ERIC ED367841: Minnesota Adult Basic Education. Annual Performance/Narrative Report. Fiscal Year 1992-1993.

17 Pages·1993·0.35 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 065 904
ED 367 841
Minnesota Adult Basic Education. Annual
TITLE
Performance/Narrative Report. Fiscal Year
1992-1993.
Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul.
INSTITUTION
PUB DATE
[93]
NOTE
25p.
Descriptive (141)
PUB TYPE
Reports
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Adult Basic Education; Adult Programs; Annual
DESCRIPTORS
Reports; Basic Skills; Coordination; Delivery
Systems; Disadvantaged; Educational Cooperation;
*Educational Objectives; Individualized Instruction;
Literacy Education; Outreach Programs; Program
Administration; Program Costs; *Program
Effectiveness; *Program Implementation; Shared
Resources and Services; Staff Development; *State
Programs; Statewide Planning; Systems Approach;
Tables (Data)
*Minnesota
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
Adult basic education (ABE) programming efforts in
Minnesota for the 1992-93 year were designed to accomplish the
(1) continue
following state -lan-stipulated goals:
developing/implementing a statewide ABE delivery system to enable
adults (especially disadvantaged adults) with basic skill
deficiencies to identify and achieve their personal and occupational
goals; (2) continut) encouraging development of systems to coordinate
and cooperate with all available resources and services that could
improve and/or expand delivery of individualized ABE and support and
(3) continue providing for and expanding the
out,--ach services;
quality and availability of ABE staff development activities to help
adult educators facilitate self-directive, practical, and
(4) continue encouraging the development,
personalized learning;
adoption, and adaptation of innovative, effective, and cost-efficient
methods and techniques for providing appropriate and timely adult
learning options; and (5) continue developing and implementing a
management system that adequately addresses the requirements
stipulated in state and federal legislation. Compared to the previous
year, enrollment in Minnesota ABE classes was up 3.8% in 1992-93,
enrollment in English-as-a-Second-Language classes was up 8.0%,
average attendance was up 14.2%, student completion of personal
education plans was up 27.6%, and total program costs were up 9.92%.
(MN)
***********************************************************************
*
*
Reproductions supplied by EnRS are the best that can be made
*
*
from the w-iginal document.
***********************************************************************
C5
MINNESOTA ADULT BASIC EDUCATION
REPORT
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE/NARRATIVE
FISCAL YEAR 1992-1993
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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Programs
Annual Performance Report of the Adult Education State
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.0 Public Law 91-230
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURC,P;
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BEST COPY MAILABLE
Minnesota Adult Basic Education
Annual Performance Report Narrative
1992-1993 Program Year
Adult education in Minnesota is organized as a statewide delivery system that utilizes
different funding sources, different support services and different providers as necessary
academic,
to help eligible adults learn to address their own concerns as they master
problem-solving, evaluation, and other coping skills needed for them to become more self-
directed and self-sufficient.
The purposes of the adult education activities to be carried out under this statewide
delivery system are to: Improve the educational opportunities for adults who lack the level
of literacy and other basic skills needed for effective citizenship and productive
employment; Expand and improve the current system for delivering adult education, espe-
cially the delivery of such services to educationally and economically disadvantaged adults
with basic skills proficiency levels below the sixth-grade equivalent; and Encourage the
establishment of adult education programs that: Enable adults to acquire basic educational
skills needed for literate functioning; Provide adults with sufficient basic education to
enable them to benefit from job training and retraining programs and to obtain and retain
productive employment so they more fully enjoy the benefits and responsibilities of
citizenship; Enable adults who so desire to continue their education to at least the level
equivalent to secondary school completion; and Provide adult education and support
services that enable adults to identify and plan to achieve their own individual learning
goals and objectives in d timeiy and efficient manner.
Results of programming efforts for the 1992-1993 year are discussed below in conjunction
with each State Plan goal intended to strive toward those purposes.
I: Continue developing and implementing a statewide Adult Basic Education deli-
GOAL
throughout the State, es-
very system that will: Enable adults with basic skills deficiencies
pecially educationally disadvantaged adults, to identify and achieve their personal educa-
tional and occupational goals in an appropriate, effective and efficient manner, and Provide
for needed adult learning and support services through collaborative agreements with the
agencies and organizations most willing and able to reach appropriately the adults with
basic skills deficiencies, especially educationally disadvantaged adults.
