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 | If your State has adopted new challenging K-12 standards under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, describe how your Adult Education content standards are aligned with those K-12 standards. | Optional – Describe implementation efforts, challenges, and any lessons learned |
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| Alabama | The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Adult Education Division has adopted the College and Career Readiness (CCR) standards promulgated through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). These standards serve as the instructional blueprint for instructors to create plan(s) of instruction for students and to provide accountability for student results. Each local program provider utilizes a Plan of Instruction (POI) document for each student allowing for a structured, targeted path for successful outcomes. Standards in Action and Teaching Skills That Matter reinforces the use of the CCR and English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards by instructors as implemented during statewide training events. Efforts in PY23-24 will focus on the review of the ELP Standards to ensure providers are prepared for the alignment of the standards with new assessments in Alabama’s Assessment Policy Guidelines. | |
| Alaska | In PY 2022 Alaska worked with the American Institutes for Research to begin creating Alaska specific college and career readiness (CCR) standards for adult education and English language learners for alignment with Alaska’s K-12 academic standards. The first year of the project started with the development of English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Digital Literacy standards. The team created a committee that worked to align the projects standards to Alaska’s Standards and included Alaskan context. The Alaska Standards can be found here: https://jobs.alaska.gov/aae/documents/AlaskaAdultEdContentStds-508.pdf. Alaska has developed an advisory team to assist with the development of standards implementation. This has provided invaluable assistance with field experience and buy-in with the new standards. It has also allowed the AIR team who is writing the standards to make adjustments that are unique to Alaska. In the fall of 2023, the Alaska Adult Education Office in conjunction with AIR will develop a statewide implementation training for the new English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Digital Literacy standards. | |
| American Samoa | AELEL had conducted a cross reference of the American Samoa College Career Ready Standards (ASCCRS) from the Department of Education K-12 system and the Adult Basic Education College Career Ready Standards furnished by the Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) in the content area of reading and math. There is no significant difference in both standards due to the fact that these standards derived from the National College and Career Ready standards (NCCR). AELEL will ensure the above process will be followed through with any set of standards that comes out in the future. | |
| Arizona | Arizona finalized the revisions of two sets of content standards in collaboration with teams of adult educators, content experts, and state office staff. The Arizona Adult Education Literacy Through Social Studies Standards were finalized and released to the field. These standards were aligned to the Arizona Adult Education English Language Arts Standards and the Arizona Social Studies Standards-for grades 7-12. The standards were introduced through webinars and integrated in state leadership initiatives including Building Literacy Skills Through Civic Engagement Training Series and the AZ Adult Education English Language Proficiency Standards Training Series. The second set of standards finalized and released to the field were the Arizona Adult Education English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), adapted from the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards, developed by AIR (American Institute for Research). The AZ ELP standards were aligned to the Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards for K-12. The professional learning state staff and contracted ELP Standards specialists from the field, developed and facilitated the AZ Adult Education English Language Proficiency Standards Training Series. This blended learning series was held in multiple regions around the state for over 120 educators and instructional leaders. | |
| Arkansas | ADWS/AES lesson plans and curriculum maps continue to be aligned with K-12 Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which the Arkansas Department of Education has adopted for K-12 schools beginning with the 2013-2014 year, through the adoption of the Career and College Readiness (CCR) standards. ADWS/AES chose to adopt the CCR standards due to their rigorous research and scientific evidence of effectiveness and applicability to Adult Education. Additionally, it ensures that students are prepared for post-secondary education and training and the attainment and maintenance of unsubsidized employment. The CCR standards used the CCSS to "identify a manageable set of the CCSS most indispensable for college and career readiness and important to adult students." The CCR Standards then are translated into curriculum and lessons for teaching the content of the standards to students. Classroom activities, assignments, and formative and summative assessments help determine whether students absorb the essential skills and knowledge in the standards. ADWS/AES has successfully implemented Digital Literacy, Health Literacy, Financial Literacy, Civics, and Employability frameworks taught in conjunction with CCR Content Standards. During the 2022-23 program year, ADWS/AES provided training for teachers to teach these standards in a contextualized, concurrent manner with CCR standards. ADWS/AES Professional Development Committee continues to engage an instructional task force that includes state staff members, AALRC staff, local program directors, and teachers to use CCR standards consistently. The task force continues to utilize the CCR frameworks, along with professional development, to focus on the content areas. The Arkansas CCR Framework is available on the ADWS/AES's website: https://dws.arkansas.gov/adult-education/educational-standards/. The framework is designed as a living document, changing over time, as do resources and student needs. Currently, the focus is to help new teachers align the CCR framework into the curriculum and integrate employability, digital, and financial literacy standards within lesson plans. A New Teacher Orientation online course has been added to provide a basis for utilizing CCR Standards consistently across programs. The task force also recognized the need for continued improvement of the quality of instruction. Therefore, ADWS/AES provides ongoing professional development using evidence-based practices in core subject areas. | ADWS/AES requires that 75% of classes be designed as managed enrollment, which has been proven to increase student retention and performance and allows more effective use of the standards in instruction. Those programs identified as having yet to reach this standard are provided technical assistance to ensure the effective use of managed enrollment for the benefit of students. ADWS/AES continued its participation with the National Standards in Action 2.0 (SIA 2.0) initiative. ADWS/AES staff and the teachers who participated in the pilot group created training for teachers to use the skills and approaches. The integrated and contextualized approaches that SIA 2.0 lessons provided offered Arkansas teachers the ability to resolve course development issues and isolation of skills. ADWS/AES has experienced increased program participation and achievement during the 2022-23 program year. The COVID-19 pandemic no longer impacts program offerings. However, lessons learned during the pandemic still positively affect our adult learners. One lesson included the benefit to the adult learners implemented during this time by providing laptops for adult learner check-out and effective distance learning classes. Students also continue to benefit from the expansion in the number of GED® mobile testing units. ADWS/AES continued to implement the new curriculum for the Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE™) program, which integrates workforce preparation and contextualized career pathways instruction into the lessons. A new element enhancing the WAGETM program was the opportunity to have a team selected to participate in the first training cohort for Digital Resilience in the American Workforce (DRAW). The DRAW program defines digital resilience as "the awareness, skills, ability, and confidence necessary to be empowered users of new technologies, to actively participate in society, and adapt to the labor market's ever-changing demands for digital expertise. Lessons learned from the DRAW program training will be implemented throughout the 2023-2024 program year. |
| California | The CDE, through the State Board of Education, adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in 2010. In March 2013, the CDE adopted the CCRS. In March 2014, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction announced the Standards for Career Ready Practice (SCRP). The SCRP are taught and reinforced in all career exploration and preparation programs or integrated into core curriculum, with increasingly higher levels of complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of study. The CDE Adult Education Office has aligned its content standards to the state-adopted challenging academics of CCSS and CCRS. The California adult education high school diploma meets the same standards as required for the K–12 high school diploma. The CDE has developed and implemented curriculum and assessment standards within ABE and ESL to meet the EFLs established by the NRS and to achieve the K–8 academic literacy objectives established by the state’s standards and frameworks. The CDE along with the SLPs delivered technical assistance and professional development to enable teachers to deliver intentional, standards-based instruction in the online environment. CALPRO provided professional learning opportunities on topics including mastering the English language proficiency standards (ELPS) and College and CCRS, implementation of English language arts standards, and evidence-based writing instruction in ESL and Adult Basic Education (ABE) classrooms. Local adult education programs are aligned to CCSS, CCRS, and ELPS for Adult Education providing standards-based contextualized curriculum, evidence-based instruction, and assessment focusing on the skills that enable learners to participate more fully within society as citizens, workers, and family members. Please refer to the CDE website for additional information on the Adult Education Standard https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/. | |
| Colorado | In 22-23, no changes were made to Colorado’s adopted standards for adult education. Adult Education providers in Colorado use the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). Both the CCRS and ELPS have been shared with the Standards and Support Unit at the Colorado Department of Education and were determined to be in alignment with Colorado’s K-12 standards which can be found here: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeadult/grantees/handbook/standards The Colorado Adult Basic Education Authorization (ABEA) provides training in CCRS and ELPS standards. To earn the ABEA, instructional staff must complete four college courses provided by institutions of higher education (EDU 131, 132, 133, and 134). Instructional staff also have the option to complete the course requirements through prior learning assessments, observation, and free online versions of the courses hosted by AEI. The content of the EDU 134 course focuses specifically on the ELPS by connecting content that is relevant to English language learners. AEI requires each grantee to identify a staff member to serve as the grantee’s local Professional Learning Coordinator. AEI offers training to local Professional Learning Coordinators on how to observe standards in classrooms, and requires grantees to outline their processes for observation annually in their local Professional Learning Assurances and associated plan. | |
