AUTHOR Porter, Dennis; Turock, Betty TITLE Community Adult … · 2014-03-24 · DOCUMEMT RESUME ED 323 383 CE 055 778 AUTHOR Porter, Dennis; Turock, Betty TITLE Community Adult Education

DOCUMEMT RESUME

ED 323 383 CE 055 778

AUTHOR Porter, Dennis; Turock, Betty

TITLE Community Adult Education Information Services.Policy Option Paper on Strategic Recommendation 3.

First Edition.

INSTITUTION Adult Education Inst. for Research and Planning,Sacramento, CA.; Pacific Management and ResearchAssociates, Sacramento, CA.

SPONS AGENCY California Community Colleges, Sacramento. Office ofthe Chancellor.; California State Dept. of Education,Sacramento. Youth, Adult and Alternative EducationalServices Div.

PUB DATE 17 Aug 90

CONTRACT AEU-7147NOTE 83p.; For related documents, see CE 055 768-779.

PUB TYPE Viewpoints (120)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS *Adult Education; Community Education; *CommunityInformation Services; Databases; *EducationalAdministration; Public Libraries; *School Community

RelationshipIDENTIFIERS 353 Project; *California; Strategic Planning

ABSTRACTThis document addresses the recommendation regarding

community adult education information services in California's 1989Strategic Plan for Adult Education. It presents an analysis of thestate of the art, the nature of the California model, and four policyproposals to help guide its development. Chapter 1 offers a historyand summary of the recommendation and lists its objectives. Chapter 2is a review of relevant literature. Chapter 3 covers options forimplementing the recommendation, including: policy issues andoptions, an overview of options, criteria for evaluation of options,and a comparison of pros and cons of the alternative approaches.Chapter 4 contains the four policy proposals. (CML)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

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Adult Educationfor Research

2

Community AdultEducation InformationServicesPolicy Option Paper onStrategic Recommendation 3

First EditionAugust 17, 1990

Submitted to:

Adult Education UnitYouth, Adult and AlternativeEducational Services DivisionCalifornia Department of EducationSacramento, California 95814(916) 322-2175

Chancellor's OfficeCalifornia Community CollegesSacramento, California(916) 322-6880

Prepared by:

Dennis PorterConsulting Specialistwith Betty Turock, Ph.D.Chair, Library and Information StudiesRutgers University

Adult Education Institutefor Research and Planning429 J Street, Suite 400Sacramento, California 95814(916) 448-9063

Community Adult Education Information Services Page 1

Letter of Transmittal

Community Adult Education Information Services is one of fourteenrecommendations set forth in the Adult Education for the 21st Century: Strategic Plan toMeet California's Long-Term Needs. It addresses the need for comprehensive, impartialand readily available information about learning opportunities and to assist adults in selectingprograms which meet their needs.

06

This policy options paper discusses (1) the recommendation, (2) related research andmodels which help elaborate on the information services system, (3) initial policy issues andoptions, and (4) our proposals.

Based on this discussion, the Interim Steering Committee Members, its sub-committees, and leaders in the adult education programs and other interested persons canhelp us elaborate on and refine the proposals.

Dennis PorterPresident, Micro Methods

FIRST EDITION August 1990 4

Community Adult Education Information Services

STEERING COMMITTEE AND PROJECT STAFF

Page II

Interim Steering CommitteePAUL BELOMYPrincipalSanta Clara Adult School

GARI BROWNINGCATESOL RepresentativeCosta Mesa

CHARLES CARLSONDean el InsuuaionBakersfield College

LANI DEVINCENTISDean of Noncredit EducatiosGlendale Community College

Santa Clara Bakersfield Glendale

JAMLS FIGUEROA JEROME FINNIGAN RONALD GRISTOCK SANDRA HAMILTONAssistant Superintendent Education and Training Vice President Executive DirectorAdult/Occupational Education Xerox Corporation Community Affairs Southeast Los Angeles CantyLos Angeles USD El Segundo Wells Fargo Bank Private Industry C.omol, Inc.Los Angeles San Francisco Cerritos

NOREEN HANNA GREGORY HEARN AUGUST HUESCA THOMAS JOHNSONChair, ACSA Superintendent Provost, Adult Continuing Ed Assistant SuperintendentAdult Education Committee San Benito High School District North Orange County Conununity Adult & Alternative Education

Napa Hollister College District, Fullerton Hacked* La Puente USDLa Puente

PERCY JULIEN DARLENE LAVAL JERRY LEW HAZEL MAHONEDirector, Adult Education Board of Education Regional Training Coordinator SuperintendentOaldand Unified School Fresno Unified School District Kaiser Pelmanente Grant Join Union High SchoolDistrict, Oakland Fresno Regionsl HRD District, Sacramento

Oaldand

ANITA MARTINEZ SUZANNE MCCORMICK DANIEL MCQUILLEN CONSUELO NIETORepresentative, Academic Vice President, California Director ProfessorSenate for Calif Community Manufacturers Association Kern County Regional Occupational Graduate School of EducationColleges, San Francisco Service Corporation, Sacramento Program, Office of Kern County CSU, Long BeachCommunity College Superintendent of School, Mojave

BONNIE OLIVERDirector, Special Projects

HENRY PAGEPrincipal

J. CORINNE PRICEDirector

WALTER POPKINPresident, Califoenia Council

KCET-TV Educational Palo Alto Adult School Salinas Adult School for Adult EducationEnterprise Division Palo Alto Salinas MontebelloLos Angeles

DICK RANES JOE RICHEY LEONARD RIVERA FRANCES RUIZUnit Manager Executive Vice President Principe' ESL TeacherIBM Indusuy Education Council Whittier Adult School Corona-Norco Adult SchoolCosta Mesa of California, Woodland Whittier Corona

PRANY SANANEKONE ADRIANA SANCHEZ-ALDANA ROD SMITH JUANITA STANLEYAssistant Director, United ESL/Amnesty Resource Teacher Provost, Educational Cultural Executive DirectorCambodian Community, Inc. Sweetwater Union Complex, San Diego Community California Literacy, Inc.Long Beach High School District, Del Rey College District, San Diego San Gabriel

Adult Center, Chula Vista

GARY E. STRONG WILLIAM WENRICHState Librarian ChancellorCalifornia State Library San Diego Community CollegeSacramento District, San Diego

State Education StaffDOUG BURRIS RITA CEPEDA GERALD KILBERT RAY EBERHARDDeputy Chancellor Dean, Education Standards & State Director Program ManagerChancellor's Office Evaluation, Chancellor's Office Adult Education Adult Education UnitCalifornia Community Colleges California Community Colleges California Dept of Education California Dept of Education

NORMA MORRISAnalyst, Noncredit & CommunityServices Chancellor's OfficeCalifornia Community Colleges

KATHY WAR RINE RAnalyst, Basic Skills & Literacyauncellor's OfficeCalifmnia Community Colleges

Institute StaffFRED BEST, Executive DirectorBERNADETTE DAWSON, AssociateJLM McDONALD, Publications & Public InformationCUBA MILLER, Senior Associate

LYNDA SMITHProject MonitorAdult Education UnitCalifornia Dept of Education

ANAN NUGGIHALLI, Computer SystemsDENNIS PORTER, Consulting SpecialistABIGAIL SLAYTON, ConsultantVAN WOOLLEY, Senior Consultant

Adult Education Institute for Research and PlanningSacramento, California

5

Community Adult Education Information Services Page iii

AcknowledgementsThis paper was prepared with advice and information from many people. Adult

Education Institute for Research and Planning (AEI) appreciates the assistance provided sogenerously from the following persons.

The contents of this paper do not necessarily reflect the views or the followingpersons or institutions they represent:

Fred Best, Director, Adult Education Initials for Research andPlanning, Sacramento, California

William Hann, Associate Vice Chancellor, ManaganentInformation Services, California Community Colleges,Sacramento, California

Janet Haman, San Mateo County Department of Social Services,San Mateo, California

Norma Monis, Chancellor's Office, Califonia CommunityColleges, Sacramento, California

Dorothy Mozden Ward, Management Information Services,California Community Colleges, Sacramento, California

Kathy Waniner, anncellor's office. California CommunityColleges, Sacramento, California

Van Woolley, Vocational Assessment Consuhant, Sacramento,California


Community Adult Educdtion Information Services

Contents

Pagelv

Letter of TransmittalAdvisory Committee and Project StaffAcknowledgementsExecutive Summary

iiiiii14

I. Introduction and Overview 1

History and Summary of Recommendation 2Part of a Collaborative Infrastructure 5Objectives of the Information Services 9

II. Review of Literature and Information 11

General Literature and Background 11

Models and Proposals 16New Developments and Considerations 27Key Findings 30

III. Options to Implement Recommendation 31

Policy Issues and Options 31Overview of Options 47Criteria for Evaluation of Options 48Comparisons of Pros and Cons ofAlternative Approaches 48

IV. Proposals and Future Actions 55

Proposals 56Advisory Recommendations 59Future Actions 69

FIRST EDITION - August 1990

Conununity Adult Education Information Services Page v

This paper has been prepared under Contract 7147 from the AdultEducation Unit of the Youth, Adult and Alternative Educational ServicesDivision of the California Department of Education.

Pacific Management and Research Associates

429 J Street, Suite 400Sacramento, California 95814

(916) 448-9038

This paper has been prepared to summarize background informationand outline possible policy decisions. The contents of this paper do notnecessarily reflect the policies of the California Department of Education,Community Colleges, Interim Adult Education Steering Committee, or otherinstitutions.

FIRST EDITION August 19908

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Community Adult Education Information Services (Executive Summary) Page vi

Executive SummaryThe Community Adult Education Information Services recommendation

addresses the need for cross agency information about available learningprograms and services in the community. It combines the demandfor anelectronic cross agency information broker at one or more locations with theprovision of outreach, intake, assessment and guidance services. This paperpresents an analysis of the state of the art, the nature of the California model andfour policy proposals to help guide its development.

This paper addresses tbe need for and basic considezations in tbedesign of a Community Adult Education Information Services system. It isone of fourteen option papers addressing the recommendations proposed inCalifornia's 1988-89 Strategic Plan for Adult Education.

The paper is the first of three working papers on StrategicRecommendation 3, Community Adult Education Information Services.Each paper builds on the previous ones. Each is reviewed by a group ofselected advison. The analysis for die policy options paper is guided bybackground research and policy recommendations for the Adult Educationfor the 21st Century.

Objective: Isolate Policy Issues and Options.11.The focal objective of tbis paper is to isolate options for implementing

the proposed community adult education information services that can beassessed in the next stage of developmentthe feasibility analysis.

The proposed Adult Education Information Services are intended to becombined with recommendations to develop an Integrated Adult EducationData System and a credit-card-like Adult Education Access Cald(EduCardTh), to form the core of a "collaborative infrastmcnue". Itsconcept and design has been influenced substantially by the east coast"education brokering" movement and State of Michigan's HumanInvestment System.

The Community Adult Education Information Services will provideindividuals with assessments of their educational needs and impattialinfotmation about all available learning opportunities. This service wouldprovide a clearinghouse that uses state-of-the-an information technology toaccess existing individual educational records and information aboutprograms. These services could be located in a number of locations

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Community Adult Education Information Services (Executive Summary) Page vii

The proposedinformation-assessment-referralservice emphasishinges on providingthe adult learner withup to date informationon (1) availableservices, (2) anassessment oflearner's needs,(3) the learner'sentitlements andoptions, and(4) assistance inmaking informedchoices aboutavailable educationand training.

(e.g. libraries and counseling centers) as part of a cross-agency computernetwoit. The primary functions of these services would be to:

Provide individuals with impartial information sndguidance concerning tbe nature and quality ofalternative educational programs.

Publicize available educational opportunities andimprove understanding and access to these programs.

Consolidate guidance, counieling and certificationaervices Imo central locations for ease of access andcost-effectiveness (some guidance staff may remain atprovider sites to provide ongoing services).

Provide standard assessments of educational needs andcertification of demonstrated skills and knowledge(providers may still retain their own usesament andcertification procedures).

Provide "user friendly" resources to access informationabout programs (e.g. application of interactivecomputer systems with graphics, multi-lingual optionsand voice control to ease use).

Develop and maintain cross-agency data concerningthe participation trends, learning achievement ofindividual participants, and available openinp ineducational programs.

Each service location would be counselor-supported,and provide all adults with the information ;-eded tomake intelligent choices about their educationalaclivities. Efforts would be made to attract adults fromall walks of life while providing special resources toenure that educationally "disenfranchised" adults amgiven the support required to make importanteducational declaim.

The proposed information-assessment-referral service emphasis hingeson providing the adult learner with up to date infonnation cm (1) availableservioes, (2) an assessment of learners needr , (3) the learners entitlementsand options, and (4) assistance in mabng infonned thoices about availableeducation and training.

The involvement of employers in this system would offer methods tocreate public-private training programs or ieferrals to existing ones. Otherinnovative possibilities are suggested The conummity adult informationservices is part of the core of the education and basic skills training system.This services system will combine inter-agency resources to serve thedivezse needs and interests of adult learners.

Other Objectives

The community information services system must meet otherobjectives. It must reliably and accurately maintain information on theservice needs, the program environment, available services, learner needsand characteristics and program outcomes. It is expected that theinformation services will define program performance and will, eventually.

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Community Adult Education Information Services (Executive Summary) Page viii

be able to di:play the expected costs and learning expectations for different

types of learners likewise as learning moves away from seat time

measures of payment and achievement, the system will be able to repots

performance outcomes.

The need for these information and referral (181R) services in adult

education has grown as the result of important sociological anddemographic shifts in the United States. Several of these shifts are

projected to continue well into the 1990's. They constitute somewhat

discrete markets for learning services. Tbey include:

Need for Better Educated Work Force

Need to Reach Alienated LearoersGrowth of Women WorkersGeneral Need for Educational AccessIncrease in older and disabled workers

To date, there have been few dissmels for the types of cooperation

required for educational brokering. Each community has subsets of service

systems that have developed and maintained educational information

databases separately. For the most part, educational brokering services

have developed in three institutional environments:

Educational Counseling ServicesLibrariesSocial Agency Referral Services

nye areas of possible cooperation in providing educational brokering

services have been identified. These are: (1) directory publication,

(2) expert advice, (3) direct provision of information only, (4) direct

provision of guidance, information and referral, and (5) computer update

and records maintenance. These five areas of cooperation are piogreesive

levels of tbe same basic service provision. These service activities can be

divided into.sctive and passive categories or direct and supportive services.

