September 13, 2017
 









dataandaccountabilityAEBG OFFICE Beginning-of-the-year letter Released

The AEBG Office has released the annual beginning-of-the-year letter, which includes important information about the coming year. In addition, new data and accountability guidance has been released. Be sure to review this new guidance as there are many changes for the 2017-18 program year. This guidance reflects the new policies outlined in the Aug. 1 legislative report about data and accountability. Additionally, an updated data dictionary for student data collection has been posted (see link below).  

Important Links:

regionaltrainingregister: AEBG regional training
for 2017-18 Policy and data collection


The next 2017-18 policy and data collection trainings will take place Sep. 26-27 in Burbank, with subsequent trainings scheduled through November. If you have not already registered for the regional training nearest you, visit the AEBG Regional Training page and click on the events you would like to attend. From there you can register. Be sure to register soon as slots are filling up quickly.
 
These face-to-face trainings will cover all the new policy change for 2017-18. Day 1 of the trainings is for AEBG coordinators, data-entry staff, administrators and technical support and will focus on AEBG data and accountability, policy changes, program metrics, community college-specific changes and more.
 
(Note: It is important that you include technical staff who will be working with the data submission process.)
 
Day 2 will be hands-on in the computer lab, with CASAS TOPSpro® Enterprise (TE) experts to walk you through reporting through TE. All AEBG members must use CASAS TE to report student data.

The questions and answers from the initial training have been posted on the regional training page. The Q&A will be updated as needed following each training.
 
To prepare for the training, we ask that regions:   
Upcoming regional trainings:

Sep. 26-27  Burbank
Oct. 5-6   San Mateo
Oct. 10-11  Sacramento 
Oct. 17-18  Vista (Northern San Diego)
Oct. 24-25  Madera
Nov. 7-8  Santa Maria
Nov. 15-16  San Bernardino

dacaresources relating to the decision to end the deferred action for childhood arrivals


The Chief Student Services Officers Association (CSSOA) of the California Community College System and the California Department of Education, along with the California Department of Social Services and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, have released information and a variety of resources in response to the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.  

The CSSOA will be providing a variety of supports for DACA students, as well as those who have family members who are impacted. The CSSOA will be organizing services in the following manner:
The California Department of Education's Superintendent Tom Torlakson issued a statement denouncing the end of DACA. The statement discusses the California Dream Act which allows students to receive state financial aid for college. Earlier this year, the superintendent sent a letter to public school officials statewide asking them to remind students and parents to file applications for financial aid. There are several Safe Havens which are local educational agencies that include school districts, county offices of education, and direct-funded charter schools that have committed themselves to reassuring students, parents and educators that everyone is welcome on school sites, regardless of immigration status. Safe Havens also provide helpful resources, such as information about immigration laws, and ways to be prepared in case a student or family member is deported.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has released a list of organizations it funds to provide pro bono legal services, including services related to DACA.  
The State of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency issued the following statement that the decision to end DACA does not require employers to re-verify work authorization. 
 
"With the announcement to phase out the DACA program, the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and its partner departments affirm the action does not require an immediate re-verification of work authorization documents for DACA recipients.

"Any action or attempt by employers to re-investigate or re-verify work authorization documents in order to retaliate against any immigrant worker is unlawful in California.

"The Labor and Workforce Development Agency will continue to work in partnership with community leaders, worker advocates and employers to make sure DACA recipients and immigrant workers know they are covered by our state's workplace protections."
 

webinarWebinar Series Schedule: ADULT ED BLOCK GRANT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE


Webinar Today (9/13): Teaching Vocabulary with Technology

Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Description: Adult students need a strong vocabulary foundation in order to develop their literacy and use English effectively in their many roles: employees, parents, and community members. In this presentation, sponsored by Outreach and Technical Assistance Network for Adult Educations (OTAN), teachers and faculty will learn a research-proven six-step process infused with technology to help students not only better learn and retain vocabulary but also move new terminology into their productive vocabulary knowledge. Participants will learn to use select resources appropriate for each step of direct vocabulary instruction.

Friday (9/15) Webinar: Engaging Employers Effectively with the Mission of Adult Education

Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Description:  Employers are a key target audience for adult education programs to garner support in work-based learning activities and placements for adult learners. But, research reveals that employers are a challenging audience to engage. In a recent national study funded by Business U Inc., up to 72 percent of workforce and education employer-facing practitioners surveyed indicated that businesses are not giving them the buy-in needed to fulfill their mandate. This is due in large part to a transactional approach when engaging business and industry in adult education. This webinar applies relationship development principles to the world of adult education to build transformational relationships that bring businesses to the table to participate actively in sector strategies, curriculum development, and work-based learning opportunities for students. This session assesses your current business engagement practices using Business U's accredited assessment tool, followed by a comprehensive blueprint to maximize business engagement for your adult education programs.