| Connecticut | CSDE mandates the comprehensive adoption of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS), placing a significant emphasis on professional development in the areas of reading, writing, and math within our state. ATDN consultants specializing in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math conducted training sessions and reviewed mandatory completion activities, ensuring that teachers could effectively integrate the CCRS into their lesson planning. Additionally, ATDN provides a series of on-demand training courses on the CCRS, catering to both new instructors and those seeking refresher training. The on-demand training courses are actively assessed, with updates being made as deemed necessary. A total of three (3) virtual sessions for ELA training and implementation, coupled with five (5) sessions conducted both in-person and virtually for Math training and implementation, were made available, engaging 12 participants. Over 289 practitioners completed on-demand training courses in ELA and Math. ATDN is currently in the stages of designing and developing online facilitated courses for ELA and Math, aiming to cater to the field’s preference for convenient virtual training over traditional in-person sessions. Additionally, the ELA and Math consultants chose qualified candidates to establish Standards-in-Action (SIA) Curricula Review Teams. The consultants collaborated to create a Resource Alignment Tool, aligned with the SIA Dimensions, intended to be taught to team members. This tool enables them to assess resources and recommend appropriate modifications, ensuring content suitability for adult education and incorporating necessary English language supports. The SIA Curricula Review Teams will persist in meeting and collaborating throughout the fiscal year 2023-2024 to compile an approved list of resource renovations. These resource renovations will be posted on GoOpenCT.org allowing accessibility to the field. The consultants will also provide training to the field on utilizing the Resource Alignment Tool and will continue their efforts to build a curated library or resource renovations with a new set of teams starting in February 2024. There was a continued emphasis on ELPS in Adult Education, with ATDN offering ELP I - Introduction to the ELP Standards, ELP II - Understanding & Using the ELP Standards, and ELPS Implementation - Developing Lessons Using the ELP Standards in-person training for a total of 27 participants. More than 190 practitioners participated in the newly redesigned on-demand ELP I and ELP II training courses. ATDN is currently in the stages of designing and developing online facilitated courses for ELP, aiming to cater to the field’s preference for convenient virtual training over traditional in-person sessions. It is the continued expectation of the CSDE that all lessons and activities are aligned with the appropriate standards for the instructional area. The CSDE monitors the implementation of the standards at two levels. The first is through our annual Program Quality and Compliance Reviews. During these local program reviews, the CSDE evaluates lesson plans and local curriculum for their rigor and alignment to the standards. Recommendations may be made in a formal report in which the district superintendent must identify a corrective action response. Second, all local directors are required to include use of either CCR or ELP Standards in their annual teacher evaluation for all adult education instructors. Teacher Evaluation Professional Learning training is offered regularly to all Adult Education Directors. All new Directors are mandated to take this training while current Directors have the opportunity to take this training as a refresher. Part I focuses on the Adult Education educator evaluation plan framework used in collecting evidence and providing high-quality feedback, while Part II focuses on effective feedback for Adult Education instruction. Ultimately, directors will be able to, upon completion of the training, look for how CCR/ELP Standards for Adult Education are translated into lesson content that productively engages adult learners, align their evaluations with the expectations of CCR/ELP Standards, and guide teachers in appropriate goal setting based on CCR/ELP focus and individual needs. The Connecticut Competency System (CCS) is an integral part of the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) to connect curriculum, assessment, and instruction. CCS has incorporated the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education into training. The network of CCS Program Facilitators, defined as lead participants who ensure high-quality CCS implementation, are supported by the ATDN staff through regional networking sessions providing updates, best practices, the reiteration of regional/national issues, and support with the implementation of standards within the curriculum. In 2022-2023, we provided technical assistance to providers on best ways to prepare their staff and students and align standards-based instruction to the now released new NRS approved assessments. | |
| Delaware | Delaware did not adopt new standards for PY 22 and continues to implement the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCR), the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELP). Delaware’s Adult Basic Education manual included the NRS EFL Descriptors that are aligned to the CCR and all programs are provided with copies of the CCR standards. These manuals were posted in Schoology for easy access by all Delaware adult educators. During Delaware’s PY 22 Professional Development Academies, many professional development training courses were presented to provide staff members with standards-based instructional strategies. Workshops included professional development in the areas of mathematics, STAR, digital platforms, technology, and data. | |
| District of Columbia | In FY23, OSSE AFE staff and local providers continued to increase their understanding of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), CASAS competencies and basic skills content standards and their implications for adult education and training. As such, OSSE AFE staff and its professional development partners continue to identify strategies to assist local program staff via professional development, technical assistance and resources to employ a standards-based approach to teaching adult learners in IE&T Programs more succinctly and comprehensively. | OSSE AFE recognizes that increasing local programs’ understanding and integration of standards takes time. In its FY20 AFE Consolidated Competitive Grant application, the OSSE AFE required local programs to specify which standards (CCSS, CCRS, CASAS, workforce preparation and workforce training) will be reflected in their program designs. OSSE AFE continues to use this and other related information to provide additional professional development, technical assistance and resources to local program providers and to monitor and evaluate their efforts to integrate relevant academic and industry-focused standards incrementally into their IE&T program designs. |
| Florida | In PY 2022-23, adult education standards were aligned to the FDOE K-12 Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards in accordance with Executive Order 19-32: ABE and Adult ESOL. The FDOE also developed a new adult education program based on the Florida DOE K-12 B.E.S.T. Standards, Academic Skills Building program, which is aligned to NRS Levels ABE 5 and 6. | |
| Georgia | GOAE adopted the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for ABE/ASE student instruction and the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) for ESL student instruction in 2014. GOAE supports the alignment and implementation of the standards through:
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| Guam | The adult education program continued to align its curricula with the College and Career Readiness Standards by Susan Pimentel and the content standards indicated in the CASAS descriptors. The local program reviewed and updated its curriculum, and GCC's Curriculum Review Committee reviewed any changes or updates on the curriculum to ensure program standards are aligned and upheld. This program is scheduled to review and update its curricula next program year. The WorkKeys Assessment continued to be part of the adult education program to measure the range of hard and soft skills relevant to any occupation, at any level, and across all industries. The assessment covers Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents. Those who complete the assessment can earn a National Career Readiness Certificate®, which has four levels: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Those placed in gold and platinum levels can bypass the placement tests and be placed in college-level English and Math courses. | |
| Hawaii | The State has not changed the Adult Education content standards during the program year. The content standards for adult education can be found using this link on the Hawaii AEFLA website https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/AEFLA/Pages/default.aspx The State contracted a program evaluation of the local program with a third party. The final report will be shared with the Division of Adult Education and Literacy Hawaii area coordinator when completed. The program evaluation aims to establish a standards implementation baseline to inform a State plan to assist the local program with the implementation of standards. The program evaluation is one of three evaluations conducted to establish a high-quality professional development system. | |
| Idaho | State-adopted standards-based implementation and monitoring: The State adopted College and Career Readiness Standards several years ago and providers have implemented those standards into instruction. Program monitoring requires evidence of standards-based lesson plans per the State of Idaho Office of Adult Education local Program Monitoring Guide. Professional development and technical assistance related to standards-implementation: The state has participated in Standards-in-Action initiatives and Adult Numeracy Institute, both of which reinvigorate providers with the evidence and tools to support standards-based instruction. Providers also frequently utilize LINCS resources and trainings on standards-implementation. Professional conferences such as COABE provide additional resources. Providers have received standards-specific training for IELCE and IET through participation in IET Bootcamp and the Enhancing Access for Refugees and New Americans project (EARN), which two providers participated in during PY22. | |
| Illinois | Illinois’s strategic plan for implementing standards aligned curriculum and instruction began over a decade ago with the integration of the Illinois Adult Education ABE/ASE Content Standards that are inclusive of the College and Career Readiness Standards and employability frameworks for all level of adult and English language learners. The ICCB Adult Education Policy requires that every adult education program incorporates content standards in curricula and instruction using Standards Proficient instructors who are formally trained and support by the Adult Education Professional Development Network. The Illinois Adult Education Content Standards are inclusive of adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English Language instruction. | |
| Indiana | Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) adopted Indiana Academic Standards in April 2014 for K-12. With few variations these align with the Common Core. IDWD has adopted OCTAE’s College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education, a subset of the Common Core. | |
| Iowa | The Common Core State Standards (Iowa Core Standards) were adopted for all K-12 grade levels in 2010. All federally funded adult education programs in Iowa are required by Iowa’s Administrative Rule 23.7(1), adopted January 14, 2015, to align reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, English acquisition, distance education, and staff training practices with content standards for adult education. These standards include the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), 21st Century Skills, and English Language Proficiency standards. The FY21- 25 Competitive Grant Application for AEFLA (WIOA, Sec 231 and Sec 225) required that all grantees are required to adopt and align instruction to the standards. | The Department organizes professional development activities and carries out an enhanced monitoring process to ensure federally funded adult education programs implement the adult education standards. The monitoring structure includes analysis and observation of the adult education standards in lesson plans, curriculum, and assessment for preparation in transitioning participants to further education or employment.
A challenge to the implementation process is the continuous need for training on the adult education standards. Providers are requesting training on the basics and while also wanting to enhance teacher’s knowledge of the standards through training such as SIA 2.0. This creates a need for both basic and enhanced standards training to be scheduled every year.