The successful information servima programs have been patient in

their design and implementation. They have developed wide communitylinkages and involved tbe collaborating programs in the planning and in

operations. The importance of involving agencies with a history ofinnovation and clearly defining the cooperating agencies' roles is stressed.

Identified problem areas in implementing conmunity informationservices include the (1) lack of financial planning and available resources.

(2) the uneven transition from demonstration to institutional programs, and

(3) the lack of evaluative research on these programs.

In the descriptive model there are several sets of activities which can be

considered the probable domain of the community adult education infor-

mation services or an information services system. These functions are:

(1) Planning and Describing Programs

Develop and standardize program descriptions.Ongoing updates of information on progxams.Use of assessment and referral outcomedata to

evaluate and plan programs.Use of program participation and achievement data to

evaluate and plan programs.

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Community Adult Education Information Services (Executive Summary) Page ix

Use of post-program follow-up data to evaluate andplaifprograms.

(2) Maintenance and Use of EduCarttn, and IntegratedData System

Establish or update EduCarcing and inte3rateddatabase.Provide information about programs and options.

(3) Assessment and Placement of Learners

Learner checks into information service.Interview learner and collect intake information.Conduct, update or review mamma of skills endaptitude.Review and select prognm.Referral and pre-registration.

At the local level this databame will provide current information on(1) needs analysis, (2) services availabie and provided. and (3) assessmentsof the services provided. It is this thud reeponsibility which will prove themost troublesome and controversial as it superimposes a commonevaluative structure on the delivery of education Ind basic skills trainingrelated services. However, without this information, it is almost impossibleto determine whether the services are impacting tbe needs aind ',bother theservice providers are indeed delivering services effe ly. The Within ofthis evaluative function closes the planning and analysis loop to permit self-appraisal and cross-agency appraisal regarding needs versus services versusoutcomes.

Employer related informstion should be an information servicescomponent. Job listings, special orientation programs, listings of educationand skill requirements, and public-private training ventures should beincluded

Research to date does not provide a close model to emulate.Developmental wodc being done in Maim and possibly New Jersey willoffer some guklance, as will the Monroe county, New York and San Mateocounties information services systems. However, our inclusion of outreachas an I&R function and the requirement for a quite detailed and explicit setof provider data, makes tbe California model stand somewhat alone.

Policy Issues and Options

The development issues and options discussed are:

Level of CentralizationFunding ResponsibilityRecruitment of LearnersLevel and Nature of Staffing and Technology

These issues are selected because they must be examined beforewiditional feasibility analysis can move forward Readers are encouragedto identify other issues and options for inclusion during the advisoryprocess. There Are four basic issues identified which begin to define the

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Community Adult Education Information Services (Executive Sumns. y) Page x

featwes of the community information services. With each issue severaloptions are psesented. with the unkestanding that they could stimulateother issues aod option. They we:

Issue 1: Community Information ServicesSystem Model

(1) Centralize the Infonaation System - Centrulise allthe functions with one sponstrr.

(2) Ceonalize Information Services and DecentralizeAmematent. Plaowneat wad EduCardfs, Issuance -Centralise the isfonnation services and decentralimthe other functions.

(3) Let Local Stakeholders Decide - Set the overallgoals end standards and let the local stakeholdergroups decide.

Issue 2: Funding Community Information Services

(1) New State Legislation

(2) Assess Stakeholders Proponiantely

(3) Seek Research and Development (R&D) Funding

t4) Make Stakeholders Responsible, but Assess forInformation and Referral. and Computer Database

Issue 3: Encourage Proactive Outreach

(1) Centralize Outreach

(2) Decentralize the Outreach Ac.ivities

(3) Let Local Stakeholders Decide

Issue 4: Determine the Level aid Nature of Staffingand Technology

(1) Low Staff/High Tech

(2) High Staff/High Tech

(3) High Staff/Low Tech

Four staff proposals are made to refine the commuoity informationservices design. A balance is struck to select options that we effective, costefficient and acceptable to stakeholders. The evaluation criterion reflectthis balance. The importance of learner privacy is stressed as a criterion,but does not impact the proposals at this point

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Community Adult Education Information Services (Executive Summary) Page xi

Policy Proposals

Initially four ploposals have been made. Upon review by the Data andInformation Subcommittee of the Interim Steering Committee the proposah

were revised and expanded e) seven. The proposals are set kith in Exhibit1 and discussed in detail in the policy options paper.

Exhibit 1PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY

INFORMATION SERVICES SYSTEM

(1) Create a statelecal community lotormsdien servkessystem with optima for kcal augmentatiso.

(2) Centralise cemmity Wailed= services amassmentand maietesence weir owe agency subject tostakeholder guidance.

(3) Seek research and demonstration fends to bet* toimplement the model.

(4) Enable local stakeholders to determine their approach to

outreach.

(5) Adopt a community information system the anappropriate nix of staff and technology.

(6) Design the community information services to serve tbeneeds of our diverse Mouse and culturalcannundties.

(7) Adopt and adapt the process of the CDE careerassessmaa model.

The next step is to research the feasibility of developing the communityinformation services system. Feedback from the Steering Committee andthe agency administrators will guide us. In particular we will continue torefine the issues and analysis by:

Continuing to research viable mrdels and elaborating its

feaunr.s.

Examining the tedmical feasibility of the system.

Assessing the usability and political feasibility of the model.

. Detailing legal kid statutory issues sod conditions.

Defining the costs of the development and operations of themodel within a five year context

The policy option paper for Recommendation 3 elaborates on thesemain points in describing and refining the community information services

system. It should be read =dully to fully understand tbe model and its

robust characteristics.

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Community Adult Education Aformation Services Pago 1

Chapter 1

Introduction and OverviewLearners need a comprehensive, impartial and easy to use

information service that provides skill assessments, counseling, and acomprehensive overview of available education and training services.

This paper addresses the need for and basicconsiderations in the design of a Community Adult EducationInformation Services system. It is one of fourteen optionpapers addressing the recommendations proposed inCalifornia's 1988-89 Strategic Plan for Adult Education.

This paper is the first of three working papers on StrategicRecommendation 3, Community Adult EducationInformation Services. Each paper builds on the previous ones.Each is reviewed by a group of selected advisors. The analysisfor the policy options paper is guided by background researchand policy recommendations for the Adult Education for the21st Century. Two other documents provide a background forthis paper:

California State Plan for Adult Basic Education,Adult Education Unit, Division of Youth, Adultand Alternative Educational Services, CaliforniaDepartment of Education, June 9. 1989

This plan sets the parameters fo; jlt.: StrategicPlan implementation over the next four years.

Workplan for Local Planning Consortia, AdultEducation Institute for Research and Planning,Adult 2000 Project, January 2, 1990 (Draft).

This paper outlines the specific steps to design andimplement the Strategic Plan and the selection ofdemonstration consortia sites.

These papers and plans are referenced in the report.Readers are encouraged to review these documents for a morecomplete background on the topic and the two related papers.

At the onset, it is important to emphasize that the plans andguidelines put forth in this paper are not intended to create a


Community Adult Education Irtformation Services Pat.: 2

monolithic edministrative structure that would inhibitinnovation and responsiveness at the local level. Rather, theyare presented to allow educational providers to maintain theirown mission and identity while participating in thedevelopment of a collaborative infrastructure of commonprocedures, performance measures, financial incentives anddecision making mechanisms that use market mechanisms toallow learners and community stakeholders to build uponexisting program successes.

The long-term goal is to improve the content and deliveryof educational services to adults who wish to pursue learningthrough institution+ other than four year colleges anduniversities.

This paper is organized into four chapters. These chaptersare as follows:

(1) Introduction and Overview of Recommendation(2) Review of Literature and Information(3) Options for Implementing Reizmmendation(4) Proposals and Future Actions

The focal objective of this paper is to isolate options forimplementing the irrOTz acu Iv Community Adult EducationInformation Services that can be assessed in the next stage ofdevelopment--the feasibility analysis.

This chapter will provide a history and summary ofProposal 3, explain how the information service wouldfunction as part of a "collaborative infrastructure", and specifyobjectives for the recommendation.

History and Summary of the Recommendation

The recommendation for community adult educationinformation services comes from a long-term planning processinitiated in October 1988 by the Adult Education Unit of theYouth, Adult and Alternative Educational Services (YAAES)Division of the California Department of Education (CDE). Itwas developed under the guidance of a twenty-six memberAdult Education Advisory Committee appointed by StateSuperintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig. Their chargewas to develop a long-term vision of adult education in the 21stcentury.

The proposed Adult Education Inturmation Services areintended to be combined with recommendations to develop anIntegrated Adult Education Data System and a credit-card-like


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Adult Education Access Card (EduCardnj, to form the core ofa "collaborative infrastructure". Its concept and design hasbeen influenced substantially by the east coast "educationbrokering" mevement2 and State of Michigan's HumanInvestment System.2

The exact text of Recommendation 3, as it appears in thefull-length version of Adult Education for the 21st Crntury, isas follows:

There is an latent need to provide adult turners withcomprehensive, impartial end easily accessible informatkm aboutavailable educational opportunities and help learners chooseprograms that best meet their needs. Most communities havemany excellent etiucational programs. But users of adulteducation, whether they be individuals or businesses, arecommonly lost when they seek an overview of available programsand information about the quality of programs and bow they servespecific needs. Further, many adult learners are frustratedbecause they do not receive adequate assemments of theirlearning needs to help them choose amceg alternative programs.As a result, the value and ultimo performance of existingprograms is being undercut by the inability of UM to find theprogram that best suits their goals.

The role of the Community Adult Edict:don InforneadonServices will be to provide individuals with assessments of theireducational needs and impartial information about all availablelearning opportunities. This service would provide aclearinghouse that uses state-of-the-art information technology toaccess existing individual educational records and informationabout programs. These services could be located in a number oflocations (e.g. libraries and counseling centers) as part of a cross-agency computer network. The poimary functions of theseservices would be to:

1 Bony Turock, *The Education Bickering Movement," School of Laney and Information Senims, Rutgen University, NewJersey, December 1919.

2 The idea for a Canmunity Adult Ilditcatiro Limed= Services mom we in pen, modeled after Jbll Hunan InvestmentSystem cunently under development in the Stale al Michigan. Under leadenhip from the Governor, Whig= hod crested a CabinetCouncil of Human Investment to implement &Niemand drives" invesonsee of MOM menace development system in toresearch indicating that the sloe was facing sedan ribbon in providing an educated and veined workforce. An Adult Llemcy TaskForce had found a male of propane and MOW= with differing intake police', 'eligibility policies aod outcome abode. Itreconunended polices tc coordinate services and enable the learner to make choices on bow sod when a obtain basic idtMs winingand education. Central to the hfichigan system are (l) die integration al hymn soviets delivery pivgenns, (2) a statewide itformatianservices system, and (3) an integrated date system whith features the um of a Icemen Individual smut credit card to maintain his orher service infamation. One of the Indy poducts has bees a dew:tory of job training and ahead services that identifies state andlocal, by county, agencies and prugenus that have official responsibilities with the some 60 job asking programs in the state.Participle coajones are identified bticons_for quick moccnition (Croak: a Daman Investment Solna: Report to the Crosoraor,Michigan Joh Training Coordinating Carnal, Much On: The Michigan Haman Investment Fatal sad theMkitigast Opportuni(yCard, State of Michigan. January 1919; and Investing he People: A Directory o Mk/siva': Jo Training sad Nista! Services,Governor's Office for Job Training, Vol. 4. 1988).


Community Adult Education hiformation Services Page 4

Provide individuals with impartial information andguidance.' concerning che nature and quality ofalternative educational programs.

Publicize available educational opportunities andimprove undersumding and access to these programs.

Consolidate guidence, counseling and certificationservices into central locations for ease of access andcost-effectiveness (some guidance shma may remain atprovider sites to provide ongoing services).

Provide standsrd amessments of educational needs andcertification ci demonstrated skills and bow ledge(providers may sill retain their own summon sadcertification procedures).

Provide "user friendly" resources to access informationabout programs (e.g. application of interactivecomputer systems with grephics, multi-lingual optionsand voice control io ease use).

Develop and maintoki cross-agency data concerningthe participation trends, learning achievement ofindividual paracipants, and available openinp ineducational programs.

Each service location would be counselor-supported,and provide all adults with the information needed tomake intelligent choices about their educationalactivities. Efforts would be made to attract adults fromall walks of life while providing special relocates toensure that educationally "disenfranchised" adults aregiven the suppcet required to make importanteducational decisions.

Recommendation 3ADULT EDUCATION INFORMATION SERVICES

Establish local centers linked to a "user friendly" computernetwork to provide individuals with:

Impartial and comprehensive information aboutthe availability and quality of educationalprograms.

Assessments of individual educational needs.

Assistance in choosing and enrolling in theprogram that best meets individual needs.

Linkage to a statewide computer network tofacilitate transfer of individual recceds to newlocations.

These services should be available through existing facil-ities such as libraries and school guidance centers.,

3 Guidance refers to the process of assisting learners in understanding and making decisions regarding pogrom options. Theguidance process is facilitated by the program, labor market, and other information available in ihe community information servicessystem.


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Additional benefits would also come from these services.First, use of such services should increase the quality ofeducational decisions, and thereby reduce provider expensesresulting from course changes and dropouts. Second, suchfacilities would fill an important gap by helping the smallbusinesses that create most new jobs, but are commonly unable toafford education mid training promise, to achieve easy access toeducational services suitable to esch individual employee.Fmally, the computer network used to provide these servicescould serve as an information hub to enhance the recruitment oftargeted learner groups. For example, neighborhood outreachworkers equipped with modem-linked laptop computers orTV-linked interactive terminals might canvas neighborhoods toprovide assessment and guidence services.

