EL Civics – Citizenship Preparation Overview

Louann Gigante, CASAS Program Specialist

lgigante@casas.org

Welcome and Introductions Are you an EL Civics Citizenship Preparation:

• Teacher?• Coordinator?• Administrator?

How long have you been working in Citizenship Preparation?:• Less than 1 year• 1-3 years• 4-6 years• More than 6 years

Is your agency:• Small?• Medium-sized?• Large?

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Goals and Objectives

At the end this session participants will be able to:• Identify the requirements of the WIA II EL Civics Grant• Identify the requirements specific to Citizenship

Preparation• Identify sources for resources for Citizenship

Preparation Programs

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Workshop Strategies

Aha! Sheet

Parking Lot

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EL Civics Truth or Fiction? You are going to see statements about Citizenship

Preparation React to each by moving under the sign that best

describes your feeling about the statement:• Strongly Agree• Agree• Disagree• Strongly Disagree• Don’t Know/Don’t Care

In each group, introduce your self to one person you don’t know:

Your Name, Your Agency, Your work with El Civics

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EL Civics Truth or Fiction?

1. Each agency can only offer one El Civics Program, Civic Participation or Citizenship Preparation

2. Citizenship Preparation programs must give the CASAS Government & History Exam and the Citizenship Interview Text (CIT).

3. The successful completion of the assessments in question #2 meet the requirements for US Naturalization.

4. CIT Administrators and G&H Proctors cannot be the classroom instructor.

5. Students can repeat an assessment, if they fail it the first time.CASAS 2014 6

EL Civics Web site

CASAS 20147

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What Is EL Civics? The Federal Perspective

English Literacy and Civics Education promotes the development of integrated programs that incorporate English language and literacy instruction and civics education.

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El Civics WIA II Funding

EL Civics is funded under the 1999 • Workforce Investment Act Title II (WIA Title II),• Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA).

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The Goal of EL Civics

To participate effectively in the education, employment, and civic opportunities of the United States, adult English language learners must:• master English• navigate American institutions such as:

• government • education • workplace • banking • health care

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EL Civics Focus Areas

El Civics Agencies can do one or both:

• Civic Participation • Connects language and literacy to the lives of

learners • Prepares them to function effectively as community

members, parents, and participants in the workforce.

• Citizenship Preparation• Connects language and literacy to the lives of

learners, prepares them to become effective citizens and to take and pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) written and oral citizenship test.CASAS 2014 12

Application for and Funding of EL Civics

Current and new agencies can apply for 2014-15. Deadline is January 28, 2014.

Agencies that are currently funded for one component of El Civics can apply for the other component in their 2014-15 WIA application.

What is funding rate now? • The rate, according to Rich Berry, Manager of Adult

Education's Support Office, for 2012-13 program year it is $108.68. per Payment Point.

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Citizenship Preparation

Requirements to earn payment points:• Learners must take CASAS pre- and post-test to earn a

payment point• Learners may take the Citizenship Interview Test (CIT)

and Government and History for Citizenship test (G&H) to earn payment points

• Agency staff must be certified to administer the CIT• Agency staff follow administration manual guidelines to

administer the Government and History for Citizenship test

Data Reporting: • Follow the WIA II deadlines for quarterly data

(find in the Administrator’s Manual)

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CASAS Government and History for Citizenship Test (G&H)

CASAS Citizenship Interview Test (CIT) Both tests can be ordered from the CASAS

Catalog

CASAS Citizenship Tests

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Citizenship Interview Test

The CIT test administrator must be currently certified for students to earn a payment point.

To become a CIT test administrator, register for a self-paced online course at www.casas.org.

NEW--CIT Certification expires each year on June 30. Test administrators must be recertified every year between Jan 1 and June 30 each year. Recertification is done online. Test administrators will be notified about Recertification procedures each January.

Contact Michelle Chu, mchu@casas.org or at 1-800-255-1036 ext. 103 with questions or for information.

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Data Collection Required for EL Civics Agencies• Entry Record:

• Create upon entry into program• One for each EL Civics focus area a student attends • must be for an EL Civics designated class • EL Civics students must have instructional program of ESL (not ESL-

Citizenship)• Update Record:

• Create after > 12 hours of instruction• Update Record in either an ESL or EL Civics focus area

• Pre-Test/Post-Test: • All students, all programs • Can be from any focus area but must be for reading or listening

• Civic Participation only:• Additional Assessments

• Citizenship Preparation:• Citizenship Interview Test* • Government and History for Citizenship test* * Optional

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EL Civics Class Designation

• Designate the appropriate focus area for each EL Civics class in the TOPS Enterprise Class Lister.

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More EL Civics Information

Find at www.casas.org• 2013-14 Administration Manual for California

pages 14-17 (not yet approved)• Guidelines for 2013-14 El Civics Programs

(not yet approved)• Citizenship Preparation FAQs

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US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),

http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship Resources for:

• Learners• Teachers• Organizations

USCIS Resources

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Resources for Learners• Who can/should apply for citizenship?• How to apply for citizenship• Help to study for the test• Understanding Rights and Responsibilities• Naturalization Resources in Spanish

USCIS Resources (cont.)

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Resources for Teachers• Educational Products• Lesson Plans and Activities• Training Seminars• Training and Professional Development• Naturalization Information• Add Your Program to America’s Literacy Directory• Supplemental Resource Links

USCIS Resources (cont.)

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Resources for Organizations• Grant Program• Promising Practices• Program Development• Add Your Program to America’s Literacy Directory• Citizenship Public Education and Awareness

Initiative• Civics and Citizenship Toolkit• Libraries

USCIS Resources (cont.)

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Innovative Instruction – Delivery and Content Celebrating Success Promotion and Outreach Engaging the Receiving Community Addressing Barriers to Citizenship Civic Engagement Utilizing Volunteers

Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Promising Practices (CIGP)

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Using the list of Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Promising Practices (CIGP), review the section you are assigned and with your partner or group, select two Promising Practices that could be implemented at your agency.

Share those with the group.

Think About Your Program

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Who can answer your questions about WIA II/EL Civics?• CDE Regional Consultants

• Policy and Fiscal Issues

• CASAS Program Specialists*• Instruction, Assessment, Data Collection

• EL Civics Website• www.casas.org

*For a list of Program Specialists and CDE Consultants, go to www.casas.org and click on California EL Civics then click on WIA Title II Program Specialists Contact Information

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EL Civics Truth or Fiction?

Let’s go back and look at those Truth or Fiction questions:1. Each agency can only offer one El Civics Program,

Civic Participation or Citizenship Preparation2. Citizenship Preparation programs must give the

CASAS Government & History Exam and the Citizenship Interview Text (CIT).

3. The successful completion of the assessments in question #2 meet the requirements for US Naturalization.

4. CIT Administrators and G&H Proctors cannot be the classroom instructor.

5. Students can repeat an assessment, if they fail it the first time.

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Review Goals and Objectives

At the end of this session participants will be able to:• Identify the requirements of

the WIA II EL Civics Grant • Identify the requirements

specific to Citizenship Preparation

• Identify sources for resources for Citizenship Preparation Program

Aha!! What new things have you learned and will use or implement at your agency? Write them down.CASAS 2014 28

Reflection

• What have your written down on your Aha! sheet that you think will help you most as you implement EL Civics at your agency?

• When you get back to your agency, with whom will you share the information you have learned today?• Teachers• Support Staff• Administrators

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