Future Directions in PY 2023-2024
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| Kansas | The Kansas State Department of Education staggers subject areas to review assessed standards. Current published adoption dates range from 2017 to 2023. Kansas Adult Education uses the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), a subset of the Common Core State Standards adopted by the Kansas Department of Education for K-12 students. Kansas Adult Education provides professional development opportunities and technical assistance to local programs to ensure the delivery of standards-based instruction. New Adult Education instructors complete online CCRS training, including an overview of instructional theory and best practices for classroom implementation of standards. Curriculum developed for Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), English Language Acquisition (ELA), and Integrated Education and Training (IET) must demonstrate CCRS alignment. | Progress of local programs in completing online CCRS training is assessed monthly. Kansas has experienced two principal challenges in implementation. First is the timing of training for new instructors. Instructors are required to complete training within six months of hire, with completion of at least the overview strongly encouraged before the instructor is alone in a classroom. However, especially for programs struggling with a lack of staff, it might not be possible for a new instructor to complete all modules prior to starting teaching, particularly part-time instructors paid on an hourly basis. The second challenge is the aging of materials used for training. It became clear in PY2022 that updated training modules needed to be developed, which will be a large-scale project. KBOR is beginning work on this in PY2023 but anticipates full rollout of the new modules will be in the 2024-2025 year. |
| Kentucky | In PY22/FY23, OAE continued to use the Instructional Framework Series as the common instructional foundation for the agency. Mathematics, Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA), and English Language Proficiency (ELP) Instructional Frameworks provide a common instructional basis with alignment to the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). In general, the Math and RLA frameworks contain common color coding to signify the type and percentage of standards-based content at each TABE level. In PY22/FY23, work began in the ESL PLC to revise the existing English Language Proficiency Instructional Framework in anticipation of upcoming revisions to NRS English Language Learner (ELL) performance descriptors and assessments aligned to the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). The resulting FY23 Revised ELP Instructional Framework aligns CASAS Life & Work and CLAS-E more explicitly to the ELP Standards in a streamlined and simplified format. Lessons submitted by Kentucky ELL instructors during this work also explicitly address civics instruction in Kentucky ELL classes through the statewide adopted IELCE/ESL Lesson Plan Template. All frameworks are enhanced with hyperlinks to instructional objects created by Kentucky adult educators, the KYAE Lesson Bank, statewide curricula, and other Open Educational Resources. Instructional alignment and additions continued in PY22/FY23, when OAE added 10 new math and 10 new science CCR- and GED® High Impact Indicator- aligned HyperDocs to its KYAE Digital Lesson Bank and for inclusion in future revised Math and RLA Instructional Frameworks. Alignment with standards was further emphasized by OAE via a seven-part series of technical assistance sessions centered around the launch of the KYAE Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Workplace Literacy (WPL) planning tool. The planning tool requires all programs to align new IET and WPL projects to KYAE Employability Standards, CCR Standards, Kentucky Department of Education Kentucky Career Pathways Program of Studies 2022-2023, and Advance Career and Technical Education Career Clusters with their appropriate core standards. Additionally, at the end of PY22/FY23, phase one of revisions to the existing KYAE Employability Standards resulted in the revised KYAE Employability Standards, better aligned to academic and training standards required for successful IET and WPL programming. All Program Directors, Assistant Program Directors, and experienced Instructors working 500+ hours per year were required to participate in provider-based professional learning communities. Each professional learning community was no longer required to produce a capstone product aligned to specific needs of adult learners, however, the MRT which is spearheaded by the Program Administration, Performance, and Compliance Branch (PAPC) in conjunction with the Morehead State University Adult Education Academy and the OAE Digital Fluency and Distance Education SME provided technical assistance to improve digital literacy for staff and students as well as provided guidance regarding student tracking, case management, and customer relationship management processes to improve coordination of instruction and student support. | Kentucky has identified the necessity to review the educational standards, applications, and educational support products to ensure alignment with both federal and state standards as well as emerging trends and best practices. Simply moving forward with processes from the previous PY is not always prudent or the best option for enhanced service delivery. |
| Louisiana | Louisiana has embraced a comprehensive approach to adult education by adopting the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP), the OCTAE Employability Framework, and the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards across all adult education programs. | New hires undergo training on utilizing the WRU Lesson Plan Vault, a homegrown database that facilitates easy access to CCRS-aligned lessons, incorporating the OCTAE Employability Framework. The WRU Onboarding Course equips instructors with the necessary skills to leverage the Lesson Plan Vault, allowing efficient lesson planning through keyword, subject, lesson level, and standard search functionalities. This resource-rich platform not only provides quality online materials but also fosters an online community through Basecamp. This community is a hub for sharing best practices, posing questions to colleagues and state staff, and building a collaborative instructional community. Programs are taught to build lessons around standards, integrating study skills, research techniques, written and oral communication skills, and interpersonal skills such as critical thinking and collaboration. Curriculums should encompass time management, organization skills, and digital literacy, ensuring a holistic approach to student development. Emphasis should be placed on efficiently preparing students for the high school equivalency exam and broader college and career readiness, addressing academic skills gaps while incorporating workplace readiness standards. One program noted that despite utilizing standards for many years, they continue to face the challenge of how to best differentiate classrooms, curriculums, and lesson plans for the wide variety of educational functioning levels seen in adult education students. One of the lessons learned early in implementing CCRS is that you must have instructor buy-in, which comes from quality training. Some of the lessons learned over the years include 1) the need to reinforce and reinvigorate our implementation of the CCRS and ELP within classes, which is accomplished through informal professional development opportunities and peer-to-peer mentoring arrangements; 2) the implementation of digital literacy standards into classes takes explicit and proactive attention; and 3) students are not always receptive to the inclusion of digital literacy standards into their high school equivalency curriculum without the understanding of the value of these skills for continued college and career success. The only way to know if incorporating standards in the curriculum is effective is by multiple means of evaluation. Evaluation of program data is used as part of annual personnel performance evaluations in one WRU program. This process allows them to focus on improving what instructors do in the classroom, leading to better student outcomes. This program also holds department meetings to discuss data and performance with faculty and staff. The Adult Education Student Data Analyst and Success Coordinator evaluate program data daily and report to administrators. The data analyst also provides instructors with monthly assessment reports, which helps ensure all students are post-tested on time so that progress can be accurately reflected. Future plans include onboarding distance learning, digital literacy, and adult career pathway leads at the state level. These staff members will expand WRU’s ability to develop and disseminate high-quality instructional materials and methods while leading statewide communities of practice. |
| Maine | Maine provides ongoing professional development and technical assistance to local providers to support their implementation of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education and the English Language Proficiency Standards. In PY22, Standards-in-Action 2.0 subject matter experts trained a team of local practitioners and the state professional development coordinator in the use of the English Language Arts/Literacy and mathematics curriculum review tools. The team convened for a second round of reviews and developed a plan for PY23 that will include opportunities for practitioners to review curriculum locally, regionally, and at a state level and to provide access to completed reviews on an open platform. The State Office requires practitioners to complete introductory trainings in the ELA/Literacy and mathematics CCRS and ELPS with the option to go deeper if they want. The CCRS courses are hosted on the Schoology learning management system as on-demand or facilitated courses. The State Office continues to use the LINCS resource collection modules for ELPS trainings, but in PY23 will be adapting the content for Maine practitioners. The focus will be on the ELPS alignment with the new NRS-approved CASAS STEPS assessment for multilingual learners. Through course evaluations and analysis of course completion data, the State Office evaluates and adjusts its current CCRS trainings to ensure that it meets the needs of local providers and their teaching staff. | |
| Maryland | Maryland adopted the Career and College Readiness Standards for Adult Education to provide a consistent and shared expectation across all adult education programs of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to provide a seamless transition into post-secondary education and the workforce and align with the K-12 Common Core State Standards implementation. The high school credentialing paths, the 2014 GED® test and NEDP, are aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards. The online course, College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education, by The Center for Families Learning, has been a valuable resource for Instructional Specialists (IS) in promoting a better understanding of the standards and how to integrate them into the curriculum. The ABE Instructional Framework developed and launched in PY 20 continues to provide a resource for instructional staff to better understand the skills assessed in TABE 11/12 and the CASAS GOALS series. Maryland’s Digital Literacy Framework for Adult Learners (2020) and its accompanying Instructor Implementation Guide (2020), continue to structure and inform technology instruction and digital integration for adult literacy and language acquisition across the State. The Framework provides the scope and guidance to integrate the essential elements and resources of digital literacy and to evaluate learner outcomes within the existing legislation, standards, and frameworks of adult education. The Digital Literacy Framework Project II - Digital Literacy Framework Learning Modules guide learners through the contextualized components of each of the seven elements. In early PY 2022, The Computational Thinking Learning Module was released in September 2022, with the accompanying other elements to follow in mid-January of 2023. These modules deliver novel strategies for integrating technology into curriculum across multiple modalities for learners to grow, personally and professionally, into adaptable, agile digital citizens. | The increasing need for Digital Literacy integration in instruction to prepare learners for post-secondary education and careers in today's market continues to be at the forefront of all efforts in our standards development. To further strengthen these efforts, in PY 2022, a project proposal entitled “Digital Literacy Framework Learning Modules Study Circles Pilot” was approved, with work groups composed of instructors, instructional specialists, and other staff from the field with the objective of reviewing the modules for efficacy and relevance, among other criteria. The Study Circles will commence in early PY 2023 and inform the continued improvement of the learning modules. |
| Massachusetts | Strong alignment to the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE) (https://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/frameworks/frameworks.html) is the foundation of ACLS’ vision for funding quality adult education. ACLS has implemented the CCRSAE since their release in 2013. To support programs in using the CCRSAE to increase instructional rigor, Massachusetts’ policies require programs offering ABE instruction to use curriculum aligned to the CCRSAE. ABE curriculum and instruction are required to reflect the instructional shifts and to fully align with the CCRSAE levels A through D–E. ACLS also requires that ABE programs incorporate evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI), digital literacy, and workforce preparation at all ABE levels. To support programs offering ESOL instruction, Massachusetts’ policies require programs to implement curriculum aligned to the Massachusetts English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (MA ELPS). The MA ELPS were developed out of a need to combine college and career readiness skills and language skills into a single set of standards in one document. They are based on the 2005 Massachusetts Adult Basic Education Curriculum Framework for English for Speakers of Other Languages, the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE), and the English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education (ELPS). ACLS also requires that ESOL programs integrate civics education, digital literacy, and workforce preparation at all ESOL levels. | Implementation Efforts
All adult learners deserve to receive high-quality instruction from effective teachers. There are many factors that impact student learning; however, research has shown that the single most influential school-based factor impacting student achievement is teacher quality and effectiveness. For this reason, ACLS supports the use of the Educator Growth and Effectiveness (EGE) model and, more recently, of the ACLS Class Visit Toolkit (https://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/edueffectiveness/default.html#:~:text=and%20evaluation.-,Classroom%20Visit%20Toolkit%2DA%20Holistic%20Approach%20to%20Classroom%20Observations,Explanation%20and%20guidance%20for%20each%20stage%20of%20a%20classroom%20visit,-What%20to%20Look, see details in section 1a above) and to meet its MA Policies for Effective Adult Education in Community Adult Learning Centers and Correctional Institutions (https://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abeprogram/policies.docx) requirement that programs “create and sustain the conditions that enable powerful teaching and learning to occur with effective, self-reflective teachers dedicated to improving teaching practice and achieving student outcomes.”
