ACLS July 2017 Monthly Mailing
-69342038100Massachusetts Department ofElementary and Secondary Education75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906 Telephone: (781) 338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370Adult and Community Learning ServicesTO: ABE Directors, SABES Coordinators, WIA Administrators, Career Centers, LWIB, Teacher/All Staff FROM: Jolanta Conway, ABE State DirectorDATE: July 14, 2017RE: What's in this Mailing?The monthly mailing for July will be posted to our website shortly. Please review the information and share with your staff.Leaving Government ServiceTom Mechem, State Administrator and Chief Examiner, High School Equivalency, will retire as of August 7, 2017. We are sad to lose a fine member of our ACLS team, but wish Tom a happy and healthy retirement! Should you wish to bid farewell to Tom in person, please feel free to contact him in the office before the end of July. Request for Proposals Update2017 ABE/ESOL Lottery InformationNew ACLS Director Qualifications PolicyCOABE and National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE)Cross Training Opportunity for DTA and DCS - ABE programs may register if space is availableCurriculum UpdateDigital Learning PilotEducator Growth and Evaluation SystemFamily Literacy – A Summer Learning MessageIndustry-Recognized CredentialsMath Curriculum Pilot OpportunitySMARTT UpdateState Measurable Skills Gain (MSG) Performance Standard Concerns and ImplicationsMeasurable Skills Gain (MSG) UpdateRequest for Proposals UpdateThe FY19 Open and Competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) for Distance Learning Instructional Hub (DL) and Primary Instruction by Volunteers have been posted to Grants Management. Distance Learning Instructional HubPrimary Instruction by VolunteersThe FY19 Open and Competitive RFP for the Regional Adult Education Services (CALCs including ?IET, IELCE, and Adult Education in Correctional Institutions) will be posted the week of July 17th to Grants Management.ACLS received many comments and questions about the June 12th?Proposed Adult Education Local Workforce Allocation Areas and Program Funding Methodologies for FY2019 memorandum. ?We will provide a written response the week of July 17th.2017 ABE/ESOL Lottery InformationThe Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is interested in rigorously evaluating the impact of ABE and ESOL services on later student outcomes. As a first step in this process, we are trying to determine which program sites have ever used lotteries to admit students to oversubscribed classes. Please take a moment to respond to a short survey.New ACLS Director Qualifications PolicyAs of July 1, 2018, ACLS requires that all directors of adult education programs have, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree and two years’ experience in education, management, or program administration. This is the first time ACLS has required directors to have this level of education. During an open comment period on new policies that take effect on July 1, 2018, ACLS received a request to allow waivers for current directors. The following procedure details the ACLS waiver process.Current ACLS-funded grantees who wish to seek a one-time waiver for a currently employed director must submit a written request to ACLS. The waiver request must be signed and submitted by the authorized signatory of the grantee and include: The name of the director, his/her resume, a summary of his/her responsibilities, and a brief history of his/her employment with the organizationA rationale for allowing the director to remain in his/her current position including an explanation of why the organization considers the director to be qualified A plan and timeline explaining how the director will fulfill his/her obligations to the adult education program and simultaneously finish a bachelor’s program (Note: ACLS considers the plan and timeline to be a commitment on the part of both the director and the organization. Variation from the plan may be grounds for invalidating the waiver.)An explanation of specific actions, if any, that the organization will take during the FY19-22 funding cycle to support the director in achieving the required qualifications.Waiver requests must be submitted to Jolanta Conway, State Adult Education Director. Upon receipt, the waiver request will be reviewed by ACLS leadership and, within one month of submission, a determination will be made. A written response, which may include additional requirements, will be sent to the authorized signatory of the grantee with a cc: to the director of the program. Waiver requests must be submitted by October 6, 2017.COABE and National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE)COABE and the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE) launched a joint national Educate and Elevate campaign to educate America about the importance of Adult Education in advancing career and college readiness for millions of people. Please visit the website at where you can find useful tools, information on the impact of adult education, and examples of innovative programs. Cross Training Opportunity for DTA and DCS - ABE programs may register if space is availableThe Department