1.a. Funding availability was announced in the State REGISTER, the official announcement
journal, in CONNECTIONS, our adult education newsletter with a circulation of 4,000,
and through direct mailings to all known interested parties, corrections facilities and
previously funded agencies. Well-attended two-day workshops were held in Northern
Minnesota, the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and in Southern Minnesota tO discuss all
aspects of the application, approval and funding processes, and to provide sessions on
development and
program design, program evaluation, resource coordination, staff
Page 2
Minnesota's 1992-1993 ABE Performance Report Narrative
Indicators of ABE
other aspects of effective programming, as well as to revisit the
Program Quality.
districts and more than
Applications received represented more than 300 public school
American
400 other agencies, including libraries, voluntary literacy tutoring groups,
Assistance Associations, correction-
Indian reservations and community groups, Mutual
organizations and other public and
al facilities, job training agencies, community-based
school districts and other agencies are
private non-profit organizations. All of these
organized in 55 ABE projects.
has been required to evaluate its prior-year
.b. This was the fourth-year that each applicant
adult learning opportunities. Individ-
performance, and describe its plans for improving
well as on-site visits and telephone contacts
ual time slots at the regional workshops as
narratives and provide technical assistance in imple-
were scheduled to go over these
menting improvements.
changed to allow multi-year program
And this was the first year since State law was
approval.
approval that some projects had to reapply for funding but not program
the State ABE law for two-
Approximately half of the projects had met the criteria in
have to prepare a narrative performance report.
year approval, and therefore did not
Criteria for multi-year approval are:
Adult basic education programs may be approved under this subdivision for up to
Two-year program approval shall be granted to an applicant who has
two years.
demonstrated the capacity to:
choices
(1) offer comprehensive learning opportunities and support service
appropriate for and accessible to adults at all basic skill need levels;
(2) provide a participatory and experiential learning approach based on the
skill
strengths, interests, and needs of each adult, that enables adults with basic
needs to:
(i) identify, plan for, and evaluate their own progress toward achieving their
defined educational and occupational goals;
skills, as well
ail master the basic academic reading, writing, and computational
interpersonal effectiveness, and other life
as the problem-solving, decision-making,
and learning skills they need to function effectively in a changing society;
(iii) locate and be able to use the health, governmental, and social services and
families' lives; and
resources they need to improve their own and their
(iv) continue their education, if they desire, to at least the level of secondary
school completion, with the ability to secure and benefit from continuing education
that will enable them to become more employable, productive, and responsible
citizens;
community
(3) plan, coordinate, and develop cooperative agreements with
services, such as
resources to address the needs that the adults have for support
transportation, flexible course scheduling, convenient class locations, and child
care,
(4) collaborate with business, industry, labor unions, and employment-training
agencies, as well as with family and occupational education providers, to arrange
for resources and services through which adults can attain economic self-
sufficiency;
it
A
Page 3
Minnesota's 1992-1993 ABE Performance Report Narrative
in
(6) provide sensitive and well-trained adult education personnel who participate
local, regional, and statewide adult basic education staff development events to
master effective adult learning and teaching techniques;
and
(6) participate in regional adult basic education peer program reviews
evaluations; and
(7) submit accurate and timely performance and fiscal reports.
1.c. The integrated single application and annual performance report form allowed ap-
plication to be made for program approval and funding from Federal Basic Grants, State
application
ABE Aid, Local ABE Levy, and State Private Non-Profit Contracts. The same
form also enables approved projects to access State and Federal welfare reform, job-
training, child-care and transportation dollars that become available for our shared
clientele.
1.d. After more than five years of public hearings and comment periods and re-writings, we
QuaIity. The general
were able to finalize Minnesota's Indicators of ABE Program
feeling is that what we came up with is not learner-centered enough, and needs to be
reworked as we practice using the Indicators for on-site program reviews. Local adult
educators and the agency personnel with whom we collaborate report, however, that
the current document is a good starting point.
1.e. A State law creating a new, more equitable ABE funding formula went into effect. The
formula itself, however, cannot take effect until the State ABE appropriation rises
beyond the current "hold-harmless" level.
1.f. End-of-prcigram-year statistics show the following:
1992-1993
1991-1992
Change
-1.5%
54,106
54,931
Total Enrollment
-6.9%
42,232
45,348
Total Participants
+8.0%
12,097
11,202
All ESL Levels:
+3.8%
19,557
18,839
All ABE Levels:
-30.9%
10,578
15,307
All ASE Levels:
+14.2%
75.42
66.02
Average Attendance Hours:
-19.7%
5,942
7,396
Total Separations:
+27.6%
17,912
14,040
Completed Personal Ed. Plan:
+4.3%
$139.07
$133.37
State Cost / Participant:
+25.4%
$81.88
$65.28
Federal Cost / Participant:
+9.92%
$428.12
$389.50
Total Cost / Participant:
While the number of adults attempting to enter ABE programs is rising, the number who
have not
are able to be served is declining. State, local and Federal funding sources
kept pace with the demand. A new State program that allows economicallY-JTPA-rr-
gible adults older than 21 to return to high school and generate "foundation aid" has
reduced the adult secondary enrollment significantly. (The "foundation aid" payment
Page 4
Minnesota's 1992-1993 ABE Performance Report Narrative
available through ABE, if there
for these adults is 14.3 times higher than what would be
which to serve them.)