The EGE model is aligned to the MA ABE and ESOL Professional Standards and enhanced by the Math and ELA Proficiency Guides (https://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/edueffectiveness/default.html). It outlines a job-embedded professional learning process that includes self-assessment, planning, reflection, trying new strategies, looking at evidence of student learning, and receiving feedback from a coach. The model is designed to ensure that teachers are active participants throughout the six-step process and that they are driving the process forward. Each step capitalizes on collaboration and promotes evidence-based learning. The six steps are illustrated in https://www.sabes.org/sites/default/files/resources/EGE%206%20Step%20Cycle%20%20rev%208-7-20.pdf.
The EGE model involves three roles: a program EGE team leader who ensures that the conditions are in place for successful EGE implementation; a coach who has content-specific expertise and mentoring skills to support the teacher during the process; a teacher who commits to the EGE process for professional growth.
The entire SABES system collaborates with ACLS to support EGE. The EGE PD splits into three strands, each customized to support one of the above roles. The EGE teacher strand helps teachers identify a rigorous and realistic professional learning goal and develop a professional learning plan; the team leader strand helps instructional leaders support teachers and coaches with an intentional, evidence-based goal setting and planning process; and the coach strand supports EGE coaches implement a range of evidence-based coaching strategies.
Although the EGE model was revised to provide more customized support, data from site visits and monitoring visits indicated that the field needed additional support with instructional leadership and class observations. To this end, ACLS created the Class Visit Toolkit (see section 1a for more details on its components) and developed Beyond the Checklist: Elevating Your Classroom Observation Experience, a six-month hybrid professional learning series designed to support adult education program leaders implement a meaningful and collaborative class observation process by unpacking the guidance and tools in the ACLS Class Visit Toolkit (https://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/edueffectiveness/default.html#:~:text=Guidance%20and%20Support,to%20Classroom%20Observations) and learning how to adapt and/or adopt them to their own program specific circumstances. This PD series will be launched in PY2023-2024 and will consist of three modules, each module with two asynchronous and synchronous (remote and in person) sessions. Programs will be invited to participate in teams (instructional leaders and teachers) to encourage and underline the collaborative approach to class observations.
The main curriculum and instruction priorities for PY2021-2022 were: (1) assisting practitioners in addressing the needs of all learners including diverse populations such as students with learning differences, youth, parents, and incarcerated individuals; (2) culturally responsive practices; and (3) integration of digital literacy into construction.
To support the implementation of these priorities as well as the ESOL and ABE Content and Professional Standards, ACLS and the SABES Curriculum and Instruction PD Centers developed and delivered a variety of PD. Some highlights include (for a complete list go to https://www.sabes.org/calendar):
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| Michigan | The State of Michigan has not adopted new K-12 standards recently. Michigan adopted the College and Career Readiness (CCRS) standards for Adult Education, and LEO-WD continues to offer professional development each year for teachers and administrators to implement and improve standards-based lesson planning and instruction. | |
| Minnesota | Minnesota has adopted three sets of content standards for Adult Education: 1) the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS) for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics; 2) the Minnesota ACES Transitions Integration Framework (TIF) (available at https://atlasabe.org/key-activities/aces/) for professional or “soft skills”; and 3) the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards (available at www.digitalliteracyassessment.org) for digital literacy skills. Minnesota’s K-12 English Language Arts standards have recently been revised and will be implemented in the 2024–25 school year. The Minnesota K-12 Mathematics standards are in the process of being revised and will be implemented in the 2027–28 school year. We have not yet analyzed the alignment of the revised standards to the CCRS for Adult Education. As the K-12 standards are implemented in the upcoming years, we intend to meet with state standards specialists to help us analyze the standards and their alignment to CCRS. The Minnesota ACES-TIF (Transitions Integration Framework) was first rolled out to MN adult educators in 2013, nearly 10 years ago. Given the changes that have taken place over the past decade, the ACES TIF 2.0 project was undertaken in 2022–2023 to better align ACES-TIF activities and resources with current teaching contexts, technological realities, diversity/equity/inclusion goals, social-emotional learning, and priorities in the field such as IET. These updated resources were shared with adult education practitioners through a series of workshops and webinars, and via the ACES online resource library. | When Minnesota adult education consortia submit documentation for the state funding reauthorization process, they must provide an instructional program description which indicates how each of their courses is aligned to Minnesota Adult Education content standards. In addition, they must submit a content standards implementation plan and provide evidence of standards integration to date. Extensive professional development opportunities support the implementation of content standards in Minnesota Adult Education programming. The CCRS Foundations online course provides an introduction to the CCR standards for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics in a self-paced format. Participants can complete the entire course for ELA and/or Mathematics, or access specific topics for a refresher or further practice. This course is a prerequisite requirement for several Minnesota Adult Education professional development activities, including the CCRS Implementation Cohort. The year-long CCRS Implementation Cohort Training, designed to support implementation of the standards at the local program level, is being delivered on a biennial basis. Program teams participating in the cohort learn to evaluate and improve the CCRS-alignment of lessons, resources, assignments, and instruction. In addition, they develop a multi-year CCRS implementation plan for their program, and provide leadership and training for standards implementation to their colleagues. Ongoing PD opportunities such as CCRS support webinars, conference sessions, and articles in the weekly PD newsletter provided guidance on and examples of standards-based instruction and resources in virtual instruction. Resources to support individual and program-based PD around the standards were also disseminated via the CCR Standards Resource Library (https://atlasabe.org/resources/ccr-standards/), including a CCRS professional learning community guide, CCRS classroom videos and viewing guides, and CCRS Teacher Workouts (short, focused PD activities). |
| Mississippi | Mississippi adopted the College and Career Readiness (CCR) standards prior to 2022, aligning them with K-12 standards and provided training for adult education teachers and directors through a train-the-trainer approach. To improve digital access and equity, the OAE launched the Standards Foundational courses in June of 2022. These courses offer comprehensive, on-demand training of current standards and are housed within the Canvas platform. All new teachers who entered an adult education program in 2022-2023 were required to take the Foundational courses that cover College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. This practice will continue in future years to foster a standardized, accessible, and equitable educational landscape for adult learners in Mississippi. Additionally, the state team of CCR coaches led participants from each program through a three-day in-person training in February 2023. The participants reviewed ELA and Math adult education curriculum and were trained on how to identify lessons that most closely aligned with the standards. These participants took these practices back to their local programs and trained their own staff on how to read and understand the standards and align them to the current curriculum being taught. | |
| Missouri | Missouri DESE improves lives through education and provides access to opportunity. The K-12 Missouri Learning Standards define the knowledge and skills students need in each grade level and course for success in college, other post-secondary training, and careers. The standards ensure students learn basic and higher-order skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. These standards have real-world relevance and reflect the knowledge and skills students need to achieve their goals. While the standards do not dictate the curriculum, programs are strongly encouraged to adopt a curriculum that closely aligns with the standards. DESE AEL monitors ABE and ASE classroom instruction to confirm alignment. The Missouri Adult Education and English Language Development Standards align closely with the K-12 College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). The Missouri Adult Education Standards, much like the K-12 standards, provide a framework within which programs can develop the curriculum needed to prepare students to achieve their goals. These goals include obtaining employment, enrolling in post-secondary options, and developing language and life skills needed to be a part of the culture of the United States. Missouri’s Adult Education Standards offer guidance in academic areas such as applied math, reading comprehension, communication (verbal, written, and listening), critical thinking and problem-solving, technology, and gathering/evaluating information. Additionally, programs support work readiness skills such as career development and planning, professional behavior, accountability, interpersonal skills, and self-management. | In Missouri, the basis of all adult education, literacy, and English language acquisition activities must be the CCRS. Local providers must incorporate CCRS into their instruction and participate in professional development related to CCRS. DESE AEL carefully reviewed its CCRS workshop requirements and discovered they were ineffective and outdated. Instead of one focused CCRS PD opportunity, DESE used state and local program staff to revise all workshops, incorporating the standards into each. In the future, all DESE-sponsored PD opportunities will include applicable portions of CCRS, encouraging instructors to incorporate them into all lessons. To support the focus of IET expansion statewide, DESE offered professional development and technical assistance in developing Single Sets of Learning Objectives (SSLO) for workplace education and occupational training services. Using the IET Design Camp resources as a foundation, DESE AEL staff walked program staff through the importance of SSLOs and used real-life examples to demonstrate. By working with other team members to develop IET learning objectives based on occupationally relevant materials, local programs can integrate the practice of SSLOs in all AEL classrooms, providing workforce readiness to adult students statewide. |
