1. Integrating Workplace and Basic Skills for ABE and ESL students
Tina Bloomer, Policy Associate
Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges

2. The Big Picture
I-Best, which stands for Integrated Adult Basic Education and Skills Training, is contextualized instruction that builds basic skills and vocational skills together.

3. Essential Understandings
Requires significant planning time, administrative support, student services support, and student advising
Requires a team-teaching approach with close collaboration and planning between a basic adult ed and workforce (CTE) instructor
Lays the foundation for further workforce training and continued learning
Has proven to be more effective at enhancing student completion and retention rates

4. Questions/Implications
Is this similar to the OACE model? If so, how?
Should OACE adopt any elements of this model that do not exist in the OACE model? If so, how big a leap is this for OACE?
Does this model address our needs to create a bridge between OACE and community colleges?
What type of teacher learning communities should we develop if we adopt some of the elements of this model?

5. Questions/Implications
Budget restrictions and considerations (e.g. paying teachers to plan)
Scheduling coordination challenges
Curriculum alignment
Vocational paths and market research
Lead time: time, human capital, and money