Components of the Commonalty Alla lidacationInformant'', Semites already exist. However, the full nage ofservices envisioned in this proposal have not yet bees combined.In Florida, for example, legislation has created experimental"literacy centers" at four conununity colleges and adult schools.They provide intensive outreach and recruitment, multi-mediapublicity campaigns, and free instructional materials to boshtutors and student. All these centers are prohibited fromproviding direct instruction. Along a similar line, a number ofcommunity Educational Brokering Centers were established inNew York, Florida and other states during the 0701 to provideinformation and guidance about a broad range of adult andcontinuing education opportunities.

The above text and discussion of Recommendation 3 willbe used as a guideline in developing options for implementingthe Community Adult Education Information Service.

Part of a "Collaborative Infrastructure"NNOM

The community adult education information servicesrecommendation addresses the need for cross agencyinformation about available programs and services within acommunity. The concept combines the need for an electroniccross-agency "clearinghouse" with one or more locations andcomprehensive pidance and counseling services wherelearners can receive assessments of their needs and programsbest suited to meet their needs. These services are to beprovided in a supportive and easy-to-use setting.

The proposed information-assessment-referral serviceemphasis hinges on providing the adult learner with up to dateinformation on (I) available services, (2) an assessment of



The involvemetuof employers inthis system wouldoffer methods tocreate public-private trainingprograms orreferrals toexisting ones.

learner's needs,4 (3) the learner's entitlements and options, and(4) assistance in making informed choices about availableeducation and training.

Recommendation 3 also stresses that special efforts bemade to itcruit the hard to serve and illiterate (disenfranchised)adult learner into the service system. These efforts andassociated counseling must optimize tradeoffs between skilldeficiencies and the prospective length of education. Learningstyles and alternative modes of education and training must beconsidezecl.

The involvement of employers in this system would offermethods to create public-pnvate training programs or referralsto existing ones. Oft.. innovative possibilities are suggested.The community adult information services is part of the core ofthe education and basic skills training system. This servicessystem will combine inter-agency resources to serve thediverse needs and interests of adult learners.

As noted above, the Information Service would be closelylinked with two other strategic recommendations:

Recommendafion 8 - Integrated Adult Education DataSystem

Recommendation 4 - Adult Education Access Card(EduCardna

The information services combined with these twoproposals would constitute the core of a "collaborativeinfrastructure." This infrastructure is intended to betterintegrate diverse education and training program through theefficient flow of information.

The electronic listing of provider and needs informationwould be expected to include up to date information onprogram and course openings, schedules, requirements andcosts. Tomorrow's adult education process begins with apotential learner or group of learners (e.g. a business or publicagency may also refer persons to pursue literacy, job skill orother types of learning).

Individual learners go to a Community AdultEducation Information Service Center.

Upon arrival at the center, learners present theirAdult Education Access Card (EduCardTh). Newlearners so through an intake process and areissued their EduCard,..

4 Ideally a local assessineka approach will make provision for specinlised testing like vision and dyslexia as well es work samplingapproaches.


Community Adult Education Infonnadon Services Page 7

This card is wed to access individual educationalrecords and program eligibility status frum an;ntegrated Data System.

Existing educational records would provide infor-mation on the learner's skill attainment and educa-tional needs in terms of standard PerformanceMeasures used by all participating instructionalproviders as well as other assessment tools.

If initial or further assessment is needed, thelearner can request further tests and counselingwith resources available through the EduCardm.New assessment records and assessment costs areinteractively entered into an Integrated DataSystem (See Exhibit 1).

Once assessments determine the needs of the learner, acombination of guidance and interactive informationtechnology is used to provide an impartial overview ofprograms that meet the learner's needs. This will includeInformation such as the educational objectives of the programs,cost to the individual participant (if any), duration andscheduling, location, special features, assessments ofperformance, satisfaction of prior participants, and certificationstatus in accord with state and regional program QualityStandards. Once educational options are presented anddiscussed, the individual selects the proyam that best meetshis or her learning goals. A quick check is made to insure thatthe program has an opening and the learner is referred to theprogram (See Exhibit 1).

The learner "checks in" with the program of choice(e.g. appears at locations, downloads through a modem linkedto a home computer, rents a portable interactive instructionalmodule, or meets a tutor). Upon checking in, the learnersubmits his or her EduCardm which is used like a credit card tobegin a billing process for services in accord with a system offunding policies and procedures designed to encourageprogram improvement, responsiveness, innovation andalternatives.


21

Community Adult Education It ;formation Services Page 8

Exhibit 1HOW ADULT LEARNERS RECEIVE SERVICFS

IAIndividualSelf-ReferredLearners

Lamers Refuted byOther Schools and

AkscddPf°71fr

Larsen ReferredbY *yen

I. ASSESSI4ENT OF EDUCATIONAL NEEDSLEM111211 use Commtmity Admit Mead= Informed= ServiceCenter to Recall Existing Educational Adlitfteellt RecordsElectronically through His or Her EdsCord (Adalt EducationAccess Card) and Obtains Perther Assessment as Neededto Determine Learning Goals and Eligibility for Program

REVIEW AND SELECT PROGRAMLearner uses Community Adak Education Infcrmation ServiceCenter to Oet Overview of Alternative Educational Programsand Selects Programs that Beat hket Individual Goals andDelivery Needs.

PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMLearners use EduCards (Adult Education Access Card) toEwa in One or Mut Programs.

Computer InteractiveAssisted VideoInsulted=

41 IIT.V. Courses

1

IL

Ousmom On-the-Job TutorIniarocdon Training

°then

COMPLETION AND PAYMENT FOR PROGRAMLearners Pay for Insuuction with die EduLlird (AdultEducation Access Card) and Documentadon of Participation isEntered into the Edumtional Records that are Accessibleby the Card.

22


Objectives of the Information Services

The key objective of the community information servicescomponent is to facilitate access of individuals to the bestpossible education and training via easily accessible andcomprehensive information. To accomplish this key objective,this service must meet other objectives. It must reliably andaccurately maintain information on the service needs, theprogram environment, available services, learner needs andcharacteristics and program outcomes. It is expected that theinformation services will define program performance an,1 will,eventually, be able to display the expected costs and learningexpectations for different types of learners. Likewise aslearning moves away from seat time measures of payment andachievement, the aystem will be able to report performance.(See Exhibit 2).

Exhibit 2OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY

INFORMATION SERVICES

SIMPLIFY AND STREAMLINE LEARNERPARTICIPATION

Proactive OutreachOne Stop Shopping for AssessmentPublic Information on ServicesCorsolidate and Standardize Provider InformationCounseling AssistanceStandardize Assessment

MAINTAIN DATA ON SERVICE NEEDSLearner NeedsEmployer NeedsLabor Market Needs

MAINTAIN DATA ON AVAILABLE SERVICFSEducation ServicesTraining ServicesAssessment and Testing ServicesEntitlement and Scheduling Services

MAINTAIN IMPACT DATA ON SERVICESDELIVERED

History of Learner ServicesStatus of Present ServicesMeasures of Successful Services

MAINTAIN DATA ON SERVICE COSTSBased on Service TypesBased on Learner CharacteristicsBased on Provider Characteristics


Community Adult Education hVormation Services Page 10

In many ways, these objectives are the same as theobjectives for the integrated athdt education data system. Thechief difference is that information included in this componentwill be, for the most part, summary information. In this sensethe community information services network will serve as therepository for community level information regarding adultand basic skills education needs, options, and outcomes.



Chapter 2

Review of Literature andInformation

The community adult education information services concept evolvesfrom the community based information and referral services and the morerecent educational brokering movement.

Social service information and referral (I&R) servicesbegan in England during World War II to assist personsneeding social and medical services as a result of the bombingattacks.5 During the 1960's the greatly expanded U.S. federalroie in promoting social, educational, and employment andtraining services led to the need and interest in I&R strategies.'

General Literature and Background

Information and referral services tend to develop forspecific functions or audiences. For example, the OlderAmerican's Act recurred the Administration on Aging to usefunding to support l&R services for senior citizens. Likewisefedually sponsored employment and training programs havelong required supportive services linkages including outreachand referral to augment their own activittes.7

luring the 1970's education began experiencing dramaticchanges. To offset the decreasing number of 1-21 year olds,colleges and universities began to reach out to adult studentswith new options tailored to the mature individual. The resultwas a bewildering maze of part-time degrees, credit byexamination, credit for life expertences, external degrees, home

ICahn, Alfred, Neighborhood loferesation Coolers: A Siedy dad Some Proposals, Columbia University School of Social Work,New Yak, 1966.

6 Much of the background research is drawn from a recent paper commissioned by the Adult Education Institute for Research andPlanning. The author, Dr. Betty Turock. is co-stehor of this paper. See Turock,_ Betty "The Educational Brokerin Movement,"Adult Education Institute for Reserrch and Planning, SeallThentO, Califon* Denet 1989.

7 Mobilizing multi-agency resources seeks to stretch limited funds, link services that would otherwise be unavailable, and teethtargeted groups difficult to save. The success of these ventures is largely dependent on the mid4evel collaborations, formal and ad

hoc, that occur among service delivery agencies.


-;

Community Adult Education Informadon Services Page 12

The need forthese 1 ciR servicesin adult educationhas grown as theresult of importantsociological anddemographic euftsin the UnitedStates. Several ofthese shifts areprojected tocontinue well intothe 1990's. Theyconstitutesomewhat discretemarkets for....arning services.

study, correspondence courses, and credit banking foreducational mobility. All of this was superimposed on themore traditional programs at community colleges, vocationalschools, and the vast array of learning opportunities in extantadult education, employment and training, libraries andcommunity based organizations.9

The 'need for these MR services in adult education hasgrown as the result of important sociological and demographicshifts in the United States. Several of these shifts are projectedto continue well into the 1990's. They constitute somewhatdiscrete markets for learning services. They include:9

Need for Better Educated Work Force. More thanhalf of the working adults are employed in serviceoccupations. This mulles a better educated laborforol. Most Americans seek education for careerconcerns. Thus, the most successful educationalbrokering services have occurred when educationalopportunities have impacted the economic vitality ofthe local community.

Need to Reach Alienated Learners. Roughly half ofthe U.S. adults still have less than a high schooldiploma. This necessitates an extensive market forservices to help the discouraged and less educatedlearner find education experiences best suited to his orher life goals. Education has frequently failed thisgroup. They often see themselves at fault and as aresult are in a double bind. On the one hand they neededucation while having had rejecting associations withfts sources. When the need for more educationbecomes so important that they must break out of thebind, they look for nontraditional educational routesand sources. This need is expected to expand in thefuture.

Growth of Women Workers. The large number ofwomen entering or reentering the labor force is a thirdmarket Often they are convinced that their experienceand training are obsolete with the consequent lack ofconfidence in their ability to compete foremployment." This group overlaps the other threemarket segments.

General Need for Educational Access. Researchindicates that "almost everyone" undertakes one or twolearning efforts a year. The median is eight projects a

Turock, Op. Cit., page I.

9 IbJd. page 2.

10 geny I. Throck. "Women's Information and Referral Service Asks Community for Answers; Wilma Library Bodkilia. April1975, pages 568-572.

FIRST EtornoN - August 1990

26

Community Adult Education hjormation Services Page 13

The educationbroker's role istwofold: (1) buildthe database ofavailable services,and (2) assist inthe client selfassessment.

year involving eight distinct areas of knowledge andskill. This self motivated independent learner mayspend on the average of 700 hours a year in limning."

These adult learninf markets have led to the need for whatis called the "education brokaing" service. Educationalbrokering is defined as an information service designated tomatch adults who have educational needs with the means tomeet these needs. Most frequently this results in a hybridprocess of combining guidance counseling with informationand referral. The education broker is a person or service thatmediates between the learner and the agencies or institutionswho offer learning services (the provider). The learner'sdecision criteria commonly includes provider characteristicssuch as (1) enrollment policies, (2) entitlements, (3) prognunofferings and timetables, (4) costs and (S) exit requirements.The education broker helps make sense of the tangle ofinformation, while at the same time helping the learner makeself-assessments aimed at clarifying future learning goals.12

The education broker's role is twofold: (1) build thedatabase of available services, and (2) assist in the client selfassessment. The former is derived from provider uestion-naires, phone interviews and face to face contacts. Personalcontact is the preferred method of information collection. Thepersonal contacts and feeling for the providers is far superior toelectronic data.

Learner guidance is more an art than a science. Trust is thekey. However, it is not unusual to find there is often adistasteful residue of prior experience with high school andcareer counselors which is hard to overcome.n Unfortunately,career and vocational assessment is often overlooked or treatedso casually as to be meaningless. Within the processesproposed for the EduCardni and Community InformationServices there must be substantial attention paid to assessmentand to getting provider agencies to reexamine their attitudesand policies regarding learner assessment.14

11 Allen Tough, The Ad Ws Lemming Praises:. lad).

12 The evolving model of the Cffilifornie bituminous functions is ensuing common approaches to learner asessamew as well asassuring the special tasting services are available for /earner wishing or needing emended auessmere. See the Poky Ophas Paperon the EdaCardru and the Parley Oplian Paper as Omsk Slander& and Perfamaxee Medway*.

13 A recent study for the Nuked Occupational Information Coordinating Comminee (NOICC) found that jest 41% ot the wodtenhold jobs that they had planned. Among those without high school degrees only 21% had planned their jobs and 25% of dist grouphad taken the they could find. lulliette Lester, bamOve Director of the NOIC nosed that these is a strong need forgovernment and counselors to improve the way they educate the public about career opportunities. "Woiking at the Wrong Job,"Sax Fraxeisee Ismael*. January 12, 1990, pages C-1 and C-4.

14 Convenation between Dennis Poner and Van Woolley, Career/Vocational Assessment Cranium. See also Van Wooky andJanice Leine, 7 ireerNeedaissal Asseuxuat Model for Leaning Handkopped Slaw*: A liandhook. for the Diagnostic Schoolfor Neurolozp ally Handicapped Children, California Deputment of Educauon, (Draft), July 1, 1981; and A Vocational Assume*Model, Work G oup co Vocational Assessment, Speciaload Programs Branch, California Department of Education, April 1956.



Recent Vocational Education Act research suggests aneight step assessment process.0 This includes (1) screeningand providing an orientation for clients, (2) conducting aformal interview, (3) conducting a medical taming,(4) determining educational achievement, (5) discoveringvocational interests and goals, (6) conducting interest inven-tories, (7) developing individual learning and employmentplans, and (8) offering referral information (See Exhibit 3).