| Montana | The Montana Board of Public Education, upon recommendation from the Superintendent of Public Instruction, adopted the Montana Content Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, on November 4, 2011. These standards, along with Science standards adopted in 2016, ensure that secondary students have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy. Skills include problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, research, and the use of technology. In February 2015, the Adult Education (AE) Unit at the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) adopted the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for adult education. These standards identify the essential CCR components required to be incorporated into the adult education classroom. By adopting these standards, Montana’s adult education programs will have student expectations that are consistent with K-12 students. Additionally, programs will have access to K-12 tools and materials that support student learning. | N/A |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Adult Education officially adopted the following standards, aligning with or exceeding adopted K12 standards in the State: College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/CCRStandardsAdultEd.pdf English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/elp-standards-adult-ed.pdf Nebraska Revised Statute 79-760.01 requires the Nebraska State Board of Education to “adopt measurable academic content standards for at least the grade levels required for statewide assessment.” Those standards shall cover the subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and the State Board of Education shall develop a plan to review and update standards for those subject areas every seven years. In addition to the content area standards required by statute, the Nebraska Department of Education has developed content area standards for fine arts, physical education, and world languages, as well as course-based standards for Career and Technical Education. Although not required by law, these content area standards provide a framework for quality teaching and learning for all content areas. A Content Area Standards Revision Timeline has been developed and includes a tentative timeline for the review and revision of all content area standards: All Nebraska Content Standards and a table of the revision timeline may be found at: https://www.education.ne.gov/contentareastandards/ Nebraska English Language Arts Standards https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ELA-Standards-2021-8-25-22.pdf Nebraska Mathematics Standards https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Nebraskas-College-and-Career-Ready-Standards-for-Mathematics-Final-062723.pdf Nebraska College and Career Ready Standards for Science https://cdn.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Nebraska_Science_Standards_Final_10_23.pdf Nebraska Social Studies Standards https://cdn.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Nebraska-Social-Studies-Standards-Final-11-2019.pdf Nebraska English Language Proficiency Standards https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Nebr-English-Langauge-Proficency-Standards-April-2014.pdf | Nebraska Adult Education has proven consistently that our strong commitment to serving as the dedicated educators in a workforce-driven system is beneficial for the individuals we serve, employers seeking to fill positions, the economy and even the workforce system itself. Although we experienced challenges with improving WIOA partnerships and with serving a large influx of migrants to our State, we were able to demonstrate that adult education, administered with the focus of teaching and learning for adults proved to be a catalyst for positive outcomes. A strong commitment to quality curricula, aligned with rigorous standards led to positive performance outcomes, and student success. |
| Nevada | Implementation of the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) aligns the Nevada Adult Education content standards with the Nevada K-12 standards. The Nevada State Standards are based on the Common Core Standards. | The state provides policy and guidance on the required use of the standards through the Nevada Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Handbook and the online New Teacher Training module. Annual monitoring includes required documentation on how the standards are implemented within the program and samples of lesson plans that include standards-based instruction. Program monitoring includes class observations to determine if the use of standards is evident in instruction. English language learners at lower levels were not adequately receiving instruction that included core academic content, which was evident during the Standards In Action (SIA) Curriculum Review project. We discovered that the curriculum used in multiple locations did not do a good job of providing this content along with the English language instruction. Nevada has strong examples of core academic content being provided to those English language learners at the more advanced levels with a focus on transition to ABE. Local providers have adopted additional supports for English language learners to address the gaps identified through curriculum review. The success of the work can be seen by the significant increase in MSGs for the lower-level ESL students. We have sustained the work of the SIA Curriculum Review project by using the teachers that received the training to develop materials available online for the rest of the state. Also, the PD contractor has developed and published an online module for the SIA curriculum review process, as well as a module on the CCRS and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). All programs are required to use the curriculum review process prior to purchasing new curricula. The online training module developed for CCRS and ELPS is used as a refresher for current staff and initial training for new staff. An additional module will be developed to go more in-depth on implementation of the CCRS and ELPS. State Leadership also continued the integration of CCRS by incorporating standards content within the new teacher training online system. Helping the teachers learn how to implement the CCRS has paved the way for students to make easier transitions to postsecondary education and training. Furthermore, the implementation of CCRS has helped to align ABE programming with workforce and career readiness that leads to certification and credentialing, and to support short-term certification for high demand job sectors based on current DETR local labor market data. |
| New Hampshire | NH adopted the College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education in 2017 with required alignment of curriculum by July 1, 2020. | Initial training was provided several years ago. Due to staff turnover, it was determined that an additional training option was needed both as a refresher and for new staff. The content has now been converted into an asynchronous online professional development course available in the statewide Canvas instance. Fifteen adult education instructors have completed the Canvas course. Completion of the training is tracked on the risk assessment and reviewed during on-site monitoring visits. Two cohorts of State office staff, local administrators and instructors participated in the Standards in Action curriculum review projects this year for ELA and Math. The cohorts examined the model curricula as well as the iCivics curriculum and the Stand Out curriculum. An overview of the process and a flip book resource tool was provided as a well-attended session at the NH Adult Education conference. To expand access to this project, a Canvas course will be created and participating practitioners will be paired with other practitioners who completed the initial project for peer support in learning. |
| New Jersey | New Jersey continues to require the CCRS for Title II adult education. NJ DOL adult literacy regional coordinators regularly review grantee curricula and monitor instruction in person when warranted to ensure the CCR Standards are being effectively met. Regional coordinators continue to work to develop professional development initiatives in order revisit standards-based training in the coming year. | |
| New Mexico | In 2010, the New Mexico Legislature adopted the Common Core State Standards for K-12. NMHED has adopted the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) developed by OCTAE to align with the Common Core Standards. All courseware and lesson plans used by Adult Education programs statewide must align with CCRS and thus align to the Common Core. NMHED-AE has no significant changes on this front for this reporting period, other than to emphasize that all state-sponsored PD initiatives are designed in part to support local AE program providers’ increased competency with respect to designing lessons and instruction aligned to CCRS. NMHED-AE also promotes alignment with the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards for those programs that offer English as a Second Language instruction. Both may be accessed on our state website for practitioners, Propelnm.org at this tab: Propel NM - Content Standards (google.com). | While engaging in in-person site visits in PY 22, it became clear to NMHED-AE that while we do require alignment with the CCRS, many of our practitioners in the field are newer and do not have a firm handle on how to truly align curriculum and instruction with the standards. As such, NMHED-AE asked directed our professional development system, Propel, to make standards alignment a priority for PY 23. One of our Propel staff participated in Standards-in-Action in PY 22 in preparation. |
| New York | New York adopted the College Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education released in 2013, which are aligned to the New York State’s K-12 common core standards. All instruction and professional development funded under WIOA title II (as noted in all sections above) as well as the professional development provided by the RAEN centers supported these standards in program year 2022-2023. Full remote access to all training materials, teacher designed modules, and professional development was supported throughout the program year. Programs were encouraged to provide ample time for teachers to access training and materials. WIOA awards included provisions for teacher to be paid to attend ample training opportunities surrounding College and Career Readiness Standards hosted by the RAENs. In addition, materials, modules, and training videos/materials are all available statewide on two AEPP supported websites: www.CollectEdNY.org and www.TeachingtotheCoreNY.org . | |
