OAE works to ensure professional development program(s) at the state and local levels align with the goals of the state and local workforce development plans to meet the needs of workers and employers. Each year a survey is sent to program directors to determine professional development needs. Once the results are collected, the OAE staff looks at how the needs align with the goals of the state and local workforce development plans before designing the yearly professional development schedule. Each program is required to develop local professional development plans and submit them to the OAE. These plans are monitored for alignment to the state goals. Adult educators are trained to utilize evidence-based best practices in instruction enabling every adult learner in Mississippi to acquire the necessary basic skills to compete successfully in today’s workforce.
To ensure the instructional effectiveness of new teachers, the state requires all new teachers to participate in the New Teacher Academy (NTA). This Academy is offered at the beginning of the fiscal year and offers an overview of the Mississippi Adult Education system, our policies, instructional methodology for adult learners, and program design. Each new teacher is matched with a mentor teacher from their local program for the first year. This mentor is available to help the new teacher as they navigate their first year in adult education. Ongoing professional development is provided for these individuals throughout their first year. This year the NTA Academy was provided virtually using the Canvas platform. Teachers participated in synchronous and asynchronous activities. Each new teacher completed the following before attending NTA:
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| Missouri | With State Leadership Funds, DESE AEL provides essential high-quality professional development to improve educational and career outcomes for the adult student population. Missouri requires a certification for every teacher instructing AEL students. To maintain certification, Missouri’s teachers must participate in ongoing professional development. DESE AEL sponsors a portion of the professional development led by subject matter experts, DESE staff, a pool of AEL-certified teachers recommended by the Professional Development (PD) Advisory Committee, or certified K-12 teachers with expertise in the field related to the designated workshop. DESE offers in-person training, virtual live training, and virtual on-demand training. To support its IET Strategic Plan, DESE AEL staff provided training specific to IETs to local program staff at two conferences in PY21/FY22: Missouri Association for Adult Continuing and Community Education (MAACCE) and Missouri Adult Education and Literacy Administrators’ Association (MAELAA). Approximately 50 local staff members attended the MAACCE session, and about 30 attended the MAELAA session. In addition to annual conference participation and DESE AEL PD workshops, DESE encouraged local programs to participate in seminars and webinars through LINCS, WorkforceGPS, and Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) in the following areas: reading, writing, mathematics, English Language learning, IETs, instructional strategies, college and career readiness, vocabulary, assessment, technology, and workforce preparation strategies. Missouri has a statewide Adult Education Professional Development Advisory Committee that consists of AEL local program directors from each region of the state. It meets as a group with DESE AEL staff as needed (generally every 2-3 months). The committee members determine regional PD needs by seeking input from all teachers and all local adult education directors. During their meetings, the committee helps develop PD plans and resources, identify future PD needs, identify and implement best practices in PD, coordinate PD activities and review proposed PD workshops and trainers to ensure that they meet the needs of our teachers and students. The committee also reviews and provides input regarding proposed PD workshops and policy changes. DESE updates workshop content using insight from committee members and data gathered from evaluations completed by workshop participants after each workshop. In PY21/FY22, DESE AEL utilized leadership funds to employ two part-time professional development specialists that maintain the AEL professional development program and implement strategic changes in the program design. This year's tactical developments included more diversification in program offerings and formats and incorporating embedded CCR standards into all appropriate workshops. Both specialists have teaching experience and are qualified to lead workshops when necessary and oversee the program as it adapts to serve the AEL community. The table below lists the professional development topics offered through DESE AEL-sponsored workshops and the total number of participants attending each live workshop in PY21/FY22. This is a 225% increase over attendance last fiscal year and only includes synchronous events. DESE AEL will track the usage of on-demand PD in the future through a new Learning Management System (LMS). General Course Topic Number of Participants Teacher Certification (required) 102 College and Career Readiness Standards 169 Data Management 6 Math 209 Reading 98 English Language Development 106 Writing Engagement 116 Differentiated Instruction 63 Learning Disabilities 137 Trauma Informed Care 19 AEL Director Training 29 TOTAL 1054 |
| Montana | The state determined that an essential element of a high-quality professional development program was the need to establish rules regarding required hours for professional development and the ability to track teacher participation. Therefore, the state developed policy language for a professional development tracking component that is included in the data management system. The state policies were updated, as this gives the state the ability to analyze teacher participation in professional development and its impact on student outcomes. In addition, the state monitors the competition of relevant professional development by program staff. All programs are expected to participate in state-sponsored professional development activities, such as monthly meetings and bi-annual conferences, as well as required to seek out other professional development opportunities that align with their specific needs. The state regularly elicits feedback from teachers and other program staff to generate an understanding from their perspective of what is meaningful to support high-quality professional development offerings. The state encourages staff reflection and opportunities via collaborative meetings, monthly desktop reports, and field surveys to identify critical professional development needs. The state takes recommendations from the field that may lead to professional development activities for the dissemination of information and promising best practices. Ultimately, the state is committed to offering professional development opportunities that will meet the learning needs of diverse adult learners. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, annual meetings sponsored by the state during the program year were held virtually via Zoom. Programs appreciated being able to keep their programs operating, while also being able to attend professional development activities. The flexible agenda allowed a variety of program staff to attend the most applicable sessions. The virtual delivery saved programs significant travel expenses and resulted in overall increased participation by staff across all programs. The state plans to continue utilizing virtual delivery for future meetings and professional development activities, as it was initially well received. In addition, the state always encourages collaboration and the sharing of best practices or resources between programs. The state staff refer local programs to each other if programs are in need of support at the boots-on-the-ground level. Collaboration between WIOA adult education programs is recorded on monthly reports and is reviewed by state staff. These efforts are then recorded on an engagement rubric that ties into the state's performance-based funding formula. Participation in state-sponsored meetings is also recorded on the rubric and reflected in the funding formula. The state hopes this will elicit teamwork and increase outcomes across all programs. We are pleased to report that communication and collaboration between programs have seemed to improve with time and implementation of this state expectation. |
| Nebraska | Program Year 2021-2022 was the first year of the new AEFLA funding cycle. Although the eight subrecipients were returning providers, there were additional requirements in the application which necessitated targeted professional development and technical assistance. The Program Year 2021-2022 State Leadership Training Plan outlined the wide selection of professional development opportunities and requirements throughout the program year. Additionally, each local program was required to add a Performance Improvement and Transitions Coordinator to facilitate targeted improvements in all aspects of service delivery. Both the training plan and this key position proved helpful in exceeding our performance goals for the program year.
Supporting adult education instructors with excellent research-based professional development was necessary to aid in the retention of quality instructors, whose work with adult learners directly impacts student retention and performance. Finding the balance of the multiple modalities of providing instruction and empowering instructors to understand and own each method was the focus of many of the offered trainings. Selective training based on participant evaluations as well as programmatic needs identified in monitoring supported optimal outcomes.
Nebraska Adult Education embraced the virtual format for professional development as it most effectively and efficiently met the needs of our large numbers of part-time instructors and staff across a large, mostly rural state. State Leadership funding supported attendance at the many high-quality professional development activities, either directly from the Nebraska Adult Education State Office or through one of the various national organizations offering research-based professional development opportunities. The establishment of the Nebraska Adult Education training website allowed these opportunities to also be available asynchronously to reach the maximum number of participants, allowing our part-time instructors the opportunity to learn at any time.
