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Explore the California EL Civics Exchange

Posted on 09/29/2026

What is the California EL Civics Exchange?

The California EL Civics Exchange is a online repository designed to host and share original English Literacy and Civics Education (EL Civics) instructional materials. Developed as a collaborative project between CASAS and OTAN (Outreach and Technical Assistance Network) and funded by the California Department of Education (CDE) Adult Education Office, the portal serves WIOA Title II: AEFLA/EL Civics-funded agencies across the state. All hosted resources are licensed under Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0) and comply with Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

How the Platform Can Be Used

• Browse by Competency Area: Educators can explore materials across seven primary EL Civics categories: Consumer Economics, Community Resources, Health, Employment, Government and Law, Transition, and Workforce Training.
• Targeted Search: Instructors can filter resources by specific Civic Objective and Additional Assessment Plan (COAAP) numbers, proficiency levels (Beginning Low through Advanced), or task keywords.
• Instructional Hour Requirements: Materials are structured to help adult education programs meet the 30 hours of instruction required in California before administering an EL Civics assessment.
• Resource Submission & Sharing: Agencies can log in to submit their own agency-created EL Civics lesson plans and digital content to support peer institutions statewide.

Available Resources & Call for Submissions

There are 25 available COAAPS submitted by agencies from across California available for download.

• Consumer Economics: 4 active materials
• Community Resources: 3 active materials
• Health: 6 active materials
• Employment: 5 active materials
• Government and Law: 1 active materials
• Transition: 1 active materials
• Workforce Training: 5 active materials

If you have a COAAP that you would like to share, we invite you to submit a resource to the exchange. There are only four steps: Get agency approval, organize materials into levels, review the rubric, and upload the materials.

Benefits for Adult Education Agencies

• Saves Curriculum Development Time: Instructors can download ready-to-use, standards-aligned instructional packages rather than creating lesson plans from scratch.
  • Example: An ESL instructor teaching a unit on healthcare access can directly download high-quality, pre-made materials for COAAP #28 (Health) tailored specifically for Intermediate Low learners.
• Ensures Accessibility and Compliance: All materials on the Exchange meet Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 digital accessibility requirements, saving programs time on compliance checks.
  • Example: An agency uploading or downloading digital worksheets can ensure screen-reader compatibility and proper text contrast without needing additional formatting adjustments.
• Fosters Inter-Agency Collaboration: Grants agencies access to open-source, Creative Commons-licensed work created by fellow California adult education providers.
  • Example: A rural adult school with limited staff can use comprehensive Workforce Training modules created by a larger agency with dedicated curriculum design teams.
• Assessment Alignment: Search features aligned with specific COAAP numbers ensure classroom instruction directly prepares English language learners for required performance assessments.
  • Example: An instructor planning a financial literacy unit can search for Consumer Economics materials mapped directly to the agency's approved COAAP number to ensure alignment.

Next Steps

1. Explore the Repository: Visit the California EL Civics Exchange to search available materials by competency area, proficiency level, or COAAP number.
2. Integrate into Lesson Planning: Incorporate selected open-source materials into the 30-hour instructional blocks for upcoming EL Civics units.
3. Submit Original Materials: Select the "Log in" option on the home page to begin the submission process for sharing your agency's Section 508-compliant EL Civics materials with the statewide adult education community.

More Information on EL Civics

EL Civics in California is based on a system of Civic Objectives, Language and Literacy Objectives, and Civic Objectives and Additional Assessment Plans (COAAPs).

• Pre-Approved Civic Objectives List
• Pre-Approved Additional Assessment List
• Civic Participation and IELCE webpage