ExhibitEIGHT STEP ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

1. Screening and Providing an Orientation for Clients2. Conducting a Formal Interview3. Conducting Medical Screening4. Determining Educations! AchievementS. Discovering Vocational Interests and Goals6. Conducting Interest Inventories7. Developing an Individualized Education and

Employment Plan6. Offering Referral Information

The approach recommended in the EduCardn, policyoptions paper favors a three stage process which is clientsensitive.0 The stages are: (1) preliminary screening,(2) initial agency screening and (3) vocational exploration andwork sampling (See Exhibit 4).

Exhibit 4PROPOSED EDUCARDTM THREE-STAGE PROCESS

Stage 1: Preliminary Screening

Stage 2: Initial Agency Screening

Part A - Prevocational AssessmentPart B - Basic Vocational Aptitude

State 3: Vocational Exploration and Work Sampling

The term "career" addresses assessments focused on thelearner's career development process. The first stage ispreliminary screening primarily using career and vocationalinterest inventories and paper-pencil aptitude tests. Stage I

15 Felan, Blanche Z., Establishing and Administering Consmunity Collor Vocational Assernstan Center, 2nd edition. U.S.Depamnent of Education, Office of Ethicational Research and Improvement. ED 300060, 19118.

16 Woolley, Ibid.



screening can be integrated into career guidance classes orworkshops. The information helps learners in career decisionmaking with counselors or advisors helping examine therealism of these decisions. An ideal plan includes local labormarket implications, education and training options and aproposed sequence of learning needed to rewl designatedgoals.

Stage U addresses formal and informal assessmenttechniques used to screen learners into job training orplacement programs like vocational education, ROP, JTPA,and GAIN. The targeted learners are persons identified inStage I as not being ready for enrollment or placement Theseassessments include interviews, structured observathas,interest inventories and problem solving vocational aptitudetests.

Stage M is work sampling and vocational exploration forpersons who are still shown to be not ready for enrollment orplacement in learning or employment. These assessments aremore rigorous job task and work performance in nature.

To date, there have been few channels for the types ofcooperation required for educational brokering. Eachcommunity has subsets of service systems that have developedand maintained educational information databases separately.For the most part, educational brokering services havedeveloped in wee institutional environments:

Educstional Counseling Services. An educa-tional guidance service environment in whichinformation about test scores and aptitudes may belearned and related to appropriate parts of aneducational database.

Libraries. A library, neighborhood or communityinformation ceiaer, most often staffed withinformation and library personnel.

Social Agency Referral Services. A socialagency/community I&R service, usuallyadministered and staffed by social work oremployment and training personnel, and often runin conjunction with local governments.

The lack of integration of brokering activities among theseenvironments has at once lead to incomplete information andduplication of efforts. Limited resources and agency-specificgoals frequently exclude important brokering information andlinkages. At the same time, the lack of communicationbetween agencies concerned with brokering commonly causesinefficient and counter productive duplication of effort.



Five areas of possible cooperation in " 'dins educationalbrokering services have been titled. Theseinclude: (1) directory publication, (2) expert advice, (3) directprovision of information only, (4) direct provision of guidance,information, and information and referral, and (3) computerupdate and records maintenance. These five areas ofcooperation are not different kinds of activities, but progressivelevels of the same basic service provision. These serviceactivities can be divided into active and passive categories ordirect and supportive services.

One study of twelve community directories of adultlearning activities concluded that the most useful directoriesaddressed a limited geographic area and that agency andvolunteer cooperation made it possible to distribute thedirectories very inexpensively. It was also found thatgovernment grants were an important funding source. Theusual developers were libraries, colleges and universities, andadult education associations. Development time took about sixto nine months.17

These factors and implications are explored further in thenext section on models and proposals.

Models and Proposals

This section builds our initial development steps byexamining extant models and proposals. Our developmentalprocess may lead us to recommend aspects of several modelsand proposals as initial policy choices to guide furtherdevelopment.

WORKING MODELS

Research shows four library-based models of educationalbrokering. The public library is traditionally a place ofindependent, self-planned, self-directed education, backed bygroup learning programs, and in some cases one-to-one tutorialarrangements. Here, learners can study at their own pace andact as joint planners of their learning programs with librarians.In this process they must assess their own needs and interests,and set their own goals. The librarians act as the learner'sadvisors, and the libraries provide the learning materials.These library based brokering and guidance services are mostsuccessful when they are developed in collaboration with othereducational agencies. However, cooperation in educational

17 Sharon A. 51auehaugh, A Study of Comprithetutve Adult Educalioa Umtata, Muter's Thesis, the Graduate School.Univenity of Minnesou, ED 159361, 1979.


Community Adult Education Information Services Par 17

brokering does not always proceed from identification' ofparticipants to implementing an action plan. Theis too often infixmal with no plan for providerdeveloped along functional lines, relying on institutionalstrengths.

1 liiiS. i I 11 I

Forsyth County Public Library

This service has been operating for over fifteen years. Itwas developed in cooperation with other regional educationalagencies aft substantial planning. Dr. Turock served as astaff member when the service was started and funded. Todayit serves over 20,000 people annually from eleven libraries inthe urban and rural areas of Winston-Salem and environs. Theservice emphasizes career choice and selection, jobinformation skills and financial aid for education. Grantwriting courses were added when no educational supplier wasevident. Accccding to Dr. Turock, this service system isconsidered a model for the southeastern U.S. It has receivedfoundation and federal education funding. A major measure ofsuccess is the ability of this adult education information serviceto continue to operate through area and regional funding.

Montclair Public Library

This initiative began as a joint venture with the then newlyestablished Thomas Edison College (now Edison StateCollege), New Jezsey's university without walls. The cowas looking for a recruitment and counseling site innortheastern part of the state. The library, a main facility and abranch in an affluent suburb, supplied the space and the collegebrought the counselor and furniture. The library staff suppliedI&R services about educational provams. The services wereso successful that one year after its inception, that the collegewas funded for a permanent site in nearby East Orange.

The public relations aspects of this approach should benoted. A videotape describing the services was shown on anongoing basis in the library's foyer. News media from nearbyNew York city gave it favorable attention, and brochures andflyers were distributed to libraries around the state. The librarysupplied the PR specialist, who was paid by Thomas EdisonCollege.

Monroe County, Library System

The Monroe County model began with the 1972 LibraryServices and Construction Act funding from the U.S.Department of Education. New York's Monroe CountyLibrary System has an urban information center community



information service which includes educational information.This county system, consists of 75 libraries covering 4,000miles of urban and suburban communities. Its top priority wasto develop and publish a Hun= SerWas Mateo as a toolfor agenciet, institutions and individuals who wished tosubscribe. The on-line computer directory, available throughterminals in the liteary connected to the county's .41..111facility began operation in 1974. It is updated ann y ancisold to regional agencies.

The directory is organized by agency. Information includesaddress, phone number, administrator's name, service hours,area served, eligibility requirements, fees, procedures, andwhether waiting lists wait for services. Directcey indexes areprepared cross referencing agency information by type ofservice, subject of service, popular name and zip code. During1978-80 the number of requests avetaged about 200,000 perannum. Now the database is produced on two microcomputers,making provider and institutional access much easier.

Dr. Turock has noted that the major strength of this modelwas the detailed planning that went into its development Thisplanning looked at prior experiences, the objectives, on-goingsupport and public information. In conducting their initialneeds assessment, two market panels were formed: one madeup of potential learner's advocacy groups and one made up ofrepresentatives from educational agencies. These panels wereorganized to reflect unique groups with different educationalneeds. Their task was to define brokering services programsfor these unique groups.15

New York Job Information Centers

New York has been a long time leader in brokeringeducational information. A successful network of JobInformation Centers (JIC), free of charge, is still working in itsregional library systems. The JIC con - t began in theYonkers Public Library in 1972 with a $15, grant from theU.S. Department of Labor.

Today's New York JIC services vary according to the localenvironment. Howevu, several services are central to them:

The New York State Employment Servicesupplies the libraries with computerized daily joblistings on microfilm, which are made directlyavailable to the job seeker.

18 Turock. Op. CIL, pages 14-15.


i,


The libraries post job listings from privateagencies and employers, and compile informationabout agencies serving job seekers.

Classified ads from local newspapers aredisplayed in English, and often in Spanish andother foreign languages.

Special publications like "Your Job and YourFuture," produced by the Yonkers Public Library,are available to provide listings of training andemployment agencies.

There is an active ongoing JIC promotionalprovam.

Forums are held with all aspects of employers,counselors, and training experts serving asresources.

The library does not serve as a placement agency, but as aclearinghouse for job opportunities and job seeking. Most jobinformation centers have specialized publications listing jobsfor women, minorities, and the handicapped. Specializationamong the JICs has led to a Bethlehem Public Library staffmember giving regular talks to older adult groups about joband employment information. Other libraries like MountVernon have created Career Information Services. InRochester the ITC concentrated on second career informationhelping women seeking to reenter the job market.19

In the mid 1980's New York developed a three phaseprogram to expand educational brokering and support servicesfor adult learners.

Phase I. Develop a literacy information andreferral system to link potential learners andvolunteers with service providers.

Phase II. Develop and install a computerizeddatabase for adult education. The databasecontains information on some 270 serviceproviders. Interested persons can call a toll-freehotline and are provided with needed informationat the time of their calls. In addition, a computergenerated report is given to providers regardingcaller interest and is available for callers withmore details and program referral information.

19 Mid, pages 16-17.

FIRST EDITION August 1990 :1 3


During the rust year 2,766 callers were referred to211 adult education providers.*

Phase III. This phase concentrated en regionalstaff development activities. Administrative andconsulting services viere provided along withsome 30 workshops, conferences, training sessionsand other events. About 400 instruct= andadministrators participated.

The Peninsula Library S stem CommunityInformation Frogram

The Community Information Program (CIP) is a project ofthe Peninsula Library System, a consortium of all the publiclibraries in San Mateo county. It also publishes the Directoryof Human Services for San Mateo County, provides a monthlyorientation to communay resources, and provides I&R servicesto librarians and other human service professionals. Mailinglabels for the database can be generated at any time for mass ortargeted mailings.

Criteria for directory listings are:

Governmental and private nonprofit organizationsproviding: health care, social services, recreation,legal aid, education or vocational training

Services provided to San Mateo county residents

Agency location within San Mateo county

Information searches can be done from the computerizeddatabase for agencies working in a particular area or providingspecific services. The searches and mail labels are free tononprofits while for-profits are charged both for the cost of asearch and for mailing the results.

The al also participates in and manages the Bay AreaInformation and Retrieval System (BAMS), a multi-countyventure of libraries and other human service agencies inAlameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateocounties. BAIRS is an on-line computerized database ofhuman service providers, resources, and communityinformation. BAIRS grew out of the CIP experience.

Both CIP and BAIRS services information is contained inone large file on a Stanford University mainframe computer,

20 Genem. Irma. "Support Systems for Adult Education: Final Evaluation Report," Bureau of Adult and Continuing Educationram Developmem, State University of New Yott, Albany, for the U.S. Depanment of Educatics. Office of Educaticmal Remarch

and t, ED 290390, 1907.



using the Stanford Public Information Retrieval System(SPIRES). This file contains 6,400 records of bay area serviceproviders and resources of which San Mateo County has over800 records. Operating costs for this bay area service wereabout $36,000 last year. The costs were for computer,programming and disk storage and university overhead

This I&R program began in 1974 with a Federal LibratyConstruction Act Grant. The information retrieval pordonbegan with the San Mite° County libraries linked to the thenStanford University computer via Teletype machines. Theyhave long since graduated itr the use of personal computers.

GAIN Employment Activity andReporting System (GEARS)

GEARS is a management information system (MIS)developed for the Los Angeles County G AIN program. Weinclude it in his discussion because it includes assessment,referral, eir bility, and multi-provider services in oneinformation vstem. The MIS also includes financial controland management and statistical on provam activities.nAccess to ir:ormation is restrictUfscording to multiple levelsof security.72

GEARti links directly to the county welfare paymentssystem, can assign learners to GAIN case managers, and trackthe learner through the service system. The computer basedassessment process includes an examination of educational,child care and support services needs in addition to thelearner's skills, work experience and employability. Educationand trainirg needs are matched with the learner's home andpotential providers.

Regarding the assignment of social services, child careeligibility is determined, payments made and costs monitored.Transportation costs to and nom training are calculated andpayments arranged. Other service needs like books and workclothing are determined on a case by case basis.

Contracts for education and tiaining services serve as thebasis for case (learner) monitoring. They can be printed on-line by the MIS.

GEARS is an example of a multi-purpose informatioisystem that takes on many of the qualities of a communityinformation services system. It demonstrates that there can belittle difference between a detailed MIS and aspects c! theCalifornia collaborative infrastructure model.

21 JTPA MIS in states like California and Washington also address muhi-progmm services and learner status and outcomes.

22 "GAIN Employment Activity and Reporting System (GEARS): Systemhouse, Cerritos, CA., February, 1990.

FIP ST EDITION August 1990


The successfulinformationservices programshave been patientin their design andimplementation.

Other Models

Other library based efforts include a toll-free centralizedbrokering service in Texas providing information on adulteducation services and class schedules. Problems encounteredincluded incorrect class schedules, difficulty in getting updatedservice and class information, documentation of reforah, andlack of information dissemination to instructors.

The Public Library Association (PLA) with assistance fromthe W.K. Kellog Foundation set up education informationcenters (EIC) in four test states (Nebraska, Washington,Pennsylvania, and Michigan) to develop information anddatabase services.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OFWORKING MODELS

This research suggests a set of strengths and weaknesseswhich should be considered in the design of the communityinformation services system. (See Exhibit 5).

The successful information services programs have beenpatient in their design and implementation. They havedeveloped wide community linkages and involved thecollaborating programs in the planning and in operations. Theimportance of involving agencies with a history of innovationand clearly defining the cooperating agencies roles is stressed.