Nebraska Adult Education Virtual Conference: Nebraska’s Adult Education Conference’s theme was Reaching New Heights and was offered synchronously in a virtual format. Sessions were also recorded and available for review on Nebraska Adult Education’s training website. The virtual format was beneficial in allowing maximum access as well as reaching national subject matter experts to present at conference without additional travel expense. Josh Davies, CEO of the Center for Work Ethic Development, provided the keynote address, 2020: Foresight, Not Hindsight.
Training topics offered at the 2021 Nebraska Adult Education Virtual Conference:
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| Nevada | Leadership funds were used at the state level to contract with American Institute for Research (A.I.R.) to assist in building an effective professional development system. The focus of this system is implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and program improvement, including sustainability of standards-based education, career pathways, transitions to postsecondary education, English language instruction, and support for High School Equivalency preparation. During the 2021-2022 program year State Leadership funds were used to support participation in multiple federal training opportunities. Leadership funds have been used to scale and sustain the work by using the teachers in the cohort to deliver training to the rest of the state for the Teaching Skills that Matter (TSTM) project. Nevada also participated in the Student Achievement in Reading (STAR) training and leadership funds have been used for planning to expand the use of STAR. We also participated in the Standards in Action (SIA) 2.0 during June 2021 and leadership funds were used to bring the training to the rest of the programs. There has also been an online training module developed for the Standards in Action training for curriculum review in which Nevada participated last year. Several training sessions were held that delivered best or promising practices. These included a three-part statewide training for TSTM that was at attended by all local programs, training led by A.I.R. on leadership, and Measurable Skill Gain (MSG) improvement. The virtual delivery of training was very successful and allowed a greater level of participation for local staff and instructors. In addition, multiple trainings were held on data entry and use for program development. |
| New Hampshire | The State has used State Leadership funds and state funds for the establishment and operation of a high-quality professional development program through a contract with Second Start, a private nonprofit educational organization. The contract is primarily funded with State Funds. The Statewide Director of Professional Development works closely with the Bureau staff to identify needs across the system, create a comprehensive delivery system and collect data regarding participation and impact of activities.
New Hampshire has had a long-established practice of providing professional development through a centralized system. This allows adult education practitioners at small local programs to access the same high-quality services as those employed at larger programs. Additionally, the system inherently supports collaborative learning across programs and geographic regions by creating a cross section of practitioners at each PD activity. There were 451 discrete adult educators who participated in more than 3,600 hours of professional development and technical assistance during 2021-2022.
The Mentor team, a group of experienced adult educators with expertise in specific content, provided more than 295 hours of targeted, individualized mentoring services for local practitioners across the state. This includes working with new staff to acclimate to the adult education system; providing classroom observations and instructional recommendations; assisting with using Canvas with students; and supporting instructors with meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in the classroom.
The State strives to operate a high-quality professional development system that utilizes the most rigorous research, evidenced based practices, promising practices/models identified at the state and national levels through a flexible delivery system to allow accessibility for the large number of (very) part-time adult educators in New Hampshire. Both the PD Director and the State Director consciously model good instructional practices during all PD and TA sessions including universal design, interactive activities, HyFlex options, gamification, EdTech tools and more. PD sessions are intentionally designed for participants to walk away with materials/resources/strategies that can be immediately implemented in the classroom.
This year, all PD was moved to the statewide Canvas learning management system to promote greater access to opportunities for practitioners. All PD sessions were delivered either in-person or through a video streaming program. The PD system is moving toward a HyFlex model, allowing the practitioner to choose to attend in in-person, online or asynchronously. All trainings and resources are recorded and posted for unlimited access. Specific courses are developed based on roles and tasks. For example, there is a course for Counselors that includes the Career Navigator course in an asynchronous online format, resources for career counseling and technical assistance for working on barrier to attendance with participants. This system is used to share models and promising practices across the state – such as sharing adult diploma program course syllabi and sample intake forms from other states.
In FY22, highlighted professional development activities included:
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| New Jersey | In 2021, two NJDOL Office of Adult Literacy (OAL) staff members and a team of 5 adult literacy math educators participated in a very time intensive professional development training initiative called ANI 2.0 PD. ANI 2.0 was a fully online professional development training that included both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. Participants in the professional development training learned: ● How to build and facilitate a community of adult math learners; ● How to use common instructional routines (such as looking at student work or making student thinking visible) to support continuous learning: what they are, why they are important, and how to facilitate them; and ● Technology integration (including course and video-conferencing technology) to facilitate mathematics instruction and participant mathematical discourse. This pd was well-received in NJ since grantees had been asking for more math related pd since the CCRS trainings held about 5 years ago. The next steps for this professional development included 2 presentations by the NJ state Staff and participating educators to all involved in adult education in NJ and a robust discussion about best practices and challenges that we as a state will continue to recognize and build upon at the quarterly Title II Director's meeting. |
| New Mexico | NMHED-AE provides high-quality professional development (PD) opportunities for local programs throughout the year. In PY 21/22, 7 teams of New Mexico adult education administrators and teachers participated in the intensive, virtual Student Achievement in Reading (STAR) program. At the state level, New Mexico’s participation was spearheaded by State Director Gallup. Through our three professional development contracts, we offered numerous high-quality PD programs throughout the year, including Teaching Skills that Matter (TSTM) presentations and a course; Training from the BACK of the Room (TBR); monthly tech talks and ESL technical assistance webinars; a monthly data quality and performance webinar with LiteracyPro; the third year of a highly successful Career Pathways Institute that resulted in shareable resources and projects on a wide variety of career pathways topics; access to a series of Pathways to Success Webinars; and a series of customized, virtual technical assistance workshops from LINCS on the topic of serving students with disabilities. Moreover, in partnerships with the New Mexico Adult Education Association (NMAEA) and the New Mexico Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (NM TESOL), we co-hosted a 2-day fall virtual Teachers’ Institute and an in-person spring Adult Education Conference that offered numerous content tracks for all the different services our programs provide. We are particularly proud of two PD innovations this year in New Mexico. The first is the development of the Propelnm.org website, which is a practitioner-focused adult education website that provides a tremendous amount of support to our local programs, including contact information, a frequently-updated state calendar, announcements, links to all policies and forms, guidance and resources, and much more. Prominently featured on that site is an entryway to our PD Portal, where practitioners can access online learning opportunities. The site and portal are part of the comprehensive PD system we are designing and implementing in New Mexico. The second innovation we are proud of this year is the extent to which we have involved our adult education field in the development of the system. In PY 21-22, a large number of adult educators participated for months in practitioner-led PD planning groups on the topics of PD policy, credentialing, and PD content. Their thoughtful recommendations led to the development of a state PD policy and informed, and will continue to inform, key decisions in system design. Our consultants and staff also participated in PD opportunities in order to better support our programs and promote continuous improvement. In addition to LACES training for all state staff, state staff members and the State PD Coordinator (a consultant through the University of New Mexico-Valencia) participated in the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) conference, the IDEAL Consortium Summer Institute, a Jobs for the Future (JFF) Pathways to Prosperity national meeting, and numerous other learning opportunities. |
| New York | New York continues to support a team of geographically organized technical assistance centers across the state. The seven Regional Adult Education Network (RAEN) centers funded with Section 223 funding in program year 2021-22 kept local program staff engaged and supported as they continued to provide remote, in-person, and hybrid learning options to their students. In program year 2021-22, NYSED staff and RAEN participated throughout the year in various work groups established by New York State Department of Labor. These work groups, including the Interagency Workgroup, the Data Integration Work Group, the Training and Assistance Work Group, and the Youth Work Group, have continued to meet throughout Program Year 2021. During Program Year 2021, in addition to the barriers to employment presented by our adult students, the impact of the pandemic on employment was addressed in joint remote meetings such that students could continue to receive support. The barriers to employment were exacerbated by the pandemic’s impact and required more individual support. Local programs were provided remote and in person training to provide more opportunities for case managers to support their students.