were any extra ABE money with
hours that each ABE participant per-
Some good news is that the average number of
more than 14 percent. The number of
sisted in the program increased significantly
prior to completing their personal educa-
participants who separated from the program
the number of participants who com-
tion plans dropped by nearly 20 percent. And
increased by nearly 30 percent, in spite of the re-
pleted their personal education plans
duced number of participants.
of systems for coordinating and coopera-
Continue encoleaging the development
GOAL II:
that could improve and/or expand the delivery
ting with all availab:e resources and services
services to adults throughout the State
of individualized ABE and support and outreach
educationally disadvantaged adults.
with basic skills deficiencies, especially to
monitoring and other site visits, in
2.a. We encourage, in the application process, du? ing
development events, and during evaluations,
ABE management seminars and ABE staff
in the service area that may be of
that all education, resource and service providers
project. For the past two
benefit to individual adult learners be involvad in the ABE
community-wide local planning, coordination and
years, we also have encouraged that
education and support service
advisory teams be organized consisting of all the
job training agencies,
providers, libraries, business and industry, welfare reform and
etc., in the area.
training in how to work collaboratively
2.b. Since 1979, we have provided resource fairs and
administrators and instruc-
with community services at least twice each year for ABE
Adult Basic Education office
In an attempt to "model" collaborative relations, the
tors.
(public assistance),
works very closely with the State departments of Human Services
Education Coordinating Board,
Jobs and Training (JTPA), Corrections, with the Higher
Vocational-Technical Education.
the Community College System, and the State Board of
Council, we attempt to coordinate
2.c. Through the Minnesota Interagency Adult Learning
councils representing
adult education related activities across State agencies and among
increasing collaborative
each racial/ethnic/linguistic group. Officially a mechanism for
team-building grants to
efforts, the Interagency Adult Learning Council has provided
communities, community-based organizations and adult basic education programs
benefit of adult learners.
throughout the State to encourage collaboration for the
Facilitators specializing in ABE
2.d. A group of Literacy Training Network ABE Training
activities finished developing, piloting and
wogram improvement and development
stated in Objective 11.2,
training folks to participate in ABE Peer Program Reviews. As
successful existing integrated ABE
this process is intended to utilize personnel from
others to reproduce these effective
programs in developing, modeling and helping
implement successful adult
designs so that more local program personnel are able to
opportunities for
learning techniques that improve or expand appropriate learning
disadvantaged adults.
Page 5
Minnesota's 1992-1993 ABE Performance Report Narrative
The Peer Review Process is paid for with Section 353 funds to improve local programs.
with their peers and
But to ensure that local program personnel are direct and forthright
from the
with their own self-assessment process, copies of the written reports resulting
will be coordinated
visits are not sent to the State. The Peer Review Process, however,
evaluations.
with the Indicators of ABE Program Quality and the statewide
ABE related
2.e. We are continuing to work on developing new interagency agreements on
Colleges and Technical Colleges. The
to welfare reform, food stamps, Community
formal interagency agreement through which we provided adult refugee ESL and work-
force education ended when Federal refugee resettlement dollars ended. (Our inter-
ESL, so this action resulted in a loss of
agency agreement also funded adult refugee
$650,000 per year to local ABE programs.)
2.f.
1992-
1991-
Separations
Change
1992
1993
Due To:
Transportation
+65.9%
443
267
Problems
Child Cwe
+ 3.0%
430
443
Difficulties
Overall, separations prior to completing Personal Education Plans have decreased.
Separations due to transportation and child care difficulties, however, have increased.
it is no longer feasible to operate the many part-
Part of this problem is due to funding:
time, sparsely attended sites that we have had in rural areas throughout the State.
Transportation and child care are much harder to arrange in rural areas. Another
difficulty was due to the welfare reform changes: Minnesota had been operating under
required to revert to the
an exemption from Ishp Federal model; when the State was
the
Federal JOBS guidelines, many hundreds of adults who had been clients of PATHS,
State's welfare reform effort, were no longer eligible, and lost their child care and
transportation subsidies to attend ABE.
basic
GOAL lll: Continue providing for, and expanding thecluality and availability of, adult
education staff development activities that better prepare program personnel to facilitate
achieve
the self-directive, practical, and personalized learning that best enables adults to
their individual goals.
