Stimulus Funding Next Steps

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Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3120] Stimulus Funding Next Steps
From: Jackie A. Taylor jackie at jataylor.net
Date: Fri Feb 27 08:44:03 EST 2009

Hi Lennox, I-BEST Team,

Lennox:

In the national Economic Stimulus webinar yesterday (2/26), you gave us guidance on where to access stimulus funding specifically for integrated education and training (I'll post that archived link here just as soon as it's available). We also learned, from various presenters, about the funding streams that we should seek locally. Could you give us a few tips on how to tap those streams? Are we, for example, to expect an outpouring of indirect stimulus funding from multiple sources, or what should we do now to insure we can access this funding on both state and local levels?

IBEST Team:

Donna Brian asked, "How could the addition of Economic Recovery money change the I-BEST program? Are there added complications if the federal government gets involved?" What are your thoughts on her question? Also, you noted in your materials that you were ready to start work on green jobs with I-BEST. Could you provide details about what that will entail? If you could break that down into steps, that would be very helpful.

Thanks for your wisdom and advice,

Jackie

Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3125] Re: Stimulus Funding Next Steps
From: Tina Bloomer tbloomer at sbctc.edu
Date: Fri Feb 27 14:56:49 EST 2009

Hello all,

In answer Donna Brian's question, "How could the addition of Economic Recovery money change the I-BEST program? Are there added complications if the federal government gets involved?"

We are all wondering about the federal stimulus package and what it will mean for our states and our programs. Here in Washington state we don't have any better idea of what those will mean to us than anywhere else. We are meeting with our partnering agencies to see what we can do to be proactive. One benefit we have in I-BEST is that they are workforce programs in demand areas with data that supports that they are effective in moving students further and faster. They programs are listed on our professional-technical program inventory like any other workforce program. Our partners support I-BEST programs, particularly the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. That will be helpful for funds that come down through the Workforce Investment Act. But again, it's still too early to tell.

In answer to Jackie's question, " you noted in your materials that you were ready to start work on green jobs with I-BEST. Could you provide details about what that will entail? If you could break that down into steps, that would be very helpful."

We do have a bill currently in the legislature that would funnel money into a program for weatherizing homes and for retrofitting commercial buildings that has an educational component. I-BEST would be an excellent way to train students for access into these positions. We don't have any colleges that have prepared one yet, but I have had conversations with some colleges about doing this very thing. Again the bill is still in the legislature and we haven't received federal funds, so it's a bit early yet.

The details for developing an I-BEST program for green jobs would be just like developing any other I-BEST program. We haven't really spoken about the application process for I-BEST, but now would be a good time. The application is on the SBCTC website at: http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/college/e_studentsuccess.aspx I encourage colleges not to think about it as just an application. It is designed to help the colleges go through an intensive planning process by addressing all the critical components necessary for a successful program. So we ask the colleges to think about the following areas:

  • Employer demand for the program and the program pathway that leads students to a credential or a degree
  • The learning outcomes and assessment tools that integrate goals of both the workforce competencies and the basic education competencies needed for students to exit to employment or to be prepared for the next program level beyond I-BEST
  • The team teaching strategies that involve both instructors as equals and provide for at least a 50% overlap of the instructional time as well as what type of joint planning time will be given to the instructors outside of the classroom to make this successful
  • Specific strategies that are effective with traditionally underserved and academically challenged populations that address innovative efforts for (1) recruitment/screening, (2) retention, and (3) program completion.
  • Student support strategies that include college resources and systems navigation, financial aid assistance, career/educational planning, and barrier identification and mitigation
  • Strategies for actively planning with the student how they will transition to the next program level including pathway planning, financial aid assistance and on-going academic support
  • Partner involvement in developing the program including business, labor, workforce investment boards, community based organizations
  • An education and career pathway diagram showing the educational steps to the degree, the jobs along the way, and the wages at each step (we don't have a template, so they all vary in design)

The reason we ask for all this up front is because the demonstration sites found that when they did pay attention to these details from the very beginning and did have all the right players in the room together, the programs were much more effective. As you can see, this takes considerable work and even with all this effort there are still challenges to administering an I-BEST program.

Coding and tracking has needed careful consideration when developing this type of programming and it has been a significant challenge for us. In part due to the legacy system and in part because this type of programming goes across traditional silos that were not designed to accommodate this.

However, all this appears to be well worth the effort and we have data that provides us with the evidence that this is working. The results of the first full implementation year of I-BEST showed that there was a 55% increase in the students who were able to enroll in college-level course work during the same year that they enrolled in basic skills. The number of I-BEST students who earned their first 15 college credits (Washington is on the quarter system) was substantially higher than for basic skills students who were concurrently taking college level coursework (53% as compared to 11% for ESL and 61% as compared to 26% for ABE/GED students). I-BEST students reached 30 college-level credits at a higher rate than ABE/GED students concurrently enrolled in other college courses (32 % for I-BEST students compared to 11% for the ABE/GED students).

