OTAC and TIMAC Applications Now Open
Posted on 05/17/2013
OTAN's two popular academies are opening their doors to teacher candidates for 10 spots each for the 2013-14 school year. These year-long professional development projects support adult education agency efforts to implement the effective use of technology and online instructional delivery with the goal of improving student learning outcomes. The...

Improving Access to Persons with Limited English Proficiency
Posted on 05/15/2013
In August 2000 an Executive Order was issued by then President Bill Clinton requiring federal agencies to ensure access to persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) to federally conducted services, programs, and activities. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) developed general LEP Plans in 2005 and 2008. On Feb. 17,...

ESL Insights - Is Technology Changing Your Brain?
Posted on 05/13/2013
We are once again highlighting KQED Education's recently launched blog for ESL educators and learners, ESL Insights . The new blog offers a space for ESL educators to share their stories, challenges, ideas, and resources for the classroom, as well as to engage in dialogue with others in the practitioner...

Dialogue Will Shape Federal Strategies for Helping People with Disabilities Successfully Transition from School to Work
Posted on 05/09/2013
Members of the public are invited to participate in an online dialogue to examine the impact of existing federal regulations and legislation on the successful transition from school to work of youth and young adults with disabilities. The U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services and the...

ESL Insights - Upwardly Mobile
Posted on 05/03/2013
KQED Education recently launched a new resource for ESL educators, ESL Insights . The new blog offers a space for ESL educators to share their stories, challenges, ideas and resources for the classroom, as well as to engage in dialogue with others in the practitioner community. Online now, read Restarting...

California Digital Citizenship Month — May 2013
Posted on 05/01/2013
Download the toolkit . Kids, and adult learners, today are creating, learning, and socializing through digital media. Will they connect with like minds or spill too much information to the wrong people? Will they behave ethically or borrow ideas recklessly? Will they create positive online communities or simply standby when...

Update on Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
Posted on 04/29/2013
The American Institutes for Research (AIR ) held a second invitational meeting in Washington, D.C. on March 13 to give a progress report and explain the key features of PIAAC , the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. Representatives of several workforce development groups attended. Irwin Kirsch of...

Learn on Demand by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Offers Flexibility
Posted on 04/22/2013
Learn on Demand is an exciting new approach to higher education offered by the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS ). This highly flexible online system is the first of its kind and offers both modules and full courses that focus on a single job skill or academic topic...

The President's 2014 Budget Request for Education
Posted on 04/17/2013
President Obama announced his 2014 budget proposal on Wednesday, April 10. The education initiatives in this budget are reflected in an updated portion of the Department of Education's website at www.ed.gov/budget14/ . Specific budget information related to the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) programs is in the document...

Get Your Job Search and Training Tools via Your Mobile Browser
Posted on 04/15/2013
The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA ) has a variety of online tools to help individuals search for employment or access new skills from training providers in their local communities. During the past year, over 40 million individuals across the country have accessed these tools from their...

Making the Nation Smarter
Posted on 04/11/2013
Fairfield-Suisun Adult School , in partnership with First 5 Solano , is hosting a workshop, presented by Dr. Tom Stitcht, "Making the Nation Smarter: Intergenerational Literacy and its Impact on Student Success" on Saturday, April 13 from 9:00 – 3:00. The workshop is being held in the school library –...

The California Endowment Announces $90 Million Investment in Strategies to Increase California's Health Care Workforce
Posted on 04/09/2013
The California Endowment (TCE) announced a $90 million, multi-year plan to increase the capacity of the state's existing health care delivery system to accommodate newly enrolled Californians under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The investment is part of the Health Happens Here campaign and 10-year plan for...

Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition (LESLLA) for Adults 2013 Conference Call for Proposals!
Posted on 04/05/2013
NEW DEADLINE: April 15, 2013 PST Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition (LESLLA) for Adults is an international forum of researchers who share an interest in research into the development of second language skills by adult immigrants and refugees with little or no schooling in the home country, low...

Graphic Organizers for Improving Student Attainment of Learning Objectives
Posted on 04/04/2013
In the latest Web-based classroom activities, Kristi Reyes explores graphic organizers and how they can be used to help students by directing their study, providing a focus for reading or listening tasks, and supplying a visual in the form of a map, Web page, diagram, or chart. Nine categories of...

ESL Insights – New KQED Education Blog
Posted on 03/29/2013
In February 2013 KQED Education launched ESL Insights , a blog that offers a space for ESL educators to explain what they do, share ideas and media rich resources and engage in discussion about what inspires them and what challenges them. Posts are written for and by ESL practitioners. The...

OMB Update on a Cross-Agency Priority Goal: Job Training
Posted on 03/27/2013
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released its first quarterly update on the pursuit of 14 cross-agency priority goals from President Obama's FY 2013 budget. One of those goals is job training, intended to "ensure our country has one of the most skilled workforces in the world by...

CATESOL Northern Regional Conference, May 4 2013, Mt. Diablo Adult Education
Posted on 03/25/2013
The California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL ) Northern Regional, "Celebrating Learning, Appreciating Teaching" will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at Mt. Diablo Adult Education, Loma Vista Adult Center. Conference Highlights: The conference will kick off Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6 - 10, 2013....

Online Professional Learning Course on Integrating Basic Skills Education with Vocational Training
Posted on 03/20/2013
What program models best prepare adult literacy students for career advancement? How can you shorten the time needed to prepare adult learners for college and career-readiness, yet support them more effectively than ever? Answers to these and other pressing questions are provided in Integrated Education and Training, California Adult Literacy...

Early Bird Registration for CCAE State Conference Extended to March 29
Posted on 03/18/2013
The California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) is holding its annual conference in Sacramento, April 18-20, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel. As many in adult education field already know, with over 3,800 members, the CCAE is the largest professional organization serving adult education in California. CCAE is unique in that...

Nominate Successful Adult Learners for Adult Education Students Succeed
Posted on 03/11/2013
The California Adult Education Students Succeed project recognizes former adult education students who have completed their courses and met some or many of their life goals. The Web site offers the stories and photos of 188 former adult learners from 96 different adult education agencies who have success stories to tell....

New Documents about Career Pathways and Pell Grants by CLASP
Posted on 03/06/2013
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP ) has released The Alliance for Quality Career Pathways Approach: Developing Criteria and Metrics for Quality Career Pathways — A Working Paper and A Framework for Measuring Career Pathway Innovation: A Working Paper. The documents are the result of the first phase of...

Tools You Can Use: DOL's Industry Competency Model Clearinghouse
Posted on 03/06/2013
Need help developing curriculum or talking to employers about the skills needed in their industries? The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Competency Model Clearinghouse can help. The online resource provides validated industry competency models and tools that can be used as the basis of educational programs and curricula for a...

Going to Scale Can Mean Employing Technology to Prepare Adult Learners for 21st Century Skills
Posted on 02/27/2013
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL ) has posted a new blog on the subject of "going to scale." Six national and state leaders define the term and offer their thoughts about how to achieve this objective. The contributors are Toni Borge of Bunker Hill Community College (MA), Forrest...

School Administrators Support Dual Delivery System for Adult Educaton
Posted on 02/22/2013
In a position paper on the Governor's 2013-14 budget proposal the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) has said it "opposes the governor's proposal to shift responsibility for delivering adult education services from K-12 and community colleges to only community colleges." ACSA instead supports an improved "dual system" of adult...

English Language Requirements in Immigration Reform
Posted on 02/21/2013
The National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE ) has released a new position paper addressing the current push for comprehensive nationwide immigration reform. A critical element that appears in almost every proposal for immigration reform is the requirement to learn English and civics, and to prepare for...

Adult Ed Office News
Posted on 02/19/2013
The Winter 2013 issue of Adult Education Matters from the Adult Education Office (AEO) of the California Department of Education (CDE) is now available. The new year brings a new look to the newsletter which is filled with important information for adult educators. "The year 2013 promises to be one...

Registration for Technology and Distance Learning Symposium 2013 is closed
Posted on 02/14/2013
Registration for the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium is now closed. The 150 spots are filled for this free, 2-day event. There will be no on-site registrations. If you have a wait-list registration it does not guarantee you a place at the TDL Symposium, however if registrations are cancelled we...

ELL-U is Partnering with TV411!
Posted on 02/12/2013
Get the 411 on intermediate English proficiency instruction, during this special online discussion! Join us next week when Noah Goodman, the Community Manager at TV411 (www), hosts a facilitated discussion in the ELL-U Forums! ELL-U is partnering with TV411 to share new resources with the ELL-U online community during this...

How to Solve Workforce Needs Region by Region
Posted on 02/06/2013
According to a new report, more than half the nation's states are exploring or implementing sector strategies—partnerships between employers within one industry and staff in government, education, training, economic development, labor, and community organizations—to identify and solve the workforce needs of that industry within a particular region's labor market. Such...

Registration deadline for the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium 2013 is February 14
Posted on 02/01/2013
Share and discuss promising practices, strategies, lesson ideas, and more about technology integration and distance and blended learning at the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium (TDLS) February 22 - 23, 2013 at Berkeley Adult School. Registration is open through February 14, 2013. The Symposium is targeted to administrators, coordinators, and...

Ready – Set – Learn!
Posted on 01/28/2013
Adults are self-directed learners and become empowered when teachers provide them with helpful learning tools. Technology can assist in this endeavor. Online Resources and Tutoring Options to Support Students Teachers can use these resources with an Internet-connected computer and projector as part of a whole-class activity, or students can individually...

Correctional Education Summit Document Published: Focus on Reentry Education Model
Posted on 01/23/2013
On Nov.19, 2012, the Office of Adult & Vocational Education (OVAE) (www) brought together more than 60 experts in the field of correctional reentry for adults and juveniles at the Correctional Education Summit. Practitioners, academicians and advocates met with former students and administrators from correctional education, state and federal government,...

English Language Learner University (ELL-U) Activities for the Beginning of 2013
Posted on 01/16/2013
ELL-U has several activities coming up, so save the date to participate! The Working with Emergent Readers Club will be launching in early January! Stay tuned for more details about the club's activities, including book groups, field trips, a learning plan, and a shared teaching idea bank! Dr. Kimberly Johnson...

Governor Releases Fiscal Year 2013-14 Budget Plan
Posted on 01/14/2013
Last week, Governor Jerry Brown introduced his proposed budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. The $97.7 billion plan represents a five-percent increase over the previous budget year, largely in education and health care spending. K-12 education funding is increased by $2.7 billion from $53.5 billion in 2012-13 to $56.2 billion...

Registration is Open for the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium 2013
Posted on 01/11/2013
OTAN will host a Technology and Distance Learning Symposium (TDLS) on February 22 & 23, 2013, at Berkeley Adult School. Share and discuss promising practices, strategies, lesson ideas, and more about technology integration and distance and blended learning. Registration is open now through February 18, 2013. The Symposium is targeted to administrators,...

CALPRO Piloting Writing Instruction Module – Apply by January 18
Posted on 01/09/2013
The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) (www) are pleased to accept applications to the Communities of Practice pilot training on Evidence-based Writing Instruction (EBWI). This free training helps instructors improve their writing instruction for ABE/ASE or ESL students who are at...

COABE Award Nominations Are Open: Honor Outstanding Members!
Posted on 01/02/2013
Nominations are now open for several prestigious Awards given annually by the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) (www) to honor outstanding members. The deadline to participate/nominate is January 15, 2013. Award winners will be honored at the 2013 COABE Conference (www) to be held March 24-28, 2013, in New...

Happy Holidays from OTAN
Posted on 12/21/2012

A Funding Collaboration to Provide Adults with Needed Credentials
Posted on 12/21/2012
The U.S. continues to face a growing skills gap, with many adults lacking the training and education they need to attain and succeed in family-sustaining jobs. Helping these adults compete for and succeed in middle-income jobs earn the credentials and training they need is crucial to increasing employment and strengthening...

Employability Skills Framework to Include Technology Use
Posted on 12/14/2012
The Office of Vocational Education (OVAE) (www), in conjunction with MPR Associates, has recently developed an interactive online tool, the Employability Skills Framework (www), which is designed to help define the general skills that are necessary for success in the labor market at all employment levels and in all sectors....

The SAT Report on College and Career Readiness: 2012
Posted on 12/12/2012
Among the high school graduating class of 2012, 43 percent of all Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) takers met the "SAT Benchmark," according to The SAT Report on College & Career Readiness: 2012 (pdf - Adobe Reader). That report also shows that the percentage meeting the benchmark is unchanged from that...

Registration Open for January Online Professional Development Courses
Posted on 12/10/2012
Registration is now open for two facilitated online courses from the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO): Designing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Session 1: Understanding Lea3rning Disabilities: Awareness for Adult Educators (starts Jan. 24) Using Questioning Strategies to Improve Instruction, Session 1: Questioning Strategies That Improve Cognition...

California Legislative Analyst's Office Calls for Restructuring of State's Adult Education System
Posted on 12/06/2012
The California Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) has released a new report, Restructuring California’s Adult Education System, which addresses several issues facing adult education in the state. While acknowledging the ongoing need for adult education services, the report says, "the state continues to struggle with fundamental issues relating to the system."...

What's New From ELL-U?
Posted on 12/03/2012
English Language Learner University (ELL-U) (www) is a free online professional development network for teachers working with adult English language learners. First launched in January 2011, ELL-U has added new resources for professional development: Formative Assessment to Inform Quality Adult ESL Instruction (OC03): Developed by the Center for Linguistics’ Sarah...

Sacramento Web Site Teaches English to Pupils Worldwide
Posted on 11/26/2012
The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) (www) is proud to announce that U.S.A. Learns (www), an online interactive English language learning site created by SCOE, will be honored at the 33rd Annual Golden Bell Awards program of the California School Boards Association (CSBA) (www). The highly respected Golden Bell Award...

There's Still Time to Submit Proposals for Technology and Distance Learning Symposium 2013
Posted on 11/26/2012
OTAN will host a Technology and Distance Learning Symposium on February 22 & 23, 2013, at Berkeley Adult School. Share and discuss your promising practices, strategies, lesson plans, and other resources related to technology integration and distance and blended learning in your programs. Presentation proposals are being accepted through November...

NSF Funding Opportunity: Computing Education for the 21st Century
Posted on 11/16/2012
The National Science Foundation (NSF) (www) has announced a funding opportunity under the Computing Education for the 21st Century (CE21) (www) program, with $15 million to support 13 to 20 grant awards per year. Community colleges are among the eligible applicants. Full proposals are due March 13, 2013. Innovation in...

Adult College Completion Toolkit Released
Posted on 11/13/2012
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education (OVAE) (www), has just released the Adult College Completion Toolkit (pdf), a collection of resources designed to connect state administrators and local practitioners to the strategies, resources, and technical assistance tools that can help address just this challenge at local, state...

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Adoption of New Standards for English Language Development
Posted on 11/08/2012
Supt. Tom TorlaksonCredit: CDE Dept. of Ed. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced yesterday that the California State Board of Education formally adopted new English Language Development (ELD) Standards aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and designed to help English learners build critical knowledge and skills....

Technology and Distance Learning Symposium 2013 - Call for Proposals
Posted on 11/05/2012
OTAN will host a Technology and Distance Learning Symposium on February 22 & 23, 2013, at Berkeley Adult School. Share and discuss your promising practices, strategies, lesson plans, and other resources related to technology integration and distance and blended learning in your programs. Presentation proposals are being accepted from October...

Education and Employment Strategies for Low-Income Adults
Posted on 10/31/2012
A recent education research synthesis brief from the Urban Institute, Improving Employment and Earnings for TANF Recipients, reviews strategies found effective in increasing employment and earnings among welfare recipients to reduce their long-term reliance on welfare benefits. The findings show a clear role for skills enhancement, but also suggest balancing...

Student-Identified Barriers to Community College Success
Posted on 10/26/2012
A recently released study, Student Voices on the Higher Education Pathway: Preliminary Insights & Stakeholder Engagement Considerations reported on the opinions of current and former community college students (including completers and non-completers) about the expectations for and experiences in college. This report, by Public Agenda and WestEd, is a part...

PG&E: Creating a Pool of Skilled Energy Job Applicants
Posted on 10/23/2012
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), one of the largest combination natural gas and electric utilities in the United States, employs some 20,000 persons to provide energy services for 15 million users over 70,000 square-miles in northern and central California. Like many in the energy industry, PG&E is concerned about...