Identified problem areas in implementing communityinformation services include the (1) lack of financial planningand available resources, (2) the uneven transition fromdemonstration to institutional programs, and (3) the lack ofevaluative research on the these programs.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of policy research oneducational brokering and federal legislation has been enactedin a scattershot way. Consequently, there is not a nationalpolicy encounging educational brokering funding. This isalso true at the state level. Some have suggested that a nationalassociation which would serve as an advocate for legislation,policy analysis and funding would help solidify attendon andmobilize the necessary resources to give the concept a chanceto succeed.23

23 Turoek. Op. Cit.. pages 21-22.


Community Adult Education Information Sovices Page 23

Exhibit SCOMMUNITY INFORMATION SERVICES

DESIGN CONCERNS

STRENGTHS:Long-term planning is essential.Stakeholden must be involved as partners in the planning.Develop and publish guidelines for service and disseminatethem widely.Seek out agencies with a history of innovation and receptivityto change.Try to ensure a long-term commitment to the concept.Negotiate the role and level of participation that eachstakeholder will play.

WEAKNESSES:Lack of financial planning can sink well-designed services.Plan for continued funding after the initial demonstration.Information updating on a timely basis is a major problem."Turf" problems combined with a lack of appreciation for theunique contributions of non-traditional as well as traditionaleducational program sources must be understood and worked(nit in negotiations.Educators may overestimate the importance ofcommunication and counseling services in brokering andunderestimate the importance of the information beingtransferred.The biggest problem is the absence of evaluation research oneducational brokering services. When the research exists it isnot systematic and relies on formative information.

CALIFORNIA'S"COLLABORATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE"

MODEL

To frame our further analysis, we begin with thedescriptive model of the proposed adult education and basicskills infrastructure. Exhibit 6 describes this set ofinterrelationships which we call the California "collaborativeinfrastructure".

FIRST EDITION August 1990 :17

II1 1

aPP

111011

11

I10ill

Mill 01

-1141la

A

1:8

yhiD

OI

<11

Community Adult Education Informarion Services Page 25

In this descriptive model there are several sets of activitieswhich can b.; considered the probable domain of thecommunity adult education information services or aninformation services system. How they are enacted is thesubject for policy analysis. These functions are:

(I) Planning and Describing Programs

(a) Develop and standardize programdescriptions

(b) Ongoing updates of information on programs(c) Use of asseument and referral outcome data

to evaluate and plan programs(d) Use of program participation and

achievement data to evaluate and planprograms

(e) Use of post-program Follow-up data toevaluate and plan programs

(2) Maintenance and Use of EduCardr. andIntegrated Data System

(a) Establish or update EduCardn, and integrateddatabase

(b) Provide information about programs andoptions

(3) Assessment and Placement of Learners

(a) Learner checks into information service(b) Interview learner and collect intake

information(c) Conduct, update or review assessment of

skills and aptitude(d) Review and select program(e) Referral and pre-registration

Based on these sets of probable functions, we can suggestat least some of the types of data elements that we would liketo see in the community adult education information servicesdatabase. They follow.

Community Information Services Database

It is expected that the community information servicesdatabase will include a standardized inventory of area andprovider based data (See Exhibit 7).

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Exhibit 7ELEMENTS IN THE INFORMATION SERVICES

DATABASE

1. Program Code, Title and Unique Identifier Code

2. Description of the Programs

3. Program Level and Requirements

4. Defined Area Service Need124

S. Detailed and Current Enrolment and Openings:25

a. Service boundariesb. Intervention philosophy sad strategies; targeted

learners (ADE, ESL, GED, employabilityMimed(*)

c. Services, prerequisites, modes of instruction, andavailable openings

d. Special useannent and testing facilitiese. Program performance records cross referenced by

learner demographicsf. Referral procedures

This inventory, when aggregated at the state level, willrepresent the public and private for-profit and nonprofitproviders delivering adult basic education, basic and vocationalskills training, and employment services, listings of theseservices, and data on service interventions.

At the local level this database will provide currentinformation on (1) needs analysis, (2) services available andprovided, and (3) assessments of the services provided. It isthis third responsibility which will prove the most troublesomeand controversial as it superimposes a common evaluativestrucmce on the delivery of education and basic skills trainingrelated services. However, without this information, it isalmost impossible to de:amine whether the services areimpacting the needs and whether the service providers areindeed delivering services effectively. The addition of thisevaluative function closes the planning and analysis loop topermit self-appraisal and cross-agency appraisal regardingneeds versus services versus outcomes.24

24 To date there has beat little detailed discussion in the strategic plan of how aduk education needs deta wall be developed andmaintained at the state and local levels. Conga funding makes it difficult to target mum to canmunides in need of outsidneezincialtargeted programs Isle GAIN, TTPA and IRCA. However, it is resemble to assume that there is a between lamer(service and the level of services availebie. Consequently, deta on lamer needs should be dswlcpsd sad mainland withinthe conenunity adult education htfamation services database, as well as statewide.

Is New optical scareing, techniques make it possible to include scanning descriptive materials into a data file to he reproduced forthe client at the point of relent. While ennntly expensive, this approach will soon become quite cat effective.

26 Dennis Pater end Bill Sywak, The Streik* Measszeisent of N fit Orgeseizahem, in 1985 and 1987; andPorter, Dennis, "Using the MIS for Monitoring and Evaluation," Micro s for the Department of 402 NationalConference, April 1989.

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Community Adult Education Informntion Services Page 27

The technologyfor the automatedaspect of theinformationservices will bemicrocomputer-based. The actualdatabase can bedistributed by theagent responsiblefor its mainte-nance andupdating to anyand all interestedparties.

Employer related information should be an informationservices component. Job listings, vial orientation programs,listings of education and skill Irements, public-privatetraining ventures should be includet..

Design and Distribution

The technology for the automated aspect of the informationservices will be microcomputer-based. The actual databasecan be distributed by the agent responsible for its maintenanceand updating to any and all interested parties. The costs forthis distribution are on the order of $5.00 per dis% plusproduction and system maintenance time.27 Given these costs,there is good reason that there should be high standards forinformation quality and quantity, and maximum distribution.Service fees can be part of the provider's income. No specialsoftware should be necessary to use the computerized data,though hardware and software standards must be set.

It is expected that these local data will be reported to acentral repository or clearinghouse in Sacramento. Severaloptions are riggested in the Integrated Adult Education DataSystem policy option paper.

New Developments and Considerations

The design of the community information services systemwill occur in a dynamic time. Other Adult Education for the21st Century recommendations will help drive itsdevelopment, as will new technologies and the increasedinvolvement of the business community in workplace orientedbasic skills development.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES ANDINNOVATIVE FUNDING

The options under consideration begin to frame thecommunity information services development steps. We havealready seen the possibility of changes from the strategic planto the initial design tasks. The single feature most likely tohave future impact on the design of the community informationservices will be the outcomes of Strategic Recommendation 2,Funding for Innovation and Performance. This recommenda-

27 This approach is repo.tedly being used with the Santa Cniz libranes and other human services agencies community informationservices systan.



tion, to the extent to which it can stimulate new thinking aboutcost effective service delivery and performance measurement,may change the nature and form of learning services andextend the alternatives available.

Recommendation 7, Quality Standards and PerformanceMeasures, seeks to produce a uniform, comparable approach tolearner assessment and learner ii,hievement. It is a difficulttask. However, it will permit the community Informationservices to provide the prospective learner with quantitativeinformation on provider services and achievements withdifferent types of learners.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

The new technologies which will impact and make easierthe design and implementation of the community informationservices and an integrated data system are of mputerand integrated circuit chip technology. Specialeccarly

cothey are:

Computers and computer hardware will undergo significantadvances. Key impacts on the EduCardiu will be:

Improved speed and graphics capability.

Ability to access and use digital images.

Improved capacities to store information inexpen-sively.

The ability to use voice commands in maelinecommunications.

The emerging integrated circuit chip technologies aredescribed in the option paper on the EduCard Theirevolution will lead to:

Low cost improvements in integrated circuit cardmemory.

Wider acceptance of magnetic and integratedcircuit card type technology.29

The EduCard,,, will be driven by software that can read,write and utilize the learner information in a relationaldatabase. Changes which appear eminent are:29

The increased use of object oriented programmingmaking software modification less expensive.

28 Smart card 2000, D. Chum and I. Schaumuller-Bichl, Eds., North Holland, 1989.

29 David Coursey, "New Tech Not Just Acronyms: Offer Compeutive Advantages," MIS Week, November 13, 1989, page 58.

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The increased use of gra hic interfaces, reducingtraining time and simplifying data entry, editingand queries.

Artificial intelligence advances, especially in"expert system" software will make it very easy tomake machine based judgments regardingprogram eligibility and entitlements. This willenable paraprofessional personnel to serve as theintake persons and check eligibility. Routineeligibility checking, subject to verification, can behandled by the expert system software, and thenon-routine cases can be certified by professionalpersonnel.

This suggests that the computerized aspects of thecommunity information services system can become easier touse to the point that they can be made available to any and allservice agencies and employers on a regularly updated basis. Itis important to think of any computerized information servicesas being able to be distributed easily across "nodes" in aservice network. We no longer have to think of a center and aperiphery when we think of information services.

BUSINESS INVOLVEMENT

The inclusion of the business community as partners andstakeholders can bring added dimensions to the nature of thecommunity information services. They can include:

Industry groups jointly sponsoring education,training and retraining with providers

Specialized preemployment education and trainingprograms

Worksite literacy joint ventures

New models for listing jobs

New models for defining future employment andskill requirement needs

These examples demonstrate how easy the areas ofinformation and content blur. It is important to enlist thebusiness community in using the information services and to becertain that they are involved in defining them.



Key Findings of Literature Review

Our review of the literature and variations of extantmodels address the (1) history of community-basedinformation services and the education brokering movement,(2) career/vocational assessment models, (3) several library-based models of community information services, and (4) theirstrengths and weaknesses. We discuss the Californiainfrastructure model which combines the Community AdultEducation Information Services, the EduCard, and theIntegrated Adult Education Data System as the core orinfrastructure for implementing the Strategic Plan for AdultEducation.

Research to date does not provide a close model toemulate. Developmental work being done in Michigan andpossibly New Jersey will offer some guidance, as will theMonroe County, New York and San Mateo county informationservices systems. However, our inclusion of outreach as aninformation and referral function and the requirement for aquite detailed and explicit set of provider data, makes theCalifornia model stand somewhat alone.

Based on our background research we suggest basicinformation services features or elements for the database.Several of these features are expanded in the discussion ofissues and options.


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Chapter 3

Options to ImplementRecommendation

Four policy issues and twelve options are identified to begin toclarify our information services design and development.

The community information services model and databaseis very complex and will set the stage for significant advancesin making education and basic skills training servicesavailable. However, it requires a commitment to cooperativeexcellence and the collection, reporting and use of serviceinformation beyond current uses. This presents both problemsand opportunities for participating stakeholders.

Exhibit 8 illustrates how different learners and learnergroups may use community information services to addresslearning and basic skills training needs. It assumes that adultlearners are motivated to use these services for a variety ofreasons.30 It also describes how information and services canbe combined.

Given the variety of learners and expected informationservice uses, stakeholders wiii be challenged to buildcommunity information services with clear quality controls, thepossible uses of expert system software to suggest guidanceoptions and to share cross agency information. To begin toshape this model, four developmental policy issues are framedand policy options offered for each. Neither the policy issuesor options are exhaustive, but serve as a basis to begin to refinethe design of the community information services system.

Policy Issues and Options

This subsection details the initial set of policy issues andoptions. The development issues and options to be discussedinclude:

30 Hal Bender and Thomas Valenune, "Mouvauonal Profiles of Adult Basic Education Students," Adult Education Quarterly,Vol. 40, No. 2, Winter 1990, pages 78-94.



Level of CentralizationFunding ResponsibilityRecruitment of LearnersLevel and Nature of Staffing and Technology

These issues are selected because they must be determinedbefore additional feasibility analysis can move forward.Readers are encouraged to identify other issues and options forinclusion during the advisory process.

Exhibit 8DESCRIPTIVE MATRIX OF USER SERVICES31

LEARNER GROUPS SERVICES NEEDED USEFUL INFORMATION SERVICES

Outreach Satellite Assets- Referrals Special Suwon GuidanceCarter mem Testing Syr ..0

Single Parent Parent Ed/Other Services wens. Usbaus

Limited English ESL/Suppon Service: e worm

Functional Illiterate ABEffesting e Mimeo Whom

Handicapped Easy Access/Referrs1 the. wee.. wales

Older Adults Referral*/Senior Prog Unknowns

Citizenship Citizenship Classes/ESL e Warm

GED/Diploma Referral*/Secondary Ed

Home Economics Referral* thee.

Health and Safety Referral* umbepee

Vocational Education Voc Ed Classes/Assessm't e Unknown

Recent Dropout Assessment/Referral e e e woe.", wimple.

* NOTE: Referral based on information-based client decisions.

31 Current funding makes it difficult to target resources to canmumues in need outside of targeted programs like GAM JTPA andIRCA However, it is reasaiable to assume that there can be a dapanty between learner needs (service demands) and the level ofservices available. Consequently, data on learner needs should be developed and maintained within the Canmunity Adult EducationInfomianon Services database, as well as statewide.

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LEVEL OF CENTRALIZATION

It is not wise to be too prescriptive in the initial stages ofsystem design. However, there are several communityinformation services design issues which should be resolvedbefore moving forward.

In the preceding subsection we identified four functionswhich the community information services system is likely toplay in the collaborative infrastructure. They are:

Planning and Describing ProgramsMaintenance and Use of the EduCardn,Assessment and Placement of LearnersOutreach and intake

Dr. Turock's research has identified at least five areas ofpossible cooperation in providing educational brokeringservices: (1) directory publication; (2) expert advice; (3) directprovision of information only; (4) direct provision of guidance,information, and information and referral; (5) computer updateand records maintenance

How do we distinguish between the information servicessystem and the participants in the system? Much of thediscussion to date suggests that there is a presumed location, orlocations, that make up the locus for the communityinformation services. However, this would seem to varygreatly among communities. For example, in a large urbansetting it is probably not reasonable to assume that learners goto a central facility for provider information, assessment orEduCarclim issuance. However, in other communities this maybe appropriate. In largely rural areas where services are spreadout over hundreds of miles, we may be faced with a separateset of choices.