of Career Services, in conjunction with the Department of Transitional Assistance, will be conducting training sessions in July and August relative to DTA and DCS Programs. These trainings will provide career center and DTA staff with fundamental knowledge of each agency’s programs to support appropriate referrals and effective assistance for shared customers. The training will cover topics such as: ? Career Center Programs ? DTA Programs ? Basic Eligibility ? Referral Overview ? Accessing information regarding DCS and DTA Programs Action Requested: Please disseminate this information to appropriate staff. DTA and DCS prefer that staff register for the session within their region so that they are getting the training jointly with staff from that same area. Staff can register for the appropriate session through the DCS Training and Development Calendar, which will redirect them to Eventbrite or click on the link below. Date Location All sessions are 9:00 am -1:00 pm Address and Room Information Link to Register Jul 25 FutureWorks Career Center 1 Federal Street Building 103-3 Springfield, MA Aug 2 New Bedford Career Center 618 Acushnet Ave. New Bedford, MA Curriculum UpdateACLS Curriculum and Instruction Policy Page Updated SlightlyThe ACLS Curriculum and Instruction Policy page has been updated slightly, not to add any new policies, but to ensure that the policy is clear to readers. The purpose of the update is to distinguish the EBRI and STAR requirements from the recommendations. Specifically, programs should note that evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI), including STAR, is recommended, not required, to be used in teaching the essential components of reading. Likewise, the STAR training based on EBRI practices for teaching intermediate-level learners at GLE 4-8, is recommended, not required to be used. However, programs that choose to use the STAR model are committing to fidelity of the STAR model by participating in training and completing all training components so that ACLS may gather data about the effectiveness of STAR instruction.The addition to the policy is in the section under Components of Reading, with new text highlighted in red:“Components of Reading and Evidence-Based Reading Instruction (EBRI)WIOA requires that ABE curriculum and instruction provide explicit and systematic instruction on the essential components of reading to adult learners at all levels, GLE 0-12. The essential components of reading are:Alphabetics, including phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding, is the process readers use to identify words.Reading fluency is the ability to read accurately, at an appropriate rate, and with prosody. Reading fluently includes oral reading skills.Vocabulary development is the body of words whose meanings a person knows and understands.Reading comprehension is the process and product of understanding text, and requires a high level of metacognitive engagement with the text.Evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI) is a set of practices for teaching the four components that are proven to increase the reading achievement of adult education students. EBRI practices for primary focus {of instruction} differ according to the grade level equivalent (GLE) of students as indicated in the table below.Student GLEPrimary Focus of Instruction0-3 (Beginner)Print-based skills (i.e., alphabetics, fluency)4-8 (Intermediate)Print-based (i.e., alphabetics, fluency), meaning-based (i.e., vocabulary, comprehension), or both9-12 (Advanced)Meaning-based (i.e., vocabulary, comprehension)The Office for Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) of the U.S. Department of Education (USED) developed and promotes Student Achievement in Reading (STAR), an evidence-based reading instruction program specifically targeted to the needs of intermediate-level readers. Programs opting to use the STAR model must participate in the STAR training and complete all training components in order to maintain fidelity to the evidence base.For more information on the components of reading, EBRI, and STAR, see , , and respectively.”For any questions regarding this clarification in policy, please contact Jane at janes@doe.mass.edu. Please view the full ACLS Curriculum and Instruction policy at . What is the Difference Between Teaching the Essential Components of Reading and Evidence-based Reading Instruction (EBRI)?The US Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) requires that ABE curriculum and instruction provide explicit and systematic instruction in the essential components of reading to adult learners at all levels, Grade Level Equivalent (GLE) 0-12. (See WIOA brief for more information about this requirement). While the WIOA legislation does not specifically say that use of EBRI is required, EBRI strategies (as opposed to non-EBRI strategies) have been proven to help students make gains in reading comprehension. OCTAE’s definition of the essential components of reading instruction in the WIOA brief is very similar to the definition of EBRI. The focus of our field moving forward is on improving students’ outcomes such as EFL gains, achievement of HSE, and transition to postsecondary education and training, and on giving