| North Carolina | In 2014, the NCCCS College and Career Readiness Adult Education Standards were aligned to reflect OCTAE College and Career Readiness Standards (CCR). The state team feels that these standards are reflective of the knowledge and skills that adult learners need to build a foundation for postsecondary success and, thus, allowing students to pursue career goals that enable them to earn life sustaining wages. In PY 2021-2022, state and local leaders developed official courses to standardize NC Title II curricula across the state. This work included course plans and course syllabi for each of the NRS ABE, ASE, and ESL levels. These courses are aligned to the NCCC (North Carolina Community College) Adult Education Content Standards and the English Language Proficiency Standards for Adults. These instructional courses are housed in the Combined Course Library for all Title II funded providers. In PY 2022-2023, 40 local providers participated in the Professional Development Facilitator Project. Each provider identified a Professional Development Facilitator who attended the train-the-trainer Standards-in-Action Institute on Cultivating a Language and Content Focus for English language learners. Participants were charged with replicating the training for their local programs and serving as a mentor for novice instructors. Professional development for teachers continues to be a priority in North Carolina. It is an expectation that all teachers have the resources and training needed that enables them to deliver high-quality, standards-aligned instruction to students. During on-site monitoring visits, state office staff observe classrooms and review local teacher evaluation tools and processes. The CCR Assessment Office has provided a series of crosswalk documents to assist providers with alignment between NRS-approved assessments and state standards. The documents will demonstrate how the standards identified on testing blueprints for the CASAS and TABE assessments relate to the North Carolina Adult Education Content Standards. A crosswalk has been completed for TABE 11/12, and work is underway for a CASAS Math GOALS 2 crosswalk. | |
| North Dakota | Adult Education Standards North Dakota Adult Education program adopted the College and Career Readiness standards (CCR) for Adult Education in 2015. NDDPI, regarding K-12 standards, began to write and release North Dakotas own version of standards. The Mathematics and English Language/Literacy standards came out in 2017 and the Science and Social Studies standards were released in 2019. Both have a concentration on 21st Century Skills and the 4 C’s. The assessments used in Adult Education are also built upon the CCR standards. ND K-12, as part of ESSA Plan, recognizes Choice Ready to assess and ensure students are ready for post-secondary education or training. Work has begun to align with the work we do in Adult Education. In an early review, plenty of alignment exists with the concentration of post-secondary and education in Adult Education. | With staff turnover, it is important to continue to share and communicate the importance of Adult Education standards to ensure sites are embedding standards in their instruction, practices, and GED preparation. We have many strong instructors in the field who have embraced this, but when individuals leave and new instructors are hired, ensuring they know the standards and resources are aligning with them and they are utilizing best practices to meet student outcome measures is important. We have added the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education and English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education on our resource page on the website and have placed them in the newly designed Local Program Directors' Guide. We are a small network so with eight main sites and four satellites, along with Corrections, teachers and leaders meet informally to refine practices to meet student needs. In addition, the NDALL association works hard to ensure content rich training is provided at the conference and collaboration time for instructors to discuss and share best practices. |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Since 2014, our state has formally adopted the Adult Education CCR standards. Comprehensive and organized course syllabi were implemented on July 1st, 2014, and updated annually. The office continues to incorporate CCR standards into its curriculum. The materials and information gathered and learned in the training attended were instrumental in working on the curriculum and course syllabus changes. Mathematics and Language Arts Student Learning Outcomes were mapped out to include the Adult Education CCR Standards as well as the CASAS competencies, the college’s General Education Learning Outcomes. These are all shared with students in the course syllabi. Copies were also shared with the college’s academic dean. The college and the public school system work together to develop college and career readiness standards. Our office has incorporated its standards into our curriculum and has mapped them out per student learning outcome. | |
| Ohio | Ohio’s adult education program has a long history, over 28 years, of standards-based education. In 2014, the ODHE Aspire program adopted the rigorous College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education (U.S. Department of Education, 2013) for use in all ABE/ASE classes. In 2018, the Aspire program adopted and adapted the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP) for Adult Education (U.S. Department of Education, 2016) for use in all ESOL classes. By utilizing national standards, Ohio Aspire programs were situated to meet the academic rigor outlined in WIOA. The CCR standards, intended to provide all adult students with the opportunity to be prepared for postsecondary education/training and the workforce without needing basic skills remediation, were developed, and aligned to the K-12 Common Core State Standards, adopted by the Ohio Department of Education | Ohio Aspire invested substantial state leadership dollars when the CCRs were first implemented years ago. Resources were developed such as Standards-Based Lesson Plan Templates by subject, Lesson Plan Rubric, and an online Teacher Resource Center with thousands of standards-based lesson plans and resources. The goal was to set the expectation that every program’s curriculum must be aligned to the CCRs; the state office made it easier to implement the new standards by providing lesson plans, PD, and technical assistance. Now, nine years later, all Aspire programs are using the CCR standards to some degree. Ohio continues to set the expectation of standards implementations and continues to provide TA and PD with standards implementation in mind. Quality instruction has been a continued focus for our PDN and state office. Standards have been a vital part of that conversation. Our programs have worked diligently to align curriculum with CCR standards. In Ohio many programs are collaborating and sharing processes, documentation, and best practices with aligning standards to approved curriculum and DE software. At our state professional development conferences, there were several sessions offered on aligning standards led by our PDN. There were also sessions offered by practitioners that were sharing best practices when it comes to lesson planning and standards. Additionally, our state staff, has been providing focused technical assistance on aligning Integrated Education and Training single set of learning objectives and curriculum with our standards. |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma AEFL continues to utilize the Oklahoma Academic Standards developed by the Oklahoma State Department of Education that includes English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Personal Financial Literacy. The Oklahoma adult education high school equivalency adheres to the same standards and requirements as the Oklahoma high school diploma. ODCTE purchases curriculum for programs that meet these standards. The curriculum companies provide technical assistance and professional development to ensure students receive evidence-based high-quality instruction. | |
| Oregon | The Oregon ABS Learning Standards Initiative, adopted by OCABSD in April 2010, reflected a common vision of what adults needed to know and be able to do in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and math to carry out their life goals and purposes. The OALS were aligned with the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards of the Common Core State Standards. In 2014, on the advice of OCTAE, the State ABS Team undertook a project to align the Oregon Adult Learning Standards with the CCR Standards for Adult Education in order to ensure that adults are ready to transition to a career and/or postsecondary education and training upon exit from ABS. OCTAE recommended several national experts who were well-versed in the CCR standards to perform gap analyses and identify where the Oregon Adult Learning Standards Frameworks needed to increase rigor, focus, and scope. These national experts drafted revised frameworks which teams of Oregon standards experts then finalized and published. The newly aligned Oregon Adult Learning Standards, adopted by OCABSD, became effective July 1, 2016. Training for faculty and administrators on the aligned Oregon Adult Learning Standards began in July 2016 and was offered on an ongoing basis until the end of 2018-19.
Pursuant to a recommendation from OCABSD in October 2018, Oregon ABS programs chose to transition from the Oregon-specific OALS to the nationally recognized College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). The objective was to preserve certain elements of the Oregon Adult Learning Standards and consolidate them into the OACCRS. The rationale behind this recommendation was the alignment of the CCRS with the new CASAS Reading and Math GOALS, which are the required assessments in Oregon, together with access to the many resources and materials available nationally to support implementation of CCRS. During program year 2018-19, a Learning Standards Reconciliation Project took place whereby a group of expert trainers, many of whom had previously developed Oregon’s Adult Learning Standards, created Mathematics and Language Arts Handbooks to accompany the implementation of OACCRS. In addition, a training module (OACCRS Orientation Module) was created and posted on the state ABS website in September 2019. This module became part of the “OACCRS Foundation Training'' required of all faculty and academic administrators. It was designed to be completed either individually in self-paced mode, or in groups with an in-person or virtual facilitator. There is also an accompanying workbook.