Regardless of the aproach adopted, it important to havean active outreach strategy as part of the program. Proactiveefforts must be made to attract the disenfranchised and hard toreach potential learner.32

Given this range of environments, we suggest three optionsfor the model of the Community Adult Education InformationServices system.

(1) Centralized System. Centralize the informationservices database, EduCard, issuance, andassessment and placement (referral) of learnerswith one sponsor.

32 California Department of Education has committed itself to a goal of reducing illiteracy by 5 percent in each year for the neat tenyears. This is over and above the persons currently being served in ABE and ESL progrann. "California Education Summit, AdultLiteracy Focus Group Final Report," California Department of Education, Sacramento, California, December 13, 1989.

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Community Adult Education Informadon Services Page 34

The modelsreviewed in theprecedingsubsection do notaddress theassessmentfunction. Thisseems to be the keyfunction that canbenefit fromstandardizat;on.

(2) Partially Centralized System. Centralize theinformation services database maintenance andupdating with one sponsor and decentralize theassessment and placement of learners andEduCardm issuance.

(3) Decentralized System. Set the overall goals andstandards for the community information servicesbut leave the implementation decision to the localstakeholders.

These options can have many hybrids. However, theydefine the basic discrete alternatives.

(1) Centralized System

With this option each stakeholder community will selectone agency or organization to be the central source foroutreach, I&R, the services database, assessment andplacement, and the issuance of the EduCard".. The actualconfiguration can vary substantially but assumes that thepersonnel involved will, to a large extent, be employees oragents of the selected sponsor. Whether the services areactually centralized or are provided in satellite centers remainsa matter of local choice.

The models reviewed in the preceding subsection do notaddress the assessment function. This seems to be the keyfunc f.on that can benefit from standardization; yet which canbe troublesome if a learner enters the system via a learningagency. In this case, is the learner referred to the informationsystem sponsor for intake, assessment and placement? Theinconvenience of traveling to a central intake and assessmentfacility (or facilities) can be counterproductive. We can expectpersons to lose interest even before participating.

To date, the descriptive model for the communityinformation services is seen as being a unified informationmanagement, intake, assessment, counseling, EduCard.,issuance, and referral system which impartially recruits,assesses, advises and refers prospective learners. All theresponsibilities rest in the hands of one sponsor.

The strength of this approach is the ability to be clearlyresponsible for the community information services functions.The data should be more accurate, the EduCardn, informationhandled more securely, and the standards for assessment andtesting followed with more care. However, this assumes thatthere are sufficient resources to carry out the function and thatthe environment and the stakeholder relationships areamenable to this centralization. Where the funds come from is


Community Adult Education Injormation Services Page 35

a significant problem. Their long-term availability must beassured if this option is adopted.

If it becomes feasible to use a common screening/assessment tool to give a basis for program referral, this optionwould seem viable. The strategic recommendation on QualityStandards and Performance Measures is expected to producea common standard that can be used by all providers. Thismay make this option more ideal.

Another lilcely change is in computer based informationsystm technology. New storage systems like the compact diskread-only memory (CD-ROM) and compact erasable disk willpermit ample information to be stored and processed on amicrocomputer, making the possibility of decentralizing(distributing) information processing among all the activeplayers. These changes do not support the need for acentralized system, but do not auger against it.

(2) Partially Centralized System

In this option one agency would be responsible for theprovision of I&R services and the maintenance of the cross-agency services database. Recall, however, that it is presumedthat this would include some proactive outreach, not just apassive public information campaign. Likewise it presumesthat the database will include more inclusive information thansuggested in Dr. Turock's research. Most especially this isexpected to include information on the extent and nature ofarea learners' unmet needs, evaluative information on providerservice outcomes and current information on programvacancies.

There is no explicit history for this kind of approach exceptwithin broad scale programs like TTPA, CETA, theConcentrated Employment Program (CEP), CommunityAction Program (CAP) and other efforts like the Model Citiesemployment and training activities. In these programs theprime sponsor is (was) expected to serve and/or coordinatethese I&R, outreach, MIS, assessment and program qualityresponsibilities.

The Michigan model comes the closest at this time.Central to the Michigan system are (1) the integration ofhuman service delivery programs, (2) a statewide informationservices system, and (3) an integrated data system whichfeatures the use of a learner's individual smart credit card tomaintain his or her service information.

This human investment system when fully implemented isexpected to enable every Michigan adult to obtain, at no cost,assistance to improve his or her basic education and training



skills. The system database, including the MichiganOpportunity Card, can hold key information on the providerand the cardholder. This "smart" type card and communityinformation system will provide access to the followingservices:33

Assessment. Assessment of cardholder skills andeligibility for existing education and trainingprograms.

Inventory. inventory of basic skills educationand training programs available in the cardholder'scommunity.

Personal Action Plan. Personal actions plans toupgrade the cardholder's skills and education.

Referral. Referral to the appropriate training andeducation services.

Job Placement Assistance.

A Basic Skills Account and Other Accounts. Abasic sldlls account and other accounts to helppersons obtain general or specific skills necessaryfor the current workplace.

However, in the Michigan model there is no presumedlocal central sourcc for the community information system.Rather is a distributed database that links to a statewidedatabase.34

It makes good sense to have one organization responsiblefor the maintenance and updating of the communityinformation system and to provide nonjudgmental informationand referral. These responsibilities taken alone areinexpensive. However, if we add the active outreach andpromotion tasks, tin costs begin to go up.

In the conventional models of services delivery intakeusually includes assessment. Can there be an I&R functionwithout prescreening and assessment? What will be the basisfor referral other than minimal guidance and learner selfselection?

The basic variables are inter-agency collaboration andinformation sharing. Legislation which requires this type ofcross-agency collaboration would be useful. With theexception of some proposed federal legislation, the call for this

33 The Michigan !If! man Investment Fara and the Michigan Opportunity Card. State of Michigan. January 1989.

"14 New Jersey has also adopted a common set of intake, vocational assessment and performance standards for all state fundedprograms ir, the employment and training system See Making America Work, National Governor's Association, 1988, page 28.

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type of local and state collaboration is not apparent except forthe Adult Education Strategic Plan.

(3) Decentralized System

With this option the local stakeholder groups woulddetermine how to enact the community information servicesmodel, subject to general guidelines and standards. Since thenature and relationship of the stakeholders will vary fromlocale to locale, it seems more reasonable to let the keystakeholders determine the model.

The closest examples to this approach have been the CAPand the locally coordinated employment and training programslike ITPA. The programs operate, subject to programguidelines, with the actual providers and service configurationsvarying greatly from place to place. Overall outreach, I&R,assessment and MIS strategies will link the prime andsubcontractors together into a service delivery system. Theshortcoming, however, is that the delivery system is program-based and most likely does not bring in the myriad othercommunity resources available.

The advantage of this approach is that it takes the localcircumstances fully into account. The diFadvantage is that it issometimes difficult to get zll the local stakeholder groups(called franchises in Michigan) to perform appropriately.However, this can be a problem regardless of the depee oflocal control.

Another advantage is that it minimizes the informationservices costs. However, it can leave the local eduction endbasic skills training programs without a coordinated outreachstrategy. This would be a necessary guideline if this option isadopted.

The future possibilities have been addressed. They are:

Possible enabling legislationModest technology changesAdoption of common performance measures

The common performance measures will give weight tothis option. While the presumed technology will make littledifference. It is difficult to say how legislation will impact thisoption.



FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY

Funding the community information services may turn outto be the most troublesome of the design-related issues.Traditional strategies assume that during the pilot phase thereare special research and demonstration funds used, such as thefederal Adult Education Act, Section 353 funds. TheCalifornia State Plan for Adult Basic Education found that atthe local levels there are "few mechanisms" to guide potentiallearners among the multiple programs available or to help themin making choices among the programs.35 Creating this calledcommunity information services mechanism calls for (1) newinter-agency arrangements, (2) the creation of an elaboratecomputer database, (3) the standardization of the assessmentprocess and assessment tools, and (4) methods to assessprovider performance using cross-agency data. It clearlyimplies improving the outreach, I&R, and career guidancecounseling functions. All these tasks require funds which, forthe most part, are not allocated for these purposes.

Dr. Turock's research has led to the caution that theseactivities should not be entered into unless long-term fundin* ispresent. The policy issue is how to ensure a long-term fundingbase. Four options are presented which are not mutuallyexclusive. Hybrid options are reasonable. They are:


(2) Assess Stakeholders Proportionately

(3) Seek Research and Demonstration Funds

(4) Assessment of Stakeholders for SelectedComponents. Make each providerindividually responsible for assessment andguidance, subject to uniform guidelines, andassess the stakeholders to pay fo- the outreach,I&R, and computer based information servicescomponents.

Each option is examined in the upcoming analysis. Wesuggest that the apparent permanence of the selected outcomeis of central importance.


This option presumes that during the design and testingphase (1990-1993) new legislation can be passed to underwritesupport for this set of community information service

35 California Stage Plan for Adult Basic Educaion. Adult Educauon Unit, Division of Youth. Adult and Alternative EducationServices, California Department of Educauon. June 9, 1989, Clapter 4, page 30.

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functions. It assumes that the case can be made that theseactivities should be the subject of targeted lefislation ratherthan administrative policy, guidelines or local initiatives.

The history for this approach comes from when federallegislation addresses the inclusion of community informationtype services, that state enabling legislation will use similarlanguage. This suggests that federal activities often will drivethe state legislation.m However, the percentage of GNP andtotal outlays that the federal government invests in humanresources is at its lowest point since the mid-1960s when theWar on Poverty programs were just being implemented.37 Thisis not likely to change given our federal budget deficit.

The policy option paper on Funding for Today's Needsdoes not address the need for community information servicesresources per Se. Unless the interim steering committee takesthis option on as a priority, there is little push evident frompresent quarters.

Amendments to the federal Vocational Education Act maystrengthen the collaborative planning and stakeholder conceptsexplicit in the community information services functions.However, this is unclear at this writing.

In the short run it seems unlikely that the nature ofcommunity information services will be determined by federalor state legisladon. It falls within the realm of administrativepolicy and program design.


In this approach stakeholders would provide personnel(guidance, I&R, and outreach) and/or funds to underwrite thecommunity information services. This approach suggests thata designated information services sponsor would coordinate allthe services implicit in the model. Their share would be basedon their annual budgets and proportioned based on agreed uponmeasures.

We are not aware of models which have done thissuccessfully for long periods of time. It is not unusual to loanpersor lel or "out-station" them with other agencies, but toagree to pay pro rata for coordination services, unlessmandated or legislated, is unusual.

36 For example, a Ford Foundation Executive Panel just made a set of recommendations that included a call for nate and local inter-agency youth councils to coordinate service debvery, share information, and maintain cominuit aend quality control in local

7cFonerentaeurccrs aredmatiaende fproiretneett to t bvvegaluere Ribbon pWelfare aninrigA iefirliileaanr

sutereT,te CoFmmodnatConooieSwocItal

Amegrica's

1989, page 89.

37 Sawhill, Isabel W. and Jason Juffras, "Financmg Human Capital: the Urban Institute, draft chapter for Investing in People: AnEconomic Strategy for the Nineties, David W. Hornbeck and Lester M. Salomon, Editors, page 8.



This option will not work unless stakeholders are requiredto cooperate. The assessment and monitoring of providerperformance is sufficiently controversial that stakeholders willbe less likely to participate if their program performance isbelow the norm. Remembering the goal of long temi stabilityand fundiug, this option seems doomed to failure.

Clear legislative, policy or administrative guidelinesrequiring local cost sharing will make this option ay e viable.However, it seems that for the most part it will be res ited andtherefore dysfunctional.

(3) Seek Funding for Research and Development

New public policy initiatives are often underwritten bydemonstration funds. The Strategic Plan for Adult Educationis being funded in this manner. The risk taken is that theinitiative, once demonstrated, cannot be institutionalizedbecause of the lack of ongoing funding. While research anddevelopment (R&D) funds can help test new concepts, theutility of using them as the primary source of innovation can beproblematic.

Changes in public policy and service paradigms often begineither' with experimental or pilot tests or with demonstrationmodels. The tests are evaluated for utility and politicalacceptance. In the case of the community information serviceswe have partial attempts to implement the model. Michiganand, in all likelihood, New Jersey are the best test cases alongwith the more passive interventions cited by Dr. Turock. In thestate examples, the initiative came from the state level and, atleast in the Michigan example, is being tested after becoming apolicy initiative. The question of ongoing funding is not anissue. In the California case the policy testing is moreprolonged, but the availability of long-term resources at thispoint less certain.

Using Rer:, funds makes sense in the pilot testing phase.However, the sourcc of, or concrete strategy for, long-termtunding should be reasonably certain by the time this testingbegins.

The importance of this approach is self-evident, but can fallin the category of taking funds away from other servicedelivery. Ongoing R&D funding is not likely for informationservices. It is a concept given lip service, but little economicsupport.

FIRST EDITION August 1990 k


(4) Assess Stakeholders for Selected Components

In this option the community service information functionsare divided between the providers and the presumedcoordinator of 1.:4R, outreach and the information servicesdatabase. This coordinator, probably, will be responsible forthe public relations also. This means that providers must eitherprovide or have access to assessment and career guidancecounseling services.3s This distributes the assessment andcounseling within the service delivery network, and may makereferral less impartial.

The actual outreach strategies can be centralized ordecentralized. They should be based on an overall targetcampaign.

JTPA and GAIN programs assess learner needs and thenwork out an action plan. Referrals are then made based on theplan. Learning activities can happen in tandem (prevocationaland vocational training for example) or sequentially. Thedifference is that the learning options and the assessment areprogram centered, rather than across the local universe ofservices.

This option has the distinct advantage of lesseningresistance tc the information services provider. Likewise thecost contributions would be less, though still required. Somecosts from the information database can be recovered,especially if the employer community is an active participant.

This L.:tion is the same as Option 1 in Issue 1. It presumesa natural spt between soft services (outreach, I&R, computerinformation services) and direct services like assessment andguidance. It also assumes that a multimodal availability ofassessment and guidance or counseling services is more usefulthan a more centralized one. It is less expensive for thestakeholder providers unless they are not providing qualityservices currently.

