New State Adult Diploma Pilot Program Description

Minnesota Department of Education /
Minnesota State Standard Adult Diploma Pilot Programs
Adult Basic Education /
Hasskamp, Brad
December 2014

Table of Contents

New State Adult Diploma Pilot Programs

Pilot Period

Pilot Program Details

Cass Lake-Bena-Walker

Central Minnesota ABE

Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC)

Hiawatha Valley ABE

Lakeville ABE

Metro North ABE

Minneapolis Adult Education

Osseo ABE

Robbinsdale Adult Academic Program

Rochester ABE

Southeast ABE

Southwest ABE Regional Collaborative

St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium

Pilot Application Details

New State Adult Diploma Pilot Programs

13 consortia applications were accepted and selected to pilot the new state standard adult high school diploma.

  1. Cass Lake-Bena-Walker ABE
  2. Central Minnesota ABE (St. Cloud)
  3. Department of Corrections (St. Cloud and Faribault facilities)
  4. Hiawatha Valley ABE (Red Wing)
  5. Lakeville ABE
  6. Metro North ABE (Blaine)
  7. Minneapolis Adult Education (Volunteers of America)
  8. Osseo ABE
  9. Robbinsdale Adult Academic Program
  10. Rochester ABE
  11. Southeast ABE (Faribault)
  12. Southwest ABE Region Collaborative (Mankato, New Ulm, BIC Graphics/Sleepy Eye, Hutchison, Willmar, LeSueur, St. Peter, Marshall, Worthington, Granite Falls, and Blue Earth)
  13. St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium (Hubbs Center)

Pilot Period

The pilot period runs from December 2014 – June 2015.

All pilot programs are expected to send representatives to initial three-day training on:

Monday, December 15, 2014

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Friday, January 16, 2015

Ongoing training and technical assistance will be provided through the monthly New State Adult Diploma Working Group, which meets typically the third Monday of the month.

Pilot Program Details

Applicant / Pilot Sites / Key Contact / Requested Amount / Target # Served
Cass Lake-Bena-Walker / Cass Lake-Bena &
Walker / Sarah Larson / $10,000 / 12+
Central Minnesota / St. Cloud Discovery Center / Scott Wallner / $10,000 / 20-25
DOC / St. Cloud and Faribault facilities / Theresa Luther-Dolan / $8,046 / 40-65
Hiawatha Valley / Red Wing/Southeast Technical College / Jill Rivard / $9,478 / 6-20
Lakeville / Pathways Adult Education
Lakeville Area Learning Center (Downtown Lakeville) / Clifford Skagen / $3,300 / 8-12
Metro North / Blaine Learning Lab (Co-location with the Anoka County Workforce Center) / Patrice Adams / $10,000 / 15
Minneapolis / Volunteers of America Adult High School / Kate Ronald / $5,000 / 25-50
Osseo / Osseo ABE Center / Julie Pierce / $9,687 / 20
Robbinsdale / Adult Academic Program - Sandburg Learning Center, Golden Valley / Theresa Zingery / $10,000 / 10-15
Rochester / Hawthorne Education Center / Nadine Holthaus / $10,000 / 12
Southeast / Faribault / Yesica Louis / $9,995 / 35
Southwest ABE Region / Lincoln Community Center (Mankato), New Ulm Workforce Center (Mankato), BIC Graphics (Sleepy Eye), Hutchison ABE site, Willmar ABE site, SW ABE sites (Marshall, Worthington, Granite Falls, Pipestone), AALC sites (LeSueur, St. Peter), Faribault County ABE site (Blue Earth) / Karen Wolters / $10,000 / 34
St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium / Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning / Renada Rutmanis / $10,000 / 10-40
Total / 26+ Sites / $116,000 / 247-355

Cass Lake-Bena-Walker

Section A: ABE Consortium Information

Lead Consortium Fiscal Agent / Cass Lake-Bena
Participating Consortium/Consortia / Cass Lake-Bena-Walker
Lead Contact
Who is the main pilot application contact? / Person / Sarah Larson
Email /
Phone / 218-335-4284 or 218-252-7025