programs flexibility to decide how to accomplish those goals. Providing EBRI is not new to program staff who were trained in the STAR Reading Program, but it may be new for programs to provide explicit and systematic instruction in the essential components of reading to students at the beginner (GLE 0-3) and advanced (GLE 9-12) levels. To help programs prepare for this change in FY18, ACLS and SABES developed planning documents; find them on the ACLS EBRI/STAR web page, at . The documents include:Provision of Instruction in the Essential Components of Reading: Guidance to Prepare for FY18 explains more about the requirement and recommends how to provide this instruction; Evidence-Based Reading Instruction Q&A responds to questions raised by programs about the difference between EBRI and STAR, recommendations versus requirements, planning logistics, EBRI training, and more; A graphic outlining the sequence of EBRI trainings available in FY18; andStrengthening Reading Instruction at All Levels Using EBRI, a PowerPoint presented at the May 2017 Directors’ Meeting. Training Dates for STAR in FY2018; Directors who wish to be trained or have teachers of intermediate students to be trained, please contact Jane via email as soon as possible.The STAR training will continue to be available to train teachers of intermediate (GLE 4-8) level students in FY18 and going forward. EBRI is the foundation of the STAR training for teachers of intermediate level learners. ACLS has invested in providing this intensive, high quality training at no cost to programs since 2010 because the evidence base for the training is proven it is a successful instructional model. It is also expected that FY18 will be the last year the STAR training will be offered in a face-to-face format; in FY19 and beyond it is expected that the STAR training will be a combination of online and face-to-face interaction. Consistent with ACLS’ focus on outcomes rather than processes, ACLS will not require STAR training participation in FY18 or in the future. However, programs that choose to use the STAR model are committing to fidelity of the STAR model by participating in training and completing all training components so that ACLS may gather data about the effectiveness of STAR instruction.Find information on STAR at and run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. STAR at ESE, MaldenSTAR at QCC, WorcesterInstitute I: October 2 and 3, 2017 (Alternate dates in case of inclement weather or a trainer is sick are October 12 and 13, 2017.)Institute I: October 30 and 31, 2017 (Alternate dates in case of inclement weather or a trainer is sick are November 1 and 2, 2017.)Institute II: January 30 and 31, 2018 (Alternate dates are February 5 and 6, 2018.)Institute II: March 1 and 2, 2018 (Alternate dates are March 8 and 9, 2018.)Institute III: April 2 and 3, 2018 (Alternate dates are April 25 and 26, 2018.)Institute III: May 10 and 11, 2018 (Alternate dates are May 14 and 15, 2018.)Questions, Comments, or Suggestions?Please contact Jane Schwerdtfeger at janes@doe.mass.edu.Digital Learning PilotThe end of June brings the end of the year for many programs, so now is the time for feedback on our digital literacy piloting of Aztec Software, Newsela Pro, and Reading Horizons - Elevate.The goal of the digital literacy pilot this spring was to evaluate the content, formative assessments, and learning management systems of the three online tools for their capacity to support teaching and learning. If you participated in the pilot, we need you!?Your feedback about the tools that you and your students piloted is critical to our understanding of their benefits.?Please complete one teacher survey for each tool used during the pilot.?We estimate that your participation will take no more than?five (5) minutes per tool. Please have any students who participated complete the following student survey.?Thank you for being part of the pilot and for helping ACLS support adult education programs.?Contact Wyvonne Stevens-Carter at 781-338-3835 or wyvonne.stevens-carter@doe.mass.edu if you have any questions.Educator Growth and Evaluation SystemOn June 30, 2017, the three-year pilot of the Educator Growth an Evaluation System (EGE) came to an end. We would like to take this opportunity to publically thank the dedicated staff (teachers and directors) of the programs who participated in the pilot. Their honest and insightful feedback has resulted in a meaningful process with valuable and user-friendly tools relevant to the professional growth of ABE educators. Special thanks to the following programs:Bristol Community College Adult Learning Center, AttleboroCape Cod Community College Adult Education CenterDimock Community Health CenterFramingham Public SchoolsFranklin County House of CorrectionsHolyoke Community College, LudlowHolyoke Public SchoolsQuinsigamond Community CollegeRockland Public SchoolsWebster Public SchoolsWorcester Public SchoolsYMCA of Greater Boston, WoburnOn July 3, 2017 we entered into the second phase of this initiative: Field Testing. Now that we have a meaningful system with user-friendly tools, our next step is to make the system as manageable as possible. One way of doing this is through a secured online management