Sep. 27 Webinar: Successful Math Transitions

Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.



Additional Upcoming Webinars (details coming soon):
  • Sep. 29 Fiscal and Policy Update
  • AEBG Educate & Elevate Campaign series including:
    • Working Effectively with the News Media
    • Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Advancing Adult Education
    • Working with Key Influencers to Build Support 
AEBG Webinar Information:
  • The AEBG Office and the AEBG Technical Assistance Project (TAP) are hosting a series of webinars and events to provide professional development, technical assistance and important AEBG updates and information. Check the AEBG Webinar page for a complete schedule.
    • Wednesdays are designated for professional development 
    • Fridays are designated for policy/state updates 
  • Webinars will use Adobe Connect. After you register for the webinar at the link provided below, you will receive an email with directions about how to access the webinar. For those who cannot attend the live webinar, an archived recorded version will be made available on the AEBG website.
  • If you need help registering for or accessing the webinar, please call the AEBG TAP at 1-888-TAP-AEBG (888-827-2324). You also can email your questions in advance of the webinar to [email protected]. If questions arise at the time of the webinar, please call instead, as your email likely won't be seen once the webinar is underway.

counselingCalifornia Collaborative Advising and counseling conference March 5-6, 2018

The third annual California Collaborative Advising and Counseling Conference will be held on March 5-6, 2018 in Riverside, California. The conference brings together educators from California Community Colleges, the California State University system and the University of California to create a transparent system that allows students to move seamlessly through California's higher education system, optimizing progress to degree completion and eliminating the achievement gap. The conference may be of interest to AEBG consortia members and will include among its topics: 
  • Retention & graduation Initiatives
  • Transitions & pathways
  • Assessment
  • Special dtudent populations
  • Collaborations
  • e-Advising
  • Professional development
The registration fee is $55 (plus applicable fees).  Additionally, proposals for presentations are currently being accepted.  

Important Links:



Employer engagement is an important strategy for adult education organizations that want to increase work-based learning opportunities and job placements for the adult learners they serve. Business U Inc. will tackle the topic of engaging employers in this Friday's (9/15) AEBG webinar.
 
According to Business U, there are some foundational concepts in the field that need to be clarified around the differences between transactional and transformational relationships and how both are of value to employers. Business U's CEO, Dr. Christine Bosworth said, "When you see the terms transactional versus transformational - STOP. Take a moment to reflect about this: If "versus" means "against," then why in education and workforce development do we need both approaches?"
 
While we must continuously engage with business and industry to build trust in order to validate workforce needs (transformational), it doesn't mean that your transactional relationships are not relevant or of value. There is no continuum from transactional to transformational (aka good to better). What is important here is knowing the differences between the strategies and the tactics that support each approach and how their application aligns with engagement and recruitment efforts and, ultimately, with training needs to anticipate the future needs of employers.
 
In the upcoming webinar, Business U will introduce various "lenses" that adult education practitioners can use to discern the types of relationship-building approaches needed to increase opportunities for adult learners.
 
Click here to read Business U's blog about transactional and transformational relationship approaches, and make sure to bring your employer engagement questions to the Friday (9/15) webinar.

directoreventconsortia Director Event Oct. 12-13

The consortia director event is just a month away. If you haven't already reached out to your consortium lead to learn more about the Oct. 12-13 event, please do. It will provide training that prepares participants to lead and support regional activities, including program and fiscal management. Event attendance is limited to consortium leads/directors as designated by each region.

The event will be held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. An invite with registration instructions went out to the AEBG consortium leads and directors.
 
The purpose of the event is to discuss program guidance for the 2017-18 school year. This collaborative training will equip consortium directors with the information they need to confidently assume the leadership role in implementing AEBG policy changes in their region, including changes related to accountability measures and the definition of member effectiveness. Consortium leads will receive results from the field team policy work.

savethedate save the date: third annual AEBG summit Jan. 22-23, 2018

The third annual AEBG Summit will be held Jan. 22-23, 2018, in Southern California. The location will be announced soon. The summit will include several representatives from each consortium and will cover a wide range of topics. More information, including presenters, topics and registration, are forthcoming.