Section B: Adult Diploma Pilot Program Staffing

Staff Roles
Which staff member(s) will perform the following roles for the new State Adult Diploma Pilot Program? / Administration / Sarah Larson
Intake / Sarah Larson. Patti Refsland
Advising / Lee Obermiller
Instruction / Sarah Larson, Patti Refsland
Assessment / Sarah Larson, Patti Refsland
Additional?(i.e. technology support, etc.) Please specify role. / Pat Rendle, ALC Administration
Training (Part One)
Which staff member(s) will participate in the Adult Diploma Pilot Training (Part One) on Monday, December 15 from 9:15-3:30pm at the Minnesota Department of Education, if the application is approved? Topics tentatively include overview, staffing roles and expectations, standards I, and implementation planning I. / Sarah Larson
Lee Obermiller
Training (Part Two)
Which staff member(s) will participate in the Adult Diploma Pilot 2-Day Training (Part Two) on January 15-16 at the Minnesota Department of Education, if the application is approved? Topics tentatively include standards II, completion options, advising, program procedures and logistics, course development, and implementation planning II. / Sarah Larson
Patti Refsland
Lee Obermiller
Ongoing Training/Assistance
Which staff members will participate in the Adult Diploma Working Group and its monthly meetings starting on Monday, January 26, if the application is approved? / Sarah Larson
As needed: Patti Refsland and Lee Obermiller

Question B-1. Please attach a staff roster of all staff that will be working directly with the pilot programming, with names, sites, email addresses and phone numbers, with your application.

Sarah Larson

Cass Lake-Bena-Walker ABE

Leech Lake Tribal College

218-252-7025, 218-335-4284

Patti Refsland

Cass Lake-Bena-Walker ABE

Leech Lake Tribal College and Walker, MN

218-547-4377, 219-234-7986

Lee Obermiller

Cass Lake-Bena-Walker ABE

Leech Lake Tribal College

320-224-4640

Pat Rendle

Cass Lake-Bena ALC

Cass Lake

218-256-5466, 218-335-2201 ex 6208

Question B-2. Please describe your staff members’ training and implementation of GED and adult diploma programming, including participation in the adult diploma task forces, working group or other applicable groups.

Sarah Larson has delivered GED instruction for 14 years and served adult diploma students for 12 years working with the local ALC. Previously she was a GED examiner for five years. Patti Refsland has taught GED preparation for six years and worked with adult diploma students for four years. Sarah and Patti have participated in many state-ABE delivered GED 2014 implementation workshops and webinars including Mathematical Reasoning, Writing, Social Studies and Academic Language. Both have taken numerous adult learning theory workshops at Summer Institute and Regional Workshops. Sarah Larson served with Phase One of the task force to create the legislation allowing ABE delivery of the adult diploma. She has been actively attending and participating in every Adult Diploma Working Group since it formed. She also currently serves as part of the Distance Learning Task Force.

Lee Obermiller has worked with GED and adult diploma students as a substitute teacher for five years. He has been following the development of the adult diploma since Phase One. As a high school principal he has participated in organizational groups focused on aligning high school curriculum with area post-secondary institutions. Implementation of Career Pathways, college curriculum in the high school classroom for college credit, STEM, Project Lead the Way (Industrial Technology engineering and technology readiness program) are examples of his involvement with the development of curriculum, planning and student success. Additionally as a high school principal he is familiar with requirements for graduation, college (4-year, community, technical, private, etc.) entrance requirements and post-secondary career planning.

Pat Rendle has worked with alternative education for 8 years and adult diploma students for two years developing models that create rigorous opportunities that meet students’ needs.

Question B-3. Please describe your staff members’ training and implementation of standards-based educational models, which could include Minnesota’s K-12 standards, ACES Transitions Integration Framework, the CCRS (College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education), Northstar Digital Literacy Standards, and/or other standards models.

Sarah Larson

  1. ACES (trainer)
  2. CCRS-sessions at SI, MNI Institute, Regional Workshops
  3. Northstar Digital Literacy Standards
  4. Project Ideal
  5. STAR
  6. PEGASUS review team (multiple years)
  7. Graduate coursework in career counseling

Patti Refsland

  • ACES
  • CCRS-sessions at SI and Regional Workshops
  • Northstar Digital Literacy Standards
  • MNI 14 and MNI Institute (CCRS and ACES)
  • Algebraic Reasoning for adult learners (E-learning World Ed.) (CCRS and ACES)
  • Project Ideal
  • STAR
  • NW Minnesota LearnerWeb Administrator/lead trainer

Lee Obermiller

Secondary Principal, 18 years

Supervised and led the development and implementation of Minnesota State Standards

Supervised high school to being a turn-around school as recognized by the United States and Minnesota Departments of Education. At the time this was only turn-around high school in the State of Minnesota.

