WELCOME Smart Start Training Overview Mississippi Community College Board Office of Adult Education January 23, 2018

Welcome & Introductions Mississippi Community College Board Sandy Crist State Director for Adult Education & High School Equivalency Teresa Barnes Assistant Director for Adult Education Beth Little Program Specialist for Adult Education Sandy: Welcome and Review Agenda --- Start introductions --- Beth, Bronwyn and the rest of the participants.

Introductions Name Agency Your purpose for attending this training

What is Adult Education? U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Federally funded Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act, Core Partner Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) is the approved state agency for operation and distribution of funds for AEFLA

Almost 400,000 adults between the ages of 18-64 without a high school diploma.

Who do we serve? 16 years of age or older NOT enrolled or required to be enrolled in school under the compulsory school law. Mississippi - 16 years old Withdrawal documentation is required Lacks sufficient mastery of basic educational skills (below 8th grade) lacks ability to function effectively on the job, in the family, or in society Lacks a secondary diploma or high school equivalency diploma Unable to speak, read, or write the English language

Mississippi Adult Education Programs 21 AEFLA Funded Programs in MISSISSIPPI Community College Programs Coahoma Copiah-Lincoln East Central East Mississippi Hinds Holmes Itawamba Jones County Junior Meridian Mississippi Delta Mississippi Gulf Coast Northeast Mississippi Northwest Mississippi Pearl River Southwest Mississippi Programs Greater Columbus Learning Center Grenada Public Schools Jackson Public Schools Pascagoula Public Schools Rankin County Public Schools MS Department of Corrections Central MS Correctional Facility Parchman – Pre-Release

Who Are Our Students? Seeking basic skills training Seeking high school equivalency Preparing to enter post-secondary education Preparing for employment related examinations Seeking employment opportunities Having limited English Residing in correction facilities Commonality: majority have been unsuccessful in the traditional public school environment Who are My Students? ABE Learner Students enroll in ABE programs to achieve specific life goals. To assist them in this endeavor, teachers should establish a connection with each learner and facilitate his/her integration into the classroom environment. Adults differ from children in their orientation to learning, and teachers of adults must recognize these differences and design instructional activities accordingly. Following are some of characteristics of the adult learner. Adult learners Have extensive and varied life and employment experiences. Your students have developed learning strategies that they can apply to new learning but may also have developed coping strategies that can inhibit learning and that must be unlearned.1 Are of diverse ages and ethnicities. ABE students can range from 16 through 60+ but approximately 25% will be between 16 and 20, and 50% between 21 and 40.2 May have low self-esteem. They may have had negative experiences in the traditional K-12 educational system that limit their ability to be self-directed and self-advocates. Are goal-oriented. They seek practical knowledge to solve problems as workers, parents and family members, and citizens of their local communities. Adult students must see a clear relationship between the instruction that you offer and their individual needs and goals. If they do not see this connection, they may drop out. Represent a wide range of educational levels. More than 75% of adult learners have had 10 or more years of education,1 but their acquisition of academic content has been fragmentary at best. Attend classes sporadically. The adult learner’s family and job responsibilities, and problems/issues related to health, housing, food, and transportation all contribute to irregular attendance and the inability to stay on task. Some students drop in and out of classes as their life situations change and may continue this sporadic attendance until they meet their goals. May not be aware of their deficiencies. They may need help setting priorities and establishing realistic goals that can be achieved incrementally, one step at a time. • May need different learning strategies and may have learning disabilities. Instructional strategies must be varied, and students should be made aware of how they learn best. See Appendix A Resources for Adult Educators for information and resources about teaching adults with learning disabilities.

Who Are Your Clients?

FREE Adult Education Services High School Equivalency classes Increase Basic Educational Skills Reading, Writing, Math Screening & Referrals to partner agencies MDHS MDRS MDES Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (MIBEST) Smart Start Pathway Classes Career Awareness Necessary Skills Basic Skills ACT - National Career Readiness Certificate Applied Mathematics Graphic Information Workplace Documents

High School Equivalency Diploma OPTIONS Connect adult education services to WIOA and the purpose of Smart Start.

Workforce Innovation & Opportunity act 2014

Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) 2014 Program Alignment Unified strategic planning across core programs Enhances role of State and Local Workforce Development Boards in developing and implementing a Unified State Plan Increased Accountability Establishment of common measures across core programs Increases accountability and transparency through reporting and evaluations Enhanced Service Delivery Promotes engagement of employers and alignment of education and training activities through career pathways Strengthens partnerships and investments in one-stop delivery system

Who are the WIOA Core Partners? The Mississippi Partnership Local Workforce Area WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Programs Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) Wagner-Peyser, Unemployment Insurance, Veteran Services, Trade, & Senior Community Service Employment Programs (SCSEP) Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS) Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) Adult Basic Education (ABE)

4 Local Workforce Areas

Who are the WIOA Strategic Partners? Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) & Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) Career & Technical Education Programs Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Common Case Management Approach: Mississippi Works Smart Start Career Pathway Model

Diagnostic Questionnaire Partnership Diagnostic Questionnaire

Complete ABE Referrals Complete the on-line referral form located at: www.mccb.edu Referral for Adult Basic Education

Mississippi Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, State Plan MDES Website http://mdes.ms.gov/i-need-a-job/job-searching-resources/workforce-innovation- and-opportunity-act/

MS Smart Start Career Pathway Model No High School Diploma/Equivalent High School Diploma/Equivalent Adult Education Smart Start Basic Skills Career Awareness Necessary Skills Career Tech Education Basic Skills Certification/MIBEST Credential Degrees Apprenticeships Necessary Skills Work Ready Job Search Job Referral Resume Preparation Based on the changes from WIOA, requiring all core agencies to work together and based on the survey identifying sector strategy needs. The Mississippi Smart Start Pathway is the avenue that will be used to implement the State Combined Plan. The Mississippi Smart Start is designed on a “No Wrong Door” concept. The Smart Start Model requires a close relationship among agencies and staff. Regardless of which Core Partner a Mississippian is seeking services with, the individual will be provided every opportunity to be work- or career-ready and to secure his or her dream job right here at home.