During program year 2021-22, leadership funds supported systemic integration of WIOA employment data and performance requirements into NYSED’s custom built adult education management information system—Adult Student Information System and Technical Support (ASISTS). Included were the following modifications to ASISTS:
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| North Carolina | Since 2012, one of the main activities of the NC College & Career Readiness Professional Development Team has been to offer a credentialing system designed to instruct adult education teachers across the state in the latest research-based best practices. During the 2021 -2022 program year, we offered three certifications, the Core Credential, ASE Language Arts, and ASE Mathematics. All three credentials were offered 100% at a distance in the CCR Moodle portal which is offered through a collaborative relationship with the NCCC System Virtual Learning Community. The Core Credential introduces students to the essential components of reading and up-to-date research-based methods for teaching literacy to adult students.
During the program year 2020-2021, the professional development team focused on digital equity, improving instruction in ABE, ESL, and IELCE programs, training on ADVANSYS, NC’s new data management system, and IELCE program management. For the first time, NC was able to purchase state software licenses for 231 and 243 providers. NorthStar Digital Literacy was purchased for all Title II providers and BurlingtonEnglish was purchased for all IELCE providers. Nine webinars were offered for each software program to ensure that all instructors understood the ins and outs of the software.
We emphasized the benefits to all students of earning NorthStar credentials, while we strongly encouraged all 243 providers to use BurlingtonEnglish for two or three of the required IELCE activities to ease one of the major barriers for students of participating in an IELCE program – the sheer amount of time required each week. We also offered regional training on building an IELCE program by utilizing distance education in a training entitled, Distance Learning and IELCE: A Paradigm Shift.
In August 2020, we sent a cohort of nine instructors to the national OCTAE-funded training institute, Standards-In-Action Virtual Institute on Implementing Standards-Based Instruction for English Language Learners. To encourage standards-based instruction, we replicated the virtual institute during March of 2021 for a cohort of twenty-four NC instructors. Three of the instructors who attended the national training served as State Coaches. Matthew Brown served as the lead on this intensive project, which was well-attended and well-received. We intend to continue to offer the Standards-In-Action Virtual Institute during future program years.
In early June, regional training focused on rethinking workflows as we transitioned from one data management system to ADVANSYS. Realizing programs would need revised data workflow, we offered training, Colleague to ADVANSYS: Reworking the Flow. Later in June, we also offered seventeen how-to topical workshops on utilizing ADVANSYS.
Below are the credentials awarded by NC and the number of credentials earned during the 2021-2022 program year:
NC Credentials
Credentials Awarded
CORE
79
Adult Secondary Education: Math
16
Adult Secondary Education: Language Arts
10
TOTAL
105
In the fall of 2020, to disseminate local best practices and information about models and promising practices in adult ed programs, we began producing a monthly newsletter sent to all Title II providers in North Carolina. The publication of the monthly newsletter has become a major activity of the CCR Professional Development team and has become the preferred platform for the state team to communicate important information to the field.
Each issue contains a letter from the State Director, student success stories from North Carolina Title II programs, upcoming professional development opportunities, updates from each office in the Title II unit, and, most importantly, each issue highlights a research-based best practice for adult education instructors, frequently submitted by local Title II providers.
In addition to the credentials awarded through the NC College & Career Readiness Professional Development Office, and the creation of the monthly Title II newsletter, state leadership has provided many trainings and PD opportunities that were offered via webinar. A summary of those webinars is provided below:
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| North Dakota | (b)The State Adult Education office informally tracks professional development (PD) needs by taking note of questions asked by multiple adult learning centers (ALCs), trends in errors in the data systems, or new items/processes that are either upcoming or recently implemented. A survey was shared with directors and staff to respond on topics of interest for Professional Development. We offered a continuing credit option through an institution in North Dakota, partnering with the LINCS platform which allowed individuals in our state to take courses pertinent to their field of study and receive credits toward credentialing renewal. Due to low numbers of participation, we are not offering this year, but may rotate every other year. Professional Development needs are discussed at our directors’ meetings with the State office and shared with NDALL board members on present and future trainings. Continuing to improve, even for our higher performing ALCs, is the model. We want to take out State performance from “good to great”. The North Dakota Association for Lifelong Learning (NDALL) assists the State office in finding PD opportunities and delivering professional development. NDALL also plays a large roll in orchestrating the annual Adult Education Fall Conference. The NDALL 2 ½ day Conference was held in September in person this year. First day had an emphasis on LACES training. The next two days were filled with presentations on the topics of “The Adult Side of Dyslexia”, “Development & Delivery of Soft Skills Offsite Training,”, “Reading Strategies,” “Choice, Voice, and Student Engagement,” “TABE,” “GED,” “EL Roundtables,” “Foundations for Success Class,” “Accent Management: Partnering with Speech Pathologists,” “Poverty Simulation,” and a local program directors’ meeting with state office. Our state uses conference evaluations as a part of the process to continuously improve. The State Director is a member of the NDALL Board and Conference planning committee. Discussion of professional development is one item of focus. Another area of Professional Development is the state pays for a one-on-one webinar session for each site (personalized) and pays for one focused day of LACES training/data analysis for all sites. NDALL puts together a conference committee that includes directors, adult education teachers, and alternative high school principals/staff. Virtual round tables were offered on a few different topics and offered the needed collaboration and support that staff were requesting. We continue to evaluate to meet the requests and needs of the field. Directors have had focused PD with their staff on various topics. LINCS is an option encouraged and shared with directors as well as all conferences available. Other PD opportunities outside of the annual conference include mini check ins with directors or staff on GED, data analysis, TABE testing, WebGrants (new grants management platform used by all grant recipients), and LACES. All pertinent information and training/webinar sessions are shared with directors when changes occur. The State Office (State Adult Ed. Lead) attended nation-wide conferences and trainings such as NRS Regional Training, New State Directors’ Conference, NTI Conference, NASDAE, OCTAE, COABE, and many in house trainings required/optional in our department. Having all training available on a hybrid platform has made them more available to attend. Meetings are held every other month with the ALC directors to offer support, share information, and assist in solutions/collaborate. The two staff in the State office are readily available for any technical support that is needed. We continue to work with the field with leader/teacher transitions as needed. Teacher/educator shortage is a real issue and keeping up with the professional development of that new staff is important. We have eight regional sites, four satellite sites, and Correctional sites that we work with in our state. We are thankful for the directors and their dedication and engagement with the students they serve in Adult Education in North Dakota. |
| Northern Mariana Islands | The office was able to attend a virtual COABE conference focusing on IETs. Meetings with the college academic leadership were scheduled and held to introduce the IET concept and to brainstorm ideas on how it could work. The leadership was very interested and a lot of discussions were centered on the Criminal Justice and Nursing programs. Discussions were placed on hold in order to focus on the hiring of the new college president and then recently, a new academic dean. The new dean is the former head of the Criminal Justice program. This is extremely positive as he was particularly excited to create new opportunities for students to earn credentials. The new dean is still settling into his role, but there are plans to continue discussions. |
| Ohio | State Leadership funds in Ohio continue to facilitate a culture of sustained learning and provide evidence-based, high-quality professional development to enhance the adult education system as a core partner in Ohio’s Combined State Plan. In PY 2021, State Leadership funds supported the Professional Development Network (PDN), comprised of a collaboration with the ODHE Aspire office and Kent State University (KSU). State leadership funds were also used to contract with national, state, and local content experts to provide high-quality PD.