Supervised and led changes in academic and career counseling to include coordinating curricular offerings with area colleges, increased ACT testing opportunities, development of career pathways. The goal was to increase entrance into and successful completion of post-secondary academic experiences for graduates.

Implemented technology-based student academic records and reporting.

Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) training. Certified SEED facilitator.

Representative to the National Seminar on the Changing Roles & Relationships of Teachers and Administrators, Washington D.C.

Participant in the Business and Education Partnerships; Teachers in the Workplace.

National Education Association Learning Laboratory Syposium, Colorado Springs, CO; development of vertical management teams in educational organizations.

Participated in and completed Minnesota Principals' Academy, and executive development program sponsored by the National Institute for School Leadership.

Industrial Technology teacher

Previous Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals Board of Directors member

Northstar Digital Literacy Standards

Pat Rendle

  • Principal of Cass Lake-Bena ALC
  • Minnesota K-12 Standards-State administrator MDE conferences and workshops, MAAP alternative education conference
  • Curriculum vertical PLCs-Cass Lake-Bena District

Question B-4. Please describe your staff members’ training and experience with providing student advising.

Lee Obermiller served as a mentor, teacher and administrator in the K-12 system for over 40 years providing student advising students including as-risk students. He has provided GED classroom advising to students for the previous five years. His expertise lies in being able to relate to students and develop an excellent rapport with them. His back ground in Industrial Technology provides a solid understanding of the requirements/knowledge/skills needed to succeed in a wide variety of occupational clusters and will thus help in his ability to discern whether or not individual students possess or need to develop the knowledge to gain competency in the required domains.

The other staff members, while not delivering the initial advising piece, all advise students (ABE, K-12 and college students) on a regular basis in the ABE and ALC classrooms and other school settings.

Section C: Adult Diploma Pilot Proposed Programming

Proposed Adult Diploma Pilot Programming Site(s) / Cass Lake-Bena and Walker
Potential Number of Students Participating Pilot (January – June 2015)? / 12+ (conservatively)
Which completion options do you plan on having available to your students during the pilot period? / (Please complete checklist below of all approved completion options.)
Potential Multi-Domain State Adult Diploma Completion Options
Potential Completion Option / Do you plan to make it available locally?
National External Diploma Program (NEDP) +
This option will not be available during the beginning of the pilot period. / Yes
Approved and aligned transcripts from foreign secondary schools + / Yes
Potential Language Arts Completion Options
Potential Completion Option / Do you plan to make it available locally?
K-12 Language Arts Credit Verification / Yes
Aligned Postsecondary Course Completion / Yes
Accuplacer Test Score Verification (78+) / Yes and COMPASS
GED (2002 Version) score 450+ on Reading and Writing tests + writing sample / Yes
GED (2014 Version) score 158+ on RLA and Social Studies/Science tests + writing sample; GED Ready if proctored / Yes
Passing scores on BST or MCA tests / Yes
TOEFL / N/A
ACT Score 18+ on Writing and 21+ on Reading tests / Yes
ABE group instruction / Yes
ABE individual instruction / Yes
ABE distance learning / Yes
Approved and aligned interdisciplinary and/or culminating project with written report and oral presentation / Yes
Potential Mathematics Completion Options
Potential Completion Option / Do you plan to make it available locally?
K-12 Math Course Completion Verification / Yes
GED (2002 Version) Mathematics + additional work / Yes
GED (2014 Version) Mathematics / Yes
GED Ready Score 158 (in a proctored environment) / Yes
Advancing from Developmental Education to college credit-level courses according to an approved postsecondary ready test / Yes
Passing MCA or BST Math tests / Yes
ABE group instruction / Yes
ABE individual instruction / Yes
ABE distance learning / Yes
Potential Science Completion Options
Potential Completion Option / Do you plan to make it available locally?
K-12 course completion verification / Yes
Postsecondary course completion verification / Yes
GED (2002 Version) Science test passing score + additional work / Yes
GED (2014 Version) Science passing score / Yes
ABE group instruction / Yes
ABE individual instruction / Yes
ABE distance learning / Yes
Approved and aligned research projects and/or reports / Yes
Potential Social Studies Completion Options
Completion Option / Do you plan to make it available locally?
K-12 course completion verification / Yes
Postsecondary course completion verification / Yes
GED (2002 Version) Social Studies passing score + additional work / Yes
GED (2014 Version) Social Studies passing score / Yes
ABE group instruction / Yes
ABE individual instruction / Yes
ABE distance learning / Yes
Approved and aligned research project and/or report / Yes
Potential Employability, Career Development and Digital Literacy Completion Options
Potential Completion Option / Do you plan to make it available locally?
ABE group instruction / Yes
ABE individual instruction / Yes
ABE distance learning (including MindQuest Academy, APEX, or other options) / Yes
FastTRAC Programming / No
ABE College Prep Courses / Yes
Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments/Certificate / Yes
Resume Completion / Yes
Approved and aligned projects and/or reports / Yes
Typing speed verification (15+ words/minute) / Yes
Please note that additional information will be given about each completion option during the initial and ongoing training and technical assistance.

