Minnesota and The Alliance for Quality Career Pathways

ABE Summer Institute7/22/2013

Recent Federal Support for [Adult] Career Pathways

• Grantso Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HHS, 2010)o Workforce Innovation Fund and TAACCCT (round II) grants (DOL, summer/fall 2012)o Advancing Career and Technical Education in State and Local Career Pathway Systems

(OVAE, 2012)

• Guidance and TAo Federal Career Pathways Institute (DOL and ED, 2010-2011)o Joint letter of commitment to promote use of career pathways (DOL, ED, and HHS, April

2012)

• Evaluationo ISIS evaluation of career pathway programs (HHS, launched in late 2007; 10 year initiative)

• Looking forwardo Spring 2013: WIF “Pay for Success” modelo Rounds III and IV of TAACCCT o $8b Community College to Career Fund in the President’s FY14 budgeto $12.5b Pathways Back to Work in the President’s FY14 budgeto All indications are that the federal government will continue to support and promote

career pathways

State and Foundation Support for Career Pathways

• ~17 have explored or adopted career pathways for educationally underprepared adults and youth: AR, CA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MN, NC,OH, OR, PA, VA, WA and WI

• Several states have explored or adopted career pathways for high school-to-college

• Major national initiatives including:o Ford Bridges to Opportunityo NGA Pathways to Advancemento Breaking Througho Shifting Gearso Accelerating Opportunity

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The Alliance for Quality Career Pathways• National initiative funded by the Joyce Foundation and the James

Irvine Foundation; CLASP is the lead and facilitator• The goal of AQCP is to identify a framework that defines high-

quality career pathway systems • 10 Alliance States: AR, CA, IL, KY, MA, MN, OR, VA, WA, WI, • National Advisory Group of ~15 national organizations and experts

including NYEC, JFF, NSC, CORD, CEWD, Working Poor Families Project, Abt Associates, ConnectEd, and adult education and CTE state directors.

• The final product will be a customizable framework of criteria, indicators, metrics and a self-assessment tool that can be used to

Enhance the quality of existing career pathway efforts Develop high-quality new career pathway efforts; and Inform evaluation(s) of career pathway efforts.

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Two Parts of the Framework: Criteria/Indicators + Metrics

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Who’s Tracking the Alliance?• Federal Agencies

Federal Interagency Group on Career Pathways (Labor, OVAE, HHS) – Jan. 2013 presentation + CLASP asked to do regular updates

OMB meetings CLASP aiming to coordinate closely with OVAE Advancing CTE

• Other States Presentation at NGA winter workforce meeting – Feb. 2013

• The Field National Coalition for Workforce Education – Oct. 2012 Adult educators – March 2013 COABE presentation; Oct. 2013 USCAL Community colleges – February 2013 presentation at AACC/ACCT meeting CTE directors – April 2013 presentation

• Funders CLASP presentation to workforce funders – Feb. 2013 National Fund for Workforce Solutions – June 2013

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Working Definition of “Career Pathways”

Career Pathways: An approach to connecting progressive levels of basic skills and postsecondary education, training, and support services in specific sectors or occupations in a way that optimizes the progress and success of individuals – including those with limited skills and experiences – in securing marketable credentials, family-supporting employment, and further education and employment opportunities.

[Add: In our state, career pathways include…]

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Career Pathway Metric Goals• Allow career pathway systems to measure key results and

communicate these results to stakeholders• Capture milestones that are not captured by current

performance reporting requirements;• Support continuous improvement of pathway programs and

systems;• Provide a basis for a shared performance accountability

framework across multiple fund sources, • Are a “common language” across a variety of basic skills,

workforce, and postsecondary programs

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Federal Performance Standards Tied to Funding StreamsAccountability Provisions

Adult Education Perkins Postsecondary Programs

WIA Youth WIA Adults/Dislocated Workers

Employment-related outcome measures

Entered employment Retained employment

Placement or retention in employment

Placement in employment or education

Common: Entered employment Employment Retention 6 mos. Av. Earnings

Progress in education/ Skills-related measures

Educational gains (levels) Placement in postsecondary

education or training Receipt of secondary diploma

or GED

Technical skill attainment Receipt of industry-

recognized credential, certificate or diploma

Placement in employment or education

Literacy/numeracy gains Attainment degree or

certificate Younger youth retention

Statutory: Credential attainment

Setting performance levels

Negotiated between USED and states

Negotiated between USED & states

Negotiated between USDOL & states; states & local areas

Negotiated between USDOL & states; states & local areas

Incentives Incentive grants for exceeding negotiated targets under AE & WIA (adult, DW, youth)

None Same, but must meet at least 90% of target for each measure

Same, but must meet at least 90% of target for each measure

Penalties None; poor performance may put local contracts at risk

Financial sanction If no improvement in 1 yr. or failure to meet in 2 consecutive years

TA, required corrective action if below 80%, up to 5% financial sanction after 2 years; state sanctions on WIBs

TA, required corrective action if below 80%, up to 5% financial sanction after 2 years; state sanctions on WIBs

Existing Metrics by Funding Stream

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What metrics should be used? Alliance Convening Working Session Results

Consensus:Pathway education and training outcomes

Labor market outcomes Interim education and training outcomes

• Pathway license, industry certification or apprenticeship certificate attainment

• Pathway certificate attainment

• Pathway Associate degree attainment or transfer to a 2 or 4 year institution

• Initial employment retention

• Initial earnings

• High school equivalency or high school diploma attainment

• College-level pathway course completion

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What metrics should be used? Alliance Convening Working Session Results Less than Consensus…

Pathway education and training outcomes

Labor market outcomes Interim education and training outcomes

• Pathway Associate degree attainment

• Pathway credential attainment

• Employment at exit• Employment in targeted

industry sector• Subsequent employment

retention • Initial earnings gain/loss • Subsequent earnings • Subsequent earnings

gain/loss

• Educational level gains • Developmental/remedial education

completion • Employability credential attainment • College-level math or English course

completion • Retention in pathway coursework in

subsequent term • Pathway credit accumulation (15 credits) • Pathway credit accumulation (30 credits) • Pathway certifications and certificate

attainment• College level gatekeeper course

completion (suggested)

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How can we measure career pathway results?

Alliance states have a series of choices to make about how career pathway metrics would be applied:

Who is “on a career pathway?” How can we determine when someone has entered or

exited a career pathway? How can we determine which metrics are appropriate for a

specific career pathway, or program in a pathway? Do career pathways work better than non-career pathway

programs?

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Next Steps for career pathway metrics

• A beta framework will be field tested from July – December 2013

• Final work will be completed in 2014 after Alliance states have tested the appropriateness and usefulness of the criteria, indicators, and metrics.

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Minnesota’s AQCP TeamCP Alliance Traveling TeamMelanie Burns – MnSCUMarguerite Dummer – Hennepin Technical CollegeAlyssa Klein – DEED/VR, youth, disabilitiesJudy Mortrude – DEED/MN FastTRAC staffMark Toogood – TANF, DHSAnnie Welch – DEED/WDD 

CP Alliance Home TeamDoug Binsfeld – Central Lakes CollegeLeslie Crichton – DEED Rich Davy – DLIJulie Dincau – MDE ABE Meredith Fergus – OHELarry Hosch – DHSKaren Hynick – MnSCUAnne Kilzer – MWCA George Kimball – DOCBrian Paulson – GTCUWPat Pawlak – DOCNola Speiser – DEED/MN FastTRAC staffDeb Serum – DEED/PPMTony Thomann – Central MN Jobs and TrainingKatie Vacarie - MnSCU