CALPRO Online Workshops: Integrating Workforce Skills and Contextualizing Instruction
Posted on 10/16/2012
This fall, the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) (www) is offering three facilitated, online workshops in real time that help adult educators incorporate skills that transfer from the classroom to the workplace and also contextualize instruction effectively. Enrollment is limited and on a first-registered, first-enrolled basis. Integrated and...

Mini Grants Now Available for COABE LAPCAE 2013 Annual Conference
Posted on 10/12/2012
Mini-grants are now available to help defray the cost of attending the 2013 COABE LAPCAE National Conference, to be held March 24-28, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, Louisiana. The History Channel's "Swamp People" star Troy Landry will be the keynote speaker at the Conference, which will feature professional...

GED® 2014: The Choices and Changes Ahead Conference is November 6, 2012
Posted on 10/11/2012
The California Department of Education, State GED® Office is holding a GED® conference November 6, 2012 at the Sheraton in San Diego, just one day prior to ACSA's Leadership Summit. "GED® 2014: The Choices and Changes Ahead" is this year's theme. The conference will provide critical updates on the GED...

New CTE Online Lessons and Resources for Adult Education & 2012-2013 Model Curriculum Institute Announced
Posted on 10/05/2012
Many adult education providers offer Career Technical Education/Apprenticeships supported partly by Adult Education State Program (www) at California Department of Education. Career Technical Education Online (CTE Online (www)) was originally established to help practitioners in California focus on the relationship between academic achievement and Career and Technical Education through access...

Federal Ruling Helps Protect Adult Learners from Fraudulent GED® Web Sites
Posted on 10/03/2012
Over the past several years, a number of Internet-based companies have engaged in fraudulent practices by offering high school diplomas and GED® credentials that are not accredited, bilking unsuspecting adult learners out of millions of dollars. On September 6, 2012, in a victory over these illegal practices, a federal judge...

Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways Initiative Extended to June 2015
Posted on 09/28/2012
A bill, SB 1070, giving California high school students more opportunities to pursue career-oriented education with stronger links to growing sectors of our state’s economy was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown last week. The Career Technical Education Pathways Initiative continues a successful career technical education program that was...

Free Online Offerings From National Adult English Language Learning Professional Development Network (ELL-U)
Posted on 09/21/2012
First launched in January 2011, ELL-U is a free online professional development network for teachers working with adult English language. ELL-U has just added several new free professional development courses. These courses are self-paced and on-demand. Participants receive a certificate of completion that can be submitted to states or program...

Registration Open for CALPRO Online Professional Development Courses — Fall 2012
Posted on 09/17/2012
Beginning in October, the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) (www) is offering several facilitated, online courses. Individual, eligible adult educators may now register for: Designing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Session 1: Awareness for Adult Educators (starts 10/11 ) Effective Lesson Planning (starts 10/15) Managing the ESL...

U.S. Education Department Launches Improved, Online Professional Learning Community with New Features to Inform and Inspire Adult Educators
Posted on 09/12/2012
Unveiling of Landmark Adult Education Web Site Coincides with National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week Today, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education re-launched its first-ever online, professional learning community for adult educators called the "Literacy Information and Communication System" (LINCS) (www). The site provides...

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, Sept. 10-16, 2012
Posted on 09/07/2012
Adult Education & Family Literacy Week will be celebrated September 10-16, 2012. To help educators prepare, the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL (www)) has developed a wide range of activities, resources, ideas and materials available at AEFL Week (www). Learn from other programs' experiences in hosting these and other awareness-raising...

Call for Presenters: COABE LAPCAE 2013 Conference
Posted on 09/07/2012
Presenters are now invited to submit proposals for the 2013 COABE LAPCAE Conference to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 24–27, 2013. The Conference is co-sponsored by The Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE (www)) and The Louisiana Association for Public, Community, and Adult Education (LAPCAE (www)). This...

New Alternative for High School Equivalency Exam
Posted on 08/29/2012
Common Core Standards (www) is a nationwide initiative that is intended to bring diverse state curriculum requirements into alignment with each other following the principles of standards-based education reform (www). To date, California and 45 other states, The District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have formally adopted...

Adult Ed Story on the California Report
Posted on 08/27/2012
OTAN reported in June on a report on adult education, At Risk: Adult Schools in California (www), released by EdSource (www) that researched the current state of adult education in California and painted a grim picture. KQED public radio posted a story by the report's author, Kathryn Baron, highlighting the...

Adult Education Administrator of the Year: Growing a Learning Community
Posted on 08/24/2012
Larry Teshara | ACSA Photo The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA (www)) has announced that Larry Teshara, Director/Principal of San Mateo Adult School, has been chosen as their 2012 Adult Education Administrator of the Year. "I receive this award on behalf of a great faculty and staff of 125...

OTAC & TIMAC Applications Re-Open
Posted on 08/16/2012
OTAN's two popular academies are re-opening their doors to teacher candidates this fall. As a reflection of the unprecedented times our field is experiencing, not all the spots were filled in the first round of applications. TIMAC application will be open from 8/20 to 9/10. OTAC application will be open...

Department of Education to Support Financial Education Initiative at FDIC
Posted on 08/14/2012
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has requested the assistance of the U.S. Department of Education in disseminating information about and requesting schools' participation in one of its financial education initiatives. The FDIC is developing a study to assess how a financial education curriculum—Money Smart for Young Adults (www)—influences the...

Marian Thacher Retires as OTAN Director
Posted on 08/07/2012
Marian Thacher / OTAN Photo Marian Thacher has announced her retirement from her position as the Director of OTAN as of August 31. Marian came to OTAN in 2001 from San Diego Community College District Continuing Education, where she taught ESL and managed a variety of technology projects. She came...

Newly Released CAAL Paper: In a Time of Scarce Resources: Near Term Priorities in Adult Education
Posted on 07/31/2012
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) (www) has released a new paper, In a Time of Scarce Resources: Near Term Priorities in Adult Education (pdf). The 46-page report, written by Forrest Chisman and Gail Spanenberg, presents the results of a survey project designed to determine areas of high...

Highlights for Adult Educators from Google in Education
Posted on 07/23/2012
Google in Education (www) The July 2012 issue of Google's Educator's Quarterly Newsletter highlights these resources and opportunities for adult educators: YouTube.com/Teachers (www) provides 300+ teacher-ready play-lists (list of videos) on a variety of different topics, all recommended by other teachers for use in the classroom. EduatGoogle (www) is a...

Call for Proposals: International Reading Association 2013 Annual Convention
Posted on 07/18/2012
The International Reading Association (IRA (www)) Annual Convention will be held in San Antonio, Texas, in April 19-22, 2013. The Adult Education and Family Literacy Special Interest Group (AEFL-SIG (www)), a special interest group of the IRA, invites all interested parties to submit a proposal to participate in a panel...

Findings from a Survey of Adult Education Policies
Posted on 07/09/2012
CLASP (www) and the National Council for State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE (www)) have published an illuminating  report, Sinking or Swimming: Findings from a Survey of State Adult Education Tuition and Financing Policies (pdf) based on findings from a recent survey of adult education directors across the nation, authored...

Change in Immigration Policy May Increase Enrollment
Posted on 07/05/2012
On June 15, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced (www) a new immigration policy granting deferred action for two years to to those subject to potential removal from the U.S. The deferment is renewable and, if granted, may provide eligibility to apply for employment authorization. To be eligible, immigrants...

Free Online Courses for ESL Teachers
Posted on 06/26/2012
ELL-U, (www) a free professional development network for teachers working with adult English Language Learners (ELLs), will host several free, online professional development opportunities this summer. Participants receive a certificate of completion for all ELL-U learning activities that can be submitted to your state or program in accordance with their...

Naturalization Test Preparation Portal Launched
Posted on 06/21/2012
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS (www)) and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History (NMAH(www)) recently launched Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship (www), This is a new Web-based learning tool, with an easy-to-use study guide to help immigrants prepare for the history...

WIA Reauthorization Bill Moves Forward
Posted on 06/19/2012
On Thursday, June 7, the House Education and the Workforce Committee met to mark up and amend the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012, H.R. 4297. Overall, this bill consolidates 25 workforce training programs that have been identified as duplicative and ineffective into a single $6 billion Workforce Investment Fund...

EdSource Report on Adult Education in California
Posted on 06/14/2012
EdSource (www), an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit group that focuses on education issues, has released a report on adult education, "At Risk: Adult Schools in California" (www). Its press release states that "adult schools are an important strand in the state's safety net, offering community based classes to some of the...

New K-12 Science Standards Being Developed
Posted on 06/11/2012
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (www) has released a draft (www) of its recommendations for K-12 science education standards in the United States. The newly developed science standards are intended to be "rich in content and arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades…" The draft is available...

Safety and Privacy in Digital Communication
Posted on 06/07/2012
The latest OTAN Web-based Activities article offers a fresh perspective for educators to consider on Safety, Privacy, Ethics, and Etiquette of Using the Web and Digital Communication. While many of our adult students may know how to navigate the web, conduct research, shop for products and use social media, they...

OTAN Upgrading to Moodle 2.2 This Summer
Posted on 06/04/2012
OTAN is upgrading and changing our Moodle server! We will be converting from Moodle version 1.9 to the newest version, Moodle version 2.2, in June. This upgrade will allow teachers many additional resources and tools to help deliver quality online materials. Some examples include: The inclusion of grading rubrics for...

Pricing for New GED® Test
Posted on 05/29/2012
As most adult educators are aware, beginning in 2014 the GED Testing Service® (www) will transition to a new computer-based assessment system that will replace the current system. Pricing information is now available, and is summarized here: The cost for the new test on computer assessment will be $120 -...

Adult Ed Office Newsletter
Posted on 05/23/2012
The Adult Education Office (AEO) of the California Department of Education (CDE) has sent out the first of several planned issues of its new newsletter, Adult Education Matters (pdf). This issue offers information on the strategic plan, the new Field Partnership Team, federal funding through the Workforce Investment Act, Title...

National College Transition Network Call for Presenters
Posted on 05/21/2012
The National College Transition Network at World Education will hold its sixth annual national conference on Effective Transitions in Adult Education (www). The conference will be held on November 8 - 9, 2012 in Providence (Warwick), RI with a pre-conference on November 7th. The conference is held every year and...

Five Day Learning Disabilities Training
Posted on 05/17/2012
The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) Region 4 Regional Professional Development Center is offering a free 5 day workshop called Learning to Achieve Train the Trainer Institute. Learning to Achieve. Was initially launched by the National Institute for Literacy, and is designed to build state capacity to increase the...

New OTAN Online Tool for Teachers
Posted on 05/16/2012
Image courtesy of TPACK. OTAN has long provided resources on our Web site for teachers to use in the classroom. Now we have released a new tool called Teaching with Technology. With this tool, a teacher can search for technology to use with a particular lesson. For example, a high...

New Research Report on Improving Adult Literacy Instruction
Posted on 05/10/2012
The National Research Council (NRC) (www) has released a new report, Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research (www). The report recommends a program of research and innovation to gain a better understanding of adult literacy learners, improve instruction, and create the supports adults need for learning and...

New Course Approval Form Now Live
Posted on 05/02/2012
The new A-22 Course Approval System can now be accessed from the California Adult Education Online Application and Reporting site (www). You will need your agency logon name and password to access the form. If you need help with this, contact OTAN Technical Support, support@otan.us or 800-894-3113. The new Course...

Online Discussion on Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education
Posted on 04/27/2012
The national Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) (www) will host a two-part discussion of Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education (www), on the Professional Development Discussion List (www). Part one of the discussion will occur on May 9-11, 2012, facilitated by Jackie Taylor, list moderator and Technology Coordinator at the...

New Consultant in The Adult Education Office
Posted on 04/20/2012
Dr. Shadidi Sia-Maat is a new arrival to the Adult Education Office at the California Department of Education (CDE). He will replace Neil Kelly as the consultant for Region 4. Neil Kelly has transferred to the Career Tech Office within CDE. Dr. Sia-Maat transferred from the After School Programs Office...

OTAC & TIMAC Applications Now Open
Posted on 04/12/2012
OTAN's two popular academies are opening their doors to teacher candidates for 12 spots each for the 2012-13 school year. These year-long professional development projects support adult education agency efforts to implement the effective use of technology and online instructional delivery with the goal of improving student learning outcomes. The...

No US High School Diploma or GED Will Mean No PELL Grant
Posted on 04/06/2012
The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate to promote access to postsecondary education. Pell Grants do not need to be repaid. Currently adult learners with no high school diploma and no GED still have the opportunity to enroll in college-level courses and even qualify for federal...

April Is Financial Literacy Month
Posted on 04/02/2012
Since 2003, the United States has designated the month of April as National Financial Literacy Month to stress the importance of financial literacy and to teach Americans salutary financial habits. A number of governmental and financial initiatives support this effort. The Obama Administration is again challenging students, teachers, and parents...

Register for Community of Practice - Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in ESL in Santa Barbara
Posted on 03/27/2012
Sharpen your skills and expand your opportunities with professional development.  The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) are pleased to offer a Community of Practice training on Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ESL Classroom. This training is intended to assist...

Online "GED Certificates" Not Worth the Paper They're Printed On
Posted on 03/26/2012
Press Release from the GED Testing Service®, March 22, 2012: Consumers are being deceived by fraudulent online "schools" offering high school credentials that have little or no value. GED Testing Service® has filed a lawsuit to stop this abuse and protect those seeking to further their education. "With the filing...

Points of Entry Project Helps Ex-Offenders Find Training and Employment
Posted on 03/21/2012
The Points of Entry (POE) Pilot (www) was launched in partnership with the US Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and the Open Society Foundation. The project aims to promote the development of career pathways and transition programs for low-skilled adults, 6th to 8th grade level...

How to Join a "Twitter Town Hall" – Free Webinar
Posted on 03/14/2012
The Office of Vocational Education (OVAE) (www) Assistant Secretary of Education, Brenda Dann-Messier, along with Cheryl Keenan, Director of Adult Education and Literacy at OVAE, will participate in a Twitter Town Hall from the COABE Conference. Anyone can join the Town Hall from anywhere. Not sure how it works, or...

New Database Provides Economic Security Data for Families and Older Americans
Posted on 03/07/2012
Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) has unveiled its new Economic Security Database (www), which provides comprehensive information on the costs for families and older adults to cover their most basic expenses, including housing, food and transportation. Self-sufficiency is one of the optional performance measures in the Carl D. Perkins Career...

Governor's Budget for 2012-13
Posted on 03/02/2012
Governor Jerry Brown released his proposed budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year on January 5, 2012. The budget provides a plan to close a $9.2 billion deficit for the 2011–12 and 2012–13 fiscal years through a combination of program reductions and reforms and revenue increases. The budget proposal assumes voter...

New OVAE Reports on Postsecondary Bridging and Alignment
Posted on 02/29/2012
The February 9, 2012 issue of OVAE Connections [www], the newsletter of the federal Office of Vocational and Adult Education, announced the publication of several reports of relevance to practitioners in Adult Education. They include: Promoting College and Career Readiness: Bridge Programs for Low-Skill Adults [pdf]: describes recent approaches to...

USDOE Looks for Promising and Practical Strategies to Increase Postsecondary Success
Posted on 02/27/2012
The Secretary of Education has published a Request for Information (RFI [pdf]) inviting adult education providers, along with institutions of higher education (IHEs), non-profit organizations, state systems of higher education, researchers, and faculty and staff to provide the Department of Education with information about promising and practical strategies, programs and...

CCAE Leg Day to be Held on March 5-6
Posted on 02/21/2012
On March 5th, representatives from the adult education community statewide will meet in Sacramento to press for maintaining adult education in California. Categorical flexibility has been a blow to adult education, and now the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) will take up opposition to the Governor's categorical consolidation budget...

WIA Application Available Now
Posted on 02/17/2012
The California Department of Education (CDE), Adult Education Office (AEO) has announced that the 2012–13 Workforce Investment Act, Title II: Adult Education and Family Literacy Act program application [www] is now available online. The application is open only to those agencies currently funded through the Workforce Investment Act, Title II....

Part 1 of New GED Assessment Guide Released
Posted on 02/14/2012
The GED Testing Service® [www] has released Part 1 of The Assessment Guide for Educators [www] to help educators learn about the new GED test that will launch in 2014. The Guide is designed to help the adult education community begin to incorporate the new direction of the GED into...

