EL/Civics Open ForumFebruary 22, 2013

Introductions

What is your name? Where do you work? What is your

experience with EL/Civics?

What questions do you have regarding EL/Civics?

EL/Civics Overview

The U.S. Department of Education supports projects that provide and increase access to English literacy programs in which civics education takes place. These civics programs emphasize contextualized instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, naturalization procedures, civic participation, and U.S. history and

government to help students acquire the skills and knowledge they will need to become active and informed parents, workers, and community members. English literacy and civics education classes introduce students to civics-related content and provide them with opportunities to apply that knowledge in their daily lives while building their English language and literacy skills.

EL/Civics Overview

This program provides grants to states to fund local programs of adult education and literacy services, including workplace literacy services; family literacy services; English literacy programs and integrated English literacy-civics education programs. Participation in these programs is limited to adults and out-of-school youths age 16 and older who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law.

EL/Civics History

Minnesota emphasizes integration of English, work and civics

Federal Grant by U.S. Department of Education.

Grant given to state ABE offices to define and distribute to programs in state.

Started in 2000.

Focus on integrating English language learning with civics education.

In 2009, Minnesota included work focus.

Min

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EL/C

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Instr

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English Language

CivicsWork

The Four Pillars of Civics

Naturalization and

Citizenship

Civic Participation U.S. History Government

EmploymentThe World of

Work

OccupationsEmployability

Skills

Work Areas

EL/Civics Grant Expectations

Eliminate limits on applications per consortium

Set maximum award per application

Revise grant review process

Raise limits of applications per organization & site

Added transitions content focus

Revise grant gatherings

Move from one- to two-year grants

Small Group Discussions

Purpose: What is the purpose of EL/Civics?

Need: Why are EL/Civics grants useful? What can we do with EL/Civics grants that we could not do without?

Strengths: What are the strengths of EL/Civics? How can we continue to build on these strengths?

Recommendations: How could we improve EL/Civics in Minnesota? (i.e. application, program focus, review and selection criteria, grant support, allocations, etc.)

Wrapping Up

Thank You!

Next Steps

Questions

Brad Hasskamp

Brad.hasskamp@state.mn.us

(651) 582-8594