The PDN consists of highly qualified trainers and content experts. State leadership funds supported a variety of training including sustaining a variety of delivery methods in PY21 including in-person, virtual synchronous, hybrid, and self-directed/asynchronous learning opportunities. The state PD policy lists required PD trainings, that focus on improving local adult education and literacy activities. Examples of required trainings include Orientation by job role (teacher, support staff, administrator), LINCS Learning to Achieve modules, Distance Education Basics, Assessment Fundamentals TABE 11/12 Certification, TABE CLAS-E Training, and specific trainings for our data management system, LACES.
Ohio Aspire had conversations about participating in a Leadership Institute as we have in the past. In September of 2021, we began to recruit for the Leadership Excellence and Development (LEAD) Institute, for Ohio’s adult education program administrators and lead instructors. The theme that Ohio chose was for the capstone projects to focus on a statewide goal to improve outcomes with innovative best practices. We had 29 individuals from Ohio begin the LEAD Institute, with approximately 25 individuals completing the program. As the former state director transitioned to retirement, the new SD worked to grow the collaboration with the state staff at ODHE and the PDN by looking at data and surveying the local providers to create PD and TA needs. In PY 21, to meet the needs of the 52 local Aspire programs, the PDN hosted a variety of synchronous virtual trainings focused on delivering quality instruction. Examples of some of the non-required PD opportunities that were available to support local programs are included below:
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| Oklahoma | complete a minimum of 15 hours of professional development that is related to adult education. At the beginning of the year, some programs were not allowing travel and meeting this requirement would have been difficult without virtual options. State staff worked with programs to ensure they had professional development opportunities to meet their needs. To support the training requirements and to ensure continuous improvement of instruction in adult education, ODCTE used leadership funds to provide several opportunities for high-quality professional development through virtual and in-person conferences, trainings, and webinars.
Professional Development 2021-2022:
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| Oregon | In 2021, State Leadership hired a new Adult Basic Education (ABE) State Leadership Coordinator after the previous ABE State Leadership Coordinator retired. This position is responsible for Title II Professional Development for funded programs across Oregon. The new ABE State Leadership Coordinator began reviewing the ABE Professional Development Framework for updates as well as drafting a five-year professional development plan for the upcoming 2022-2027 program grant cycle. The five-year professional development plan will ultimately be based on input from State Leadership, local programs, WIOA partners, and federal partners, with selected areas of focus based on surveys, dialogues with partners, federal mandates, best practices, and state context. In winter 2022, State Leadership created a dedicated webpage for Oregon ABS Professional Development. The page houses resources for Oregon’s ABS learning standards, including the Oregon Adult College and Career Readiness Standards (OACCRS) Language Arts and Math Handbooks; the standards Foundation Trainings, which is comprised of an Orientation Module on the state’s adult education learning standards and an Adult Education Module on the needs of adult learners; additional professional development modules for learning standards; and sample standards-aligned course outlines. Modules are available in facilitated and/or self-study versions, and additional professional development modules for learning standards will continue to be developed in the 2022-2023 program year. Additionally, in winter and spring 2022, faculty trainers under contract with the state worked on finalizing the Oregon Adult English Language Proficiency Standards (OAELPS), which are based on the national English Language Proficiency Standards, for publishing at the beginning of the 2022-2023 program year for Oregon’s ABS ESL programs. The development of an updated learning standards Orientation Module was begun in spring 2022 to include OAELPS. To complement the developed learning standards materials, the State ABS Team partnered with faculty trainers and learning standards points of contact at local programs to develop guidance on standards-based professional learning communities (PLCs). With input from these two groups, the State ABS Team created a guide outlining research-based practices for developing PLCs, as well as state compliance requirements for standards-based PLCs, and shared it with the local points of contact for learning standards at each program. These local points of contact for learning standards, known as Local Leads, also began meeting regularly with the new ABE State Leadership Coordinator for state updates relating to learning standards and professional development, as well as to share practices and experiences with their counterparts across the state. Out of this work grew conversations around data-driven instruction and several ideas for local and statewide PLCs related to using assessment data to identify areas of student learning need. The ABE State Leadership Coordinator also worked with contracted faculty trainers to begin offering Course Outline Guide Alignment Trainings, which are customized local trainings that help programs align their course outline guides (sometimes also called syllabi) to Oregon’s learning standards; these trainings can also serve as the basis of PLC work. Also in the 2021-2022 program year, Oregon continued its work with Teaching Skills that Matter (TSTM). The state’s TSTM Sustainability Plan was finalized in preparation for rolling out TSTM at the local and state levels. In the first year of the three-year plan, faculty on the TSTM team presented at the Oregon Adult Basic Skills Conference and participated in a presentation through LINCS. They also hosted presentations and informational sessions at their local programs and began putting together resources for the ABS Professional Development Page. Additionally, one of the TSTM-trained faculty collaborated with state learning standards trainers in the development of the Language Arts professional development modules, while another worked with one of the state learning standards trainers to offer a statewide PLC on lesson planning using OACCRS and TSTM. In recognition of Oregon’s falling MSGs during COVID, particularly among ESL students, State Leadership worked on solidifying a partnership with BurlingtonEnglish due to its status as official partner of CASAS as well as reports of measurable skills gains from other ABS programs using it across the country. At the end of the 2021-2022 program year, State Leadership purchased 1,000 seats of BurlingtonEnglish for Title II funded programs across the state. At the beginning of the 2022-2023 program year, the State ABS Team will release an RFA for local programs to apply for those seats. In addition to the seats, programs will receive a suite of professional development courses delivered by BurlingtonEnglish to make sure that programs are implementing the program with fidelity and using best practices. Other professional development work done in program year 2021-2022 includes the development of the Oregon Adult Education Community of Practice, which is an online space for adult educators across Oregon to gather and share best practices, local activities, and more; participation of two ABS State Team members and two local programs in the 2021 IET Design Camp; and the delivery of Oregon’s statewide Adult Basic Skills Conference, “Elevate the Essentials” (previously the Oregon GED Conference). Oregon also has plans to participate again in Standards in Action 2.0 Training in fall 2022, the topic of which is State-based Curriculum Review. In addition to the offerings outlined in this section, professional development updates, including information about models and promising practices, are provided at monthly Title II Directors’ Calls, quarterly OCABSD meetings, and through the weekly Title II Newsletter. The State ABS Team also renewed its large-group membership in the Coalition of Adult Basic Education (COABE) for all Title II programs in Oregon. Finally, Oregon requires state certification in order to administer and score state-approved assessment tools for state and federal reporting. State assessment certification comprises the completion of CASAS Implementation Training (online) and familiarization with Oregon assessment policies and procedures as published in the ABS Policy Manual. During 2021-2022, 51 practitioners from Title II programs and the Department of Corrections were certified for these assessments. CASAS recertification is required every three years through the CASAS Online Training Modules. In 2022-2023, Oregon will update its CASAS training requirements to align with the training updates issued by CASAS in June 2021. Additionally, State Leadership offered three BEST Plus 2.0 Trainings for initial certification by the Oregon State BEST Plus 2.0 Trainer. During 2021-2022, 25 practitioners from Title II programs and the Department of Corrections were certified for this assessment. |