ELL-U Hosts Study Circle on Teaching Emergent Readers
Posted on 02/08/2012
ELL-U [www], the national adult English language learning professional development network, will host a new study circle, SC12 Teaching Adult ELL Emergent Readers: Next Steps in Linking Research and Practice! [www], as a follow-up to practitioners who have first completed the Teaching Adult ELLs Who Are Emergent Readers Online Course...

DOL Announces Grants to Help Former Offenders Gain Career Skills
Posted on 01/30/2012
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis recently announced [www] the availability of $20.6 million in grant funds to provide ex-offenders who are returning to high-poverty, high-crime communities with pre- and post-release employment and support services. These grants represent the fifth generation of the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders-Adult Program. The U.S. Department...

CATESOL's Gail Weinstein Award – Apply Now
Posted on 01/25/2012
The California Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL [www]) will honor an outstanding adult ESL practitioner who has demonstrated leadership, creativity, and dedication to learner-centered instruction, specifically the integration of learners’ personal stories into adult ESL classroom learning. The $300 award is made possible by...

CALPRO Online Workshops Coming Up
Posted on 01/23/2012
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) will offer six online workshops in real time, beginning in February 2012. These highly interactive professional learning events are open all eligible adult educators, i.e., those who currently work in programs that receive funding through the California Department of Education, Adult Education...

Funding Opportunities for Innovative Adult Education Programs
Posted on 01/17/2012
The recent issue of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) [www] Connection, Issue #83, announces the New Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) [www] – Wave III applications for funding opportunities to serve adults and boost college readiness. NGLC is a collaborative, multi-year grant program aimed at increasing college readiness...

Nearly $98.5 Million in Workforce Innovation Fund Grants
Posted on 01/09/2012
On Dec. 22, 2011, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced the availability of approximately $98.5 million through the Workforce Innovation Fund (the Fund) to support innovative approaches for the design and delivery of employment and training services. The fund invests in programs that support, evaluate and enhance workforce investment...

New Web-based Class Activities: Imagining the Future and Making Original Predictions
Posted on 01/03/2012
The new Web-based Activities article by Kristi Reyes offers a wide range of ideas and resources for interactive, web-based learning in her latest article on the OTAN Web-based Activities website, "Imagining the Future and Making Original Predictions." Kristi shares ideas for using FUTURESTATES [www], a website that invites learners to...

Federal Budget Includes Adult Education Funding
Posted on 12/22/2011
Federal Budget The federal legislature finally managed to pass an omnibus budget bill last week that includes a 0.189% across-the-board cut to all programs, but other than that, adult education is level funded at $596.1 million. EL Civics remained funded at $74.8 million and national leadership activities remain at $11.3...

Changes to the OTAN Web Site
Posted on 12/19/2011
Try clicking on one of the previous news items over on the right of the screen. Did you notice that you didn't have to enter your sign-in name to see the article? We have removed the logon requirement for many areas of the Web site. This will allow visitors to...

Comment Period Extended for Strategic Plan
Posted on 12/14/2011
The Adult Education Office at the California Department of Education is extending the time period for submitting comments on the strategic plan, Linking Adults to Opportunity: Transformation of the California Department of Education Adult Education Program which can be found at www.otan.us/strategicplanning/. The comment period will close on Friday, December...

Registration Open for CALPRO January 2012 Online Courses
Posted on 12/09/2011
What better way to start off the New Year than with professional development? The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) offers free professional development courses you can take any time, any place, through the Internet. To get started, all you need is an e-mail account, Internet access, and an...

Call for Writings: WE LEARN Women's Perspectives# 7
Posted on 12/06/2011
The Women Expanding Literacy Education Action Resource Network (WE LEARN) announces a call for writings and artwork for the publication Women's Perspectives #7. Women's Perspectives is a journal of writing and original artwork by adult learners. All students in literacy and basic education programs are encouraged to participate. The publication...

New Discussion Announced: Courses to Employment: Community College-Non-Profit Partnership Approaches to Serving Low Income Adults
Posted on 12/02/2011
The Workforce Competetiveness Discussion List has announced a new discussion, Courses to Employment: Community College-Non-Profit Partnership Approaches to Serving Low Income Adults. The discussion emerges from a demonstration project conducted by Aspen Institute Workforce Strategies Initiative from 2008-2011, which explored the role that community college/non-profit partnerships can play in providing...

Celebrate the Adult Literacy Education Wiki: Seven Years and Counting!
Posted on 11/29/2011
It is hard to believe that is has been 7 years since the Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki was first established. It was initiated by David J. Rosen and Erik Jacobson on November 27, 2004 at the Meeting of the Minds conference, and has been built by volunteers since then....

Life Skills, College, and Career Readiness Guide for ESOL Learners
Posted on 11/21/2011
Life Skills, College, and Readiness Guide for ESOL Learners is a new, free resource for teachers to use in helping ESOL students develop the skills and knowledge they need to reach their goals – whether related to academic, job or life skills.  Developed by the Massachusetts Department of Adult and...

Three Outstanding Student Successes
Posted on 11/15/2011
Three former adult education students received California Adult Education Students Succeed awards at the ACSA Adult Education conference on November 3, 2011. Joe Grinnell Joe Grinnell received his GED through Marysville Adult School in June 2011, but he traveled a long road to get there. His is a familiar story...

OVAE Awards LINCS Contracts
Posted on 11/07/2011
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) has announced the results of its recent competitions for the Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS). OVAE's continued investment in LINCS signals its intent to more strategically utilize LINCS, for assisting states and local adult education agencies in...

USCIS Awards $9 Million in Grants
Posted on 11/04/2011
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced the award of $9 million in grants to 42 organizations to expand citizenship preparation programs for permanent residents. The funding supports individuals on the path toward U.S. citizenship by building community capacity to provide citizenship preparation services. The awardees represent both...

Re-Entry Myth-Busters
Posted on 10/31/2011
Each year, more than 700,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons, with another 9 million cycling through local jails. When reentry fails for these individuals, the social and economic costs are high. The Second Chance Act was designed to improve outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons...

OTAN Requests Proposals for Online Instruction Projects
Posted on 10/24/2011
Credit: Saint Leo Univ.http://www.saintleo.edu/ OTAN is posting a Request for Proposals (RFP) with the goal of increasing the quantity, quality and effectiveness of online instruction for adult learners, and of leveraging online curriculum materials and professional development opportunities offered by OTAN. The project title is Access to Learning through Online...

The State Budget and Cuts to Education
Posted on 10/20/2011
The current state budget contains a provision to implement further budget cuts if state revenues do not meet the targets assumed by the current budget. The following information is provided by Dan Garcia of the California Council on Adult Education. How will additional budget cuts be triggered, and what will...

New Report Published: Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research
Posted on 10/17/2011
The National Academies Press has published an expansive report, Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research. Siting recent research that estimates that "more than 90 million U.S adults lack adequate literacy" and that "only 38 percent of U.S. twelfth graders are at or above the proficient level in...

Governor Signs AB 189
Posted on 10/10/2011
Governor Brown signed AB 189 into law on October 8. This bill, sponsored by the California Council on Adult Education (CCAE), and carried by Assemblymember Mike Eng (D – Monterey Park), requires local education agencies to hold independent meetings, separate from regular school board meetings, prior to transferring funds away...

OVAE Seeks Input on a Research Center for CTE
Posted on 10/10/2011
The federal Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) is planning a competition for a national research center to carry out scientifically based research and evaluation, and to conduct dissemination and training activities consistent with Section 114(d)(4) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. It...

Web-based Classroom Activities: Help with Learner Goal Setting
Posted on 10/04/2011
The latest addition to OTAN's extensive list of web-based classroom activities is shared by Kristi Reyes of MiraCosta College. Kristi shares ideas and resources to help guide students set goals and determine a purpose for their learning. Research indicates that adult learners who have specific goals are more likely to...

Web Site Teaches Communication Skills for Nursing Assistants
Posted on 09/28/2011
Many non-native English speakers seek careers in the medical field, and a new Web site has launched to support those learners with instruction specifically on communication skills for CNAs, English for the Nursing Assistant. The site offers four free lessons on effective communication for students enrolled in or planning to...

Study Circle on Learner Centered Practice
Posted on 09/19/2011
The English Language Learner University (ELL-U) is hosting a new study circle, Learner-Centered Practice in Adult ESL. This study circle will be conducted in three sessions on September 23, October 7 and October 21 from 10 am to 1 pm PDT. This study circle will be facilitated by ELL-U faculty...

Newly Released CAAL Research Publications Announced
Posted on 09/16/2011
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has released two new publications, Facing the Challenge of Numeracy in Adult Education and a policy brief, ROI from Investing in Workforce Development. Facing the Challenge of Numeracy in Adult Education ,written by Forrest Chisman, is the final report on CAAL's multi-year...

Discussion of Strategies for Research-Based Writing Instruction
Posted on 09/12/2011
The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS)'s Reading and Writing Discussion List has announced an upcoming discussion on the topic of Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy and Strategies for Research-based Writing Instruction in the TEAL Project Discussion. The discussion will take place from September 19-23, 2011. The TEAL Project, operated...

readwritethink: Interactive Web Tools for the Classroom
Posted on 09/08/2011
Do you need some new ways to support student's reading and writing skills that also support digital literacy? Kristi Reyes' most recent Web-based Class Activities article, Interactive Tools and Lesson Plans at ReadWriteThink offers a wealth of ideas using the web tools found at readwritethink. readwritethink provides a wide range...

Learning Disabilities Discussion Announced
Posted on 09/07/2011
The Learning Disabilities Discussion List has announced a Guest Discussion on the topic of Redesigning Service Delivery to Increase Persistence and Improve Learning Outcomes for Adults with Special Learning Needs. The Discussion will run from September 7-9, 2011, and will feature Dr. Laura Weisel, Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership,...

Federal Effort to Coordinate Immigrant Integration
Posted on 09/02/2011
Since the late 1990s, The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) in the U.S. Department of Education has been supporting efforts for adults who are learning English and the American style of civics. Between 40 and 50 percent of adults who receive OVAE supported services are English learners. As...

Adult Learner Scholarships Available to Attend U.S. Conference on Adult Literacy
Posted on 08/29/2011
ProLiteracy has announced the United States Conference on Adult Literacy (USCAL Conference) in Houston, Texas, November 2-5, 2011. Former U.S. first lady Barbara Bush will deliver the keynote address, on November 3. The USCAL Conference seeks to create successful collaborations among literacy providers and recipients, and actively encourages learner participation...

Changes in the Adult Education Office
Posted on 08/24/2011
Debra Jones Debra Jones, Administrator of the Adult Education Office at the California Department of Education (CDE), will be leaving her position September 30 to move to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office as part of an interagency agreement between CDE and the Chancellor’s Office. At the Chancellor’s Office she...

Social Innovations in Adult Education: A Guest Blog Discussion Series
Posted on 08/15/2011
The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) is hosting a blog discussion on the importance of social innovation for adult literacy. The blog posts and comments will take place from August 1 to September 16, 2011. The following is an abbreviated version of the introduction and overview of the discussion by...

The Adult Literacy Professional Development and the Technology and Distance Learning Discussion List will host Part II of Using Video with Adult Learners
Posted on 08/08/2011
Part II: Using Video with Adult Learners will begin August 15-19, 2011, on the Technology and Distance Learning List, and will be moderated by Nell Eckersley, Director, NYSED ACCES Regional Adult Education Network of New York City Participants will: Learn how video is being used with adult learners in ABE/GED/ESOL...

New Publication: Adult Numeracy: A Reader
Posted on 08/01/2011
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has released the first of two papers scheduled for publication on Adult Numeracy education. The research and findings laid out in these publications informs us what most practitioners know—that far too many American adults lack the critical numeracy skills needed to function...

Mini-grants Offered: Using Wonderopolis®
Posted on 07/25/2011
The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) will award $500 mini-grants to 20 community-based organizations, libraries or schools with creative ideas for adopting and using Wonderopolis with families in their existing programs. These grants are supported by NCFL partner Better World Books' Literacy and Education in Action Program (LEAP). Wonderopolis...

Webinar on Funding Opportunities for Research in Postsecondary and Adult Education
Posted on 07/20/2011
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES)’ National Center for Education Research (NCER) is hosting a webinar on funding opportunities in postsecondary and adult education research on July 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m. EDT. Topics to be covered include a discussion of the Education Research grants program, as well as...

Webinar: Social Media for You and Your Students
Posted on 07/15/2011
CATESOL is now offering free webinars for CATESOL members. The first offering will be on July 21, 2 – 3:30. The topic is Edmodo, a social networking Web tool like Facebook but designed for education.  Students can communicate in a safe environment, post homework assignments, share information, and chat. The...

Reports Highlight Need for More Adults to Complete College
Posted on 07/11/2011
A recent report from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) finds that just as the economy is demanding that more workers have some postsecondary education or training, our nation's traditional source of such workers – high school graduates...

Research Supports Adult Education Interactive Teaching Approach
Posted on 07/05/2011
A recent NPR Story, "Study: It's Not Teacher, But Method That Matters" reports that students learned better using interactive methods, even with inexperienced teachers. Nobel Prize winner Carl Wieman of the University of British Columbia reported that the inexperienced teachers fared better than veteran faculty giving traditional lectures when the...

Cloud Computing: What Is It and Why is it Important For Adult Literacy?
Posted on 06/27/2011
With so many new technologies emerging, it can be difficult to keep up with what is of real value in Adult Education.  Steve Jobs recently announced Apple's new iCloud service with will save content from up to 10 digital devices "in the cloud." Wondering what it's all about? In a...

Community-Based Correctional Education
Posted on 06/23/2011
The Office of Vocational and Adult Education of the U.S. Department of Education has published (February 2011) Community-based Correctional Education. According to this report, corrections spending is the second largest expense of many states. In an effort to reduce costs, some states are putting more offenders under community supervision as...

UNESCO Global Initiative Invests in Girls' and Women's Education
Posted on 06/21/2011
A new UNESCO initiative aims to advance women's development globally by reducing the dropout rate of girls and young women and increasing adult literacy levels. Nearly 39 million girls of lower secondary age do not attend school, and the majority - two thirds - of the world's 796 million illiterate...

Legislature Passes, Governor Vetoes 2011-2012 State Budget
Posted on 06/16/2011
On Wednesday, June 15, the constitutional deadline for passing a State Budget, the Senate and Assembly sent to the Governor a spending plan for FY 2011-12. The budget was immediately sent to the Governor. On Thursday morning, June 16, Governor Brown vetoed the two budget bills, SB 69 (held over...

New LINCS Discussion on Teacher Certification in Adult Education
Posted on 06/13/2011
In California, adult education teachers have either K12 or community college teaching certificates, but in many states this is not the case. Join a new Professional Development List Guest Discussion of Teacher Certification and Credentialing in Adult Education, for a national perspective on what requirements should be for adult education...

New Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative Provides Resources for Adult Education
Posted on 06/08/2011
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas recently announced the launch of the Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative. USCIS serves as an official source of information and resources on citizenship and naturalization. This service helps individuals make informed decisions about citizenship and provides materials and initiatives to...

New Draft of Strategic Plan Posted
Posted on 06/06/2011
Linking Adults to Opportunity is the title of the strategic planning document for adult education in California. Comments were solicited from the field last November, and they have now been reviewed and integrated into the latest draft of the plan which is now available online, along with an updated timeline...

Return on Investment from Adult Education and Training
Posted on 06/01/2011
A new report published by the McGraHill Research Foundation and co-authored by Debra Jones, Administrator of the Adult Education Office at the California Department of Education, along with Lennox McLendon of the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education and Mitch Rosin from McGraw Hill, delineates the societal benefits...

Online Discussion: Transitioning Language Minority Adults to Work and Training
Posted on 05/26/2011
The Adult English Language Acquisition List (ELA Discussion List) will host a new discussion, Transitioning Language Minority Adults to Work and Training, with guest moderator Heide Spruck Wrigley.  The guest discussion will begin on Tuesday May 31 and run through June 6, 2011.  Dr. Wrigley is a noted researcher and...