Tina

Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3130] Re: Stimulus Funding Next Steps
From: Ward, Kim kward at tacomacc.edu
Date: Fri Feb 27 19:20:21 EST 2009

Hello all, I would like to piggy back on some of what Tina has mentioned about outcomes. We have talked a lot about how challenging I-BEST is, but that it is really worth it. What I have seen in our program convinces me of this. We have a lot of state level data on the success of I-BEST, but I really wanted to get a better picture of our outcomes at TCC, so, last week I started to really dig deeper with our institutional research team on campus. We took a look at the last three years of I-BEST as well as this year's cohort to date and this is what I'm seeing:

2005 cohort - 11 students

  • 100% retention and completion of initial certificate
  • 2 are still attending and working toward a degree

2006 cohort - 16 students

  • 14 completed certificates
  • 7 are still attending and working toward a degree

2007 cohort - 42 students

  • 38 completed certificates
  • 30 are still attending and working toward a degree

2008 fall cohort - 60 students

  • Retained 57 after first quarter

It takes a lot, but I seriously doubt we would have seen this many basic skills students go this far without I-BEST.

Happy weekend,

Kim Ward

Tacoma Community College

Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 3128] Economic Stimulus Webinar Now Archived / More News
From: Jackie A. Taylor jackie at jataylor.net
Date: Fri Feb 27 17:42:12 EST 2009

Dear Colleagues,

1) Here is the link to the Economic Stimulus webinar, hosted by ProLiteracy and co-sponsored by the National Coalition for Literacy, the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education, National Center for Family Literacy, Commission on Adult Basic Education, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, and ProLiteracy:

http://www.proliteracy.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=553

2) Another timely news event pertaining to our discussion of economic recovery. From the Committee on Education and Labor:

http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/02/congress-must-strengthen-and-i.shtml

Full article is below.

Jackie Taylor, PD List Facilitator, jackie at jataylor.net

February 26, 2009 5:23 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Now more than ever, the nation's job training programs must be improved to give workers the skills and training they will need as the economy starts to recover, witnesses told the House Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness Subcommittee today. Today's hearing was the second in a series of hearings the Education and Labor Committee is holding as it works toward reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act.

"Last week, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to save or create 3.5 million jobs," said U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa <http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/statements/20090226HinojosaH earingStatement.pdf> , (D-TX), chair of the subcommittee. "Yet from our last hearing, we know that an estimated 80 - 90 million adults - about half of our workforce - lack the basic education and skills to qualify for the jobs that will be created. We won't be able to bridge that gap unless we improve our nation's job training and workforce development programs."

President Obama's economic recovery plan invests $5 billion in job training programs to help get Americans back to work. The Workforce Investment Act was enacted in 1998 to expand access to job training, job placement and professional development opportunities for workers. As witnesses explained today, the law expired in 2003, making it long overdue for updates that will address workers' as the economy begins to rebound.

"Current economic conditions not withstanding, America's supply of adequately skilled workers does not meet its demand," said Kevin Smith <http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/testimony/20090226KevinSmith Testimony.pdf> , executive director, New York Literacy, Inc. "It is essential to consider what skills are available versus those needed to support and sustain national, state and local economic development strategies. As the nation succeeds in building an economic recovery, including job creation, the skills gap will impede progress."

"With the unprecedented demands on workers for higher levels of education and new, cutting-edge skill sets, quick access to training and education is essential," Sandi Vito <http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/testimony/20090226SandiVitoT estimony.pdf> , acting secretary, Pennsylvania, Department of Labor and Industry, agreed today. "Both employed and unemployed workers must have training opportunities throughout the span of their work life in order to get good jobs, advance in their careers and stay competitive."

Several witnesses also discussed the need for improved coordination at the local, state, and national level to meet the growing need for a well-trained, 21st century American workforce.

"The Department's work in partnership with the States has produced significant accomplishments and helped many learners achieve their education and employment goals" said Cheryl Keenan <http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/testimony/20090226CherylKeen anTestimony.pdf> , the director of Division of Adult Education and Literacy. "Many challenges still exist, particularly in the job market, where the "bar" for literacy skills that are required for family-supporting employment is constantly being raised."

To view all of the testimonies from today's hearing, click here <http://edlabor.house.gov/hearings/2009/02/new-innovations-and-best-pract-1.shtml> .

  1. # #

For Press Inquiries
Contact: Aaron Albright <mailto:aaron.albright at mail.house.gov> /
Melissa Salmanowitz <mailto:melissa.salmanowitz at mail.house.gov>
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853

http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/02/congress-must-strengthen-and-i.shtml

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