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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.

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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
Alabama Alabama’s adult education has adopted the College and Career Readiness (CCR) standards promulgated through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE).  Based on the rigorous national K-12 standards, these standards were developed for adult education in the areas of Reading Language Arts (RLA) and Mathematics.  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 train the trainer events. On-line courses, developed by experienced lead teachers from various programs, allows ongoing support of the use and integration of the standards in adult education’s curriculum.
Alaska In PY 2021 Alaska released and awarded a competitive informal request for proposals (IRFP) from qualified vendors to create Alaska specific college and career readiness (CCR) standards for adult education and English language learners (ELL) for alignment with Alaska’s k-12 academic standards. The 5-year project will develop Alaska specific standards that align with both the national CCRs and Alaska K-12 standards. Professional development will also be provided to teachers and program coordinators. The project is set to begin in July 2022. Staff turnover remains a challenge in Alaska. Rural areas can go months without program staff to ensure continuity of services. Once staff are hired, the AAE Office and local program policies require that staff are trained in curriculum to deliver consistent standard-based education.
American Samoa ADULT EDUCATION STANDARDS 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. Further information about AELEL can be accessed in the ASCC FY 2022 Outcome Plans. All registered students are required to take the appraisal to determine students’ placement, and to assign appropriate pre-test. The State Office, which is also the Local Office for Adult Basic Programs in American Samoa conducts all data collection and follow up procedures first hand due to being the only service provider on island. The College and Career Readiness Standards (CCR) for Adult Education report presents a set of college and career readiness standards that reflect the content most relevant to preparing adult students for success in colleges, technical training programs, work and citizenship—in the areas of English language arts/literacy and mathematics. America’s high schools have a profound responsibility to ensure that our nation’s 14 million high school students are college ready, career ready and life ready. Standardized test scores; traditionally used as the primary readiness indicator; do not always provide an accurate representation of our students’ potential. Like the global economy, today’s students are driven by ideas and innovations. They should not be reduced down to, or defined by, a single test score. To increase the success of the 2.5 million adults who access the nation’s adult basic education system, the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) has conducted several projects to provide Adult Basic Education students with rigorous standards comparable to those found in K-12. As a subcontractor, AIR staff led the process to revise the educational functioning levels (EFL) for the National Reporting System (NRS) to align with the College and Career Ready Standards. The standards describe the skills that could be taught to adult education students to prepare them for employment and further education. The EFLs are used to define a progression of skills within six adult basic education levels to guide assessment and instruction within the NRS. The NRS is the accountability system for adult education programs. The American Samoa Community College was fully online beginning Feb.2022 as per mandate from the American Samoa Government. Therefore, AELEL was fully online with classes as well. 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 to follow above information with any set of standards that comes out in the future.
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 2021-22 program year, ADWS/AES provided training for teachers to teach these standards in a contextualized, concurrent manner with CCR standards. ADWS/AES continues to engage in an instructional task force that includes state staff members, AALRC staff, local program directors, and teachers to use CCR standards consistently. Following the completion of the framework, 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 committee's 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. In addition, a trainer with an emphasis on mathematics and English Language Learners from the SIA 2.0 program was brought in to share key takeaways with teachers from all genres during the Annual Teacher Summit. Essential Education, an online learning system, continued to be used for in-person, distance learning, and hybrid classes. The previous adoption of Essential Education into all ADWS/AES centers continues to be an effective learning platform for distance learners and traditional students alike. In addition to Essential Education, seats are available for the TI-30XS Online Calculator Software was provided to programs by ADWS/AES as a way of improving remote math instruction. This was part of a continuing effort to provide resources and training to assist instructors in contextualizing their lessons in all subjects. ADWS/AES has experienced increased program participation and achievement during the 2021-22 program year, though programs continue to experience some impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the COVID-19 impact and lessons spawned from the pandemic, two Special Project grant awards were provided for the purchase of technology to positively impact student learning by increasing the number of GED® mobile testing units, laptops for student check-out, and mobile hotspots for internet access. ADWS/AES continued to implement the new curriculum for the Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE™) program and conducted regional training led by a local practitioner to aid teachers working to integrate workforce preparation and career pathways instruction into their lessons.
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 Adult Education Standards https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/.