With regard to English for Speakers of other Languages, in February 2020, OCABSD voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Learning Standards Implementation Committee which comprised faculty trainers, program directors and members of the state ABS team, to adopt the national English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), with the following additions:
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| Palau | The Palau Ministry of Education Curriculum Standards (K-12) is based on and aligned with the US Common Core Standards. The Palau Adult Education Program has put diligent effort to hire and train its teachers on the same standards. Consequently, all of the part-time teachers hired to teach any of the Adult Education classes must be familiar with or have been trained on the same standards. | |
| Pennsylvania | The Pennsylvania Core Standards went into effect March 1, 2014. PDE’s Division of Adult Education has used the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS) since 2014-15. Prior to implementing the CCRS, division staff completed a crosswalk of the CCRS to the Pennsylvania Core Standards. All items included in the CCRS are also in the Pennsylvania Core Standards. | PDE requires local programs to use the CCRS to guide lesson planning and instruction; lesson plans must have CCRS-aligned learning objectives. The tool used for monitoring reviews includes CCRS-related items in several sections, and the monitoring review team examines lesson plans to ensure they are CCRS-aligned. All resources in support of instruction that are developed by the division and the state leadership projects reference the CCRS; professional development activities in support of instruction are CCRS-aligned. Pennsylvania has also incorporated the English Language Proficiency Standards. Each year, PDE offers several year-long instruction institutes. A team of Pennsylvania subject-matter experts reviewed these institutes and the work done with Teaching Skills that Matter for alignment with the CCRS; inclusion of standards was strengthened where needed. In 2022-23, the PDS offered a new institute, Standards-Based Instruction for Transitioning English Learners, which focused on the standards that target the skills English language learners need to advance to postsecondary education. Pennsylvania has used the College and Career Readiness-Standards-in-Action (CCR-SIA) process to support implementation of CCRS-based education. Programs work in professional learning communities to increase CCRS implementation at their programs by creating standards-based lessons, using the lessons in the classroom, and then returning to the professional learning communities to revise the lessons. To sustain implementation of the CCRS despite a predominantly part-time workforce with high staff turnover, the CCRS trainings are available online as on-demand professional development modules on the Pennsylvania Adult Education Resources website. The modules cover key CCRS content that helps instructors write CCRS-aligned lessons. In 2022-23, the leadership projects began revising and updating some of the older modules with content from more recent standards training. In addition to the online modules, the division uses technology to offer training at a distance with additional support from the CCRS coaches. In 2019-20, a team from Pennsylvania participated in the SIA 2.0 State-Based Curriculum Review Pilot for Mathematics. The team chose Illustrative Mathematics as the base curriculum. Illustrative Mathematics is a large K-12 curriculum, so, after bringing on and training additional members, the team pared it down to be relevant and usable in the adult education context. In 2022-23, the pared-down curriculum was added to the online Lesson Bank. A separate team used the tools from the State-Based Curriculum Review Pilot for English Language Arts (ELA) to create a process for developing lines of inquiry for ELA. Two subject-matter experts designed four CCRS-aligned lesson plans that are part of a line of inquiry. Each lesson contained supports for English learners using strategies learned in Implementing Standards-based Education for English Learners. The lessons have been taught, run through the CCRS Student Work Protocol, and revised. In 2022-23, the team trained additional subject-matter experts to expand this work. |
| Puerto Rico | The Adult Education Program of the PRDE continued during PY 2022 the development of a new curriculum for ESL aligned with the State K-12 standards and plans. The new curriculum design will be completed during PY 2023 and will include integration of Workplace Preparation Activities, contextualization activities to life skills and careers; use of relevant materials and technology and Integrated education and training (IET) curriculum lessons for in-demand occupational and industrial clusters using OCTAE IET curriculum guidelines. The curriculum documents drafts are under review for final approval and implementation. During the PY the AEP performed a virtual training session about the alignment of content standards to 162 teachers. Also performed on-site visits to local eligible education service providers to discuss the education standards with 180 teachers. | The coordination between staff designing the curriculum and the teachers feedback process have been a challenge. |
| Rhode Island | The RI Board of Education officially designated the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) as RI’s standards for adult education in January 2014. As CCRS are a subset of the Common Core State Standards used by RI’s public education system, adult education providers’ use of the CCRS ensures alignment between the state’s adult and K-12 educational systems. | Support for local standards implementation is an ongoing priority for state adult education professional development activities. In PY 2022 the state sought out CCRS-aligned resources and training relevant for incorporating standards in instruction. The PD provider delivered an introductory course to orient new adult education staff and instructors to the standards and standards-based instruction for their content area. The interactive, 2-part workshop described the origins and purpose of the CCRS, had attendees participate in activities about the three instructional shifts, and facilitated discussion on standards-based lesson planning. Additionally, local practitioners participated in two national PD initiatives about standards: Teaching the Skills that Matter (TSTM) and Standards in Action (SIA). All of the instructors who participated in the national cohorts in turn presented to colleagues statewide to share best practices and model successful classroom activities. |
| South Carolina | The Curriculum Framework continued to be the driving force for instructional planning regarding aligning adult education curriculum with the College and Career Ready Standards. The Curriculum Framework focuses on the identified skills that a student needs to obtain a measurable skill gain, career readiness certificate, high school equivalency diploma, and prepare for postsecondary education and training. The framework is the result of a crosswalk between the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Standards (SCCCRS) and the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards. In addition, the framework provides the alignment of the standards with adult education assessments including the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), GED, WIN Career Readiness Assessments, and the Next Generation ACCUPLACER. The OAE staff and other subject matter experts from local programs provided ongoing local, regional, and statewide professional development training throughout the 2022-2023 school year. During each session, educators examined standards-based instructional practices, the standards’ alignment to instructional resources, assessment strategies, and digital literacy integration to address Distance Education/Blended Learning instructional practices. Traditionally, most of our curriculum and instruction training were delivered in person or synchronously. However, last year we utilized our statewide LMS, Brightspace, to increase our asynchronous professional development offerings to accommodate educators’ diverse schedules. Building upon the distance education instructional resources we developed last year in collaboration with various open educational resources, the OAE has continued to create and curate a robust catalog of educational resources for educators and students. Notably, these instructional resources we delivered via Wakelet lessons, our monthly curriculum newsletter (The PULSE), and state sponsored instructional software packages (Aztec, BurlingtonEnglish, Northstar, and Triple P) provided an all-inclusive roadmap teachers utilized to help students meet their individualized learning goals with intentional considerations for personalized differentiated instruction. | |
| South Dakota | The following narrative comes from the South Dakota Department of Education’s website.
South Dakota academic content standards serve as expectations for what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade. The review, revision, development, and feedback process [sic] involves stakeholders throughout the state of South Dakota and is an ongoing and critical component to ensure South Dakota students in every classroom receive current and relevant learning experiences. The goal is that all students will graduate college, career, and life ready. Content standards are set by the South Dakota Board of Education Standards. They are reviewed every five to seven years. Content standards do not mandate a specific curriculum. https://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/As a related aside, the South Dakota Department of Education and the South Dakota Board of Regents both have voting representatives on the State’s Workforce Development Council (i.e., single-area Workforce Investment Board). The South Dakota Department of Education also determines the State’s recognized High School Equivalencies; these secondary credentials have aligned to meet the expectations of the College and Career Readiness Standards. Over the past number of years, the WIOA Title II program has worked diligently to recalibrate its instruction and activities to align with the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. Per the WIOA mandate in Section 102, the State’s Title II Program formally adopted a validated set of standards for its delivery of AEFLA instruction, activities, and services. As noted within South Dakota’s Unified State Plan, the implementation became effective July 01, 2016. |
Rather than constantly, pedantically unpacking and detailing the College and Career Readiness Standards with local AEFLA programs, the Teaching Skills That Matter initiative has proven a more actionable approach (and accessible framework) to aligning Adult Education's curricular content with K-12 standards. |
| Tennessee | The TDLWD AE program did not make any changes to the content standards this year. We continued to apply the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and the English Language Proficiency Standards. The use of CCRS-aligned curricula was assessed as part of our regular local program monitoring process, which included class observations, teacher interviews, and student surveys. We ensured that only curricula aligned with the standards were on our recommended curriculum resource guide. We provided sessions on implementing the CCR standards and ELP standards as part of our annual AE conference for local staff. In the next year, we will have a continued focus on standards-based teaching and ensuring instructors are sufficiently trained in teaching robust, standards-based material. We will include standards training as part of our default new teacher training materials, and we’ll ensure that standards training is included in our TAEPD online professional development platform. | |
| Texas | All TWC AEL providers’ curriculum must align with TWC AEL Content Standards. Developed in 2016, the Content Standards increase the rigor and relevance of adult education through alignment with the following established assessments and standards:
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| Utah | Each program that is housed in a school district uses the K-12 instructional standards to build curriculum and award academic credit towards the completion of an Adult Education Secondary Diploma. The CCR standards are folded into the existing standards as the framework for their instruction. The ELP standards are integrated into English language acquisition courses across the state as well. | |
| Vermont | AEL content standards continue to be aligned with Vermont’s K-12 Education Quality Standards (EQS). The EQS adopts the Common Core Standards, which incorporates the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). Every hour of instruction tracked in the database must display the predominant standard addressed in the session – whether it is an EQS transferable skill or a CCRS for Adult Education standard. In addition, the revised assessment manual for PY21 expanded platforms allowed for proxy hours. Each platform was vetted by the State through the lens of standards-based content. Only Learner Mastery Model proxy hours are permitted for these platforms to ensure that student hours tracked are the result of mastery of standards. The platforms are: Essential Education’s GED Academy; Khan Academy for content areas aligned with EQS: math, reading and language arts, and science; and IXL in the standards-aligned content areas of math, language arts, science and social studies. The AOE continues to uphold a minimum of NRS 5 skills in reading, language, and math for graduates of the state-funded High School Completion Program (HSCP) unless a prior approval has been sought and approved. Through this program, AEL providers work with local schools to develop personalized learning plans that meet the school’s Proficiency Based Graduation Requirements. This is another way that there is alignment with K-12 standards and Vermont residents are afforded the option of a diploma from a local high school as an unenrolled from school student. AEL students also have the option of pursuing the GED with preparation support from their local AEL provider. | |