Smart Start Course Career Awareness Necessary Skills Basic Skills Reading, Writing, Math National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) Career Awareness Career Counseling (Sector Strategies) Job Search Career Goals Financial Awareness Necessary Skills Communication Teamwork Work Ethic Financial Awareness

Smart Start Pathway – Basic Skills Basic Educational Skills Reading, Writing, Math National CRC preparation High School Equivalency

WorkKeys® and the National Career Readiness Certificate™ The National Career Readiness Certificate™ (NCRC®) is based on an individual’s performance on three WorkKeys® skills assessments: Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. Scores on these assessments determine the certificate level—bronze, silver, gold, or platinum—an individual can earn. The National Career Readiness Certificate™ (NCRC®) is based on an individual’s performance on three WorkKeys® skills assessments: Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. Scores on these assessments determine the certificate level—bronze, silver, gold, or platinum—an individual can earn. These assessments measure a range of essential work skills, including the ability to: Perform basic mathematic operations relevant to the workplace Read and understand documents commonly found in the workplace Find information presented in common workplace graphics Set up and solve complex work-related math problems Determine the relevance of written information to work-related tasks Apply information derived from graphics to work-related problems The NCRC gives individuals proof that they possess the skills employers deem essential to workplace success. This improves career outcomes for everyone from people just entering the workforce to longtime employees—and it enhances employers’ hiring, training, and promotion decisions.

The NCRC proves to an employer that you are work-ready! Benefits of NCRC The NCRC gives individuals proof that they possess the skills employers deem essential to workplace success. This improves career outcomes for everyone from people just entering the workforce to longtime employees—and it enhances employers’ hiring, training, and promotion decisions.   The NCRC proves to an employer that you are work-ready!

Smart Start Pathway – Career Awareness Learning about your career interests, Exploring career options and creating career goals, Resume writing, Conducting a job search, How to handle job applications and interviews, Developing career skills to succeed in the workplace, and

Smart Start Pathway -Necessary Skills Communication / Listening Skills Teamwork / Collaboration Goal Setting / Time Management Professionalism / Work Ethic Role of Employer / Role of Employee Conflict Resolution Financial Awareness / Life Skills

Contract between MS SWIB and ACT Designated curriculum for MS Smart Start Pathway/ABE Providers: Community College Adult Education Program Unique licenses assigned to each WIN Center throughout the state Five regional training sessions August / September

Adult Education Programs CareerReady101 Adult Education Programs WIN Job Centers Options for Completion: Online Only Face-to-Face Only Hybrid: Online and face-to-face

Successful Completions Smart Start Pathway State Credential approved and issued by the MCCB National Career Readiness Certificate NCRC Bronze - Minimum Silver - Goal High School Equivalency Diploma or continued enrollment in HSE program. Creating Student Portfolio for all of our students based on the Success Plan at entry into the pathway

Why are these skills important and how does this effect Mississippi?

Establishing the Baseline Workforce Participation Challenges We have 55% of our population currently employed. There are many jobs available in MS however, over half of them require middle level skills. We are unable to fill those positions because of the lack of basic skills and workforce training. Right now 67% of the jobs available in MS require middle level skills. Unfortunately on 37% (Half) of those employed middle level skills needed for the available positions. (Need to add national average for comparison.) Sub-populations with low workforce participation rates: Youth not enrolled in school Individuals with less than a high school degree Low income individuals Individuals with disabilities Veterans We also have many groups of underutilized workers: 5.2% work part-time but desire full-time work 8.4% have an inadequate income 19.1% are in jobs that do not match their education or credential level 27.5% changed to jobs that pay less than previous employment Workforce Participation Rate: 55% (one state from the bottom)

Establishing the Baseline: Middle-Skills Gap Middle Skill jobs require more than a high school diploma but less than a four year degree and often require specialized technical skills. While 66.3% of Mississippi jobs require middle-skill preparation, only 37.1% of Mississippi workers possess such preparation. This points to the kind of challenges and opportunities WIOA was designed to address – aligning workforce preparation (education) with labor demand. Source: American Community Survey, 2015; Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015.

Almost 400,000 adults between the ages of 18-64 without a high school diploma.

WIOA Performance Outcomes The percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment: 2nd and 4th quarter after exit from the program; The median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program; The percentage of program participants who: obtain either a recognized postsecondary credential or a secondary school diploma, or its recognized equivalent, during participation in or within one year of exit from the program; during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains towards such a credential or employment; and The indicators of effectiveness in serving employers.

http://www.mississippiworks.org /

Questions. https://www. dropbox