Level A of the Math Curriculum

A new level of our Math Curriculum is now available. Our two units of Level A coincide with Level A of the College and Career Readiness Standards and complement the existing Levels B, C, and D already on the PAAER website. Practitioners tell us that while these new Level A materials may not be in the highest demand, they are important because it can be difficult to find quality math resources for adults at this level.

These lessons focus on math content standards and the Standards for Mathematical Practice. With a foundation in the learn-by-doing model, the material uses a problem-based structure with real-world contexts. Lessons encourage the construction of arguments and use of precise language. The lessons also engage students in instructional routines, incorporate math language routines and help students make connections between concepts and procedures. Four adult education practitioners in Pennsylvania piloted the lessons and found them to be effective in engaging adults in both in-person and remote settings.

The math curriculum is organized by units for each math topic. Key lessons have been identified for each unit, and each one is accompanied by optional related lessons that can help you either prepare for or practice the concept of the key lesson. The full curriculum features from 70 to over 200 lessons for each grade, but practitioners can narrow their focus as much as they choose. The Professional Learning Opportunities Project (ProLO) has created a way for teachers to easily identify key lessons based on College and Career Readiness Standards' level and topic (e.g., Level B, fractions). Teachers can teach these lessons in sequence or choose individual lessons to address specific needs. For each lesson, teachers can download a scripted teacher guide, slideshow, assessment/practice problems, student tasks, cool-down activities, and related lessons. You can access the organized system of key lessons on the Math Curriculum page of the PA Adult Ed Resources website. They have also been included in the searchable lesson bank.

Strategies for Writing Practice

The key to developing writing skills is to write often. That's the focus of a recent Edutopia article, Strategies for Giving Secondary Students Plenty of Practice Writing. Ideas like teacher modeling, using images as "muses" for inspiration, and sharing students' writing publicly can give you ways to motivate and enable your adult students to practice their writing skills more often.

Webinar: Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education

On Wednesday, June 26, at 3:00 p.m., the Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) will host a webinar titled Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education Using Career-Connected Education. This free webinar is part of a series that was developed from the 2022 Advancing Equity in Career-Connected Education Summit. Other webinars in this series will focus on topics such as data, state or local roles, the role of industry, or existing systemic challenges such as misaligned incentives in adult education, career technical education, community colleges, and correctional education. Register for this webinar or learn more online.

Professional Learning for Adult Education and Family Literacy Staff

Staff at PDE-funded adult education and family literacy agencies can view a list of upcoming courses now available for enrollment in the PD Portal. For more information about any of these courses, please visit the PD Portal, open the course catalog, and review the syllabus. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please consult with your in-house professional development specialist (IHPDS) to determine if the course meets your professional learning goals.

Grant Opportunity: Devices for Public-Facing Institutions

The Digital Connectivity Technology Program aims to increase access to technology devices where affordability has been identified as a barrier to broadband adoption and use. The PA Department of Community and Economic Development will distribute $20,000,000 in devices through a competitive grant process to public-facing community anchor institutions and units of local government. Learn more on the grant website.

2025 COABE National Conference Accepting Proposals

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) National Conference will be held in Dallas, Texas, March 30 through April 2, 2025. If you have an idea for a presentation to share with the national field, you can submit your proposal through June 30th.

The job postings below are for adult basic education programs funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. You can also find the postings on the PAAER website. To post a job, please email the job advertisement to mjmanfred@tiu11.org. 

• Family Literacy English as a Second Language Instructor - United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA
• Director - PSU's Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy and Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy
• Adult Basic Education Coordinator - Intermediate Unit 1

Visit PAAER.org for the latest PA adult education news and resources. Recent additions to the site include:

• New Adult Assessment Forms
• IET Overview
• Workforce Equity Resources for Women

• ProLiteracy Conference on Adult Education - October 6-9, 2024, Baltimore, MD
• Families Learning Conference - November 18-20, 2024, Louisville, KY
• COABE National Conference - March 30-April 2, 2025, Dallas Texas

State and national organizations' newsletters are listed below and may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter. 

PA Association for Adult Continuing Education

Features information for adult education partners for advocacy, networking, and professional development

June Newsletter

Families Learning, News of the Week, National Center for Families Learning

Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education.

June 21 | June 7 | May 24

COABE Connects, Digital Equity, Coalition on Adult Basic Education

Features national information, resources, and initiatives for adult basic education.

June 21 | June 17 | June 7 | May 31 | May 24

World Education/U.S.

Features resources and information from World Education projects, including EdTech Center News, The Change Agent, College for Adults, E-Learning, LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center, National College Transition Network, and many others. 

June 6 | June 5