Colorado In 21-22, 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.  
District of Columbia In FY22, 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 Integrated Education and Training Programs more succinctly and comprehensively. OSSE AFE recognizes that it takes time to increase local programs’ understanding and integration of standards. 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 will continue 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 standards incrementally into their program designs.
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 when they were released in 2014.  In FY22, GOAE continued to provide professional development offerings with an emphasis on the consistent implementation of the CCRS and ELP standards. This was supported through partnering with the National Center for Families Learning for three introductory online courses that were offered in the Fall of 2021 and in the Spring of 2022 for new adult educators learning about the CCRS or the ELPS for their instructional planning and student support practices. GOAE further supported ABE/ASE instructor professional development in the area of implementing the CCRS standards through a follow-up ten-week course it developed on exploring the standards. Additionally, GOAE supported ESL adult educators through the recommendation of LINCS courses to further explore the implementation of the ELPS standards. During FY22, GOAE’s four Grant Program Support Coordinators (GPSC) monitored local program use of the standards through on-site and virtual visits to programs.  This included reviewing lesson plans and classroom instruction to ensure usage of the standards, alignment of the teaching objectives, and lesson content connected to the identified standard(s).  A standard Quality Instruction Rubric (QIR) was used by GOAE to assess lesson plans and instruction.  The QIR assesses lesson plans and instruction in the areas of: Learning Objectives and Standards Alignment, Emphasis on Support and Community, Applied Learning, Peer-to-Peer Interaction, and Mastery of Concepts.  All adult education programs have been provided training on the QIR.  Additionally, an online course was developed at the on-set of the pandemic and is updated annually so that new teachers and administrators can receive the necessary training.  The GPSC team also provided targeted training and technical assistance to the designated local program Instructional Leader(s).  All trainings either focused on or included the importance of standard-based instruction.  Topics included:
  • Focus on Standards and Lesson Plan
  • Teacher Observation and Feedback
  • Supporting Teachers with HSE Outcomes
  • Onboarding Plans and Practices
Guam The adult education program continued to align the College and Career Readiness Standards, by Susan Pimentel, in its curricula in addition to 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 year, no changes were made or updates to the curricula.   The WorkKeys Assessment continued to be part of the adult education program to test students’ skills required in the workplace that can affect job performance.  The assessment covers Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents.  Successful completion can lead to earning a National Career Readiness Certificate.  The certificate has four levels: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.  Students in gold and platinum may be placed in college-level English and Math.  Also, Guam Law, P.L. 31-254, requires a mandatory skills assessment for Government of Guam employment.
Hawaii In PY 2021 – 2022, the state did not adopt new challenging K-12 standards under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965. The state has in place the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics and the Next Generation Science Standards for Science. The local provider’s adult education program utilizes the college and career readiness standards for adult education derived from the common core standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics: https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/CCRStandardsAdultEd.pdf.
Idaho Full implementation and adoption of the CCRS standards occurred several years ago and providers have adopted their use into instructional practices.  Embedded in lessons are soft skills training, digital literacy, and other employment-related activities using contextualized instruction whenever possible.  Integrity to the CCRS was monitored by the state.  Site visits require evidence of standards-based lesson plans.  Some programs use the LINCS assessment to measure program alignment to CCRS.  Documentation of these observations is reviewed during monitoring visits.  In future program years, the state and the local programs will participate in a bi-annual CCRS integration assessment.  These assessments will drive any technical assistance needed for standards alignment or necessary changes.  Full implementation and adoption of the CCRS standards occurred several years ago and providers have adopted their use into instructional practices.  Embedded in lessons are soft skills training, digital literacy, and other employment-related activities using contextualized instruction whenever possible.  Integrity to the CCRS was monitored by the state.  Site visits require evidence of standards-based lesson plans.  Some programs use the LINCS assessment to measure program alignment to CCRS.  Documentation of these observations is reviewed during monitoring visits.  In future program years, the state and the local programs will participate in a bi-annual CCRS integration assessment.  These assessments will drive any technical assistance needed for standards alignment or necessary changes. 