The key to this option is the standardization of assessmentand performance measures and the collaboration of providersin making the information routinely available.

RECRUITMENT OF LEARNERS

Adult education and basic skills training service providersusually have a particular service or set of services which theyoffer, and may have one or two learning populations withwhom they are the most comfortable or successful. Changes in

38 Adult schools are quite uneven in the extent to wtuch they provide assessment and guidance services This may mean new costsfor some of them and the need to upgrade thear learner support acuvities


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either may mean changes in approaches, personnel and eveninstructional strategies.39 For the most part, there is littleincentive to serve the most difficult learners other thanprofessional responsibility, and disincentives for serving them.Exhibit 9 outlines some learning service intervention optionsand their implications. They may be explicit or implicit in theway providers recruit and assist learners.

Part of profiling providers is understanding what they do,whom they serve and whom they best serve. This leads toadjusting services to meet needs and referring prospectivelearners to providers who may best serve their needs.

In addition there must be aggressive methods to outreachand recruit the hard to serve. These activities are oftenoverlooked and can require substantial handholding. Thisfunction is the beginning end of the community informationservices.

While it is not a good idea to be too prescriptive in theearly design activities, outreach as an important service shouldbe discussed and debated. The objective is to systematicallyorganize an outreach strategy and tactics which will be moreeffective in reaching the hard to serve.

Most reimbursement methods (ADA, JTPA performancebased, GAIN) do not reward providers who actively seek toserve the most difficult learners (illiterate, ESL, homeless, ex-convicts). It makes it more difficult to reach out and serve the"underclass" and the developmentally disabled.

Active outreach is added as an infcrmation servicesfunction. This issue suggests three options to encouragingproactive outreach to serve the most difficult:

(.1) Centralize the Outreach(2) Decentralize the Outreach(3) Leave it to Local Determination

Overall service needs assessment is not sufficientlyaddressed in the Strategic Plan for Adul: Education (1989Edition). While planning and joint decision making amongstakeholders is implicit, the mechanism for determining learnerneeds and employer needs is not zeroed in on. While thesemechanisms will be far from perfect, there should be consensuson outreach and service targets and priorities. Likewisereferrals to providers should be based on prospective learnerabilities.

39 One of the outstandmg features of adult basic educauon m California has been its ability to adapt to new service challenges likeIRCA and GALN Computer managed instrucuon and the next generauon of computer anisted mstmcuon greatly facilitates dusflexibility and the ability to serve very dissimilar learners m a learning lab setting.


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Exhibit 9PROGRAM INTERVENTION APPROACHES40

Program Targets Strategic Features

1. Programs that serve the mostpeople or largest problems.

2. Programs designed to reachthose easiest to serve.

3. Programs designed for thequickest results.

4. Programs aimed at those withthe least accessible personsor problems.

5. Programs aimed at those withthe most socioeconomicpotential, e.g. middle classstudents.

6. Programs which require thelongest sequence of projects oractivities.

Open door, mixed abilities,hard to target, most equitable.

Better results, high yield, easy toplan; avoids greatest needs.

High yiegl, short-term success;can be band-aid approaches; willnot work with persons withserious deficits.

Psychic rewards, expensive,poorer results, greater burnout,often overlooked.

Better results, higher yield, easyto plan; avoids greatest needs,skimming

Expensive, better results, moredropouts.

(1) Centralize Outreach

The essential question is whether the outreach andrecruitment of prospective learners, especially thedisenfranchised, will be more effective and efficient ifcentralized and coordinated with one sponsor. The actualmodel can have persons detailed or "out-stationed" fromprovider agencies to be supervised by the outreach coordinatoror as staff or agents of the coordinator.

Human resource development programs like JTPA and itspredecessors, and the community action program have usedboth a centralized and decentralized approach to efft.tiveoutreach.

This is an important dimension to the communityinformation services. It presumes that special efforts must be

40 Current funding makes It difficult to target resources to communtues in need outside of targeted programs like GAIN. lTPA and'RCA However, it is reasonable to assume that there can be a dispanty between learner needs (service demands) and the level ofservices available. Consequesitly. data on learner needs should be developed and maintained within the community adult educationinformation services database, as well as statewide



taken to attract the most difficult to serve. Withoutcentralizing this proactive service, the community informationservices may be less effective and less important.

The groups who are served by education and skills trainingprograms change according to unemployment and populationdemographic& These demographics and the changing jobmarket show that California is facing a basic skills crisis thatrequires serious attention.41 It is important to develop asuccessful outreach capability, though its actual form seemsless important

(2) Decentralize Outreach

This option would decentralize outreach among thestakeholders using provider intervention approaches, andtargeted learners serve as the guidelines for their efforts.However, stakeholder 1-1anning would still set the goals andtargets for outreach, leaving the means up to the providers.

Decentralized outreach seems more effective when it isprovided by community based organizations with particularconstituency groups.

The pros and cons are hard to assess. Some traditionaleducation and basic skills providers are not experienced inproactive outreach. It would require them to get new staff.However, it may be less expensive than a centralized approach.

(3) Local Discretion Concerning Outreach

This option defers the decision to the local stakeholderswith the understanding that outreach would be guided by localneeds assessment and goal setting.

There has been a variety of approaches used incommunities to carry out targeted outreach. It is difficult tosay that any model is more or less successful because of thedifferences in communities, potential learners, and providers.

The need to buiid collaborative stakeholder relationships,and the unique nature of prior stakeholder relations in eachCalifornia community suggests that local experience is the bestguide for implementing this most important component. Giventhe vaga:ies of budgeting and collaborative planning, thisdecision is best left in local hands.

41 California Slate Plan for Adak 3aric Education, Op. Cit., Chapter 4, pages 10-22


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Community Adult Education hiformation Services Page 45

LEVEL AND NATURE OF STAFFINGAND TECHNOLOGY

All the policy options address the question of the scale andcomplexity of the community information services system.They are implicit in the preceding policy issues and explicit inthis one. In order to make system design decisions, we mustresolve the primary features that determine it: (1) staffing level,and (2) level of technology.

Our researched program models for the most part are lowstaff, low technology oriented with the exception of GEARSwhich utilizes a mainframe computer and a large number ofcase managers. However, we have determined that none of themodels in the research are sufficient to guide the design of thecollaborative infrastructure model and therefore the communityinformation services system.

We have rejected the low staffing, low technologyapproach as being insufficient. This leaves three options whichwill clearly help shape the nature of the information servicesmodel. They are:

(1) Low Staff / High Tech(2) High Staff i High Tech(3) High Staff / Low Tech


This option assumes that the community informationservices can be organized, operated and maintained in aninformation context and that the learner-intake-advisor contactis not overwhelming and can be organized efficiently.

With this option staff, staff requirements, depending onhow outreach is organized, will be for intake and referralpersonnel, several persons to maintain and update the computerbased information system and guidance personnel who can beeither paraprofessional or professional depending on theirposition descriptions.

The high end uses of technology is the subject of furtherresearch. We can expect that the information serviceshardware and software will rely on (1) microcomputerplatforms, (2) some form of expert system software,42 (3) more

42 Expert system software uses rule processing to deal with incomplete, inaccurate and contradictory data and to solved problemsusing heunsucs. rather than detenninasuc algonthms. Expert systems are typically composed of two pans: a knowledge base thatcontains data and rules and an inference engine that responds to the environment by scum& the rules in the knowledgebase for onesthat relate to the current input and taking acuons prescribed by the matching rules. Sophisticated search algorithms that limit therange of possible rules that must be considered are crucial elements in expert system technology. In the case of communityinformauon services, as more informauce on !curter characteristics, mouvauon and performance informauon is accumulated in the


Community Adult Education information Services Page 46

advanced forms of digital information storage and presentationsuch as optical media and multimedia, and the peripheraltechnology to read and write the EduCardna, and (4) possiblysome machine based problem solving tests to benchmarkcertain competencies.

The attraction of this option is that it reduces the major on-going information services cost - personnel. The majorpossible drawback is that it will not provide an environmentwhere potential learners will feel comfortable either because ofthe impersonal machine orientation or because the personnelare not sufficiently helpful, personable or communicative.

A commitment to this option as the way to start may provethe most pragmatic, since the personnel can be added asexperience dictates. On the other hand, once staffing patternsare set, it may prove to increase them even with a demonstratedneed.


This option represents the high end, high cost, high qualityapproach. It presumes that there is a strong correlationbetween the number and type of staff and the degree oftechnological sophistication, and the resniting higher qualityof learner services.

The clear advantage of this approach is that individuallearners will receive substantial personal, in-depth attention;and this attention will result in better learning services. Thedrawback is that the resources, with all things being equal, maybe better spent on other parts of the basic skills learningsystem.


This option presumes that the quality of the humaninteraction is key to the success of the information servicessystem and that a substantial level of personnel, whetherparaprofessional or professional, will clearly improve servicedelivery. It also presumes that the information technology isnot too important and can function much along the linesdescribed in the library I&R models.

The strength of this option is its emphasis on the quality ofthe learner-intake-guidance counselor interaction and thisfunction should be quite professionalized. It implies that theactual quality of the information services data are not too

knowledge base, these heunstic programs can become more accurate in assessmg needs and recommending courses of action, giventhe available program choices.



important and in all likelihood will be difficult to keep currentand maintain them at a high quality.

The weakness of this option rests with the presumption thatthere will be plenty of work for staff, especially professionalstaff to do, and that there is a strong need for professionalpersonnel. Much of the guidance and general counseling canbe carried out by trained paraprofessionals and persons whothemselves are role models for ele learners. The uneven flowof persons through the information services may prove that aminimal staff with general skills is preferable to a larger staff.

Overview of Options

There are four basic issues identified which begin todefine the features of the community information services.With each issue several options are presented, with theunderstanding that they could stimulate other issues andoptions. They are:

Issue 1: Community Information Services System Model

(1) Centralize the Information System - Centralize allthe functions with one sponsor.

(2) Centralize Information Services and DecentralizeAssessment, Placement and EduCardnA Issuance -Centrally. the information services and decentralizethe other functions.

(3) Let Local Stakeholders Decide - Set the overallgoals and standards and let the local stakeholdergroups decide.

Issue 2: Funding Community Information Services



(3) Seek Research and Development (R&D)Funding

(4) Make Stakeholders Responsible, but Assess forInformation and Referral, and ComputerDatabase

Issue 3: Encourage Proactive Outreach

l ) Centralize Outreach

(2) Decentralize the Outreach Activities

(3) Let Local Stakeholders Decide

FIRST EDITION August 1990 61.


Issue 4: Determine the Level and Nature of Staffingand Technology




In the next section these issues and options are examinedagainst common evaluation criteria, and their pros and consdiscussed.

Criteria for Evaluation of Options

We have decided to use the same criteria for the coreinfrastrucatre of the service information system. They are abalance between efficiency and effectiveness measures. Thesecriteria are:

(1) Improve Learner Access(2) Stakeholder acceptability(2) Ease of use(3) Maintains learner privacy(4) Cost-effective(5) Improve Accountability

While there is some implied overlap among the criterion,they represent the critical features that determine. Exhibit 10outlines the criterion and their basic features.

In the next subsection Exhibit 12 evaluates each proposedoption with these criteria using three measures. In addition tothese criteria there are two other measures which we apply tothe issues and options.

Comparison of Pros and Cons ofAlternative Approaches

This subsection details several descriptive analyses of theproposed issues and options and their relative strengths andweaknesses. It culminates with a summary analysis of thelikely impacts of the thirteen options (Exhibit 12).


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Exhibit 10CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING THE COMMUNITY

INFORMATION SERVICES OPTIONS

IMPROVE LEARNER ACCESS:Eases Assessment and ReferralReduce PaperworkIncreases Program Choices

STAKEHOLDER AC'EPTABILITY:Minimize Administrative BurdenReduce PaperworkImprove Performance Measurement

EASE OF USE:Minimal Staff Training and RetrainingAutomated Electronic ReportingBuilt In Security

MAINTAIN LEARNER PRIVACY:Password Protection"Need To Know" Access

COST EFFECTIVENESSMinimize Information System and Data Collection CostsMinimize Hardware and Software Conversion Costs

IMPROVE ACCOUNTABILITY:Improves Performance MeasurementStandardizes Data CollectionReduces Analysis Costs

COST-BENEFIT IMPACTS

In addition to the overall evaluation criteria, we haveidentified an initial set of prospective costs and benefits whichcan be attributed to the community information services. Theyare descriptive in nature. As analysis continues in the nextpaper, actual cost ranges can be attached to them.

The benefits derived from an effective and efficientcommunity information services system are set forth inExhibit 11.

Subjective analysis suggests that the options which addressthe benefits criteria are:



Exhibit 11BENEFITS CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY


1. Coordinated Outreach2. Better karuer services3. Better program and service data4. Intake and assessment more learner sensitiveS. More complete program and learner information6. Coordihated guidance and career counseling7. A more uniform assessment system8. Program performance information9. Employer links

Issue 1Community Information Serv;ces System Model

Option IA: Centralize the Information Services

The chances of success are estimated to be the highest withthe centralization of community information servicesresponsibilities. This is because one sponsor can bettercoordinate services arid retain quality control.

Issue 2Funding Information Services

Option 2C: Seek Research and Demonstration Funding

This is strictly a judgement call. It assumes that theresearch and development (R&D) funds will be the leastrestrictive, thereby permitting the model to be more rtadilyimplemented. However, previous research indicates that it issometimes hard to move from R&D to institutionalizedfunding.

Issue 3Recruitment of Learners

Option 3A: Centralize Outreach

This option optimizes effective outreach strategies andintake-assessment methods by retaining the responsibility withone designated agent.

FIRST EDITION - August 1990 R 4

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Issue 4Level and Nature of Staffing and Technology

Option 4B: High Staff/High Tech

This option maximizes the availability of personnel andtools to serve the learner. It goes hand in hand with thecentralizedone sponsor approach with the role of theinformation center(s) being neutral in assessment and referral,but proactive in outreach and intake.