| Palau | State Leadership Fund:
Professional Development:
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| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania’s professional development system (PDS) worked with content experts, online course instructors, and other professional development facilitators to update and develop online and in-person formal professional development activities, focusing on on-demand courses and the use of research-based external and facilitated resources. The system offers a robust selection of professional development options, including the areas specified in section 223(a)(1)(B). All courses had follow-up support built into the instructional design plan and an assigned course coach to provide targeted, specialized assistance to course participants that supported the implementation of new knowledge and skills and change in teaching practice. Course enrollment increased by 24% and course completion remained high at 81% in 2021-22. The use of online, on‐demand staff induction modules and tutor training modules increased sharply at the start of the pandemic, and that increased use has continued into 2021-22. The core of the PDS is the Professional Learning Opportunities Project (ProLO), which is a team of six consultants. Consultants met with staff at assigned programs for multiple extended virtual visits plus frequent contact via phone, email, and webinar. Consultants helped programs support continuous program improvement through professional learning and provided support for the implementation of standards-aligned lessons and integration of instructional advances into adult education classrooms. All programs had professional learning communities focused on standards implementation. Consultants attended professional learning community meetings at each program to provide feedback and support on the implementation of this model. Consultants also worked with program leadership teams to articulate evidence of teacher and student change and discuss the outcomes of their Program Improvement-Professional Development plans and to talk about evidence to support the outcomes. In 2021-22, the consultants focused more attention on helping in-house professional development specialists to become stronger instructional leaders and assisted them in creating program professional learning communities that had an increased focus on lesson planning and lesson revision. In addition to individual program professional learning communities, the consultants supported several statewide virtual professional learning communities that focused on College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS) protocols and digital literacy. They facilitated statewide professional learning communities focused on STAR, ANI, IELCE, ELPs, and family literacy that supported instructors in including digital literacy skills in their lesson plans. Facilitators modeled the teaching of lessons using virtual resources and strategies to help build digital literacy skills. Participants then created their own resources, used them in their classrooms, and shared and reflected on them with peers. One area of struggle in 2021-22 was professional development for reading instruction. Pennsylvania continued to have a virtual professional learning community for prior STAR participants, but no new programs requested STAR training this year. The PDS reviewed evaluations and found that programs were struggling to implement STAR because their classrooms are different now than they were prior to the pandemic. Classes are not as leveled, and student retention has dropped. To ensure that Pennsylvania continues to offer professional development focused on the essential components of reading, the PDS, with help from subject-matter experts and Pennsylvania’s STAR trainers, revised a course on evidence-based reading strategies and incorporated STAR elements. In response to the pandemic, the leadership projects worked together to assist programs in improving the quality of services in a remote or hybrid environment. They devised a series of Friday lunchtime webinars that focused on topics such as digital literacy, distance learning, teacher support, and managing data. Although each project took the lead in their areas of expertise, many of the webinars were combined efforts of the system. Topics in 2021-22 focused on best practices and lessons learned during the first year of the pandemic. The Communications Project is the vehicle for disseminating information to the field. The project maintains the Pennsylvania Adult Education Resources webpage, which features resources developed by the division and PDS or submitted by local programs. Programs access the on-demand CCRS modules via the website. The website saw an 8% increase in visits in 2021-22. The website had two major improvements in 2021-22: the addition of a searchable lesson bank and a searchable database of approved distance learning curricula. Both improvements made it easier for instructors to access high quality CCRS-aligned lessons and curricula. The project also sends out monthly newsletters that provide links to research articles about models and promising practices in adult education and other resources that are relevant to adult educators. |
| Puerto Rico | During PY 2022 several activities were designed for the education experience of the Adult participants. The following list describes the activities:
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| Rhode Island | RIDE funded two AEFLA grantees to lead planning and delivery of professional development (PD) for the statewide network of adult education providers in PY 2021. Providence Public Library (PPL)’s Tech Hub has been funded to provide PD related to instructional technology and digital literacy for practitioners and learners since 2017; and PY 2021 was the second year that the Community College of RI (CCRI) hosted the state’s Director of PD for Adult Education, who oversees non-technology-related PD for AEFLA providers. All PD offerings focus on the specific learning needs of adults, including effective instructional practices to support improved learner outcomes, and are available both to paid and volunteer personnel. RI prioritized PD on instruction incorporating the essential components of reading in PY 2021, participating in the OCTAE-sponsored STudent Achievement in Reading (STAR) training that ran from March through December 2021. A cohort of seven instructors and four administrators completed the training. These practitioners represented five different local AEFLA grantees, a quarter of the state’s AEFLA providers. Following up on the national training, the state PD provider facilitated monthly meetings of a STAR Learning Circle through the second half of the program year, facilitating implementation in local programs and fostering development of instructor-leaders who will support adoption of effective evidence-based reading instruction statewide. RIDE works closely with PD providers to connect local practitioners with emerging research and praxis from other states in New England and nationwide. Local practitioners have access to RI’s memberships in the New England Literacy Resource Center and in the Coalition on Adult Basic Education, so they can benefit from opportunities provided by these regional and national networks. As the majority of PD offerings were delivered online throughout PY 2021, it was easy for RI practitioners to access presentations by regionally- and nationally recognized trainers. Furthermore, virtual networking sessions and other informal opportunities allowed RI practitioners to connect with adult educators around the country and gain a deeper understanding of promising practices in other states. To promote local practices with observed success and support the network with implementation, as well as to gather feedback and identify opportunities for further technical assistance, RI’s PD providers coordinated regular role-specific check-ins, most occurring on a biweekly or monthly basis. They also brought together a series of workshops led by RI instructors that elevated promising individual practices, cultivated a sense of community among practitioners, and recognized local instructor-leaders. The state’s PD providers responded to practitioners’ evolving needs throughout the pandemic, emphasizing support for grantees in using technology for distance service delivery and integrating digital literacy skills into all instruction. RI leveraged Learning Circles as a PD delivery format that allows deeper exploration of topics, examination of relevant research, and that establishes a learning community to support implementation of new practices and peer sharing. Learning Circles exploring Hyflex instruction and learner engagement strategies were of particular interest in PY 2021. |
| South Carolina | High Quality Professional Development
The OAE continues its efforts to establish and provide high quality professional development to improve the instruction provided pursuant to local activities required under Section 231(b). Professional development opportunities included resources and strategies for transitioning to virtual instruction, the essential components of reading, instruction related to the specific needs of adult learners, and the dissemination of information about models and promising practices related to these programs.
