How accessible is Maine Adult Education?

Maine College TransitionsAligning Curriculum for Post-Secondary Success

National College Transitions ConferenceNovember 15/16, 2010

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How accessible is Maine Adult Education?

Maine Adult Education is comprised of 100+ programs serving over 85% of Maine’s municipalities

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Background/History• 1987: UMaine ITV system for delivering courses managed at

Adult Education sites.

• 2001:Nellie Mae Education Foundation funded NELRC Demonstration projects

• 2003: Maine Compact for Higher Education: Goal 3

• 2006/07: Legislatively approved one year State funded pilot program

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Background/History continued• 2006: MELMAC Education Foundation “Connecting

Aspirations to a Plan” grants for Adult Education 2005• 2007/08: Legislative action resulting in state funding • 2007/08: Legislative rule changes that allow local

programs to access state subsidy for locally funded programs

• Currently, 22 programs delivered in over 40 communities

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Maine Program Model• Offered through Adult Education Programs• College Preparation and Advising• Comprehensive Program• 2 Distinct Scheduling Designs• Must enroll in college in 12-18 months

• Reference: NCSALL Occasional paper, 2006 “Transitioning Adults to College: Adult Basic Education Program Models”

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Required Program Components

• Career planning & assessment

• College experience

• Tracking and follow up

• Instruction in college preparation coursework

• Accuplacer pre and post testing

• Technology

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Delivery scheduleThere are two (2) emerging schedules:• Students take set classes as a group scheduled in one day,

evening, or over a few hours over several days. Academic and career counseling, college life skills, and other classes are included in the curriculum

• Students select the classes, based on assessment scores, that meet their academic and career goals, with college life skills classes and academic and career counseling mandatory supports

• Programs are offering both models to attract and accommodate student schedules

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Who are our students?

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“If I can do it, anyone can!  I am a mother of three teenage boys.  I went back to school to get my high school diploma after my divorce, then went on to achieve my CNA.  Now I am in the Honor Society at YCCC and working on my RN. Adult Education gave me the confidence to do it all!”

Laura, 2008

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“After being let go from a previous job I became a stay at home dad. When I was ready to look for work, I first turned to my local Adult Ed program. They were incredible and helped me every step of the way. With their assistance I was able to recognize and work on skills that would help me transition to a new job.”

James, 2008

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Who are we serving: Trends over the last three years

• Around 1,300 students each year

• Most students (62-67%) are over the age of 25

• Around half are employed, half unemployed or are not in the workforce

• 67% are female

• 66% are first generation college candidates

• Most are referred through the adult education system

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Academic Readiness

• English and math readiness determined by

Accuplacer scores:

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Accuplacer Test SMCC CMCC YCCC U Maine Augusta

Reading Comp 68 40th percentile (69) 72 72

Sentence Skills 80 70 80

Arithmetic 60 40th percentile (41) 70 65

Elementary Algebra 67 40th percentile (42) 70 54 (MAT 100 & 115)81 (MAT 111)

Writeplacer 5

Aligning Courses - Similarities

College Level Math:

Contemporary Math or

College Algebra

Math For College – 050 LevelMAT 050 – Introduction to

Algebra

Windham Adult Education SMCC

Math For College – 020 Level MAT 020 – Numerical Math

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Aligning Courses - Differences

College Level Math:

Contemporary Math or

College Algebra

student needs passing Accuplacer scores or an e-mail from Steve to

SMCC math Dept chair requesting a waiver

Automatic promotion if student earns “C” or better in

MAT 050 class

Windham Adult Education SMCC

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Articulation agreementsWindham Adult Education

CourseSMCC/CMCC Equivalent Course

Introduction to Microsoft XPIMT 105 Intro to Computer

Applications

Accounting I & Accounting II ACC 210 Principles of Accounting I

Medical Terminolgy MDA 114 Medical Terminology

Success in CollegeFRS 104 Academic Success

Seminar

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Sequence of Classes

• Math Lab – self paced

• Math for College 020

• Math for College 050

• PLATO – self study

• ABE Reading/Writing

• Business English

• Success in College

• PLATO – self study

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Program Alignment

•Assessment

•Courses

•Services

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Program Alignment:Assessment

ADULT ED- Before

TABE

CASAS

GED

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SAT

ACCUPLACER

ADULT ED- After…

ACCUPLACER

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Program Alignment:Courses

ADULT ED- Before

Math Essentials

Algebra

Writing & Composition

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MATH 020- Numerical Math

MATH 050- Intro to Algebra

ENGL 050- College Reading

ENGL 090- Basic Writing

ACSS 104- Academic Success ADULT ED- After…

College-Ready 101

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Program Alignment:Services

ADULT ED- Before

Academic counseling and financial

aid services provided on a case by

case basis

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Can make an appointment with

Enrollment Services or go through

an online new student orientation.