ESL Teachers: Virtual Study Circle on Teaching Vocabulary
Posted on 05/23/2011
ELL-U, the National Adult English Language Professional Development Network, is hosting an online study circle comprised of three sessions on June 2nd, June 9th and June 16th from 12:30-2:00 PDT, and they are inviting ESL instructors to participate. This learning activity, titled Teaching Vocabulary: Research-based Vocabulary Instruction, will be facilitated...

National, Regional and Local Adult Literacy Conferences
Posted on 05/17/2011
The 2011 U.S. Conference on Adult Literacy, sponsored by ProLiteracy, will be held from November 2-5, in Houston, Texas. Recognizing the current crisis in funding and the growing need for innovative solutions in the face of burgeoning need, the theme of this year's conference is "New Challenges, Powerful Solutions." Adult...

Online Teaching Academy Application Now Open
Posted on 05/10/2011
The application for OTAN’s 2011-12 Online Teaching Academy (OTAC) for California adult education teachers is now open, due June 9, 2011. The goal of the academy is to train and support teachers to begin teaching online, and ultimately to increase the online options available to adult learners. OTAC will accept...

Online Tool for Problem Solving: Newest Web-based Class Activity
Posted on 05/04/2011
Kristi Reyes' most recent Web-based Class Activities article highlights ProCon, a website that encourages critical thinking skills as it helps learners practice a wide range of language skills, including reading, writing and speaking. ProCon is a non-profit website that seeks to "promote critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting...

Update on the GED Exam
Posted on 04/26/2011
The American Council on Education (ACE), which runs the current GED Testing Service®, is now partnering with Pearson in a public-private partnership that will "drive the future direction, design, and delivery of the GED® testing program."[i] The goal of the partnership, building on the GED® 21st Century Initiative, is to...

Federal Budget to Cut Adult Education Spending
Posted on 04/14/2011
Last Friday congress passed a continuing resolution that will keep the federal government funded for the remainder of the fiscal year — averting a government shutdown less than an hour before it was set to start — as well as a short-term resolution that would fund the federal government through...

Education Leaders Consider Results of Student Comparison of 74 Countries
Posted on 04/08/2011
The first International Summit on the Teaching Profession was held in New York City on March 18-19.  Education ministers, teachers and union leaders from 25 countries discussed best practices for building a world-class teaching force, focusing on recruiting, preparing, developing, supporting, retaining, evaluating and compensating teachers. A position paper addressing...

Application open for TIMAC 2011-12, due May 9
Posted on 04/04/2011
Michelle Dullea, Sweetwater Division of Adult and Continuing Education, TIMAC Cohort 7 You may have heard about TIMAC, but do you know what it entails? Read on, and it may just prove to be a solution for your school's technology-related staff training needs. The Technology Integration Mentor Academy (TIMAC) is...

Legislative Analysis of AB189 Posted
Posted on 03/30/2011
AB189, sponsored by CCAE, would require California districts to “allocate a sufficient amount of funding” for adult education, ROC/P, CAHSEE support and services, and Supplemental Instruction (summer school), and would strike the provision that prohibits charging fees for ESL and Citizenship classes. A hearing will be held on this bill...

The Impact of Domestic Violence in Adult Education: LINCS Special Guest Discussion Announced
Posted on 03/25/2011
The LINCS Diversity & Literacy Discussion List will host a Special Guest Discussion on the topic The Impact of Domestic Violence in Adult Education. The discussion will run from March 28-April 1, 2011 and will be led by Guest Facilitators Mr. Andres Muro, Director of the Community Education program at...

CALPRO Makes New Professional Development Tool Available
Posted on 03/23/2011
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) is pleased to announce a new online tool for adult education instructors, the Instructor Competencies Self–Assessment and Individual Professional Development Plan. Based on a nationally validated instrument, the updated self–assessment contains 31 competencies spanning six categories significant to adult education instruction. Individual...

New LINCS Guest Discussion on Math & Numeracy: Number Sense in Adult Learners
Posted on 03/18/2011
The Math & Numeracy Discussion list will offer "Number Sense in Adult Learners," during the week of March 21-25, 2011. Dorothea Steinke, an ABE/GED math teacher working at Front Range Community College in Colorado,will be the guest facilitator for the week long discussion. The topic will be of interest to...

New Web-based Class Activities: Celebrate Women's History Month
Posted on 03/14/2011
Quick, can you identify these women in history? "She took her job as "First Lady" seriously, traveling the country and the world to gather information about the problems and concerns of workers, children, minorities, and the poor. She wrote a daily newspaper column and made frequent radio broadcasts. Who was...

President Obama Proposes New Research Project for Education
Posted on 03/10/2011
President Obama has proposed the formation of a new $90 million federal research agency that would develop innovative technology for learning and teaching.  President Obama took the opportunity to announce this new proposal at TechBoston Academy, an innovative pilot school in Boston, where national leaders, including, Arne Duncan, US Education...

Policy to Performance Application Posted
Posted on 03/07/2011
On March 4, 2011, the California Department of Education's Adult Education Office (AEO) released a Request for Application (RFA) for the Policy to Performance (P2P) Pilot Projects. Six pilot programs will be selected that can successfully demonstrate that they have the capacity to strengthen or build a new comprehensive student...

CAAL Report: The Challenge of Certification & Credentialing in Adult Education
Posted on 03/03/2011
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has released a new report, Closing the Gap: The Challenge of Certification & Credentialing in Adult Education. Written by Forrest Chisman, Vice-President  of CAAL, the 38-page document is the final outcome of a series of roundtable discussions, as well as setting forth...

United States Department of Labor Guide Covers State and Local Employment and Economic Data
Posted on 02/28/2011
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) has recently published a new resource, the Guide to State and Local Workforce Data, now available as a PDF document. The Guide to State and Local Workforce Data is designed to provide critical and timely workforce information for a broad audience, including educators, researchers,...

Two Research Reports in Partnering with Business
Posted on 02/22/2011
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has released a new research report, "DOING BUSINESS TOGETHER: Adult Education and Business Partnering to Build a Qualified Workforce." Written by CAAL Research/Policy Associate James T. Parker, the report is based on the results of a series of surveys and an invitational...

OVAE Launches Online ELL-U
Posted on 02/15/2011
OVAE has launched the English Language Learning University (ELL-U) website, a free interactive professional development network for ELL practitioners. ELL-U combines face-to-face events and online learning activities with collaborative social networking for a virtual university experience. Users working with English language learners may register at no cost for 24-hour access...

CAEAA Conference Held in Long Beach
Posted on 02/09/2011
The California Adult Education Administrators Association moved its conference to Long Beach this year on January 27-28, and over 100 administrators gathered to hear about legislative developments, the state budget, and updates from the California Department of Education. Debra Jones, Administrator of the Adult Education Office at the California Department...

Technology and Distance Learning Symposium Filling Up Fast: Register Now!
Posted on 02/03/2011
The Technology and Distance Learning Symposium 2011 is filling up fast. There are fewer than 20 spots still available, so take a few minutes to register right now. Registration is free, and you may register for one or both days (Friday and Saturday). We do anticipate filling up before the...

OVAE Invitation: Community Conversations to Help Shape Perkin's Reauthorization Goals
Posted on 01/24/2011
The Office of Vocational Education (OVAE) recently conducted a series of career and technical education (CTE) "Community Conversation" sessions to seek input on the goals of the Perkins Act Reauthorization. These conversations are part of their plan to review and develop a set of recommendations in preparation for the Perkins...

New Math and Science Videos Coming this Fall from TV411
Posted on 01/18/2011
The Adult Literacy Media Alliance, ALMA, provides video-based lessons for adult basic skills learners reading at a 4th to 8th grade level and who are working toward GED-level proficiency. The series is called TV411, and the videos can be broadcast on public television, or ordered from Kentucky Educational Television (KET)....

OTAN Welcomes Blair Roy
Posted on 01/11/2011
Blair Roy is the new Project Specialist II at OTAN. She will be taking over the management of our Moodle site and online meeting hosting, as well as coordinating all workshops and webinars. In case that isn't enough to keep her busy, she will also be producing several videos per...

New CDE Education Program Consultant Sallie Wilson
Posted on 01/05/2011
Sallie Wilson has joined the Adult Education Office (AEO) an Education Programs Consultant. She is responsible for region 11a which includes west Los Angeles County and the community-based organizations in the city of Los Angeles. Sallie previously served as a consultant in both the P-16 Policy and Development unit and...

Be a CALPRO Professional Development Partner
Posted on 12/15/2010
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO), in conjunction with the California Department of Education (CDE), seeks nominees to become CALPRO Professional Development Partners (PD Partners) at the April 2011 COABE/CCAE National Adult Education Conference. Selected PD Partners will have a unique opportunity to network with researchers, policy-makers, administrators...

Language and Culture in the Workplace
Posted on 12/10/2010
Workplace success requires more than just language and technical skills. The workplace is an inherently political site, and teachers need to prepare students to navigate it successfully. The national English Language Acquisition list will host a discussion  the week of December 13-17. “How Do Language and Culture Affect Workplace Success”...

New Web-based Activities Article: Online Audio-Enhanced Reading Skills Practice for ESL and ABE Students
Posted on 12/06/2010
Kristi Reyes' shares ideas and resources for bringing current, relevant reading content ESL and ABE classrooms enhanced by the addition of audio, in her most recent OTAN Web-based Activities article, Online Audio Enhanced Reading Skills Practice for ESL and ABE. Kristi understands the challenges of providing opportunities for students to...

Register Now for the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium
Posted on 12/01/2010
Registration is now open for the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium, which will be held at the Willow Center of Hacienda La Puente Adult School on February 25-6, 2011. Registration is free! You may register for one or both days (Friday and Saturday), but you must register by February 18...

ELL>U: Professional Development for ESL Instructors Coming Soon
Posted on 11/22/2010
Set to launch in January 2011, ELL>U will be a free, online professional development resource. The mission of ELL>U is to begin to develop a community of practice which will provide adult ESOL educators with tools to broaden, deepen, and strengthen teacher development and the overall quality of adult English...

New Lesson Plans for EL Civics and ABE
Posted on 11/12/2010
OTAN and CASAS have collaborated on reviewing and editing lesson plans from EL Civics teachers. Currently you can find 32 lesson plans on banking, getting a driver’s license, completing a medical history form, and other topics. There are lessons for different language levels in the five areas of consumer economics,...

Online Discussion: Culture Shock in the Classroom - Yours and Theirs
Posted on 11/08/2010
From November 8-12, 2010, the Adult English Language Acquisition List will host a discussion on Culture Shock in the Classroom: Yours and Theirs. Led by Sharon McKay, this discussion will focus on cultural diversity in the English Language classroom. Sharon is an ESL Specialist at the Center for Applied Linguistics...

Polling, Surveying, Rating, and Quizzing with Polldaddy
Posted on 11/01/2010
Kristi Reyes latest OTAN Web-based Class Activities offering is all about Polldaddy, a free, web-based polling and survey tool. Kristi suggests ways to use this media-rich online tool for all levels in the classroom. These include tips on how to: Create individualized and classroom assessments Get immediate feedback and responses...

CAEAA Announces Open Nominations for 2011 Awards
Posted on 10/27/2010
The California Adult Education Administrators Association (CAEAA) has announced open nominations for its 2011 Awards.  Nominations are open for: Visionary Leadership Award will go to a leader who has developed, articulated and implemented a vision of adult education and inspired others to share in the successful implementation of that vision....

COABE 2011: Call for Proposals & Award Nominations
Posted on 10/21/2010
The Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) will hold its annual conference jointly with the California Council of Adult Education (CCAE). The conference will be held in San Franscisco, CA April 17-21, 2011. COABE has announced open nominations for the 2011 Awards and a Call For Proposals for the 2011...

Webinar this Friday: New Tools for New Voters from the Easy Voter Guide Project
Posted on 10/14/2010
The November 2, 2010 statewide election is just weeks away and many voters have already received their ballots in the mail. New voters are confused about the races and issues, especially in a non-Presidential election. As the barrage of partisan advertising increases, experienced voters ask for information that provides "just...

All NIFL Resources and Email lists Moved to LINCS
Posted on 10/07/2010
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), has announced the launch of the Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) website. Formerly funded under the National Institute for Literacy, LINCS provides services for the adult education and literacy community. Visit the website to access all the...

Adult Numeracy Network: Practitioner Research Project Proposals Being Accepted Now
Posted on 10/04/2010
The Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) is accepting proposals for practitioner research projects that encourage adult educators to try new classroom methods and techniques, based on the Teaching and Learning Principles and/or the Components of Numeracy. The deadline for submission is October 31, 2010. Two practitioners will be selected and will...

Mini Grants Now Available for COABE CCAE 2011 Annual Conference
Posted on 09/29/2010
Join adult education professionals and students from across the country for the annual CCAE COABE 2011 Conference, to be held in San Francisco from April 17-21, 2011.  The theme of this year's conference is "Adult Education for a Global Economy."  Mini-grants are now available, providing recipients with a $350 Complimentary...

ACSA Conference in Sacramento Sept. 30-Oct. 1
Posted on 09/24/2010
ACSA will hold its Adult Education Conference Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Doubletree in Sacramento. The conference  will provide information on the latest topics facing adult educators today, including California's new Strategic Plan for Adult Education, the Workforce Investment Act, creating Professional Learning Communities, legislation and trends in technology and...

Free Webinars: 21st Century Skills Partnership
Posted on 09/16/2010
As we move into the 21st Century, American students – elementary through college levels – will face ever more rigorous higher education coursework, career challenges and a globally competitive workforce. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) is hosting a series of free webinars and other events on 21st Century...

Using Online Video in the Classroom: Ideas for Integration
Posted on 09/13/2010
It may seem hard to believe, but YouTube boasts two billion videos watched per day, 24 hours of video uploaded to the site per minute, and localized versions in use in more than 23 countries. YouTube is now among the most visited sites (along with Facebook and Google, which acquired...

New Discussion Announced for September 13-17: The Sectoral Employment Approach: The Promise and the Challenge
Posted on 09/09/2010
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)'s Workforce Competitiveness Discussion List will host a discussion on The Sectoral Employment Approach: The Promise and the Challenge from September 13 – 17, 2010, with guest facilitator Dr. Joshua L. Freely. Dr. Freely is one of the author's of the recent study, Tuning In...

Apply Now for Online Teaching Academy
Posted on 09/01/2010
All levels and areas of education are increasing online offerings, including adult education. To support programs and teachers in the area of online instruction, OTAN is initiating an Online Teaching Academy (OTAC) directed towards increasing online instruction for adult learners. OTAC will accept 12 experienced and/or aspiring online teachers and...

Students Can Follow Antarctica Expedition
Posted on 08/23/2010
Tina Sander, an ESL teacher from Santa Cruz Adult School, is getting ready to leave for Antarctica with an expedition that will offer opportunities for students to read her journal, interact with her, see videos, and participate in webinars. There will be opportunities for reading, writing and science activities appropriate...

GED Connection State License Renewed
Posted on 08/19/2010
OTAN has renewed the statewide license for digital rights to the GED Connection videos produced and copyrighted by Kentucky Educational Television. The new license expires December 31, 2011. By that time we hope to know more about plans for the new GED test. The license allows duplication of the 39...

The Pepsi Refresh Project Empowers Americans to Refresh America One Idea at a Time
Posted on 08/13/2010
Pepsi is sponsoring the Pepsi Refresh Project which provides $1.3 million each month to fund ideas for community improvement, including education projects. More than 100 projects have been funded and the project has injected more than $5 million back into local communities. Users from all 50 states have submitted more...

Technology Planning Form Posted for 2010-11
Posted on 08/04/2010
For agencies with EL Civics Civic Participation funding, the technology plan form is now available. A focus group of technology plan users was convened in June and gave input on how to streamline the technology plan in the current financial climate which is requiring agencies to do more with less....

Live Webcast: Getting Reading Results in the Classroom: What Research Tells Us
Posted on 07/30/2010
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) will present a live webcast, Getting Reading Results in the Classroom: What Research Tells Us. Scheduled for Sept. 1, 2010, 1:30-3:00 pm, EST, the webcast will disseminate research findings from several five-year research projects investigating the development of literacy skills in adults enrolled in...

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week: Congress Passes Resolution!
Posted on 07/26/2010
Congress has declared National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2010, to be celebrated the week of September 13-17, 2010. This Congressional declaration, House Resolution 1472 was sponsored by Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO] and is the culmination of literacy advocacy and outreach resulting in twenty co-signers in the House, including...