Illinois Illinois’s strategic plan for implementing standards aligned curriculum and instruction began in 2014 with the integration of the Illinois Adult Education ABE/ASE Content Standards with the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards released by the Illinois State Board of Education as well as the Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE). These standards also include employability frameworks. The Illinois Professional Development Network offers specialized training on standards-proficient instruction to all ICCB providers. This ensures every adult education program has the guidance and resources needed to deliver high-quality, standards-aligned instruction to students. The ICCB Adult Education Policy requires that every adult education program incorporates content standards in curricula and instruction through the use of Standards Proficient instructors. Standards-aligned instruction through comprehensive professional development has been an ongoing priority for the ICCB and maintains a priority in all PD delivery. 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 2022-2023
  • The Department will utilize its enhanced monitoring and technical assistance process to review standard aligned lesson plans for courses, curriculum, and assessments; and
  • The Department will continue to deliver technical assistance and professional development by creating asynchronous online courses for basic standard training and for enhanced SIA 2.0.
Kansas The Kansas State Department of Education reviews assessed standards every five years, with subject areas staggered. Current adoption dates range from 2017 to 2020. 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, which includes 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 alignment with the CCRS.
Kentucky 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 were constructed to provide a common instructional basis and alignment to the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). The frameworks contain common color coding to signify the type and percentage of standards-based content at each TABE level. The frameworks are enhanced with hyperlinks to instructional objects that were updated in PY21. Further, in PY21 emphasis was placed on aligning with Kentucky’s Interdisciplinary Literacy Practices. In PY21, OAE designed and added nine new Science and Math HyperDoc Lesson Plans to the KYAE Digital Lesson Bank to ensure alignment with the state’s adoption of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards for Mathematical Practice. Alignment with standards was further emphasized by OAE via a seven-part series of technical assistance sessions. These sessions launched the KYAE Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Workplace Literacy Project (WPL) Planning Tool. The planning tool requires all programs to align new IET projects to Advanced Career and Technical Education Career Clusters, NCES 2020 CIP/Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Crosswalk and Searchable CIP Database, Kentucky Department of Education Kentucky Career Pathways Program of Studies 2022-2023, and KYAE Employability Standards. 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 produced a product aligned to specific needs of adult learners. 44% (12 of 27) launched new fast track models as their PY21 professional learning community products; 26% (7 of 27) focused on improving digital literacy of staff and students; 19% (5 of 27) developed program-created digital instructional resources including new sets of HyperDoc lesson plans; and 11% (3 of 27) launched new student tracking, case management, and customer relationship management processes to improve coordination of instruction and student support. Alignment with standards was further emphasized by OAE via a seven-part series of technical assistance sessions. These sessions launched the KYAE Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Workplace Literacy Project (WPL) Planning Tool. The planning tool requires all programs to align new IET projects to Advanced Career and Technical Education Career Clusters, NCES 2020 CIP/Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Crosswalk and Searchable CIP Database, Kentucky Department of Education Kentucky Career Pathways Program of Studies 2022-2023, and KYAE Employability Standards. 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 produced a product aligned to specific needs of adult learners. 44% (12 of 27) launched new fast track models as their PY21 professional learning community products; 26% (7 of 27) focused on improving digital literacy of staff and students; 19% (5 of 27) developed program-created digital instructional resources including new sets of HyperDoc lesson plans; and 11% (3 of 27) launched new student tracking, case management, and customer relationship management processes to improve coordination of instruction and student support.