The OAE used funds made available under section 223 to provide high quality professional development to support providers through the Adult Education Technical Assistance Network (TAN) and continues to develop in person and virtual trainings as an ongoing means to inform, train, and support adult education providers. One or more of the following objectives have been the emphases of each professional development offering:
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| South Dakota | Summer Summit 2021 This 2021 conference’s presentations, pre-conference sessions, and post-conference session were entirely virtual. Summer Summit 2021, Chart the Course, featured sessions on student engagement in virtual classrooms, Math in Corrections, Facilitated Conversations in ESL, Teaching Skills That Matter, Student Achievement in Reading (i.e., evidence-based reading instruction), Managing Mental Health in the Classroom, Decoding, and Writing Skills. A total of 76 attendees registered from all seven AELFA subrecipients, Job Corps, and two Tribal Colleges. Adult Education Instructor Development Program (AE IDP) State Leadership funds supported a cohort of the AE IDP during PY20201; this cohort also marked the resumption of onsite IDPs [after a virtual hiatus due to COVID]. This teacher training serves as an induction for new instructors, as well as a refresher for senior staff. The IDP’s participants reviewed assessment protocol (Tests of Adult Basic Education’s 11&12 Series), ABE/ASE instructional methodologies, program structures, NRS, College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), lesson planning, LD issues, and persistence-related topics. The Title II program continued to incorporate R. Brockett’s book entitled Teaching Adults: A Practical Guide for New Teachers as part of the training’s reflection component, as well as Improving Adult Literacy Instruction series from the National Research Council. English Language Instructor Development Program (EL IDP) The EL IDP was in its eleventh year during PY2021. The state agency, along with SD’s sole IELCE subrecipient, delivered a cohort of training which constituted three days of mentorship, collaboration, classroom practice, observation, and evaluation. Furthermore, virtual and onsite BEST Plus Administrator Trainings (and recalibration-trainings) were delivered for both new and senior ESL staff. Adult Education Credentials Because the quality of instruction has the greatest impact upon student performance, it has been the prerogative of the AEL Program and PD Team for some time to develop a credentialing system. PY2019 saw the launch of this endeavor with four initial credentials: 1) Adult Education Instructor Development Program Core Credential, 2) English Language Instructor Development Program Core Credential, 3) Numeracy Core Credential, and 4) Reading Specialty Core Credential. These credentials are optional and require the consent of each local administrator. Currently two of the Adult Education Credentials are also available to the staff of WIOA partner-providers (i.e., Tribal Programs and Job Corps) upon approval of their respective program supervisor. In PY2021, the program recognized its twelfth iteration of credentials conferred—fifteen credentials to eleven AEFLA-supported staff. |
| Tennessee | In 21-22 program year, TDLWD hired a new director of academic services to assist with developing and guiding local programs. This position works with the director of professional development and the director of ESL services. These team members were instrumental in ensuring that local AE programs were provided with sufficient opportunities for training and professional development related to their position. We also implemented a new platform for professional development. The Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development (TAEPD) platform is used to house content related to program support and instructor growth. Team members worked together to assess local program needs before collaboratively designing course content based on stakeholder feedback and identified needs. Professional development was provided in several formats: virtual, in-person regionally, an in-person statewide conference, and on demand within TAEPD. Professional development was also designed to address local program staff pathways: student coordinators, directors and assistants, ABE/ESL/corrections instructors, and career coaches. Instruction incorporating the essential components of reading as these components relate to adults. The TDLWD director of professional development has a background in literacy instruction and has made it a priority to provide professional development to local teachers to help them improve the implementation of incorporating the essential components of reading. In the July 2021 annual AE conference, the PD director facilitated multiple sessions for teachers on Essential Components of Reading in Adult Education. This content was transitioned to the Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development (TAEPD) platform and made available to all instructors. We continued to prioritize the essential components of reading by partnering with LINCS and establishing a six-week pilot cohort of instructors to engage in completion of two courses, Teaching Adults to Read: Teaching Advanced Readers and Teaching Beginning to Intermediate Readers. The cohort met virtually, completed online learning modules, participated in discussion boards, applied learning in classrooms, and followed up with an online PLC book study of Teaching Adults Literacy by New Readers Press. The instructors have continued to engage in lesson plan design, application of strategies, discussion boards, and shared resources. Additional courses have been developed and shared in TAEPD. These courses are open to all instructors and support learning around and application of the essential components of reading and literacy shifts reflected in state level instructional standards. They are: Reading Comprehension and the HiSET and Introduction to the ELA Literacy Shifts. Software was also purchased to provide instructors an avenue for supporting the lowest levels of learners. This software provides interactive instruction to students as they progress through the essential components of reading with phonics, vocabulary building, and comprehension activities while learning to read. Instructor support is transitioning to the Director of Academic Services and Director of ESL Services as we begin to monitor and observe classrooms to discern the impact and use of the provided professional development resources. In the coming year, our state staff members will focus even more effort in the development of state-sponsored instructional resources. Instruction related to the specific needs of adults In July 2021, TDLWD hosted a virtual statewide conference for all local staff. Teachers were able to attend a variety of sessions facilitated by subject matter experts. Topics ranged from student career pathways, to helping students set goals, to using data to inform instruction, to accessing high-quality teaching resources. Throughout the year, we also continued to focus on training related to distance education curriculum and face to face curriculum. Due to so many students needing to access services virtually, we continued to invest time and resources into expanding the learning management system (Schoology). We provided several training opportunities for teachers to learn how to use the system and engage students on the platform. We also continued to provide web-based soft skills (WIN Learning) and digital literacy curriculum (Northstar) as resources to help students with their non-academic needs that are critical to being successful in the workforce. We have scaled up usage of these resources in the 2021 program year. Instruction provided by volunteers or by State personnel We provided technical assistance related to distance education and face to face instruction during a transition period. The training related to instruction focused largely on helping teachers better understand and utilize the hyflex model resources and processes. We provided a myriad of distance education and face to face-related training and professional learning community discussions throughout the year. We hosted virtual “office hours” during which teachers from across the state could “pop in” to discuss any questions, concerns, or ideas with our curriculum and instruction staff. Dissemination of information about models and promising practices related to AEFLA funded programs. In PY21, TDLWD focused on implementing the Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development (TAEPD) platform. The platform is used for registration, capturing PD attendance, communicating with users, and providing virtual professional development and course completion opportunities. |
| Texas | Using state leadership funds, Texas has established a triad of Professional Development Centers (PDC) to build a collaborative PD system for AEL grantees as well as implement the state’s goals to build and expand AEL services to meet the needs of AEL providers and stakeholders. The triad consists of three separate but collaborative PD centers:
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| Utah | Utah has used section 223 funds to provide the following professional development opportunities in program year 2021: statewide Directors’ Meetings (6); database and data usage trainings (11); an English Language Acquisition Teachers’ Summit (1); a corrections education meeting (1); professional learning community meetings; Reading Horizons trainings (2); and a comprehensive fall conference for adult educators. |
| Vermont | Vermont AEL providers increased their student enrollment and engagement this year. In order to further this upward trend the State continued to provide technical assistance, described below. The State also disseminated information on professional development (PD) provided by other entities, such as the EdTech Center of World Education, LINCS, and webinars and opportunities provided by the Vermont Agency of Education and other State agencies. Statewide-sponsored professional development topics included career exploration, serving students with learning disabilities, and teacher competencies. Twenty virtual professional development events were delivered during the year. State presented events included training on the State’s Adult Education and Literacy database, Vermont’s High School Completion Program (HSCP), and the National Reporting System. The State created participant evaluations and received mostly positive feedback from field staff participants. Over 90% of participant responses indicated “Excellent” or “Good” when asked how they would rate the training, and 100% of participant responses indicated that they “Agree” or “Strongly Agree” that they would recommend the training to others. Events presented by State-level staff: Event Date Attendance Data Specialist Training 8/25/21 11 Data Specialist Training 12/7/21 12 Data Specialist 101 1/27/22 12 HSCP Plan Manager and Program Director Training 1/20/22 27 Annual NRS Refresher (held twice) 5/20/22; 5/26/22 34; 35 Data Specialist Training 6/16/22 12 PD events related to the administration of assessments: Event Date Attendance BEST Plus 2.0 New Administrator Training (held twice) 11/8/21 - 11/10/21; 11/15/21 - 11/19/21 3; 1 BEST Plus 2.0 Refresher 5/19/22 9 Introduction to Assessment for Adult Education 8/2/21 – 8/27/22 5 Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) - Writing 8/30/21 – 9/10/21 2 Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) - Math 8/30/21 – 9/10/21 3 Through Vermont’s continued membership in the New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC), webinars developed and hosted by NELRC staff were made available to local provider staff. The NELRC annual workshops developed in collaboration with the AOE were titled: “Hone your Skills: Career Exploration Tools and Approaches”; and “Language-Based Learning Disabilities: Overview and Strategies for Teaching Adults”. The former was attended by 11 Vermont AEL provider staff and the latter was attended by 22 Vermont AEL provider staff. We are looking into coordinating a follow up event for the Language-Based Learning Disabilities workshop based on positive participant feedback. The State also promoted attendance for the NELRC webinar titled “Equity, Program Improvement, and Collaboration: What Data Can Do for You” presented live in PY21. The recording is available on the NELRC website. |
| Virgin Islands | Leadership funds were used to support professional development through conferences, in-person and virtual meetings, and other means of programmatic communications for Subgrantees and State level employees.