Emerging Technologies and Adult Literacy Language Education
Posted on 07/22/2010
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) has published Emerging Technologies and Adult Literacy Language Education, a 32-page document that seeks to describe the "potential contribution of emerging technologies to adult literacy and language education and the opportunities and challenges involved in incorporating these technologies into adult education programs." Topics covered...

Online Professional Development  - Summer Courses
Posted on 07/14/2010
Online Professional Development  - Summer Courses Adult learning and development, learner persistence, and managing ESL multilevel instruction are the topics of three online courses you can take this summer through The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO).  These courses are you can take any time, any place, through the...

LAUSD Participates in the Adult Education Great Cities Summit
Posted on 07/09/2010
Los Angeles is one of five major American cities participating in the National Institute for Literacy and OVAE's first joint Adult Education Great Cities Summit convened by Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier in Chicago on June 28-29, 2010. Los Angeles and the other four cities — Chicago, Houston, New York and...

The Missing Piece: Documentary Highlights Adult Learners as Teaching Partners
Posted on 07/02/2010
The New York City Mayor's Office of Adult Education (NYC Adult Ed) has released a new documentary film which highlights three initiatives in New York City that build on the leadership potential of adult learners. The 14-minute film recognizes and celebrates the untapped asset of adult learners, who can play...

Discussion on Using Social Media
Posted on 06/29/2010
Save the Date: The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) will host Using Social Media in Teaching and Professional Development, a new Guest Discussion hosted jointly on the Technology and Distance Learning List and the Professional Development List. Starting on July 12 and running through August 6, 2010, NIFL will offer...

Schools, Districts and States Switching to Google Apps
Posted on 06/21/2010
Have you been hearing about "cloud computing" and wondering what people are talking about? Cloud computing refers to keeping documents and programs online, or "in the cloud," rather than on your desktop or your district server. One example of cloud computing is using Google's suite of applications that are all...

Reading Patterns and Profiles of Adult Literacy Participants Discussion
Posted on 06/16/2010
Save the Date: The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) will host a new Guest Discussion, "Reading Patterns and Profiles of Adult Literacy Participants" as part of the Reading and Writing Discussion List. Starting on June 21st and running through June 26th, "Reading Patterns and Profiles of Adult Literacy Participants" will feature...

23rd Annual Jack London Award Recipient: Petaluma Adult School "Ready for Kindergarten"
Posted on 06/11/2010
The 23rd Annual Jack London Award for Educational Innovation, presented by Sonoma State University, has been awarded to Petaluma Adult School's "Ready for Kindergarten," a bilingual kindergarten transition program for disadvantaged children who have had little or no pre-school prior to kindergarten entrance, giving one or both parents the opportunity...

Career Video Challenge from U.S. Department of Labor
Posted on 06/07/2010
The Challenge is on! The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced the first phase of the Career Videos for America's Job Seekers Challenge. This is a competition that aims to bring greater awareness to and participation in 15 high-wage and in-demand occupations identified by the Employment and Training Administration...

New National Action Plan on Improving Health Literacy
Posted on 06/03/2010
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has just released the National Action Plan on Improving Health Literacy. Health Literacy is defined in the plan as "the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions" (Healthy People 2010). Recognizing that...

Preliminary Federal Grant Award Amounts Available
Posted on 05/28/2010
The Adult Education Office of the California Department of Education is making available preliminary grant award amounts for agencies receiving Workforce Investment Act Title II fund. These numbers are preliminary and may be adjusted before the award letter goes out. They are being made available for planning purposes only at...

Business Results Through Essential Skills and Literacy: Guidebook from Canada
Posted on 05/26/2010
The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) have made available a new guide, Business Results Through Essential Skills and Literacy that OTAN has added to its resources.  Published in 2009, this 110- page Guidebook was produced in partnership with Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, a division of the Canadian government....

Writing Instruction for Adult Literacy Learners: What Can We Learn from Research with Adolescents?
Posted on 05/20/2010
Beginning on Monday, May 24th, 2010, the National Institute for Literacy’s (NIFL) Reading and Writing Skills Discussion List will host a guest discussion: Writing Instruction for Adult Literacy Learners: What Can We Learn From Research with Adolescents? The discussion, which will go through May 28th, 2010, will feature Dr. Charles...

National Coalition for Literacy 2010 Leadership Award Nominations Open
Posted on 05/17/2010
The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) is seeking nominations for its' 2010 Literacy Leadership Awards.  The NCL Literacy Leadership Awards honor outstanding adult literacy leaders in the United States who have made significant contributions in the field of adult literacy, and who serve as an inspiration and model to others...

PowerPoint Games for Reinforcement and Fun
Posted on 05/10/2010
The latest addition to OTAN’s extensive list of web-based classroom activities is shared by Kristi Reyes of MiraCosta College. Kristi shares ideas and resources for PowerPoint Games for Reinforcement and Fun that can be used for review and reinforcement in a fun, interactive and challenging online environment. Here are just a...

OVAE Joins DOL in Gathering Input for Technical Assistance on Workforce Capacity
Posted on 05/06/2010
OVAE Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier has joined Jane Oates, assistant secretary for employment and training at the U.S. Department of Labor, to host four discussion forums that will help develop a technical assistance strategy to improve the capacity of the workforce system to serve adults. The target population includes dislocated...

Free Webinars on Online Tools for ESL
Posted on 05/03/2010
The Workplace Learning Resource Centers of the Community Colleges are offering a couple of free webinars. The presenter is Marsha Chan, ESL and technology instructor, author and industry expert. Ms. Chan has worked with non-credit as well as credit ESL students, and is currently the secretary of the Technology-Enhanced Language Learning...

GED Videos: Moving Beyond the GED
Posted on 04/26/2010
The Southwest Virginia Regional Adult Education Program, affiliated with the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC), has produced three new videos to promote their "Moving Beyond the GED®" initiative. The three short, inspirational videos showcase individuals from the Southwest VA region who discuss how earning a GED® helped them pursue...

CAAL Primer on Creating and Funding Legislation
Posted on 04/21/2010
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has published a 4-page "primer" to help demystify the process by which laws are proposed, passed and funded by the US Congress. The new publication, Making & Funding Laws: A Primer, is co-authored by Gene Sofer, founding partner of The Susquehanna Group in...

How do you feel about teacher certification in adult basic education and literacy/ESOL?
Posted on 04/15/2010
Cristine Smith at the University of Massachusetts is writing a paper on the issue of teacher certification – should we have it? Should it be required? How should we decide what skills and knowledge are included? She has posted a survey to assess attitudes of people in the field of...

Tom Johnson, former Assistant Superintendent at Hacienda La Puente
Posted on 04/13/2010
Tom Johnson passed away of massive heart attack on April 10, 2010 in Vista California. There will be no funeral services. Thomas J. Johnson was born in Nebraska July 9, 1925. He was a teacher, principal and Superintendent of schools in Nebraska before moving to California. Tom was the Assistant...

2010 Census: Encouraging Students to Be Counted
Posted on 04/08/2010
The 2010 Census is critically important to adult educators and their students, as it directly impacts how more than $400 billion will be allocated annually to local, state and tribal governments over the next decade. Online resources, downloadable materials and lessons plans are available to help adult educators promote a "robust...

Common Core Standards for K-12
Posted on 04/05/2010
The National Governors Association has released a draft of the proposed national Common Core State Standards for grades K-12. These draft standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts nationwide. The goal of this effort is to begin to provide a clearer, more uniform and more rigorous...

Adult Education Waiting List in Many States
Posted on 03/31/2010
The National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE) has conducted a survey for the last several years on the length and duration of waiting lists for adult education classes. The Survey for 2009-10 has been recently posted, and shows that 50 out of 51 states and territories that...

Hayward Adult School To Offer "One Stop" Collaborative Retraining Project at NUMMI
Posted on 03/26/2010
CanadaGood The New United Motor Manufacturing Inc.(NUMMI) is the only remaining vehicle manufacturing plant in California.  Established in 1984 in the bay-area community of Fremont, NUMMI will close its’ doors on March 31, 2010, leaving nearly 5,000 California workers jobless.  In advance of the plant closing, Hayward Adult School collaborated...

OVAE Grant Award Adjustments
Posted on 03/24/2010
The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) has announced the 2010 Fiscal Year Adult Education State Grant estimates, based on new data from the American Community Survey. OVAE provides funds to states for adult education and literacy programs. The amount each state receives is based on a formula established...

NIFL Assessment Strategies Online Discussion
Posted on 03/17/2010
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) will host the second of four Assessment Strategies and Reading Profiles (ASRP) special online discussions from March 22-26, 2010. It will take place on the NIFL Transitions to Post-Secondary Education discussion list. Part two of the series will address Reading and Writing Skills of...

Scholarships for New Americans: Resources for Transition
Posted on 03/12/2010
DFW International, a community organization located in Texas, has recently published a free Scholarship Guide aimed at helping minority students and new Americans gain access to funds and resources to help them transition to higher education. The Scholarship Guide, although published in Texas, is a great resource for ALL students...

WIA Reauthorization Hearing in US Senate
Posted on 03/04/2010
On February 24th, 2010, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee conducted the first in a series of hearings to be held on reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act through the Adult Education and Economic Growth Act of 2009, currently in both the House and the Senate.  The...

Furthering the Discussion - Achieving Student Success: Transitions to Post-secondary Education Webcast Dialogue
Posted on 03/01/2010
Many of you may have participated in the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) Webcast “Achieving Student Success: Transitions to Post-secondary Education” which was held on January 20, 2010.  During the discussion, which was hosted by Daniel Miller, Acting Director of NIFL, participants explored successful student transitions and discussed current research in...

Join the Discussion: Teaching English Language Learners with Emerging Literacy Skills
Posted on 02/18/2010
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) will present an online discussion, Teaching English Language Learners with Emerging Literacy Skills from February 22-26, 2010. During this discussion, participants will: discuss the special needs of adult learners who are beginning to attain literacy for the first time share how direct instruction happens...

President Unveils FY11 Budget
Posted on 02/10/2010
On February 1, 2010, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2011 Budget. According to an Education Department press release, "the president's budget includes $49.7 billion for the Department of Education's discretionary programs, an increase of $3.5 billion over fiscal year 2010. The budget also includes $173 billion in loans, grants,...

CCAE Presents GED Academy II
Posted on 02/05/2010
For GED instructors who participated in GED® Academy I last fall, CCAE will be offering the second part of the academy in April. The training will benefit GED® and Pre-GED® instructors, ABE teachers, correctional educators, and court and community school teachers. Experienced trainers will cover learning modalities, Internet for teachers...

I-BEST Model Integrates ESL and CTE
Posted on 02/02/2010
2009 VESL Professional Care Class The online Administrators Forum, hosted by CALPRO, CASAS, and OTAN, will offer a session on a local implementation of the I-BEST instructional model on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 2:30. The adult education program at San Diego Community College District has created a VESL course for...

CATESOL 2010 Awards: Rick Sullivan Stipend & Norma Shapiro Award
Posted on 01/26/2010
The annual state CATESOL 2010 Conference, “Teaching & Learning in a Global Community” will be held in Santa Clara on April 22-25, 2010.  It can be challenging to travel to the State Conference in these difficult economic times. The Rick Sullivan Stipend provides $250.00 to help cover some of the...

NIFL Announces: New Math & Numeracy Discussion List
Posted on 01/21/2010
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is announcing the new  Math & Numeracy Discussion List, which was initiated on January 19, 2010. (NIFL is now closed) The new discussion list provides an on-going professional development forum where adult educators, advocates, researchers, policy makers, adult education providers, and others can discuss...

Discussion on New Developments in Adult Literacy Assessment - Jan. 25-29
Posted on 01/14/2010
The National Institute for Literacy will host a discussion on New Developments in Adult Literacy Assessment (Individual and Large Scale), on the National Institute for Literacy's Assessment Discussion List. This discussion will be held during the week of January 25 – 29, 2010. The guest speaker is Dr. John Sabatini, Senior...

Web-based Class Activities: Interactive Resources for Vocabulary Practice
Posted on 01/12/2010
Kristi Reyes, Adult ESL Instructor at Mira Costa College, offers a wide range of ideas and resources for interactive, web-based vocabulary exercises in the latest Web-based Activity article on the OTAN website: Sites for Creating Interactive and Printable Vocabulary Exercises Kristi states that vocabulary activities "help reinforce instruction or can...

Mid-Year Expenditure Report Available Now for WIA II Agencies
Posted on 01/08/2010
Agencies with Workforce Investment Act Title II funding are required to submit a mid-year expenditure report. The form is now available online, and is due January 31. For questions about the content of the report, agencies should contact their regional consultant at the California Department of Education. For technical issues...

TESOL Sponsors Free Online Courses on Many Topics
Posted on 01/06/2010
TESOL’s Electronic Village Online (TESOL EVO) is a set of six-week courses, in which participants engage with ESOL experts in online discussions or virtual workshops. These sessions are free and open to all interested parties – you don’t need to be a TESOL member to participate. Registration is this week,...

Webcast on Transitions to Post-secondary Education
Posted on 01/04/2010
On January 20, 2010 @ 1:00 pm EST, The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) will host the webcast, Achieving Student Success: Transitions to Post-secondary Education. The webcast, designed for program administrators, will present the challenges that adult students encounter as they transition through their educational experience and on to post-secondary...

Johan Uvin and Adrienne Dunbar Join OVAE's Staff
Posted on 12/21/2009
OVAE Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier announced today that Rhode Island’s Director of the Office of Adult and Career and Technical Education Johan Uvin and House Education and Labor Committee Policy Advisor Adrienne Dunbar have joined OVAE’s staff. Uvin will arrive at OVAE Dec. 21 on an Intergovernmental Personnel Act program...

Postsecondary Transitions: NIFL Discussion List Launched
Posted on 12/07/2009
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) has recently launched a new discussion list on the critical topic of postsecondary transitions for adults.  The discussion list on postsecondary transition opened on November 23, 2009 and will: share information, strategies, research, expertise and resources related to postsecondary transitions help bridge the gap...

Online Professional Development Opportunities for Adult Educators
Posted on 12/02/2009
There are several upcoming online professional development opportunities of interest to adult educators. The courses listed below are instructor-led and charge a fee. You can find other online professional development opportunities, many of which are self-paced and free, at Professional Studies AE. The National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs...

Ohio’s Adult Concurrent Enrollment Policy Eases Postsecondary Transition
Posted on 11/30/2009
The Ohio Board of Regents recently implemented a new policy promoting adult students' concurrent enrollment in Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) courses and college credit courses. The policy also will save adult students from paying tuition for developmental courses to raise their academic skills to levels required for college...

Adult Numeracy News
Posted on 11/19/2009
Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) is pleased to announce the Practitioner Research grantee for 2009 - 2010. Nina Liebler of Columbia Basin College in Pasco, WA is the recipient of this prestigious award. Nina will address the question, "Can changing students attitudes toward fractions help students be successful in performing rational...

Raising Awareness for Adult Literacy: Cultivating Media Relations
Posted on 11/13/2009
In celebration of Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) has posted a series of articles on their blog aimed at helping adult education agencies raise awareness of adult ESL, create strategic partnerships and cultivate media relations to benefit our programs. Some of the recent postings...

National Distance Learning Week
Posted on 11/09/2009
Sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), the 2009 National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) will be held November 9-13, 2009. During this time, schools, colleges, businesses and other organizations highlight their offerings for current and prospective students and educators. Additionally, the USDLA will conduct a series of free...

Two New Consultants Join the Adult Education Office
Posted on 10/30/2009
The Adult Education Office at the California Department of Education (CDE) welcomes two new consultants who will be starting work on November 2. Noelia Ramirez Noelia Ramirez, originally from the Salinas area, is coming to adult education from two years working with the AVID program statewide in the Intersegmental Relations...

Guide to Adult Education for Work Released
Posted on 10/28/2009
The National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) has announced the publication of a new report, "Guide to Adult Education for Work: Transforming Adult Education to Grow a Skilled Workforce." The Guide lays out a vision that the writers believe can transform the way we view and deliver adult...

New Report: The Power of Technology to Transform Adult Learning
Posted on 10/26/2009
The Center for the Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has announced the publication of an important new report: The Power of Technology to Transform Adult Learning: Expanding Access to Adult Education and Workforce Through Distance Learning. In the Forward to the report, Gail Spangenberg, CAAL President, states that it "offers...