system to support the EGE state-wide; one place where teachers and supervisors can go to access and store all the materials needed for a successful EGE experience. ?However, before committing to anything, ACLS is seeking programs to field test the products. One potential product is a web-based platform called TeachPoint which is specifically designed to support the 5 steps of the EGE cycle. Perhaps some of you are already familiar with TeachPoint as it is used by many K-12 districts. Beginning in Sept. 2017, field test participants will be trained in how to navigate and use TeachPoint to support the program’s professional development and evaluation process. ACLS will expect you to use TeachPoint throughout the year as you move through the EGE cycle. ACLS and TeachPoint will support you every step of the way and collect your feedback and final recommendations. In addition, ACLS will pay the annual user fee for every participant in the field test. Participation in the previous EGE pilot is not required for field testing. EGE and TeachPoint training materials, including videos, will be available as needed throughout the testing period. We are looking for a minimum of one supervisor from each program. The supervisor needs to be the person who conducts classroom observations and annual evaluations. There is no limit on the number of teachers that can participate from each program.If you are interested in participating in this field study or would like more information, email Patricia (Trish) Hembrough at phembrough@doe.mass.edu. Family Literacy – A Summer Learning MessageWith the kids out of school and the summer season underway, parents and families may be interested in free online learning activities or programs.Engage in science. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) themed units engross kids in activities focused on life science, physical science, Earth and space science, and engineering.Find out more about agriculture and related topics. The Department of Agriculture features kid-geared information on farming, forestry, food nutrition and safety, and natural resources conservation.Learn about the weather, the water cycle, and ocean currents. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) educational resources include news, stories, multimedia, and “explainers.”Become a National Park Service Junior Ranger. For the Junior Ranger program, kids complete a series of activities during a park visit, share their answers with a ranger, and receive a patch and certificate.Explore high quality websites on a rainy day. Great Websites for Kids provides links to notable websites of interest to children. Categories include animals, the arts, history, literature, languages, sciences, mathematics, and social sciences.And don’t forget the local library! To access information about summer reading programs, museum passes, and other resources the library has to offer, parents should visit and enter their zip code.Industry-Recognized CredentialsThe following are industry-recognized credentials resources. Programs should also contact their Local Workforce Development Boards for the most current information on what credentials are needed for employment in local in-demand industries.Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) What is a Credential?: – Document that provides definitions for certificates, certifications, licenses, and degrees. careeronestop Certification Finder: – Online certification database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Massachusetts Vocational Technical Education Frameworks: – Link to the 44 Vocational Technical Education Frameworks. Each framework includes an industry-recognized credentials section. Math Curriculum Pilot OpportunityAn exciting new math curriculum has been developed by a team of math professionals at the SABES PD Center for Mathematics and Adult Numeracy. It is ready to be piloted at a few select programs in Massachusetts. ACLS and SABES invite adult education programs to consider applying for this pilot study, which will begin September 1, 2017, and run through March 31, 2018.The Curriculum for Accelerated Math (CAM) is a high-intensity course designed to take a multilevel group of students through the conceptual understanding behind the math topics needed for successful completion of the High School Equivalency (HSE) assessments, the ACCUPLACER, and/or employment-related exams (such as WorkKeys). This curriculum:is aligned to the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE);reflects the CCRSAE mathematics instructional shifts (i.e., focus, coherence, rigor) with particular emphasis on building a foundation of conceptual understanding;explicitly incorporates the Standards for Mathematical Practice into units andlessons;promotes a classroom environment characterized by student discussion, productive struggle with challenging non-routine problems, and the development of a growth mindset;accelerates student progress through HSE credential attainment in preparation for success in postsecondary education and/or training; andprepares students to be problem-solvers and not simply test-takers.Participants and programs in this pilot study will need to meet the following requirements:Students must have a minimum