The State Office of Career, Technical & Adult Education provided face-to-face and virtual trainings, workshops, as well as technical assistance on an as needed basis throughout the year for AEFLA sub-recipients. These meetings were used to disseminate information obtained from laws, policies and promising practices, and served as an ongoing platform to train programs.
It was important to offer ongoing trainings and focus on LACES MIS for sub-grantees and State staff to ensure that every individual developed a level of familiarity with the system used to capture salient reporting data. Specifically, since the territory encountered almost redundant impacts first with the natural disasters and then COVID-19 which affected enrollment, retention and completion rates. Although the traditional mode of training was impacted for a while, SOCTAE was also able to offer virtual training sessions.
February 13, 2020, a State Technical Assistance meeting was held for Subgrantees to receive guidance from the Third Party on allowable costs and reimbursement requests for submitted liquidations.
March 27,2020, a virtual training for State level staff on Subrecipient monitoring hosted by Brustein and Manasevit
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| Virginia | In support of the requirement in Sec. 223(1)(b), the establishment or operation of high-quality professional development (PD) programs, the vision of the VDOE is for the continuous improvement of instruction in adult education and literacy and support for practitioners in all roles to provide high-quality programming and instruction. The VDOE, through its cooperative agreement with the VALRC, supports both required and permissible state leadership activities as part of a high-quality PD program. Building on effective virtual training models during PY2020-2021, the VALRC continued to offer primarily virtual PD options to programs, including webinar series, facilitated online courses, self-paced tutorials, PLCs, on-request workshops for regional programs, and conference presentations at state and national conferences. During PY2021-2022, the VALRC provided more than 280 hours of PD to 2,101 attendees. The overall average hours of PD per participant was 7.4 hours, an increase from the pre-pandemic level of 1.7 hours per participant in PY2018-2019. The VALRC offered webinars, online resources, and facilitated online courses on quality online instruction. The Quality Teaching Online (QTO) course was developed through participation in the Innovating Digital Education in Adult Learning (IDEAL) Consortium. The VALRC offered QTO webinars and developed and maintained a page on its main website (valrc.org) that provides rubrics, tips, strategies, and quality indicators for virtual instruction. The VALRC specialists provided instructional workforce preparation PD through a Teaching Skills that Matter (TSTM) PLC in spring 2021 and focused on PD for academic skill building through a standards-based, three-part webinar series on the Key Shifts in English Language Arts, a PLC on Improving Reading Instruction in Print Skills, and a math instructors’ online support group that convened monthly throughout PY2021-2022. The VALRC also delivered facilitated, online, six-week courses for more in depth PD, including English Language Proficiency Standards and Adult Educators; Beyond Basics: English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Beginning Literacy; and Disabilities and the Adult Learner. In spring 2022, as a way to support programs serving newcomer refugee groups, the VALRC began facilitating the Serving Refugees PLC, a space for programs to share how they were working with partner agencies, preparing for an increase in beginning literacy learners, and providing culturally responsive education. Throughout the five-month PLC, guest speakers from across the country presented on connecting with the refugee resettlement agencies and community liaisons for recruitment and engagement of participants; provided information and resources for using an asset-based and culturally responsive approach when working with emerging English language learners; and provided training for ESOL and adult basic education (ABE) teachers. In addition, the VALRC developed materials that programs could use with community partners to articulate the role of adult education in refugee resettlement and connect refugees to educational services until they are able to start attending adult education classes. To support teacher development and retention, the VALRC offered two iterations of the Teacher Leader PLC (Teacher Leader 101 and 201). Teacher Leader 101 focused on working with those new to the PLC on developing coaching and culturally responsive teaching skills. Participants gained a toolbox of coaching strategies to strengthen teacher-teacher and teacher-student interactions. Teacher Leader 201 focused on working with those who had been through 101 and wanted to apply what they learned to a specific project related to their unique teaching and learning environments. Participants focused on goal setting, problem solving, and cultivating a reflective practice. Teacher Leader 201 participants also had opportunities to build facilitation skills by co-facilitating Teacher Leader 101 sessions. In PY2021-2022, the VALRC developed and launched the Inclusive Virginia (inclusive.valrc.org) website devoted to providing adult education program leadership, staff, and instructors with information, instructional strategies, resources, and accommodations for providing access to effective adult education for all learners seeking adult education opportunities, including adults with disabilities. |
| Washington | Guided Pathways remains the approach used to contextualize pathways for students served through BEdA programs. This year we honed our focus on training that leads with equity in curriculum development and execution, data research, and student navigational services. Elements of our approach to integrating WIOA compliance contextualized pathways and BEdA special programs are evident in system training such as New Director’s Orientation, BEdA Faculty 101: New Faculty Training, Integrating CCRS, Equity Informed Data Series, Decolonizing English Language Acquisition, Aligning Math Pathways, and Teaching the Skills That Matter. This year there were 49 trainings that served 969 participants, including, but not limited to, Integrating CCRS, ABC’s of EDI, Leading with Racial Equity, Decolonizing English Language Community of Practice, Teaching the Skills That Matter, Positive Mental Health, Navigating Through Series, Sustaining Instruction Past COVID, BEdA STEM Pathways and Promoting Culturally Sustainable and Trauma Informed Practices. Our office hosted our biennial conference, and approximately 165 participants attended. The BEdA 2022 Biennial Conference: Reflect, Recharge, Regroup was held every Friday in July 2022 and connected professional development centering equity, diversity & inclusion, disability justice, and developing equitable curriculum. The conference featured 18 different sessions between 6 topic areas: Anti-Blackness in Higher Education, BEdA Get on the Pathway, Decolonizing English Instruction, Disability Justice & Accessibility, Positive Mental Health, and Teaching Skills That Matter-Equitable Classroom Instruction. We hope to return to an in-person conference in 2024. COVID-19 continued to have a profound impact on our delivery of professional development. However, we provided a wide array of professional learning events online using our state Learning Management System, Canvas, and virtual meeting spaces such as Zoom. By providing multiple modalities for practitioners to engage, we continue providing another layer of contextualized learning, as integrated technology skills, new applications, and online resources are embedded in every training. |
