Recommendation #2: Bridging/prep classes for students entering ASE or

GED classes

Oakland Adult and Career Education Summer Planning Project Subcommittee:

Nancy Altman (AWD/OAP)*Roger Chretien (ESL)*Deborah Gordon

(ESL)*Suzanne Ludlum (ASE/CBET/CTE)*Lisa Solon (ESL)

GoalBuild bridges and pathways

for ESL and CBET students entering ABE, ASE and/or GED classes with the outcome of obtaining GEDs and High School Diplomas with students better prepared to succeed in college and career

Rationale/BackgroundOACE wants to increase the

number of ESL and CBET students who earn a GED, a high school diploma and/or who are well prepared for community college and careers. This in turn will directly impact student achievement in OUSD. Bridging classes will bring more English learners into the ABE/GED program by providing them with the confidence and skills they need to be successful

Community College

ESL Intermediate

CBET (Intermediate

)

ESL Academic

Reading/Writing and/or

Core Content for GED

GED ABE ASE

FOR SHORT TERM/IMMEDIATE ACTION

Create and offer at least two bridging classes to give students the tools, support, and motivation they need to move beyond ESL into the ABE/ASE/GED Programs – and beyond

Action Step Completion Date

Staff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Determine target date and prerequisites for offering the first pilot foundation bridging class:

ESL AcademicAn ESL

reading/writing or GED class focused for students at the Intermediate ESL level and above

6/24/2009 ESL Administrator & TSAs

•Prerequisites •Target Date

Action Step Completio

n DateStaff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Determine target date(s) and prerequisites for offering second pilot bridging class

6/24/2009

Administrator & TSAs

•Prerequisites•Target Date

Action Step Completio

n DateStaff Involved Deliverable

(s)

Identify cross-departmental working group

10/9/2009

Administrators and Faculty

Decision on goals and roles

Action Step

Completion Date

Staff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Develop curricula and course evaluation tools

Fall 2009

Working group

•Curriculum•evaluation tools

Action Step

Completion Date

Staff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Conduct first pilot bridging classes

Fall 2009 ESL teachers

•Complete class•final assessments

Action Step Completion

DateStaff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Investigate and implement the role of distance learning and technology integration

11/1/2009 •Distance Learning Coordinator•Working Group

Identified Resources

Action Step Completion Date

Staff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Explore and set up professional development to support classes:•PLC•Writing Teachers Collaborative•Tech Circles

11/1/2009

•Working group•Distance Learning Coordinator•Tech Resource Teacher•Jacques LaCour•Pam Wong

•Minutes from meetings•electronic meeting space

Action Step Completion

DateStaff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Determine what other bridge classes might be appropriate for the winter session to be more inclusive of OACE students

11/1/2009 •Administrator•Working group

Flyer for new class(es)

Action Step

Completion Date

Staff Involved

Deliverable(s)

Analyze evaluations, refine curricula, determine next steps

December 2009

Working group

•Survey Monkey results•student feedback analysis•identification of next steps

Other Actions To Be Considered In Support Of This Recommendation

• Institutionalize a program to inform all OACE students when they enter OACE to consider the ABE/ASE/GED Programs as options as pathways to succeed in college and career This would also include strategies for off-site

Parenting Education/CBET classes – and outreach to the 50+ and AWD students

• Establish structure for cross-program lab access

• Investigate the use of the TABE E-Test (a test for students transitioning into ABE/GED/ASE) as an assessment tool

• Integrate periodic counseling/advisory forums, guest speakers, and tours into the academic bridging classes

EXPLORE/PLAN NOW FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT A LATER DATE• Explore Parenting Education sites where bridging

classes might be offered as a pathway to ABE/GED

• Create an additional academic bridging class – Writing/Research (computer-assisted) – to be offered in January 2010. This would include online research, report preparation, citations (MLA), and publication design (possible an iBest model)

• Create a preparation class for college-bound students to help them achieve their goals and to avoid remedial classes. This cover study skills, time management, study skills, and test-taking strategies

Future Considerations• Analyze the feasibility of creating

pathways in ESL to align with academic and career pathways (for Beginning High and above)

• With OUSD moving toward A-G standards, investigate additional academic bridge classes

• Set up a working group to explore the supports needed to integrate AWD (Adults with Disabilities) students into the ESL/GED/ASE Programs