Improving Our Programs: Ideas, Strategies and Successes
ABE Summer Institute, August 2012
Panel presentation
Objective: This presentation will give information about recent initiatives and changes ABE managers have made to work toward more effective programming, particularly in the areas of assessment, data collection and level completion rates. All panel participants have led their programs through the program improvement process within the last two years.
Participants:
Becca Bair,
Susie Evans,
South Washington County ABE
Key initiatives:
· Implemented Managed Registration/Testing Procedures.
· Created monthly spreadsheets per teacher containing testing/hours information
· Additional professional development for teachers
· Limited MARCS access to all staff.
· Additional training for all staff in MARCS and testing procedures
· Updated Policy and Procedures to strengthen programming
· Strengthened a collaborative relationship with the Workforce Center
· Increased our marketing target areas
· Worked on programming with the District Grant Writer and the Office of Equity and Integration
· Collaborative efforts with District EL teachers
Becki Hawkins,
Area Adult Learning Cooperative, Le Sueur ABE
Key Initiatives:
· Updated post testing policy and procedure
· Separated GED and ESL classes at one site
· Changed testing at one site
· Gave all staff "read only" access to MARCS and changed Data Input person
· TABE and CASAS training/certification for teaching staff
Jane Kono,
Adult Options in Education, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Minnetonka
Key Initiatives:
· Reviewed, updated, implemented assessment procedures
· Everyone learned to read and use often Table 4's, MABE screens, CASAS/TABE assessment guidelines
· Implemented pre and post testing in more subject areas
· Team watched student hours and communicated to students the importance of post-testing before exit
Theresa Luther-Dolan,
Hiawatha Valley ABE
Key Initiatives:
· Went to managed enrollment and only had intake at strategically located sites
· Implemented beginning/end date for class so post-testing was more deliberate
· Increased intensity of classes/instruction and had fewer locations
· Retrained staff on CASAS/TABE
· Hired/trained an intake coordinator/advisor
· Began closer oversight of data on a monthly basis
· Aligned instruction to improve data outcomes
Jodi Versaw,
Lincoln Adult Education Center, Minneapolis
Key Initiatives:
· Investigated when students were typically hitting 40 hours of instruction time and adjusted in-class testing schedule accordingly
· Created a "hotlist" system for catching students who missed in-class testing dates
· Increased staff knowledge about ABE policies, testing, level gains, etc. with mini-trainings at staff meetings