Louisiana Louisiana adopted the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) to align with K12 standards. All standards are listed in policy, and all adult education programs are required to use the CCRS, English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP), the OCTAE Employability Framework, and the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards. New instructors are trained on how to use the WRU Lesson Plan Vault in the WRU Onboarding Course. The vault is a homegrown database that is searchable by keyword, subject, lesson level, and standard. The vault allows instructors to access readily available CCRS-aligned, contextualized lessons that incorporate the OCTAE Employability Framework. Aside from providing quality free and no-cost online resources, we utilize an online community, Basecamp, for sharing best practices in topic areas such as standards-based instruction, asking questions of colleagues and state staff, and building community. As always, a focus for our instructional programs was to continue to incorporate standards by aligning these with classroom instructional activities. When COVID-19 and the hurricanes hit, student work prescriptions were updated to allow students more choices in terms of educational activities in both print and online formats. Some programs adopted Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to analyze student results, make plans for upcoming learning sessions, and share this information.  The obvious challenge was how to incorporate virtual components that mirror the classroom standards and activities. Plans included utilizing Google Classroom as the basic platform for assignments and teacher-directed activities. For those students who lacked devices or areas with a lack in technology infrastructure, student packets that aligned to the standards were created for students to pick up from various locations. In other areas, cell phone activities were incorporated to meet student learning needs. Our programs’ lessons are planned around the standards and incorporate study skills, research techniques, written and oral communication skills, "soft" skills like critical thinking and collaboration, time management, organization skills, and digital skills. Standards-based instruction efficiently prepares our students to pass the high school equivalency exam, as well as to prepare them for actual college and career-readiness. The goal is to ensure that lessons accurately reflect the needs of the students in terms of their academic skills gaps while incorporating workplace readiness standards. Northstar Digital Literacy Standards are incorporated into instructional planning beginning at the intake and inquiry stage to ensure student success in and out of the classroom.   WRU will continue to explore high quality instructional materials and methods, including integrated workplace skills on the topic of economic empowerment and digital literacy. It is a statewide goal to ensure that learning facilitators have a clear understanding of what standards are, how to interpret them, and how to carry out true, differentiated standards-based instruction that meets the needs of individual students.
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), 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. The Learning Modules deliver novel strategies for integrating technology into curriculum across multiple modalities for learners to grow, personally and professionally, into adaptable, agile digital citizens.  In PY 2021, the workgroups finalized the content for the online learning modules which are scheduled to be released in early PY 2022.
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 has adopted the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards for K-12. While the Minnesota K-12 Mathematics standards were developed prior to the Common Core and were being revised during 2021–2022, it was determined that they have a strong alignment with the Common Core. The College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education being used in Minnesota Adult Education instruction are drawn from the Common Core State Standards, and therefore have strong alignment with the Minnesota K-12 standards. 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).  In June 2021, a team of Minnesota instructional leaders and professional developers participated in the national Standards-in-Action (SIA) 2.0 Training, aimed at equipping educators to support English Language Learners (ELLs) with both English Language Arts and math content. In 2021–2022, this team offered a number of sessions at training events that incorporated SIA 2.0 tools and strategies focused on standards-based instruction for ELLs.
Mississippi To align to the Mississippi K-12 Common Core standards, the OAE adopted the CCRS Adult Education standards and created a statewide CCRS implementation team consisting of adult education instructors, local program directors and state staff who participated in CCRS Standards-in-Action Training led by LINCS Trainers on how to implement standards in Mississippi. To ensure the sustainability of standards-based instruction throughout the state, the OAE had established a train-the-trainer model.  Due to restrictions from the pandemic, the CCRS team inevitably had to pivot and adjust from the original course of action. Pre-COVID, there were ambitions to develop an online high school equivalency course to mitigate barriers that were prohibiting adult learners across the state from earning their high school diploma. The Office of Adult Education sought funding to create a position to spearhead the initiative which was a perfect solution when COVID hit, reaffirming the need for the program to be developed. The instructional specialist brought on to develop and design the program was aided by the CCRS team. Course blueprints were researched and designed based on the CCRS and TABE 11/12 blueprints by the instructional specialist in conjunction with the CCRS team. Following the course outlines, content was developed for the 300 level courses in all major subjects – reading language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  Instructors from the CCRS team were then trained to facilitate courses for the pilot of eDULT Online which launched in July 2021. Additionally, negotiations began for the development of two CCRS foundations courses to be a focal point for adult education professional development in 2022. The two courses, one for English Language Arts and one for Mathematics, were developed with assistance from the CCRS Team and are housed within the Canvas LMS. A small group of teachers took the courses to determine if any changes needed to be made. These courses are complete and will be the cornerstones for refreshing instructional practices professional development in the next program year. Six additional instructors were added to the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) state team. The team participated in the national Standards in Action Curriculum Review training. The CCRS team helped with development of the eDULT Online 300 and 200 level courses. This team also developed training videos to be included in the Standards Foundational Canvas courses. The teams reviewed an ELA and Math adult education curriculum and shared the results with the state’s adult education programs. This team gave an overview of the Foundational courses and the lessons learned from the Curriculum Review training during the state summer conference. The team will adapt the national training and will train staff from each program in the state on curriculum review next program year.