3.a. Through the Literacy Training Network, we provide 16 regional and three statewide
ABE teacher training events for more than 900 adult educators and one statewide and
three regional seminars for more than 200 adult education administrators, lead
teachers, and site coordinators. In addition, through the Minnesota Literacy Council,
America, ESL, and volunteers in the
we provide Laubach, Literacy Volunteers of
classroom training for volunteer tutors, volunteer coordinators and tutor trainers.
Minnesota's 1992-1993 ABE Performance Report Narrative -- Page 6
3.b. Our promoting of practitioner-researchers emphasizes self- and peer reflection about
ABE practices. We developed, and trained people to use, both ESL and ABE staff ob-
servation instruments to formalize this reflective practice. Levels of Training have been
drafted to guide adult education professionals in planning and providing for their own
' ,ation of staff
continuing development. We participated in the Pelavin Associates el
development activities, and the Minnesota Literacy Training Network system was
chosen as the only statewide one of nine national models.
3.c. In addition, continuing education for ABE Training Facilitators has continued to
investigate new and promising practices, including all the Pelavin Associates training
modules, as well as to continue improving interpersonal skills needed for their own self-
direction, for peer mentoring and for peer observations.
3.d. An outside evaluation of the statewide Literacy Training Network showed that adult
educators and their managers were pleased with the training being provided, and felt
that inservice education, plus the increased communication and information-sharing
through the publication of CONNECTIONS, was improving the quality of ABE. The
adult educators who do not participate in the regional or statewide LTN training claimed
that their full-time non-ABE positions and their very limited ABE hours were to blame.
GOAL IV: Continue encouraging the development, adoption and adaptation of innovative,
effective and cost-efficient methods and techniques for providing appropriate and timely
adult learning options, especially non-traditional opportunities that promise to involve
educationally disadvantaged adults in developing and mastering personal self-sufficiency
plans.
4.a. In addition to the Section 353 Special Projects, Staff Development activities, and
networking, the Adult Basic Education office has sponsored participatory task-teams
working on, looking at and experimenting with: learner-centered assessment; revision
of the Levels of Training for adult educators; learner-centered evaluation; outcome-
based education, and funding equity and simplification. And we have been working
with local ABE providers to begin working on standardizing and computerizing data
collection and reporting.
4.b. With the demise of Federal refugee resettlement funds, we have been sponsoring
additional ESL, ESL-Family Literacy, and ESL-Workforce Education staff and program
training events to cope with Minnesota's large and continuously growing refugee and
immigrant populations.
4.c. Family Literacy, Workforce Education and ESL, separately and in combination, are the
growth areas for ABE in Minnesota. Collaboration will continue with Even Start, Head
Start, Early Childhood Family Education, business, industry, labor, welfare reform and
other resources and services with which to help meet these growing needs.
Page 7
Minnesota's 1992-1993 ABE Performance Report Narrative
system, at both the local
GOAL V: Continue developing and implementing a management
programmatic and fiscal requirements
and the state levels, that adequately addresses the
and the Federal Adult Education Act.
of the Minnesota State Plan for Adult Education
project personnel, task teams of adult educators
5.a. We have been working with local ABE
of Education to standardize and
and other sections of the Minnesota Department
Task teams have been
simplify the student accounting and fiscal reporting systems.
both the State's monitoring and
working on a peer program review system to augment
for staff development. One task
evaluation functions, and to provide another avenue
with the Minnesota Legislature to permit multi-year
team was successful in working
In addition, for the
the 1992-1993 program year.
program approval, beginning with
sponsored public hearings on our Rules of
past few years, and egain this year, we
Thumb or performance standards.
Finger, which are proposed to become Rules of
have been working with othef
5.b. As already mentioned under other goals above, we
collaborate in order to provide
provider, resource and service agencies to coordinate and
task team efforts are fully
better services to learners. Our staff development and
participatory, open, and led by front-line adult educators.
during the Spring and early Summer of
5.c. A new statewide evaluation was conducted
;* used the Indicators of ABE Program Quality to
1993 by an outside evaluation group.
designed to produce
interview administrators, teachers and leorners in a methodology
collection and analysis, of program review and
more effective systems of data
development process.
evaluation, and of collecting "in-put" to the Indicator
of St. Thomas for participants
5.d. Graduate credit become available through the University
training events who complete an
in Department of Education and LTN-sponsored ABE
extra practitioner-research project paper.
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