| West Virginia | After a year of entirely virtual professional development, FY22 brought the opportunity to transition back to in-person offerings, while maintaining virtual options. The year began with program updates delivered via a self-paced Schoology course. The course emphasized programmatic changes and focused on areas such as assessment, data management, career pathways, Integrated Education and Training Programs (IETPs), certifications, distance education, and professional development initiatives. In September, the annual fall conference was held in collaboration with the West Virginia Adult Education Association, Inc. The conference was held as a hybrid event, in which participants could attend in-person or attend sessions virtually on a modified schedule over the course of the four-day event. Sessions included topics such as pandemic recovery, fostering emotional intelligence, developing career pathways and IETP opportunities, strategies for serving ESOL students, and becoming familiar with new distance education software. The conference also partnered with agencies to familiarize instructors with services available to students locally. Additionally, representatives from TABE Mastery, TABE Tutor, Study Buddy, and Aztec delivered training to support instructional materials available to instructors statewide. Virtual instruction continued to be offered around the state with virtual intake, remote assessment and instruction, and distance education options. TABE Assessments were available for remote proctoring with ProctorU. Instructors utilized Microsoft Teams and Zoom to provide remote instruction to students who were unable to attend class in-person. The professional development team provided technical assistance to instructors to ensure ability and understanding of virtual intake procedures. Verkada camera trainings were conducted to support the use of cameras in remote instruction. The distance education program utilizes state leadership funds to offer seven learning management systems (LMS) for instructor use: Essential Education, Aztec, CSM, GMetrix, Burlington English, Edgenuity, and Schoology. CSM, an online basic literacy and numeracy course with built-in career strategy and critical thinking components, was added this year. An articulation agreement between CSM and the public community and technical colleges in West Virginia provided the opportunity for students to earn college credit upon completion of the online course. Professional development was offered relating to all seven LMS throughout the year to ensure utilization and skillful facilitation. This included question and answer sessions, webinars presented by company trainers, and ongoing technical assistance from the professional development team. New instructors completed a self-paced pre-service Schoology course to train on the critical components of WVAdultEd. The course was revamped for the new year to ensure new personnel properly utilize standardized assessments, document student progress and achievements, and report accurate information to meet federal or state program needs. It involved recorded videos, quizzes, assignments, and check-ins with state and regional staff. Mentors were assigned to new instructors to assist with questions, model procedures, and provide support. Instructors who took on new specialties also participated in relevant training. Regional Adult Education Coordinators requested the pre-service course information be available to all instructors. As a result, a Seasoned Refresher course was developed in Schoology. Instructors were invited to complete the course to review policies and procedures. It was announced that a new high school equivalency exam would be selected for West Virginia. The High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) was selected, and training began in January. Training was offered in-person and virtually to prepare for this change. This included training on the Official Practice Test (OPT) and Diploma Sender. A purchase agreement was made with Essential Education to provide the online OPT. Virtual question and answer sessions were offered throughout the transition process. There was a strong emphasis on IETPs throughout the year. The professional development team travelled around the state to visit classrooms and discuss IETP implementation. Additionally, regional work sessions were held to support development of IETPs for in-demand occupations. Contextualized instructional materials and career-specific educational technology were highlighted and shared to assist with IETP development. WVAdultEd transitioned to the Literacy, Adult and Community Education System (LACES) for reporting on students and programs in March 2020. Because of the pandemic, all training had to be shifted to virtual delivery. This was a challenge for some instructors. In March 2022, a LACES trainer came to West Virginia to provide two days of in-person training. Additionally, there was a continued focus on the desktop monitoring tool to ensure programs were monitoring their classes from the local to the state level. Updates were made to refine the tool and shared with instructors. Question and answer sessions occurred for each region relating to LACES and the desktop monitoring tool. In the spring, WorkForce WV announced the Job Jumpstart Program in which eligible West Virginia residents could earn a stipend by completing an approved training program. WVAdultEd, recognizing this was an opportunity to offer the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification and training program, partnered with WorkForce WV to provide free testing and preparation statewide. Instructors were trained as proctors to administer the MOS exam and utilized GMetrix and LearnKey to assist with test preparation. The West Virginia Department of Education’s Adult Certification and Preparation Program provides professional practitioners with the opportunity to participate in a Career and Technical Education Teacher Preparation Program. The program is offered in collaboration with Marshall University, which affords adult education instructors without a Professional Teaching Certification (K12 credential) the opportunity of attaining a Career Technical Education (CTE) Certificate with an Adult Education Endorsement. The certificate is equivalent to a Professional Teaching Certification and provides a path to a permanent certification. Seven instructors completed the program, including a series of advanced professional development courses and implementation of on-site plans crafted during the coursework. In addition to participating in the fall conference, there were six additional opportunities for instructors to earn non-degree graduate from Marshall University. Credit could be earned by completing the customer service certification, the Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency, the IC3 Digital Literacy Certification, Microsoft Office Specialist/Expert or Intuit QuickBooks Certifications. Additional options included completion of three Essential Education courses in reading difficulties, blended learning, and motivating adult learners, or completion of three Essential Education courses related to money, work, and computer skills. |
| Wisconsin | During the 2021-22 program year, the WTCS leveraged state leadership funds for professional development coordination that ensures high-quality adult education programs align with the workforce needs and educational attainment rate goals for the state. During the reporting period, the WTCS used state leadership funds to coordinate the following professional development opportunities:
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| Wyoming | Wyoming continues to utilize a three-tiered system for Professional Development which places equal emphasis on local level core trainings, state level trainings, and specialized national trainings. Because leadership funding in Wyoming is very limited, PD is a joint effort between the State office, local providers and the Wyoming Lifelong Learning Association[1]. In order to identify professional development needs, directors, instructors, and other key AE staff are surveyed and research-based trainings are brought to instructors and staff by engaging individuals who will bring a strong message. Representative examples of these professional development opportunities are reflected in Table 1.
Table 1: Wyoming's Three-tiered PD System
Tier
Examples include
Tier 1: Local PD
UW & other local sources accessed for such topics as 'Bridges Out of Poverty', FERPA & Sexual Harassment training, TABE, AZTEC, Next Gen Sector Partnership Academy, Digital literacy through Teknimedia, Northstar, & Essential Ed. In-service trainings were held through the year to address local needs. Assessment policy training and distance learning trainings were conducted both locally and by the State.
Tier 2: State mandated
State Institute, Align & Redesign, Local directors meetings, LACES, TABE 11/12 certification, Integrating Digital literacy and problem solving into curricula, Trauma informed instruction, Designing Hybrid classes, Data dives for program improvement, and the rollout of Teaching Skills that Matter to all AE staff.
Tier 3: Regional/National PD
LINCS, COABE, NAHCY, TESOL, Career pathways, NRS trainings, NTI, National Director's meetings, MPAEA, IET Design Camp, Correctional Education Association Conference.
This year all AE staff in the State were involved in a six month (re)certification and training process on Align and Redesign (A & R). The State initially went through this training in 2014 and credits, in part, the success of our program in Wyoming to the protocols implemented as part of A & R. However, since this initial training there has been a large turnover in staff so it was necessary to run this training again so that everyone shares a common knowledge on such things as brain based learning, participatory learning, developing the career services course, and utilizing powerpath. Although this training was conducted by a national trainer, we are currently in the process of training three Wyoming staff members on how to deliver this content so that we can maintain our high level of performance even in light of staff turnovers.
Another major accomplishment this year in professional development is that the State director began to train local directors on how to utilize data for purposes other than just NRS reporting. Each month, the State director focused on some aspect of data which locals could use to help improve performance and/or for program improvement:
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