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. 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/2022/10/Nebraskas-College-and-Career-Ready-Standards-for-Mathematics-Final-10.20.22.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 continued to grow and improve in the delivery of adult education activities across the State.  COVID-19 created opportunities to analyze this delivery of service and forced our providers to overcome and adapt difficult and challenging situations regularly.  In so doing Nebraska Adult Education continued to improve in performance.  The lesson learned from this experience was that despite our role in WIOA, adult education must remain focused on our area of expertise, which is education.  Helping our immigrant populations learn the language, customs and American value system is paramount to their integration and success in the United States.  Their positivity and willingness to learn is refreshing and inspiring. Our ESL classes are full and the need for teachers continues to grow.  Unfortunately, our providers often work above capacity, yet despite these challenges, students were continuously welcomed in the adult education classroom in Nebraska and additional resources were continuously sought to improve access. In addition, more and more 16- & 17-year-olds dropped out of public schools due to financial difficulties and this was cause for concern.  It was important to analyze and understand the needs of these younger adult learners and focus onboarding efforts to best understand their learning needs and future employment goals. The need for statewide support of adult education was more important that ever in Nebraska.  Traditional high school presents unique challenges for students and families, especially for those facing financial crisis and it became apparent that adult education can play a vital role in continuing the education pathways of younger adults.
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 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. Work is continuing to address this issue and provide additional supports for English language learners. 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 deliver training to the rest of the state. 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 is under development 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 Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) local labor market data.
New Jersey New Jersey continues to utilize the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Title II adult education. NJ DOL adult literacy regional coordinators regularly review grantee curricula and monitor instruction 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. OAL Regional Coordinators and a small group of Title II math teachers took part in the intensive ANI 2.0 math training to help bolster statewide math professional development for instructors.
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)
North Carolina North Carolina has not adopted any K-12 standards. In 2010, the North Carolina Community College System College and Career Readiness Adult Education Standards were adopted and implemented by all Title II providers in the state. In April 2013, The College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education by the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) were introduced. The NCCCS College and Career Readiness Adult Education Standards were aligned to reflect the new OCTAE standards in 2014.
Northern Mariana Islands Since 2014, our state office 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 trainings attended were instrumental in working on the curriculum and course syllabus changes. Mathematic 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 and vice-president.  The college and the public-school system are working 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. All Aspire programs are required to implement these standards as a grant requirement. To ensure Aspire programs are aligned with these standards, Ohio requires initial PD covering the standards for new Aspire educators. Ohio also provides ongoing professional development to support the implementation of intentional, standards-based instruction in Aspire ABE/ASE and ESL classrooms and online environments. Standards-based lesson plans are reviewed regularly as part of the on-site local monitoring and classroom observations. Here is a link to Ohio’s Standards: https://www.ohioaspire.org/I-Standards.html   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, eight 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. Ohio is encouraging and promoting program participation in the national training Standards-In-Action (SIA) 2.0: Cultivating a Language and Content Focus for English Learners.
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 diploma meets the same standards and requirements as the Oklahoma high school diploma. ODCTE purchases curriculum for programs that meets these standards, provides 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 Oregon Adult College and Career Readiness Standards (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:
  1. Include the Oregon Process Standards, as incorporated into the current Oregon Adult College and Career Readiness Standards- Language Arts (LA), creating the Oregon English Language Proficiency Standards (OAELPS)
  2. Format the OAELPS handbook to align with the OACCRS-LA handbook
  3. Add a toolbox to OAELPS that is similar to OACCRS-LA, helping instructors use the standards and detailing transition points between OAELPS and OACCRS-LA.
  4. Add the CCRS Listening and Speaking standards along with the process skills and toolbox to the current OACCRS-LA in order to be in complete alignment with the national CCRS.