New Adult Learner Persistence Website Launched
Posted on 10/21/2009
New England Literacy Resource Center The New England Learner Resource Center (NELRC) has launched a new Adult Learner Persistence Website where a wide variety of tools, strategies and research to help adult students "stay on their learning paths" can be found. Adult educators know that learner persistence is one of...

College and Career-Readiness: Draft of Standards Released
Posted on 10/19/2009
The Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association  (NGA) through its Center for Best Practices, released their first official draft of proposed K-12 common core state academic standards.  Forty-eight states and three territories signed onto the Common Core State Standards Initiative in a process to develop...

Susan Handy Honored: "Woman with a Heart for Bakersfield"
Posted on 10/15/2009
Susan Handy, Bakersfield Adult School Principal Susan Handy, Principal of Bakersfield Adult School, will be honored as one of four outstanding "Women with a Heart for Bakersfield." These women are honored based on their exceptional community service and leadership that has made a positive and lasting impact in Bakersfield through noteworthy...

Senate Confirms Brenda Dann-Messier As the Department's Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education
Posted on 10/12/2009
Photo by Gene St. Pierre The U.S. Senate has confirmed Brenda Dann-Messier as the Department's new assistant secretary for vocational and adult education, and she plans to be in her OVAE office as early as Oct. 13.  Dann-Messier has served as president of the Providence, RI program Dorcas Place for...

Adult Education and Family Literacy Week
Posted on 10/07/2009
October 18-23, 2009 is Adult Education and Family Literacy Week! www.ncladvocacy.org/aefl.html Recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, this is a one-time only dedication to raise public awareness of adult education and family literacy, assist adult learners in need of literacy services, and support increased access to adult education...

California Budget Report: The Impact on Basic Skills Programs
Posted on 10/05/2009
The California Budget Project has published a study, At a Crossroads: Basic Skills Education in California, which documents how current budget cuts directly and negatively impact the delivery and scope of basic skills education in California today. The study points out that while the need for basic skills education is...

Use Distance Learning When Flu Strikes
Posted on 09/29/2009
EdWeek is hosting a free Webinar on October 8 at 11 a.m. on the role of e-learning when the flu or other emergencies strike. Concerns about the H1N1 flu virus causing school closings or significant absences are pushing schools to use technology more heavily in their day-to-day activities and prompting...

COABE Award Nominations Now Open
Posted on 09/28/2009
Nominations are now open for several prestigious awards given annually by COABE.  Nominations must be submitted by December 31, 2009. Winners will be honored during the Annual Awards Banquet at the annual COABE National Conference, to be held in Chicago, Illinois in March 2010. The awards that will be given...

Fall 2009 Online Professional Development Courses
Posted on 09/22/2009
What better way to start off the new school year than with professional development?  The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) offers free professional development courses you can take any time, any place, through the Internet. To get started, all you need is an e-mail account, Internet access, and...

CATESOL State Conference 2010 – Call for Proposals
Posted on 09/18/2009
CATESOL has announced a Call for Proposals for the 41st Annual State Conference, to be held April 22-25, 2010 in Santa Clara, California. The theme of the 2010 Conference will be “Teaching and Learning in a Global Community,” with Sharmin Khan as Conference Chair, Program Co-chairs Sarah McGregor and Shannon...

CA College Transition Institute and Summit Meeting
Posted on 09/11/2009
CALPRO will partner with the National College Transition Network (NCTN) to offer two 2-day institutes on models and methods for developing college transition pathway programs and forming partnerships and collaboration to enhance transitions for California’s adult students from basic education to college. Nominees will have the choice of attending a...

September Special Topics Discussions: "World Literacy and Nonformal Education" and "The Role of Counseling and Advising in Adult Basic and Secondary Education"
Posted on 09/09/2009
The National Institute for Literacy has announced two new discussions on the Special Topics email list for September 2009.  "World Literacy and Nonformal Education" will take place on September 8-10, 2009.  This discussion will explore ways to help adult literacy educators better understand the contributions of nonformal education to their...

Distance Learning Forum Series
Posted on 09/04/2009
   Randy Bayne/OTAN photo Like all of adult education in California, Distance Learning is facing challenges and opportunities in the current budget climate. OTAN has teamed with CALPRO to offer a series of webinars on Distance Learning topics. The first is an open forum for practitioners to get together online and...

ACSA Adult Education Conference
Posted on 09/02/2009
Adult Education: NOT Business as Usual is the theme for the ACSA conference this year, to be held in San Diego at the Doubletree Hotel on September 23-25. ACSA announces that because of the financial crisis that has affected all levels of education throughout the state, "this year’s conference will...

Promising Practices & Research Briefs from National College Transition Network
Posted on 08/31/2009
The National College Transition Network (NCTN) has released several new publications in their June 2009 Newsletter. Don’t Take No for an Answer: Questioning as a Self-Advocacy Tool for Transition Students is a research-to-practice brief written by Andy Nash and Cynthia Zafft.   The brief discusses two educational strategies developed by the...

UNESCO Literary Prizes Announced
Posted on 08/26/2009
Four innovative literacy projects have won the International Literacy Prizes awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for 2009.  Projects in Burkina Faso, India, Afghanistan, and the Philippines have won the awards. A program in Bhutan received an Honorable Mention. The UNESCO International Literacy Prizes are...

New Online School for GLBTQ Students
Posted on 08/21/2009
There are a variety of advantages to online learning, and one can be to meet the needs of special populations. In an effort to provide a hostility-free learning environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning students, Minnesota educator David Glick has created an online high school.  GLBTQ Online High...

Disability.gov Launched: Connecting The Disability Community to Information & Opportunities
Posted on 08/17/2009
The U.S. Department of Labor has launched Disability.gov, a redesigned federal Web site that provides easy access to comprehensive disability-related information and resources.  The site will connect the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities to thousands of reliable resources on disability related issues, programs and services. The site’s Mission...

U.S. Government Accountability Office Report: "English Language Learning"
Posted on 08/12/2009
The United States Government Accountability Office ( GAO) has released a new report entitled English Language Learning.  The report addresses diverse Federal and State efforts to support adult English language learning, and concludes that these critical efforts could benefit from more coordination, sharing of data, and better leveraging of resources....

$23 million for Clean Energy Workforce Training – Update!
Posted on 08/07/2009
 Photo credit: Kevin Collins The Employment Development Department has put out a bulletin with further information about the availability of approximately $23 million for the California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program (CEWTP). The goal is to address the need for skilled workers in industries related to energy efficiency, water efficiency,...

Mindi Yates Leaving CDE
Posted on 08/05/2009
Mindi Yates, who came to the Adult Education Office (AEO) a year ago as a consultant for Region 7, is leaving on August 5 to take a position at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo as the Supervisor of Workforce Development and Community Education. Mindi came to the AEO from...

Join NIFL's Discussion on Growing Learners' Skills Through Virtual Literacy
Posted on 07/30/2009
The Professional Development Discussion List of the National Institute for Literacy will be holding Part II of a discussion on building adult education technology capacity. Part II is called Growing Learners' Skills Through Virtual Literacy. This Discussion is part of a three-part conversation that began in June 2009. Discussion begins this...

Employees Lack in Basic Skills Training
Posted on 07/28/2009
Increasingly, employers need to provide remedial training in such areas as workplace etiquette, conflict resolution and teamwork, said Joanne Krueger, president of the Metro Milwaukee Society of Human Resource Management. "You can hire for skill sets, but really it's the interpersonal skills that can derail you in a profession," Krueger...

Californians Expand Use of Computers, Internet, Broadband—But Digital Divide Leaves Many Behind
Posted on 07/22/2009
The Public Policy Institute of California released a survey last month titled Californians and Information Technology. Despite tough economic times, the survey finds that broadband adoption increased 7 points from last year (62% today, 55% 2008) and the share of Californians with Internet access at home is up 4 points...

New Obama Initiative Promotes Job Skills and Online Learning
Posted on 07/17/2009
Dr. Christina Romer meets with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on Jan. 30, 2009 for the Presidential Daily Briefing. White House Photo/Pete Souza On Tuesday, President Obama announced a $12 billion plan, the American Graduation Initiative, to help community colleges improve graduation rates,...

Blended Learning Results Exceed Distance and Face-to-Face
Posted on 07/15/2009
While the increased learner outcomes that result from a blend of face-to-face and online learning have long been known in California Adult Education as a result of studies conducted by the California Distance Learning Project, the federal Department of Education has recently published a study reviewing research on online learning...

Schools Chief Jack O'Connell, State Controller John Chiang Announce State Cash Shortage Causes Delay in $4 Billion School Funding Payment
Posted on 07/10/2009
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and State Controller John Chiang today announced that a $4 billion payment to schools has been delayed for several weeks as a result of the state's ongoing fiscal crisis. The payment, known as the Principal Apportionment, is the largest annual payment of state...

Snapshot of Adult Education in Each State
Posted on 07/08/2009
The National Council of State Directors of Adult Education has published a "Blue Book" on adult education, which provides a one-page data sheet on adult education in each state. In particular it shows what percent of adult education funds are from federal and state dollars, enrollment figures by program area,...

TIMAC Participant Receives Technology Award
Posted on 07/02/2009
April Oliver, center, with colleagues she has mentored, Imogene Jones and Ellen Licht, her administrator Marti Estrin, her daughter Elise and husband Rob, and Mary Lou Velasquez, the now-retired department chair of the ESL Department at SRJC. View a larger version in a new window. April Oliver, a participant in...

New Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education
Posted on 06/30/2009
On Wednesday, President Obama nominated Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier to be the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education. Dr. Dann-Messier is currently the President of Dorcas Place, an Adult and Family Learning Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Her online resume indicates a strong background in adult education and family literacy....

Website for the Strategic Plan
Posted on 06/25/2009
The Adult Education Office (AEO) of the California Department of Education (CDE) initiated a strategic planning process this year for the field of adult education in California. The AEO contracted with WestEd to lead the project. The planning process will lead to a report to be published in the fall...

$7 Million to Help Unemployed Adults Find Second Career
Posted on 06/17/2009
Education Secretary Arne Duncan during a speech at the National Press Club, Friday, May 29, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Secretary Duncan, Secretary of the US Department of Education, announced recently in Milwaukee, WI on June 4 a new $7 million grant program to help prepare laid-off autoworkers and other...

ESL Briefs from CAELA
Posted on 06/15/2009
CAELA Network has 3 new briefs of interest to teachers and administrators working in adult ESL classrooms and programs.  The topics include: Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language Learners: Focus on Form (ES0089) is aimed at teachers of adult ESL and describes the focus-on-form approach to language learning. Supporting and...

Preliminary WIA Allocations Posted
Posted on 06/11/2009
The California Department of Education (CDE) recognizes that the current budget situation has impacted local planning. It is important that agencies have as much information as they can to use for planning the 09-10 school year. The preliminary WIA Title II funding allocation for 09-10 for each agency is now...

Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy Student Leadership Conference
Posted on 06/03/2009
Massachusetts has an adult learner organization, Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy (MassAAL)  which recently held its tenth annual Student Leadership Conference. The goals of the organization are: to bring adult learners together from across Massachusetts to learn about current student leadership activities to reinforce the value and importance of student...

NIFL Technology List Announces Two Online Discussions
Posted on 05/28/2009
From June 1-5, 2009, the National Institute for Literacy Technology Discussion List will host Part l: "Online Learning and the Adult User: New Findings," to be followed in July by Part ll: "Using Existing and Emerging Technologies in Professional Development."  These discussions will seek to answer critical questions facing the...

President's Budget Increases Funding For Adult Education
Posted on 05/22/2009
President Obama just announced his FY 2010 budget proposing Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) state grants of $628.2 million, an increase of $74.1 million over last year’s levels. The FY 2010 state grant funding includes restoration payments for states that were underpaid allotments due to an administrative error...

Professional Development Opportunity: 2009 TESOL Academy
Posted on 05/19/2009
The 2009 TESOL Academy will take place at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, June 19-20, 2009. The Academy will feature six 2-Day, 10-hour, intensive hands-on workshops designed for ESOL professionals.  The Academy’s workshops begin at noon on a Friday, and run through Saturday afternoon. This year, two...

Input Sought on Adult Ed Teacher Credential Program
Posted on 05/13/2009
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) convened an Adult Education Advisory Panel in June 2008 which has been working on revising the credential requirements for adult educators, and is now seeking feedback from the field on proposed Adult Education credential program standards.  Please complete the online survey by June 12,...

Green Tech Webinar
Posted on 05/11/2009
On May 20, 2009, The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) will present a national webinar on the topic of “Education for the Green Economy: Opportunities, Resources and Models.” The webinar is co-sponsored by the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education, the American Association of Communities...

National Institute for Literacy Slated for Elimination in FY 2010 Federal Budget
Posted on 05/07/2009
At a Thursday morning press conference, President Obama announced elimination, reductions and savings proposed in the FY 2010 Federal Budget. More than 100 programs, totaling $17 billion, will be affected. The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is among the programs slated for termination. Created by Congress in 1991, NIFL provides...

Gretchen Wilson to Testify on Capitol Hill. Country Star Helps Increase Advocacy for Adult Education
Posted on 05/04/2009
Washington, DC - On May 5th, Columbia Nashville's Gretchen Wilson will travel to Capitol Hill to hand deliver nearly 10,000 letters from Tennesseans to both Tennessee congressmen and senators urging them to increase funding for adult education programs. For Gretchen Wilson, the issue of adult education is very personal -...

UNESCO International Adult Learning Conference Held in Scotland
Posted on 04/30/2009
Edinburgh, Scotland was the host to an international conference on adult learning, “A Time for Learning: Paving the Way to CONFINTEA VI: the Adult Learners’ Voice.” The conference was put on by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and was the last of a series of conferences...

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds Available in California
Posted on 04/27/2009
The U.S. Department of Education announced on April 17 that California's application for State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) has been approved.  These funds, part of the federal government’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), include nearly $4 billion in funds that have been authorized to local education agencies (LEAs) as...

Survey on Selecting Adult Ed Logo
Posted on 04/16/2009
The California State Consortium for Adult Education (CSCAE) and the Consortium II organization have been working on developing a brand and a marketing campaign for California adult schools. They have defined the target audience for the marketing campaign as potential students and the general public. The tag line for the...

COABE Awards Scholarship to READ/San Diego Tutor Coordinator
Posted on 04/14/2009
Kelli Sandman-Hurley is the Literacy Tutor Coordinator with READ/San Diego, the adult literacy program of the San Diego Public Library, and she has worked in the field of adult literacy for ten years. Kelli will be receiving a Scholarship Award from the Council on Adult Basic Education (COABE). The scholarship...

Web-based Class Activities – Assessment Tools with Instant Results
Posted on 04/09/2009
Have you heard of or seen clickers, also known as Audience Response Systems? They are a technology that started in Hollywood as a way to poll audiences on their reactions to TV programs, commercials, and movies. Their popularity has been growing in the business world, for use in conventions, and...

New Issue of the Digest
Posted on 04/06/2009
The April issue of the California Adult Education Digest is now posted.  This issue contains links to both state and federal budget and funding information, as well as announcing professional development opportunities and providing links to some useful sites. Back issues are also available. Please check out the digest, and...

WIA Title I Funds Available Soon
Posted on 03/30/2009
Information on the dissemination of Workforce Investment Act Title I funds has been collected by Neil Kelly in the Adult Education Office. Stimulus & the Green Economy – California Estimate of WIA Title I (Workforce) Adult Funding Allotment for California: $80,927,000 Specifically identifies supportive services and needs-related payments as allowable...

Online Discussion: Emotional, Occupational, and Self-Esteem Issues in Adults with Learning Disabilities
Posted on 03/26/2009
The National Institute for Literacy's Learning Disabilities Discussion List will address the topic of Emotional, Occupational, and Self-Esteem Issues in Adults with Learning Disabilities from from April 6 - 8. You can subscribe (and later, if you wish, unsubscribe) on NIFL’s listserv page. Goals for the Discussion: To foster an...

Weekly Technology News on NPR
Posted on 03/23/2009
Starting in November 2008, every Monday, All Things Considered has been airing its new series called All Tech Considered to explore the sometimes daunting — always changing — world of technology.  On NPR’s Web site you can find a blog with all the stories so far consisting of the audio...