| Virgin Islands | In FY 21, the SOCTAE indicated that we have adopted the College and Career Readiness Standards and will be utilizing those standards for adult education. To clarify, we adopted the Common Core State Standards and created the Virgin Islands Standards, and those are the standards that we use across the board for K-12 and Adult Education. The SOCTAE began to work on integration of the College and Career Readiness Standards and the Virgin Islands Standards for Integration into the Adult Ed Classroom and hosted a training with a provider during PY 2021 on College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education by Susan Pimental. We also presented literature to our AELFA teachers for reference on how to use the standards for lesson planning. For PY 2023, we intend to revisit the training with the same provider to delve more into Adult Education and the use of standards in the AE Classroom. | The challenges we face are that we have limited financial resources to effectuate the changes that we need in such a short time. That is one reason why we could not bring back the trainer, as well as the trainer also needed to register with SAM.Gov. It would be ideal if we had the resources to create our USVI trainings on a platform so that our teachers and staff could log in and asynchronously complete the trainings. One option that the State will implement this year is for adult ed programs and staff to utilize LINCS trainings on the LINCS platform. |
| Virginia | Since the adoption of the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) in 2016, the VDOE and the VALRC have been implementing training and technical assistance and institutionalizing the use of standards-based instruction (SBI) through practices and grant requirements. Virginia is now in what Susan Pimentel, in the Handbook for Sustaining Standards-based Instruction in Adult Education (2014), describes as Stage Four implementation, “Initiating a Scale-Up Plan: Sustaining Momentum, Progress, and Creative Renewal.” The VDOE competitive grants require that programs demonstrate full implementation of standards-based instruction; program monitoring ensures that programs self-assess and document this implementation. The SBI webpage (valrc.org/standards-based-instruction) of the VALRC website provides key links, resources, and technical assistance. The VALRC provided a variety of training options to support new and experienced educators in effective SBI, from foundational training introducing the CCRS and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) to subject-area-specific training that fully integrates standards. The three-part, interactive Teaching the Key Shifts webinar series, focused on integrating the CCRS English language arts/literacy key shifts into instruction, was offered in spring 2023. Other standards-aligned PD offerings included a three-part fall webinar series on evidence-based writing instruction; a three-part spring webinar series on math instruction; and two webinars on teaching reading and writing using published writing by adult learners as models. Customized PD support based on local program requests included technical assistance provided to a regional specialist leading a CCRS-focused in-service and development and delivery of a half-day training: Contextualizing Standards-based Instruction for Transferable Skill-building. Virginia also continued to support dissemination and use of the standards-aligned TSTM skills, lessons, and approaches, offering a spring PLC that focused on lesson planning and implementation using the TSTM digital literacy materials. As many programs around the state worked to serve an influx of refugee learners, VALRC offered many ELPS-aligned PD opportunities designed to support educators in serving this demographic as well as other English language learners (ELLs). These included a four-session Serving Refugees, New Americans, and Immigrants in Adult Education PLC; two webinars on contextualized phonics instruction; a webinar on preparing ELLs for purposeful reading; two, six-week online courses on serving learners at the beginning literacy level and teaching multilevel classes; and, an eight-week ESOL Basics online course. The VDOE supported the rollout of nine (three mathematics, three English language arts, and three English for speakers of other languages) CCRS-aligned online courses intended to support the expansion of remote synchronous and asynchronous instruction for adult learners. Initial development work on these courses was completed by Virtual Virginia in 2022, and the courses were introduced to educators through a one-day, on-site training in August 2022. Virtual Virginia provided ongoing technical assistance in hosting and utilizing the courses to local and regional programs. VALRC facilitated a post-training listening session in fall 2022 and, in spring 2023, brought together a group of teachers to review and pilot the suite of courses, making recommendations for revisions (carried out by Virtual Virginia) and for implementation. By managing a master suite of exportable Canvas courses, Virginia aims to minimize the duplication of effort by regional adult education programs and instructors and create a high-quality set of courses for adult education and literacy instruction that is aligned to rigorous standards and best practices and designed to be customizable by instructors. | |
| Washington | Washington State’s K-12 system adopted the Common Core State Standards in 2011. To ensure Title II Adult Education alignment with K-12, Washington adopted the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) (aligned to the Common Core) in fall of 2014. Since 2016 SBCTC BEdA infused the CCRS into most professional development to establish the standards as the foundation of instruction and to demonstrate the clear applicability to student learning. This continued in 2022-2023 through various modalities of professional development for faculty, staff and administrators. | |
| West Virginia | WVAdultEd programs continue to provide instruction aligned to the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for Adult Education as developed by MPR Associates under contract with USDOE/OCTAE. In addition to these academic standards, WVAdultEd also utilizes the Employability Skills Framework (ESF) which was developed through collaboration with policy makers, educators, and employers by the U.S. Department of Education. Classrooms are equipped with instructional materials and online curricula that support mastery of the CCRS and ESF. With continued emphasis on development of IETs, instructors are required to contextualize and align instruction to the CCRS and ESF. Ready, Read, Write, West Virginia is an initiative created by the West Virginia Department of Education to increase literacy proficiency for all students. It is rooted in the science of reading and based on the belief that all students can learn to read proficiently with effective reading instruction. The ability to read is the gateway to learning and future success. Those who are unable to read or cannot read at adequate levels will struggle to learn. Reading impacts all areas of the educational process and eventually will affect the ability to succeed in the classroom, in the workplace, and in life. WVAdultEd is an organizational member of ProLiteracy, which offers instructional materials and resources, professional development, and advocacy and administrative tools and support. In an effort to align with the Ready, Read, Write initiative, training was offered at the 2022 WVAEA Conference to familiarize instructors with the available resources and training available through ProLiteracy. Ongoing professional development focused on literacy is planned for continued alignment with the state initiative. New full-time instructors without a Professional Teaching Certification (K12 credential) are required to participate in the Career and Technical Education Teacher Preparation Program in collaboration with Marshall University. The coursework involves studying the CCRS, development and implementation of lesson plans aligned to the standards. | |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin aligned and formally adopted its Adult Education standards to College and Career Readiness (CCRS) standards in 2013-14. The CCRS-aligned WTCS Adult Education standards are aligned with college and work expectations; are clear and consistent; include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills; build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards; and are evidence-based. The curriculum also features integrated reading and writing instruction contextualized within the three adult literacy themes of 1) Financial Literacy, 2) Civics Literacy, and 3) College Transition. WTCS ELL Curriculum has also been aligned with the College and Career Standards as of April of 2019, and with the WTCS Adult Education standards since then. The WTCS will continue to utilize its Adult Education website and its WIDS curriculum repository for storing and making available best practices learning materials in these and other focus areas. The curriculum is available with open access at the following link: https://wtcsystem.wids.org. All AEFLA grantees are required to adopt these curriculum standards as a condition of receipt of AEFLA funds. Professional development on the new standards has been enhanced by participation in three Standards in Action trainings taking place in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Looking forward to FY 23-25, faculty, and adult education leadership will update existing ESL and AE content standards and develop a statewide training module. | |
| Wyoming | Since full implementation and the adoption of the CCRS several years ago, the State has not made any changes to content standards. Providers continue to use the CCRS, ESL, employability, and social capital skills standards in their educational practices, through soft skills training and other employment related activities. The State, in cooperation with local providers examined the digital literacy standards outlined by NorthStar (NS) for possible adoption in Wyoming. However, after an in-depth analysis of the NS standards and a comparison to the CCRS, the State came to several conclusions. Where the CCRS addresses the need to use digital tools, in terms of their application to academic studies, they do not address the mechanics of the technology intended for use. However, the NS standards work in conjunction with the CCRS to connect the mechanics with the application. Therefore, it seemed logical that the State should officially adopt digital literacy standards. This process to officially adopt digital literacy standards was not completed in FY 22/23 primarily due to a lack of consensus and the variety of digital literacy instructional packages used by the providers. Furthermore, because there is no formalized assessment to measure digital literacy, the State believes that the adoption of digital literacy standards would be a bit premature at this time as standards should be directly related to a formalized assessment. In order for the State to ensure that the standards being used in Wyoming’s Adult Education centers are similar to those utilized in Wyoming’s K-12 system, the State director for AE sat on the Wyoming State literacy taskforce for the K-12 system. Alignment of standards used by both systems was addressed in multiple meetings by this taskforce. Throughout the State, lesson planning follows a logical scope and sequence utilizing adult learning theories. Program Assurances, which each provider submits each year in the grant cycle require that local programs incorporate the CCRS into all eligible instructional activities. This is monitored by the State in several ways. First, programs are required to use, as a lesson observation tool, the ‘Standards in Action’ checklist which has an additional Wyoming specific observation checklist for ESL and for the required Career Services course. One local program also utilizes a LINCS assessment to measure program alignment to the CCRS. Documentation of these observations is reviewed during monitoring visits. Second, integrated student learning maps and/or learning plans which assimilate Webb’s Depth of Knowledge, utilize CCRS for lesson planning and student goals. Here again, this is monitored through the State’s monitoring tool. Third, local providers utilized standards aligned lessons found in LINCS, ‘Teaching Skills that Matter’, Financial literacy, and Health literacy, to name a few. One local provider has created a new system entitled ‘Standards Tracker’, where standards are clearly outlined, verified, and monitored on all assignments. Copies of the standards are available in most classrooms and/or are accessible through provider’s websites as well as through the Wyoming Community College Commission’s website. https://communitycolleges.wy.edu/adult-education/directors/) Level specific syllabi which reflect the standards are also available through some local provider’s learning management systems. |