Work began in PY2021-2022 on these items. Contracted faculty trainers added the Listening/Speaking Process Skills to the OACCRS Language Arts Handbook; reviewed the English Language Proficiency Standards and discussed how to incorporate and format the process skills and applications from OACCRS; and transferred the Listening/Speaking applications to the appropriate Listening/Speaking standards.   In winter/spring 2022, the trainers worked on finalizing the OAELPS Handbook. This included formatting it to align with the OACCRS-LA Handbook; adding a toolbox to OAELPS similar to OACCRS-LA; creating applications for using the OAELPS to teach reading, writing, speaking, listening, and math; and creating a detailed narrative and correlation chart outlining the relationship between OACCRS and OAELPS, including how they relate to NRS Levels and CASAS Scale Scores. The OAELPS Handbook is scheduled for release at the beginning of the 2022-2023 program year along with PLC activities for local programs to become familiar with OAELPS and the OAELPS Handbook, as well as an updated Orientation Module to include the newly-released OAELPS.  The state learning standards trainers also continued their work on professional development modules for the learning standards and delivered facilitated trainings for the field on the existing professional development modules for learning standards. One of the learning standards trainers also worked with a TSTM trainer to offer a statewide PLC on lesson planning using OACCRS and TSTM, and two local programs underwent Course Outline Guide Alignment Training to align their course outline guides (sometimes known as syllabi) with OACCRS. In 2022-2023, the state trainers plan to continue module development work, continue facilitation of learning standards professional development modules, re-run the statewide PLC on lesson planning using OACCRS and TSTM, and lead additional Course Outline Guide Alignment Trainings for OACCRS and OAELPS.  State Leadership offered guidance and expectations around participation in standards-based PLCs for Title II program members. Sample activities for local standards-based PLCs were also provided by the State ABS Team and state learning standards trainers. Local Leads, who serve as learning standards points of contact for each program, regularly met with the ABE State Leadership Coordinator to discuss standards-based PLCs and other standards-related issues. To demonstrate compliance with learning standards, programs have to submit annual compliance documents including a Learning Standards Training and Orientation Plan (detailing how programs engage faculty in learning standards training), an OACCRS Compliance Signature Page (showing implementation of learning standards in categories identified in the ABS Policy Manual), and a Local Lead form (selecting a local point of contact for learning standards and standards-based PLCs).
Puerto Rico The Adult Education Program of the PRDE continued during PY 2021-2022 the development of a new curriculum aligned with the State K-12 standards and plans.  The new curriculum design will be completed during PY 2022-2023. The new curriculum will include:
  1. Alignment to the College and Career Readiness Standards.
  2. Integration of Workplace Preparation Activities (also known as soft skills, employability skills, work readiness skills); contextualization activities to life and careers.
  3. Attention to instructional shifts, including focus, coherence, rigor, evidence, complexity and knowledge.
  4. Use of relevant materials and technology.
  5. Integrated education and training (IET) curriculum lessons for in-demand occupational and industrial clusters using OCTAE IET curriculum guidelines.
The AEP hired a professional curriculum specialist to facilitate and guide the effort with the assistance of a team of teachers hired by the AEP. The curriculum documents drafts are under review for final approval and implementation. The Program completed 90% of a new conversational English six (6) modules curriculum.
South Carolina The Curriculum Framework continued to be the driving force for instructional planning in regard to 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 to 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 Ready 2 Work, and the Next Generation ACCUPLACER. The OAE staff and other subject matter experts from local programs provided local, regional, and statewide workshops throughout the 2021-2022 school year. During each Professional Development session, educators examined standards-based instruction, the standards’ alignment to instructional resources, the TABE 11 & 12 assessments, the GED assessment, and digital literacy integration to address Distance Education/Blended Learning instructional practices. Building upon the distance education instructional resources that were developed last year in collaboration with CrowdEd Learning and the developers of Minnesota’s Reading Skills for Today, the OAE has continued to develop and curate this catalog of educational resources. Notably, the office devoted time to address on-going requests for a resource that streamlines learners’ progression through NRS Levels by developing TABE to GED Pacing Guides. This resource serves as an all-inclusive roadmap teachers can use to help students meet their individualized learning goals with intentional considerations for personalized differentiated instruction. Finally, the OAE publishes a month curriculum newsletter entitled, The PULSE, to highlight note-worthy resources, tools, and strategies.   In addition, the OAE has collaborated with subject matter experts to research, curate, and deliver instructional software packages for all adult education programs statewide. The OAE’s mission herein was to provide research-based curricula to meet the learning needs of all programs of study including Aztec for Literacy, ABE, and ASE learners; Burlington English for English Language learners; and Triple P for our Family Literacy students. The OAE purchased Northstar subscriptions for all programs to assess and strengthen our students and educators’ digital literacy skills. Utilizing this software forced us to address learners and educators’ foundational digital skills to ensure said skills are current, operative, and transferrable.