Adult Education Budget Forum
Posted on 03/17/2009
A message from Debra Jones, Administrator, Adult Education Office, California Department of Education: Do you remember the children’s game of Telephone? What began as Sam’s big brown dog has spots ended up as the funny clown played magic tricks. Communication in the adult education world can be similar, especially right...

Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Joins Educators in Recognition of Record Number of Teachers Receiving Layoff Notices
Posted on 03/16/2009
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell joined teachers, administrators, parents and students at a news conference on Friday, March 13, to acknowledge the growing tally of teachers receiving pink slips or potential layoff notices. More than 26,000 teachers and other school staff have received the pink slips as of...

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
Posted on 03/13/2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), HR 1, known as the economic stimulus bill, was approved by both Houses of Congress and signed into law by President Obama on February 17. The ARRA provides $12.2 billion additional funding for IDEA and $13 billion for Title I. Also included in...

Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization Update
Posted on 03/09/2009
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title II is the federal legislation that authorizes federal funding for adult education that goes to the states. Reauthorization of the bill is now being worked on by the authorizing Committees in both the House and Senate. According to the Council on Adult Basic Education...

Putting Your Slides Online
Posted on 03/06/2009
These days it seems like you don’t have to save anything on your computer any more, or even on your thumb drive. There is a free way to save everything online. OTAN’s new Web-based class activity for March is about putting PowerPoint slides online. Kristi Reyes and Beth Bogage have...

Update on the State Budget for Adult Education
Posted on 02/27/2009
A state budget has now been passed that reduces adult education funding by 15.4% this year, and also allows districts to use adult education funds for "any educational purpose," although they must make public their decisions about where how the money will be spent. Jeff Frost, lobbyist for CCAE and...

GED Teacher Academy II - It's Not Too Late!
Posted on 02/06/2009
GED Academy II still has room for teachers to register. These workshops offered by CCAE follow up on the GED® Academy I workshops, and give teachers the opportunity to practice additional skills such as addressing different learning modalities, using the Internet for teachers and students, and making accommodations for special...

Online Discussion: Strategies for Addressing Transitions in Adult Basic Education
Posted on 02/03/2009
Transitioning adult students through the stages of their educational experience is a challenging process. In today's society in particular, successful transition from adult literacy classes to community college and beyond, and on to the workforce, can mean the difference between achieving one's potential and struggling to get by. For service...

New Web-based Class Activity: Get Organized with a Personalized Calendar
Posted on 01/29/2009
As OTAN’s resident contributor Kristi Reyes states in the introduction of her January article, "organization is an essential skill to impart to adult learners. A class project for the new year that can be used as a starting point for students to get organized is personalized calendars. Students can choose...

Discussion: Literacy for Social Change – What could it mean for you? | Jan. 19-23
Posted on 01/15/2009
Join the Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List January 19-23, 2009 to explore the role of adult literacy in international social change initiatives and what it could mean for you in your community. Lynn Curtis, Vice President of International Programs at ProLiteracy, will be the guest. Author of Literacy for...

Adult Education Administrator, Debra Jones, on NPR about Adults with Lowest Literacy Level Report
Posted on 01/13/2009
On January 8th, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released the National Assessment of Adult Literacy: Indirect County and State Estimates of the Percentage of Adults at the Lowest Literacy Level for 1992 and 2003, which provides estimates on the percentage of adults - for all states and counties...

Grant for Instructional Materials for Homeless
Posted on 01/09/2009
Grant for Instructional Materials for Homeless Applications are now being accepted for grants from the Charles Evans Book Fund. The Charles Evans Book Fund is a special program of ProLiteracy's National Book Fund,® a program that supplies local programs with adult literacy and basic education curricula and materials. The Charles...

NIFL to Host Discussion on Managing ESL Programs
Posted on 01/07/2009
The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) discussion list for Adult English Language Teaching will be hosting a discussion on January 12-16 on Managing Program for Adult English Language Learners. The goal of the discussion is to explore the issues of moving from the role of teacher to manager, including recruiting,...

GED Teacher Academy II
Posted on 01/05/2009
The California Council for Adult Education is offering follow-up workshops to GED® Academy 1. These workshops offer teachers the opportunity to practice additional skills such as addressing different learning modalities,  using the Internet for teachers and students, and making accommodations for special testing. It also provides an overview of the...

AWD Learners Create Season’s Greetings Video
Posted on 12/19/2008
Lynn Andres teaches in Adults with Disabilities Program at Orange Grove Adult School, San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento. This school year she teaches Computer Skills Classes including basic skills, math and money, art, and digital photography. Lynn believes that "Using computers and mastering new skills gives students a...

Drop-In Day for Dropouts, January 15
Posted on 12/15/2008
The California State Consortium for Adult Education (CSCAE) sponsors this one day, high visibility outreach project for adults without high school diplomas. Participating adult schools advertise in the local media and provide on-the-spot counseling for prospective students during the day.  The goal is to make the hundreds of thousands of...

Focus on Basic Issue on Health Literacy
Posted on 12/09/2008
Health and literacy are inextricably linked, and health and literacy providers are working together in new and exciting ways to use that link for positive results. The newest issue of Focus on Basics is packed with articles on a wide variety of partnerships: between nursing and teacher educators in the...

CATESOL 2009 Level Essay Contest: A Turning Point in my Life
Posted on 12/03/2008
Consider having your ESL students participate in this contest sponsored by John Dicker of Greenfield Learning, Inc. The student author of the winning essay will receive a prize of $500.00. The winner and a guest, plus the teacher of the winning student, will be invited guests at the President’s Luncheon...

Creating Networks to Support Women's Literacy
Posted on 12/01/2008
Starting today, December 1st, a discussion will be held on the National Institute for Literacy’s Diversity and Literacy list on the topic of creating networks to support women’s literacy. If you are interested in women's issues as they pertain to technology issues, you may be interested in joining this list...

EL/Civics Online for ESL Instructors
Posted on 11/18/2008
EL/Civics Online (English Literacy and Civics Education is a collaborative project of the U.S. Department of Education/Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services/Office of Citizenship (USCIS). It is a four-part series of online courses to prepare ESL instructors and volunteers to integrate U.S....

Online Discussion of New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
Posted on 11/12/2008
Starting on November 17 and running through November 21, the National Institute for Literacy Special Topics email list will host a discussion focusing on two new adult education models: a national learning portal for English language learning at a distance called USA Learns, and a web-based and telephone-based learning support...

Learning Communities Application Deadline Extended!
Posted on 11/07/2008
This year CALPRO is once again offering a professional development initiative to support agencies in establishing site-based professional development. Over the past three years, 19 agencies have participated in this initiative and successfully completed site-based PD plans. For 2008-2009, up to 12 agencies will be selected to participate. Each of...

Verizon Tech Savvy Awards
Posted on 11/03/2008
Established in 2007 by the Verizon Foundation, the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), and Former First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack, the Verizon Tech Savvy Awards are the first national awards given to intergenerational digital learning programs. The awards “are designed to promote and support programs that meet parents’...

Change of Leadership at CALPRO
Posted on 10/22/2008
Mary Ann Corley Mariann Fedele Mary Ann Corley will be leaving CALPRO by the end of the year to assume other responsibilities within the American Institutes for Research. Dr. Corley has served as the director of CALPRO for seven years, and under her guidance CALPRO hosted two national research conferences,...

Web Sites for Teaching about the Election
Posted on 10/08/2008
The newest OTAN Web-based Classroom Activities article is all about Web sites for teachers to use in teaching about elections, candidates, and issues. Kristi Reyes has put together an excellent collection of sites with student activities related to the presidential election, issues on the California ballot, and ways for students...

Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Nominations
Posted on 09/29/2008
The Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Award recognizes individual contributions to improving literacy for children and adults. The winner and several finalists are selected annually by the National Center for Family Literacy to honor educators who demonstrate an impact on families through early childhood education, school-based programs, adult...

CCAE Sponsors GED Teacher Academy
Posted on 09/24/2008
Once again this year the California Council for Adult Education is sponsoring the GED Teacher Academy, and opportunity for teachers to learn more about helping students prepare for the GED, and to network with other GED teachers from different agencies. The Academy provides an overview of the GED tests, reviews...

CA STAR Institute — Apply Now
Posted on 09/17/2008
The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) are presenting the first phase of evidence-based reading instruction training for ABE teachers. The training consists of 36 hours of instruction over two days in November, 2 days in January, and two days in the spring....

Online Nutrition Lesson for ESL
Posted on 09/12/2008
 Lessons for Living: Fast Food, Healthy Choices is a new online student nutrition lesson from "Eating Well, Living Well: Nutrition Education for Adult ESL."  Developed with a grant from the USDA’s Food Stamp Program through the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California, the mission of the...

Concern about Adult Education Apportionment Payments
Posted on 09/08/2008
According to ACSA, Frost and Donnelly, and other sources, if a state budget is not enacted by the legislature by mid-September, it is likely that payments to districts for categorical programs, including adult education, adults in correctional facilities, and ROC/Ps will be delayed until the end of October. ACSA advises...

Making Online Exercises, Quizzes and Flashcards
Posted on 09/03/2008
You may already be using many Web-based tools to extend the learning for your students outside the classroom walls. You may have a blog or a wiki or a Web site.  You may have a list of great Web sites with many useful activities.  But how about the evaluation piece?...

Apply for Math Teaching Research Grant
Posted on 08/26/2008
The Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) has released the application for this year’s adult education math practitioner research projects. Adult Numeracy Network, and affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), is pleased to support two opportunities each year for teachers...

Three Online Courses on Student Assessment
Posted on 08/11/2008
Do you ever wonder how assessing students makes you a better teacher? If you answered "yes," you're not alone. With an understanding of adult educators' assessment questions and concerns in mind, ProLiteracy and World Education have developed a series of facilitated online courses for teachers that focus on student assessment...

New Report on Nation's Health Literacy
Posted on 08/01/2008
Assessing the nation's health literacy: Key concepts and findings of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) describes health literacy results from the landmark 2003 NAAL, the nation's most comprehensive measure of adult literacy in more than a decade. Published by the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation and written by...

Registration Now Open for Fall 2008 Professional Development Courses Online!
Posted on 07/28/2008
How can new administrators learn to manage adult school budgets successfully? What can adult schools do to enhance learner persistence? How can educators work more effectively with adults with learning disabilities? How can teachers plan lessons to increase student learning gains? The answers to these and many other questions are...

National Data on Adult Learning Published
Posted on 07/21/2008
The Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) has published Adult Learning in Focus: National State by State Data, a report on adult participation in education. The report identifies participation rates of adults in various educational settings, including higher education, community colleges, job training, adult basic education and English as...

Promising Practices from the National College Transition Network
Posted on 07/09/2008
Transition from adult education to college has been a hot topic nationally for the last few years, and the National College Transition Network (NCTN) was formed by World Education's New England Literacy Resource Center to support "ABE staff, programs, and state agencies in establishing and strengthening ABE-to-college transition services through...

21st Century Skills
Posted on 07/03/2008
The CASAS Summer Institute was held in San Diego on June 17-19, with over 700 participants from 31 states, American Samoa, Guam, Mariana Islands, Thailand and Singapore. Of particular interest was the address by keynote speaker, Ken Kay of e-Luminate and Partnership for 21st Century Skills, an organization of businesses...

Free Health Literacy Materials in English and Spanish
Posted on 06/27/2008
Adult educators can download free health literacy materials developed by the Joint Commission, together with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and aimed at improving medical treatment through better doctor-patient communication.  Materials include a video and pamphlets in English and Spanish, with topics such as how to prevent medication...

Nontraditional Careers Information Available
Posted on 06/23/2008
The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity will soon be publishing American Careers, it’s guide to nontraditional careers. According the NAPE Web site, “The magazine profiles nontraditional role models, and includes information about nontraditional careers, wage earning potential, and economic self-sufficiency. A section on getting started, exploring careers, and planning...

Migration Policy Institute Publishes Report on Immigrants in Los Angeles
Posted on 06/13/2008
The Migration Policy Institute recently released Los Angeles on the Leading Edge (Fix, McHugh, Terrazas, & Laglagaron, 2008). While the focus of the report is on Los Angeles, it raises questions about the need for development and implementation of coordinated integration strategies and policies to benefit immigrants and communities in...

Innovation Program Application Available Now
Posted on 06/03/2008
The California Department of Education (CDE), Adult Education Office (AEO) invites adult schools to apply to offer an Innovation and Alternative Instructional Delivery Program for 2008-09. The Innovation and Alternative Instructional Delivery Application for 2008-09 is now available. School districts approved under California Education Code Section 52522, may use up...

Results of CALPRO Professional Development Needs Survey
Posted on 05/30/2008
From January 4 to March 17, 2008, CALPRO administered its annual statewide online survey to help determine professional development needs of California's adult education teachers and administrators. CALPRO compiles and provides survey results to the California Department of Education (CDE) and to the California State Leadership Project Directors. CALPRO has...

VoiceThread for Teaching and Learning
Posted on 05/23/2008
In the May issue of OTAN’s Web-based Class Activities, Kristi Reyes, our Web-based activities expert, informs us about using VoiceThread in instruction. VoiceThread is an online tool that can be used to deliver content or to take class presentations, student collaboration, and instructor feedback to a higher level. With VoiceThread,...

GED Connection Videos Now Online
Posted on 05/19/2008
GED Connection is a series of 38 lessons, each a video about half an hour long. California, through the California Distance Learning Project (CDLP), purchased a statewide license for the videos. CDLP then produced a set of written materials to accompany the videos which are free and available on the...

What’s Happening with Professional Development?
Posted on 05/14/2008
The Adult Education Office of the California Department of Education (CDE) has announced that the nine Professional Development Centers (PDCs) will be closing on June 30, 2008. In response to questions from the field about the continuation and availability of various kinds of professional development, CDE has created a Frequently...

TIMAC Application Due May 16th
Posted on 05/12/2008
Are you looking for technology integration professional development opportunities for the next school year? Consider TIMAC. Online application for TIMAC (Technology Integration Mentor Academy) is open now through 4 p.m. on May 16, 2008. For 2008-09, ten new participants will be selected, and up to five more may be added...

Settlement of CAHSEE Lawsuit for Special Ed
Posted on 05/08/2008
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell announced that the Alameda County Superior Court has tentatively approved a settlement agreement in the lawsuit challenging the requirement that students with disabilities pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). A final hearing will be held on May 30. The settlement leaves...

AAACE Conference in Denver
Posted on 04/28/2008
The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education will hold its annual conference in Denver on November 10-14, 2008. Proposals for presentations are due May 18, and presenters will be notified by June 27. Amy Rose, president of the organization, extends an invitation to all adult educators to attend, and...

Adult Educators at CATESOL
Posted on 04/18/2008
The 39th State CATESOL Conference took place in downtown Sacramento from April 10th to 13th. Pre-conference Institutes (PCIs), concurrent sessions, keynote speakers, poster sessions, and Sunday workshops created multiple professional development opportunities under the umbrella of the theme appropriate for our State’s Capital: Growing Democracy. Technology integration in language instruction...

Technology for Adult Education in Canada
Posted on 04/14/2008
The AlphaPlus Centre , an adult literacy organization in Ontario that focuses on technology integration, recently pulled together a group of stakeholders to discuss the formation of an organization to support the use of technology in adult literacy instruction. Stakeholders included twelve Canadian literacy organizations. In their first meeting, in...

Computer Using Educators Met in Palm Springs
Posted on 04/07/2008
Computer Using Educators (CUE) was founded in 1978 to support teachers in using technology effectively in the classroom. It has grown significantly over the years, and now has thousands of members, making it one of the largest organizations of its type in the country. Although membership is open to all...

New Online Professional Development Courses
Posted on 04/02/2008
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) launched a new, self-directed online course: Orientation for New ESL Teachers. This course supports new adult education instructors in understanding adult learners, planning ESL lessons, finding out about procedures at their site, and more. A companion course, Orientation for New ABE Teachers,...

Corinne Price is ACSA Adult Education Administrator of the Year
Posted on 03/31/2008
Corinne Price, Principal of Salinas Adult School, is being recognized as the Adult Education Administrator of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). She has been the Principal at Salinas since 1981, a time when the school was scattered in several buildings including the basement of the...