ADULT ED- After…

Financial Aid Nights

Career Counselor

College Success Seminar

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Aligning Courses - SimilaritiesLearning Styles

Study SkillsTime Management Career Exploration

Self AdvocacyResearch Skills

CORE College Readiness Program SMCC

College-Ready 101 ACSS 104 – Academic Success Seminar

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Aligning Courses - DifferencesTEXT BOOK:

Becoming A Master Student

CORE College Readiness Program

SMCC

College-Ready 101 ACSS 104 – Academic Success Seminar

TEXT BOOK:Keys to Success

GRADED ASSIGNMENTS:2 formal writing assignments

1 individual presentation Final exam

GRADED ASSIGNMENTS:Many writing assignments

Many presentations Midterm Exam

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Articulation Agreement

What we received in return…• 3 college level credit hours at SMCC !!!

What we had to do…

• Use SMCC’s book: Keys to Success• Better align course syllabus • Better align all graded assignments

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Franklin County Adult Education College Transitions

Program•Cohort Model One day/week schedule•Fourteen Week Program•Week One: orientation and assessment (Accuplacer)•Week Fourteen: presentation of Power Point Portfolios

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•The curriculum is built around two units, each of which integrates reading and writing.

•Unit One: Strategies for reading informational texts, the writing process, and writing a college application essay.

•Unit Two: Critical reading, persuasive writing, and writing a research paper.

College Transitions Reading and Writing Curriculum

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Resources/Materials

Structured Reading 6th Edition, Thweat, Joseph W. and Lynn Q. Troyka, Prentice Hall

Skills Tutor (an on-line program for addressing grammar & usage problems etc.)

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Removing Obstacles Achieving Dreams (ROAD)

• Completion of the following courses either by

attendance in class or test out of the requirement:

Math classes, English classes , How Do I Get There

From Here?, Computer Literacy, and Computer

Applications

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MOU w/YCCC

• Successful completion (with a grade of 80% or better in each class or equivalent Accuplacer score):

– Equivalent to passing MAT 092, 098 and ENG 095

– Eligible for GEN 100 credit

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English Accuplacer ScoresReading Fundamentals(21-39 Reading Skills &15-20 Sentence Skills )

Reading/Writing Applications(40-54 Reading Skills &21-30 Sentence Skills )

Reading in the Content Areas(55-70 Reading Skills &31-40 Sentence Skills )

English Composition(55-70 Reading Skills &41-55 Sentence Skills )

Research Writing(>70 Reading Skills &

56-69 Sentence Skills )

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Math Accuplacer

Scores

Math Basics(<25 Arithmetic)

Math Fundamentals(25-40 Arithmetic)

Math Applications(40-60 Arithmetic &

0-29 Elem. Alg.)

Algebra 1(>60 Arithmetic,& 30-50 Elem. Alg.)

Algebra 2(>60 Arithmetic & 51-81 Elem. Alg.)

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Keys to Success• Classes meet criteria for several programs

– Ex: Computer Literacy and Computer Applications Required for: HSD, CT, General and Clerical

– Math Classes through Applications:GED,HSD, CT, General and Clerical

• Classes are skills-based and homogeneous for better learning environment

• Easier on scheduling, teachers

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Resources

• www. Maineadulted.org

• www.collegetransition.org

• www.collegeforme.com

• www.maine.gov/education/aded/dev/transitions.htm

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Contact InformationJeffrey A. Fantine, Director

Adult and Family Literacy

Maine Department of Education

SHS 23 Augusta, Maine 04333

207-624-6755

[email protected]

Larinda Meade, Coordinator

Maine College Transitions

32 Willow Lane

Portland, Maine 04102

207-756-8560

[email protected]

Maggie Scholl

Reading and Language Arts Instructor

Franklin County Adult Education

108 Fairbanks Rd # 3, Farmington, ME 04938-5767

Steve McFarland, Workforce Coordinator

Windham/Raymond Adult Education

406 Gray Road, Windham, Maine 04062

207-892-1819

[email protected]

Kelley Heath, Instructor/Administrator

Bonny Eagle Adult Education

P.O.Box 38

Bar Mills. Maine 04004

207-929-9185

[email protected]

Theresa MacDonald, Assistant Director

Sanford Community Adult Education

21 Bradeen Street

Springvale, Maine 04083

207-490-5145

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