South Dakota The following is noted on 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 involves [sic] 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.                                                                                                                             https://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/
South Dakota educators and content specialists participated in the review, revision, development, and feedback processes; in fact, one of WIOA Title II’s current AEFLA-funded teachers, as well as one of DLR’s One-Stop managers, previously participated in these standards-development processes.  Furthermore, the South Dakota Department of Education and the South Dakota Board of Regents 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 too 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.
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 have plans to provide sessions on implementing the CCR standards and ELP standards as part of our annual AE conference for local staff in the next program year. 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 AEL providers must align their curriculum with AEL program content standards. First developed in 2016, the content standards increased the rigor and relevance of adult education through alignment with established assessments and standards such as Texas College and Career Readiness Standards (TCCRS), State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) end-of-course exams, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency (TxCHSE), and Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA). Reviewed approximately every three years, the content standards have been revised multiple times to ensure that Texas is responsive to the changing educational needs of adult learners seeking employment and postsecondary education options. The revisions are as follows: •             2016—Texas AEL Content Standards (new academic standards) •             2019—Texas AEL Content Standards v.2, Alignment to Industry Clusters: Advanced Manufacturing; Construction and Extraction; Healthcare Sciences; and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics •             2021—Texas AEL Content Standards v.3, Standards for Family and Civics •             2023 (in progress)—Texas AEL Content Standards v.4, Standards for Digital Literacy Content Standards are currently being revised (again) to include standards for digital literacy. The funding for this was made available through 223 state leadership funds. Once developed, Texas will utilize its PD system to rollout the standards and train AEL providers on the use and incorporation of digital literacy standards into local curriculum. We are anticipating rollout to occur in Fall of PY 22-23. All Texas AEL Content Standards can be found at https://tcall.tamu.edu/instruction.html . Webpage is updated once standards are approved and finalized.
Virgin Islands The VI Department of Education (VIDE) adopted the College and Career Readiness Standards and will be integrating them across their curriculum in alignment with their K-12 Standards under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.  Adult education and literacy activities, including adult education, literacy, and family literacy utilize the K-12 standards established by the VIDOE. The standards are developed by VIDE and includes English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Financial Literacy. The VIDE's Academic Standards serve as expectations for what students should know and be able to do by graduation.  The VIDE State adopted standards focus on deep thinking, conceptual understanding, and real-world problem-solving skills, set expectations for students to be college and career ready, and incorporates Citizenship and critical thinking components, literacy in science, social studies and technology subjects, as well as emphasizes the use of citations and examples from texts when creating opinions and arguments to increase rigor and grade-level expectations, and determine the full range of support for English Language Learners (ELLs). The USVI's SOCTAE will begin to work with the standards team to develop and integrate the CCRS into new Adult Education Standards that are specific to adult learners. Currently, training and professional development for local programs around CCRS and integration into lesson planning and teaching and learning has began.
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. Through a series of regional trainings in 2015, SBCTC helped provider faculty become familiar with the CCRS as they integrated these standards into their curriculum and instruction. All providers implemented the CCRS into their programs by July 1, 2016. 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 2021-2022 through virtual professional development for faculty and administrators.
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. All AEFLA grantees are required to adopt these curriculum standards as a condition of receipt of AEFLA funds. Professional development on the new standards is ongoing, and in 2020-21, included providers designing model learning plans, materials, and instructional strategies for the Adult Education competencies that were subsequently shared at the October 2020 virtual Common Ground Conference.   In 2021-2022 some of the WTCS Reading/Language Arts curriculum/instructional materials were reviewed and improved based on the tenets of the Standards in Action curriculum training. 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.  The WTCS also participated in the Standards in Action and Teaching Skills That Matter initiatives.
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 is currently researching digital literacy standards and may, if deemed necessary, begin utilizing these as well in future years. 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. 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.