Question C-1. Please describe the potential need for state adult diploma programming in your area. With this information, please include information on how the potential participant number (identified above) was calculated. (Examples of demonstrated need might include the number of ABE enrollees that do not have secondary credentials, U.S. Census data for your geographic area, applicable enrollee numbers, etc.)

The Cass Lake-Bena class site is currently teaching 18 diploma students over the age of 21. At least half of these students are ideal candidates for the new State Adult Diploma Program as they passed three or four of the GED 2002 exams or have passed their state K-12 exams and simply lack the total credits required with our current credit recovery model. The majority of these students began this track last spring or this fall because they either 1) genuinely want their diplomas or 2) are not interested/motivated to work on the new GED 2014. Most are parents juggling a job, children and education; 75% have less than 25% of their credits to finish completing their diplomas. In SY 2014 there were 106 active over the age of 21 at the Cass Lake-Bena site. The number of ABE students served since 2008 without a secondary credential is 248. Our US Census data for no diploma is Cass Lake-Bena, 521; Walker, 752, totaling 1273. The adult diploma option has never been available to students in Walker; here are a huge potential number of students. Our consortium is different than most due to the fact that our population stays here, very few move away. This fact also helps ensure continued access to adult diploma programming. Word is out on the street (via the moccasin telegraph) that the diploma currently offered is a better option to achieve their credential.

Questions C-2.In addition to staffing and information noted in previous sections, please describe your consortium’s/consortia’s capacity to implement the state adult diploma pilot.

We are already delivering adult diploma programming on an independent study basis at the Leech Lake Tribal College class site, so we are well situated to immediately implement the state diploma pilot. The advisor, as contracted service, will be the only addition to the staff, and the part-time teacher’s hours will be increased to accommodate the additional classes. Current programming for reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, science, digital literacy, transitions and credit bearing classes will be available to all adult diploma students. It is our intent to roll out the state adult diploma at the Cass Lake and Walker sites.

Question C-3. Please describe the technology resources and staff technology skills that may help them implement the state adult diploma pilot. Answers should also include experience and use of distance learning, Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments and/or online portfolios. (Applicants can attach applicable sections of their technology and distance learning plan from their narrative, if applicable.)

All class sites have computers for staff and students with internet access. All ABE staff are “tech savvy” with computers, Word, Excel, various web browsers, discussion boards, social media and email handlers. Patti and Sarah have taught with SkillsTutor, LearnerWeb, i-Pathways and MindQuest since they were introduced to the ABE field. Plans also include incorporating the Compass Learning Odyssey online credit recovery instruction providing students another option for standards-based instruction. Lee, Sarah and Patti have proctored the Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment to all incoming ABE students for 2+ years. Sarah was a trainer for SkillsTutor in the NW Region when it was first introduced, as well as KeyTrain. Patti is the super user of LearnerWeb for the NW Region.

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New State Adult Diploma Pilot Program Description