of 6 hours of classroom math instruction each week. This does NOT include lab time or homework.Classes must have managed enrollment for the entire curriculum period.Classes must have a minimum of 12 students enrolled in the course.Programs must be willing to administer a pre- and post-test at the start and conclusion of the curriculum. Classes must maintain daily attendance logs.Instructors and students must be willing to share student work electronically to a repository. Student names will be omitted, and release forms will be provided.Instructors and students must be willing to allow SABES to observe classes and to record audio and video of instruction and group work. Recordings will not be made public, and release forms will be provided.Instructors must be willing to provide written feedback to SABES periodically throughout the implementation of the curriculum.In exchange for the above criteria, participating programs and instructors will receive the following:The Curriculum for Accelerated MathProfessional development opportunities, as neededOn-site, hands-on SABES instructional support and coaching throughout the implementation of the curriculum.One to three programs will be selected from the submitted applications to participate in this pilot. To download the application form for this pilot, click here. Please submit the completed application to Olympia Stroud by email at ostroud@doe.mass.edu. Please email Donna Curry at donnac@ or Heidi Schuler at hschuler@ with any questions you may have about the application or the CAM project.The application deadline is 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 4, 2017.SMARTT UpdateAll updates can be found on the SMARTT Dashboard by following this link: .? You can also access the dashboard by clicking on “What’s New” from the SMARTT landing page.? Be sure to visit the dashboard often to get the latest information on all things related to SMARTT.State Measurable Skills Gain (MSG) Performance Standard Concerns and Implications from the field and Clarifications and Answers from ACLS In recent webinars with ACLS, members from the field asked important questions related to the MSG state performance standard. See the concerns, implications, and questions below along with ACLS’s responses to each. As always, if you have any questions about performance accountability, please contact your Program Specialist. Concern: Students who pre-test above 600 on the MAPT cannot show an Educational Functioning Level (EFL) completion due to the fact that the highest MAPT score is a 700, and an EFL completion is more than 100 points. Clarification: Students pre-testing above 600 have a greater opportunity than students testing at lower scores to attain a high school equivalency (HSE) credential and/or enroll in postsecondary education and training. Programs with students that achieve these outcomes will get MSG credit; if both an HSE credential is attained and the student enrolls in PSE/T after exit, then the program is eligible for MSG credit plus additional (i.e., partial) credit. Implication: Programs with co-enrolled (i.e., dually-enrolled) students (e.g., IET, IEL/CE) cannot get MSG credit for the outcome of enrolling in a training program unless first exited from the adult education program. Clarification: ACLS is aware of this implication, and will work to reverse creating a disincentive for students who are co-enrolled in adult education and training programs. Can ESOL students make EFL completions in more than one subject area?Answer: In the BEST Plus 2.0 students can make an EFL in listening and speaking; with another ESOL assessment, students can make EFL completions in reading and writing. Note: FY18 is a pilot year for the State MSG Performance Standard; therefore, ACLS will be monitoring its data closely and will adjust as necessary for FY19 implementation.Measurable Skills Gain (MSG) UpdateBased on new information from the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE), ACLS has made a slight change to the MSG standard, and it makes the standard less complicated! Going forward programs can now get 1.0 credit for an Educational Functioning Level (EFL) completion in either a student’s primary assessment area or in the non-primary assessment area. The upshot is that there’s no longer any way that a program could only get 0.1 credit.? When we first created this standard, programs could not get a full 1.0 credit for an EFL completion in a student’s non-primary assessment area, but now they can. The performance standards webpage has been updated to reflect this change. The rest of the MSG standard remains the same; all initial MSG outcomes are worth 1.0 credit, and all additional MSG outcomes are worth 0.1 credit. Here are two examples: If a student completed an EFL and then attained his/her High School Equivalency (HSE) Credential, then that program would receive 1.1 credits for that student’s outcomes. If another student completed two EFLs, and then entered into Postsecondary Education (PSE) after exit, then that program would receive 1.2 credits for that student’s outcomes. As always, if you have any questions, please contact your program specialist. ................
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