"Literacy and Learning Differences" Breakfast in San Mateo, April 3rd
Posted on 03/27/2008
Hear from people who have diagnosed learning disabilities and from those who have studied the factors that lead to long-term success despite having learning difficulties. Learn about available resources, strategies and technologies for dealing with this complex challenge. Anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area is invited to the 12th...

COABE Awards Scholarship to READ/San Diego Tutor Coordinator
Posted on 03/20/2008
Kelli Sandman-Hurley is the Literacy Tutor Coordinator with READ/San Diego, the adult literacy program of the San Diego Public Library, and she has worked in the field of adult literacy for nine years. Kelli will be receiving a Scholarship Award from the Council on Adult Basic Education (COABE) although budget...

ProLiteracy Offers Online Course on Technology for ESL
Posted on 03/18/2008
ProLiteracy will offer an online course on Creating Engaging ESOL Activities Using Computers II. Participants will experiment with fellow teachers and tutors to develop, test, evaluate, and revise instructional activities using technology in the ESOL classroom. In this course, participants will also explore the ARCS model of motivation, adult multiple...

College Transitions Online Course
Posted on 03/11/2008
World Education in Boston sponsors a number of online courses for adult educators, some of which are self-paced and free. Others are facilitated by an expert in the field and have a fee of $149. One of these facilitated courses is “Research-based Strategies and Models for Adult Transitions to Postsecondary...

CAHSEE Prep Online Course
Posted on 03/04/2008
Butte-Glenn and Lake Tahoe Community College Districts have partnered to develop an online course to help students prepare for the CAHSEE. The project, called CAHSEE: Stepping into Your Future, offers math topics and an English Language Arts sequential course. Both contain interactive videos for each lesson. The project Web site...

CBET Funding Application Due May 30
Posted on 02/29/2008
All local education agencies (LEAs) that want to participate in the Community-Based English Tutoring (CBET) program are required to complete and submit an application form. Funding for CBET supports free or subsidized English language instruction to parents or other community members who pledge to provide English language tutoring to California...

WIA Application Posted
Posted on 02/27/2008
The application for Workforce Investment Act Title II funds is now available online. You can always locate the application via the CDE Adult Education Office Web site section on Federal Grants. The grant application is only available to returning agencies that received WIA funding last year. The application is due...

SPECIAL SERIES - "LIVING IN THE SHADOWS: ILLITERACY IN AMERICA"
Posted on 02/26/2008
Beginning Monday, February 25, ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" will feature a special series, "Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America" that examines the hidden phenomenon of illiteracy in this country. An estimated 30 million people in the U.S. cannot read a simple sentence, and as Senior Justice Department...

CAEAA Annual Conference Held
Posted on 02/13/2008
The California Adult Education Administrators Association held its annual conference in San Francisco from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, 2008. Participants had the opportunity to choose from pre-conference sessions for new administrators, jail educators, health careers/CTE administrators or for those interested in marketing. The conference itself opened with Debra Jones,...

Winter California WIA II Consortium
Posted on 02/07/2008
The winter California Consortium meetings hosted by CASAS will be in a Webcast format this year instead of face to face. Agencies are encouraged to gather appropriate staff members and access the Webcast as a group. To do this, register as a site rather than an individual, and be prepared...

Adults Learning Mathematics – An International Conference
Posted on 02/01/2008
The fifteenth annual conference of Adults Learning Mathematics - A Research Forum (ALM), A Declaration of Numeracy: Empowering Adults through Mathematics Education, will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from June 30, 2008 to July 3, 2008. ALM is an international research forum that brings together those engaged and interested in...

New Online Professional Development Courses Coming this Spring
Posted on 01/28/2008
What’s the latest research on adult learners? What strategies are effective when teaching adults with learning disabilities? How can new administrators learn to manage adult school budgets successfully? The answers to these and many other questions are now just a mouse-click away! The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO)...

California Teacher Receives One of Three Practitioner Research Grants
Posted on 01/24/2008
Brian Kelley of Tulare Adult Education has received a grant from the Adult Numeracy Network to investigate math and everyday life through the simulation of a virtual vacation. The Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) is awarding three Practitioner Research Grants for 2007-2008. ANN grants these $500.00 awards annually to teachers applying...

California Adult Education Passes Federal Audit with Flying Colors
Posted on 01/18/2008
California Department of Education, Adult Education Office received an excellent review by The United States Department of Education, Office of Adult and Vocational Education. OVAE conducted a week-long federal monitor visit and commended the state department for their administration and implementation of the WIA Title II grant. The federal team...

Adult Education Week is March 10-14, 2008
Posted on 01/17/2008
Adult Education Week presents a great opportunity to build awareness of your programs. It's a time to tell the community where you are and what you do. The week's theme this year is "Literacy: A Family Affair." Start by asking your mayor, city council or county board of supervisors to...

Study Circle Facilitator Training on Adult Reading Instruction
Posted on 01/15/2008
CALPRO will be hosting a training for adult educators from California agencies who would like to become study circle facilitators on the topic of teaching adults to read. The training will be on Friday, March 28, 2008 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM in Oakland. By the end of the...

OTAN Offers Selection of Online and Face-to-Face Workshops
Posted on 01/14/2008
OTAN is pleased to offer over 40 online workshops between January and June of 2008! These sessions allow you to attend workshops from where ever you have a fast Internet connection. Attend from home, from school, or from your local wireless hot spot! These workshops are free, and it is...

ESL Teachers – Free TESOL Online Courses Start Jan. 14
Posted on 01/10/2008
One of the best free Internet experiences, TESOL's Computer-Assisted Language Learning group is again putting on their Electronic Village Online. These free online classes will give you a terrific, engaging learning experience during six weeks with teachers and colleagues from around the globe. Participants can engage with ESOL experts in...

2008 Statewide Professional Development Needs Survey
Posted on 01/07/2008
How would you like to influence the direction of professional development for adult educators in California? Make your voice heard today by completing the 2008 Statewide Professional Development Needs Assessment. The survey takes only a few minutes of your time, but your efforts could have lasting and positive impact! Now...

GED Workshops for 2008
Posted on 12/17/2007
The California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) will hold GED® Academy II in Santa Clara, Torrance, Elk Grove, and Clovis. The audience is GED® and Pre-GED® teachers, Adult Basic Education teachers, correctional educators and court and community school teachers. The Academy includes instruction on Learning Modalities, Internet for Teachers and...

Register for CALPRO Online Courses
Posted on 12/11/2007
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) is offering three online courses this winter. Designing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Session 1: Awareness for Adult Educators (Jan. 18 - Feb. 14) Effective Lesson Planning (Jan. 18 - Feb. 14) Managing the ESL Multilevel Class (Feb. 20 - Mar....

New ESL Network from CAELA
Posted on 12/06/2007
The Center for Applied Linguistics has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Education to establish The Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) Network. This new project builds on a previous project from 2004 to 2007. It will help states increase their capacity to provide more effective...

New Publication: The California Adult Education Learner Persistence Project
Posted on 11/30/2007
This publication produced by CALPRO, under funding from the California Department of Education (CDE), presents the outcomes of a multi-year initiative on enhancing adult learner persistence. It addresses three distinct but related efforts on learner persistence: (1) the adult learner persistence Web site developed by the CDE, (2) a field-based...

Registration Now Open for January Online Courses
Posted on 11/19/2007
Do you wonder about how you can better help your students who may have learning disabilities? Are you interested in improving your lesson planning skills? The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) invites you to register for one of its two popular online courses, Designing Programs for Adults with...

Learning Disabilities Online Discussion on Nov 8-9
Posted on 10/30/2007
National Institute for Literacy hosts a number of listservs as a platform for professional development and sharing amongst adult education colleagues across the U.S. On November 8-9, Dr. Arlyn Roffman will be leading an online discussion on the topic of Transition and Learning Disabilities. This 'digital discussion' will take place...

Health Literacy is Our New Hot Topic!
Posted on 10/23/2007
The connection between health literacy and adult literacy is evident in the undertaking of such everyday tasks as getting a prescription filled or buying over-the-counter medication, managing children’s immunizations or an aging parent’s care, completing forms for medical office visits or obtaining insurance. Health Literacy is one of the basic...

Professional Development Online for Correctional Education
Posted on 10/16/2007
The National Institute of Corrections will host a live, 8-hour broadcast designed to provide training directors and curriculum developers with the tools and resources needed to perform at a superior level. This broadcast will air for 4-hours each day on October 31, 2007, and November 1, 2007, 9:00 AM -...

New CALPRO Online Courses – Register Now
Posted on 10/10/2007
Have you been meaning to brush up on your lesson planning skills? Are there other topics you'd like to learn more about for your own professional development? The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) is offering ten, free online classes, facilitated by subject-area experts, on a variety of topics...

CA STAR Institute Applications Available
Posted on 10/04/2007
CA Department of Education (CDE) and CA Council for Adult Education (CCAE) are pleased to collaborate on evidence based reading instruction (EBRI) training. The CA STAR Institute 2008 applications were released at the ACSA conference in Palm Springs when Debra Jones announced the upcoming training opportunity for ABE teachers. Applications...

Request Additional ADA Cap by Nov. 15
Posted on 10/02/2007
The Adult Education Office of the California Department of Education has mailed letters to all district superintendents and adult education administrators explaining the process for requesting additional ADA cap under AB 23. This is the second year for the California Department of Education (CDE) to calculate the redistribution of excess...

CCAE Offers 3 GED Teacher Academy Workshops in November
Posted on 09/27/2007
California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) is pleased to announce fall workshops for GED Teacher Academy in Sacramento, Richmond, and Downey. These are workshops for new GED teachers or GED teachers who want to establish networks with others helping adult students to prepare for the GED Test. Content includes a...

Students Succeed – 3 New Videos and a Deadline
Posted on 09/20/2007
At the upcoming Association of California School Administrator's Adult Education professional development event, Pathways to Reinvention, three new videos will premier telling the success stories of Lourdes Cabral, Andrea Chavez, and Gerardo Quinones; representing San Diego CC Continuing Education, Whittier Adult School, and Hacienda La Puente Adult Education, respectively. The...

WIA Title II 225/231 and EL Civics grants
Posted on 09/19/2007
The California Department of Education, Adult Education Office, has announced that the WIA Title II 225/231 EL Civics grant awards for 2007-08 have been calculated and will be mailed out this month. The 2007-08 grants are based on the payment points generated from two years previous, in this case the...

Carolyn Kehrli named Administrator of the Year
Posted on 09/13/2007
Carolyn Kehrli, Assistant Superintendent of Cutler Orosi Joint Unified School District, has been named ACSA's Adult Education Administrator of the Year for 2007. "I have always felt that in order to increase student test scores, we have to increase the parents' ability to help their child," Kehrli says. "That means...

Input Sought on CTE Standards
Posted on 09/10/2007
Input Sought on CTE Standards Career Technical Education Standards and Framework have been written and approved and both are receiving very positive responses throughout the state and the US. The new state plan for Carl Perkins is in its final stages. Broad public input is required, and Adult Education agencies...

Tools for Evidence-based Reading Instruction (EBRI)
Posted on 09/07/2007
The California Department of Education (CDE) and CALPRO, in partnership with the National Center for the Study of Adult Literacy and Learning (NCSALL) and the United States Department of Education, have developed new resources for ABE, GED, and ESL teachers on the topic of Evidence-based Reading Instruction (EBRI). Four research...

Several Online Discussions Starting Soon
Posted on 09/04/2007
The National Institute for Literacy hosts eleven different email lists on topics related to adult education. Periodically, the lists invite guest speakers and spend a week focusing on a particular topic. Several interesting discussions are coming up! It's easy to subscribe and unsubscribe to these lists from the OTAN Web...

NIFL Survey of Professional Development Needs
Posted on 08/27/2007
Have you ever wished you could have some input into decisions that are being made nationally on professional development opportunities? If so, here is your chance to express your opinion and share your thoughts. The National Institute for Literacy is conducting a survey on the professional development needs of adult...

EL Civics Tech Plan Submission Form Available Now
Posted on 08/24/2007
EL Civics Tech Plan Submission Form Available Now If you have EL Civics Civic Participation funding, you will be updating your technology plan for this year. The due date is January 31, 2008, but the tech plan requires a planning team and a skills self-assessment for staff, so many agencies...

CASAS Regional Training Starts This Week
Posted on 08/20/2007
Every year CASAS provides two-day workshops across the state to help agency staff keep up to date with accountability requirements and implementation. This year there are thirteen workshops, beginning August 21-22 at San Bernardino Adult School, and continuing at various locations through the beginning of November. To see a complete...

Grant Available for ABE Career Pathways
Posted on 08/10/2007
ABE Career Connections is a federally funded project that is soliciting proposals for ABE programs to build the involvement of ABE programs in career pathways for learners. Five programs will receive $75,000 each to help ABE students transition successfully to postsecondary programs, and to begin careers in high-demand fields. Grant...

EL Civics Tech Plan Submission Form Available Now
Posted on 08/03/2007
If you have EL Civics Civic Participation funding, you will be updating your technology plan for this year. The due date is January 31, 2008, but the tech plan requires a planning team and a skills self-assessment for staff, so many agencies get started at the beginning of the new...

National Online Discussion of GED Outcomes and Earnings
Posted on 07/19/2007
The National Institute for Literacy is hosting a new discussion on the Special Topics list. Dr. John Tyler , Associate Professor of Education, Economics and Public Policy at Brown University will be the guest expert for the discussion. Dr. Tyler, with others, has conducted research on the economic benefits of...

2007 Suave/Dollar General Education Essay Contest!
Posted on 06/28/2007
2007 Suave/Dollar General Education Essay Contest! Dollar General and Suave are sponsoring the 2007 Suave/Dollar General Education Essay Contest for adult learners and school-age youth! The Grand Prize winner will receive a $10,000 Educational Grant or Savings Bond and 3 First Prize winners will receive a $5,000 Educational Grant or...

OTAN Welcomes Penny Pearson
Posted on 06/15/2007
We are very happy to announce that OTAN has hired Penny Pearson as a Project Specialist II for Technology Projects. Penny will be working with Branka Marceta, our Technology Projects Coordinator, to help us expand our training offerings, including more online training. She will also be taking over responsibility for...

Adult Education Professional Development Contract
Posted on 06/07/2007
The California Department of Education (CDE) is pleased to announce the results of the Request for Proposals and procurement process for the adult education professional development contract for 2007 - 2010. The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO), a project of American Institutes for Research, has been awarded the...

New Report Evaluates CA Adult English Language Learner Funding
Posted on 04/24/2007
The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has released a new report on adult English as a Second Language (ESL) education programs in California. The report entitled "California's Commitment to Adult English Learners: Caught between Funding and Need" suggests that "policymakers may want to consider revamping ESL funding in the...

Annual California WIA/AEFLA 225/231 Survey Now Online
Posted on 04/01/2007
The 2006-2007 Survey of WIA/ AEFLA, Title II, 225/231 Programs in California is now online on the CASAS Web site. Respondents will assist the CDE in meeting federal and state accountability requirements, evaluating student progress and goal attainment, and documenting the extent of program improvement as outlined in the California State...

California ABE Teacher to Receive COABE Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award
Posted on 03/16/2007
Title: California ABE Teacher to Receive COABE Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award Article: This year Thomas H. Brewer, an ABE instructor at Winterstein Adult School in Sacramento, part of the San Juan Unified School District, will receive the Edgar M. Easley Award for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year....

Debra Jones Appointed to Head Adult Education Office at CDE
Posted on 03/12/2007
Patrick Ainsworth of the California Department of Education announced on Friday the appointment of Debra Jones as the new Education Administrator 1 for the Adult Education Unit. Debra has spent the last 27 years working for the Eureka City Schools District in the Adult Education Arena. She began her career...

Technology and Distance Learning Symposia - One Down, One To Go!
Posted on 02/23/2007
Over 140 teachers and administrators attended the Technology and Distance Learning Symposium at the Sacramento County Office of Education on February 20-22. Fifty-four concurrent sessions covered a wide variety of topics on implementing distance learning programs and using technology in the classroom. A keynote panel, Technology and Distance Learning; State...

Bert Cooper Joins the Adult Education Office
Posted on 01/22/2007
Region 2 has a new regional consultant at the Adult Education Office of the CA Department of Education. His name is Bert Cooper. Region 2 includes Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties. Starting in January, Mr. Cooper replaces Sheila Bollenbach, who has taken on more...

Discussion on Using Social Media
Posted on