COSTS OF OPERATION ANDNEGATIVE IMPACTS

Issue 1Community Information Services System Model

Preliminary analysis suggests that centralizing thecommunity information functions will be more expensive inthe short run, but may have a better chance of success. Theywill be more expensive because new staffing, new functions,new computer equipment and new responsibilities will becentralized with one sponsor. Some of these costs can beminimized by personnel sharing, personnel loans oroutstationing.

The most likely negative impact with the completecentralization of community information services is that thecommitment may be less than enthusiastic on the part of someor all of the stakeholders. In other words, it is an imposedapproach and will succeed only as long as funds are availablefor it.

On the other hand the decentralization of the communityinformation service functions will be less expensive, but thereis a greater likelihood of qualhy control problems andneutrality in serving the learner's needs. The trade off is costsavings versus quality control. The absence of localcommitment because the decision has been predetermined mayalso impact service quality.

Issue 2Funding Information Services

The research and development option, in the short run, isthe least expensive to the local providers and the most likely tobe available.


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Information andreferral types ofactivities, andefforts to developmore compre-hensive programinformationservice systemshave beenfrustrated bycompetingguidelines andprogramrequirements ofparticipatingagencies.

Issue 3Recruitment of Learners

Decentraliimg outreach is the least expensive, assumingthat service providers each carry out designated outreachresponsibilities. Not all learner groups need be activelyrecruited. But it is important to reach to those most at riskthefunctional illiterates, immigrants, and recent dropouts. Basicskills programs serving those groups should have a coordinatedoutreach approach.

ACCEPTABILITY TO STAKEHOLDERS

The costs and negative impacts of letting local stakeholdersdetermine the model am the least clear. There should be agreatex commitment to the model because it is locallydetermined. Howeves, without a clearly defined long termsource of financing, these services can be eroded over time.Quality control can be a major concern here, but must bebalanced with the local acceptance and commitment.

The primary argument for decentralizing the decisionmaking is the acceptability to stakeholders and their long termcommitment to an effective community information servicesstrategy. This argues for clearly defined guidelines andstandards for the outreach, intake, assessment, providerinformation and pre-post outcomes data.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Information and referral types of activities, and efforts todevelop more comprehensive program information servicesystems have been frustrated by competing guidelines andprogram requirements of participating agencies. There arenumerous reasons, usually linked to funding, to give lip serviceto coordination but be minimally supportive. Anyone who hasparticipated on inter-agency or inter-program planning canattest to this.

Our evaluation of the available options must take this intoconsideration. The options we adopt must maximize thechance that the community information services, an activityoften shortchanged when funds are fight, has a strong base oflocal support as well as clear guidance in its design.

FIRST EDITION August 1990 ro

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CROSS-MATRIX ANALYSIS ANDDISCUSSION

The preceding analyses, assumptions and predispositionsare summed up in Exhibit 12. Readers and advisors areencouraged to express their own opinions and suggestions. Wemust be careful not to overlook the obvious or less thanobvious issues and options available.

The tentative conclusion is that there are substantial tradeoffs between efficiency (the most cost effective approach) andeffectiveness (the approach with the most impact). The basicchoices seem to rest between a centralization with one sponsorand letting the stakeholders make the determination locally.


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Conununity Adult Education Information Services Page 54

Exhibit 12ILLUSTRATIVE CROSS-MATRIX COMPARISON

OF OPTIONS VIA COMMON CRITERIA

Options: Evaluation Criteria:Improve Stake- Ems at Maintains Costkanvx bolder Uaa: Warm sffsetivs:acorn amp. pdvaer

Malty:

Imue 1The Model

(1) Centralize a1 - _Inctionswith one sponsor

(2) Centralize informationservices and decen-tralize other functions

(3) Set the overall goalsand standards and letstakeholders decide

Issue 2Funding the Model(4) New state legislation

(5) Assess stakeholderproportionately

(6) Seel R&D funding

(7) Make stakeholdersresponsible, but assessfor information andreferral, and computerdatabase

Issue 3Recruitment of Learners(8) Centralize outreach

(9) Decentralize outreach

(10) Let StakeholdersDecide

Issue 4Staff and Technology(11) Low Staff/High Tech



11111

111111

MI UN 11111

11111 SIM11111 11M 11111

11111 1111

Degree of Impact: High OK* Medium Low

NOTE: Assessments within each criteria should also include negativeImpacts (e.g. moderate negative impact and strong negative impact).


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Community Adult Education htformation Services Page 55

Chapter 4

Proposals and Future ActionsThe four proposals and the upcoming feasibility analysis will refine

the community information services model and improve planning andcoordination.

This paper addresses fundamental policy issues that willguide the development of the California communityInformation services model.

The process for developing, reviewing and enacting thestrategies and short term policies will have four reoccurringsteps in which policy options and proposals ale developed,reviewed by agency heads for their acceptability, and thenadjusted until they are acceptable to the heads of collaboratingagencies.

The further development and analysis of the recommendedcommunity information services issues and optionz will beperformed by the Adult Education Institute for Research andPlanning under the guidance of the Interim Steering Committeeand its subcommittees. The four proposals presented in thispaper will be reviewed, revised and analyzed further during thefeasibility analysis to gain clarity, acceptance to basic skillsagencies, the business community, learners groups and otherstakeholders.

Any policy recommendations of the Interim Steet'ngCommittee will need to be reviewed by State Superintendent ofPublic Instruction, Bill Honig, and California CommunityCollege Chancellor, David Mertes, as well as heads of otherparticipating agencies. The Institute staff and consultants willwork under the guidance of the Interim Steering Committee toreconcile the requirements, concerns and differences ofparticipating agencies.

This review and discussion process is designed as aprogressive cyc.te of public comment and dialogue amongagency heads, Steering Committee Memb, fs and Institutepersonnel.

FIRST EDITION August 1990C 9


Proposals=.

Four proposals are made to refine the communityinformation services design. A balance is struck to selectparameters that are effective, cost efficient and acceptable tostakeholders. The evaluation criterion reflect this balance.The importance of learner privacy is stressed as a criterion, butdoes not impact the proposals at this point.

The proposals are set forth in Exhibit 13 and discussed indetail in the shaded boxes.

Exhibit 13BENEFITS CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY


Centralize the information services functionswith one sponsor.Seek research and demonstration funds to testthe system.Use local discretion concerning outreachUse a low staff and high technology approachin developing the community informationservices.

Specification on mese four proposals are provided below.

THE COMMUNITY INFORMATIONSERVICES MODEL

We recommend that the provision of communityinformation services in the feasibility analysis, paper modeland adoption steps be the responsibility and purview of oneorganization. This centralizes the functions or the coordinationof the functions with a clearly designated agency. If theagency determines that particular functions should besubcontracted, delegated or otherwise coordinated, it is np tolocal choice.

FIRST EDITION August 1990 riu


Maintaining the combined learner based and computerbased information services with one agency will be animportant towards standardizing intake and assessmentapproaches and targeting learner outreach as local conditionsdicta:e.

i'UNDING RESPONSIBILITY

While it is very early to consider how the communityinformation services models will be funded when operational,the manner in which they are likely to be funded can constraintheir planning. We recommend that research anddemonstration funds be used to actualize the models. Thisoption is the most pragmatic approach to addressing thecomplex design and collaborative concerns that arise out of themodel.

Proposal; ,SEEK RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION FUNDS TO

,s. s., 1$EGIN IMPLENZNT,Tig vs,

slbetoommitynaniiiiii4ftvs-wpvelornotsiinzoita006114-,boration.amongoakeholdersoOlit .ptovideissItItuttskOesiRlrld ,

develpproeptilexibitityie: .

, 4',rrgi new mifrogroystrangements,4 ss,

zt.;,:esszt4;-.1 ss.DcyekipscontOwitytei*Ityk,kly,,,,::t;

s;., StaidirctIzeleirtriii*stheq**Iiinif opts; .

Develop the anus moaor winder performance,

RECRUITMENT OF LEARNERS

Outreach to haid to serve learner groups takes on greaterimportance with California's ten year goal to reduce illiteracy.



This may require a more proactive approach than previouslyused. We recommend that the approach to targeted outreachbe a matter of local cliscretion, guided by community levelneeds assessment and goal setting.

The emphasis on a context sensitive approach, guided hystakeholder experience is the best approach to insuring anappropriate outreach strategy. The history of local experienceand knowledge cannot be overlooked.

THE LEVEL AND NATURE OF STAFFINGAND TECHNOLOGY

This is a difficult qumtion that could be left for thefeasibility study. Experience suggests that substantial levelsfor the community information services functions will never besubstantial. Further, it is possible to standardize assessmentand career guidance activities without considerableprofessional personnel. We recommend that the feasibilityanalysis and paper model development assume a low staffhigh tech approach that does not diminish or trivialize theimportance of personal contact with potential learners.

FIRST EDITION - August 1990 72


This is a value-laden proposal. It draws from theexperiences in our background and literature research andpresumes that there should be a balance between thepersonalized and the computerized uses of service and needsinformation.

Advisory Recommendations

The preceding proposals have been reviewed by the Dataand Information Subcommittee of the Interim SteeringCommiuce.43 Based on this review, a number of additions,clarifications and changes have been made to staff proposals.As a result there are three nev proposals and revisions toseveral others. The advisory recommendations as revised are:

ACTION ON PROPOSAL 1(New Proposal)

Adopt New Proposal 1. This new proposal recognizes thatstate standards should be set tint define minimum content forCommunity Information Se rvices. However, localstakeholders should be able ID add to those standards asnecessary. The new Proposal 1 .s to read as follows:

.% Proposal 1:CREKIE 4 STATE.LOCAL COMMIJNIT.Y.,;:: >

INFORMATION SERVICES SYSTEM :WITH OPIIONSFOR leOCAVAIMMENTATION '

%.

ConununiOntoiniation serytcos Should liCtxte',.,:component:in an integrated adult education informatiOnsystem. State standards Aould determinethe mininn0content and definitions for data elements whieh tan beaugmented by local stakeholder& This state.:loCal netwer'4will:

. .

Setinformation serylies.standards.Set local services boundaries.

Set data and information Services dermitionstl.Review and revise standards* is needed..

43 Members of this subcomnuttee ir alphabetical order are, Charles Culson, Dean of Instruction, Bakersfield College; RonaldGnstock, Vice President, Community Affairs, Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco, Thomas Johnson, Assistant Supenntendent,Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, La Puente, Henry Page, Pnnmpal, Palo Alto Adult School; Dick Ranes, Unit Manager,IBM, Costa Mesa, Frances Ruiz, ESL Teacher, Corona-Norco Adult School, Prany Sanamkone, Assistant Director, United CambodianCommunity, Inc Long Beach, and Gary Strong, State Libranan, California State Library, Sacramento


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ACTION ON PROPOSAL 2(Originally Proposal 1)

Accept Proposal 2 (with minor revisions). Revise Proposal 2to read as follows:


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Accept Proposal 3 (as proposed).

SEEK REitiAcgolD,DEM9NSTRATIONSFUNDSsss. kss, M9D'Ti)3k,G4NaVI,IMPL *ME

Pstr s.s.S 1N..4.ires *if.COW'

deve at kleiVilisie°esnkw 1

.......:...v.,,c-

"s -bevel ow

illy 4:44;:es' '-',1jge!iitaDevelsoiiheisneanitia mObitoi*

as and toolt...i*.ideiperifontanc

S.


Accept Proposal 4 (with revision as indicated). Change thefirst word of the proposal from "LET" to "ENABLE". Theproposal is to read:

Proposal4-'tsj ENABLELOCAI4TAKEHOLDER.SN.,.., ss

TO pETEltiVIINETHE11.PP,ROACHTOsOl./T.REACIt

Local conditions and need vary greatifftarding the need andapproaches to learner outreach andomiunent. A truly .proactiveapproach requireS lOtalStakettolder design Kg is

Identify local learner needi::

Develop Sentiiitestriegio to iecruit and retain theri!.-in learning services,

.

Assess and Modify theiliProachei as neediandoutreach results dictate,

Cooroinate 'Statewide media and novena With, ,

promotional efforts tailored to sun local recruitmentneeds.




Accept Proposal 5 (with revisions). Amend Proposal 5 toread as follows:



ACTION ON PROPOSAL 6(New Proposal)

Adopt New Proposal 6. In order for Community InformationServices to be effective, language and cultural differences mustbe taken into account. This proposal recognizes these factorsand stresses their importance in the initial development ofCommunity Information Services. The new Proposal 6 is toread as follows:

\s s , ,DaxoNalis CflflJNFORMTIQNSCESERVE .11zoss oktitiRDIvtagt,41ou:AGE90,.i0

ass,zs

Aiv rsityore.%4*^..1? <

The edifort4 mwsteien et$1#eitueOis io,ak0" z

commurittii4fornistiose*WOption.iteriouitql4pgd.co4Wii,s%screen, new voice teeOlnitiontt intsiti-cboinelcapabilides; 7he basic sy#ent de*.lga will *Sure itia.iiitigial-eitiii4ty.andcapability,* -%' .%

ACTION ON PROPOSAL 7(Originally Proposal 6

of Policy Option Paper 4)

Accept Proposal 7 (as presented) with: (1) appropriatepersonal contact (one-to-one contact with adult learners),(2) provide multi-lingual access using technology andcommunity resources, and (3) develop an access point forsenior citizens. (This proposal was originally Proposal 6 ofPolicy Option Paper on the EduCardni.) Proposal 7 is to readas follows:

FIRST EDITION August i 990 7

Community Adult Education Information Services

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Proposal 7Discussion

In 1985-86, the California Department of Education(CDE), Specialized Programs Branch was commissioned todevelop a comprehensive, branch-wide career/vocationalassessment model. The Agency-based Vocational AssessmentModel was developed to provide-guidelines and step by stepprocess for career assessment and planning for students servedby adult education, special education, vocational education, at-risk youth, and high school counseling programs. The Modelstructures the career/vocational assessment process into threediscrete Stages. Various levels of assessment are provideddepending on the learner's degree of "readiness." At any givenstage, learners who are assessed as "ready" are referred fortraining or placement. However, individuals who are deemedto be "not ready" are referred for more assessment. Thisprocess enables education and training programs to provideonly the assessment that individual learners needs.doing, more time and resources can be allotted to individualswho really require more intensive assessment.

It is proposed that the step by step, multi-stage process ofthe Agency-based Vocational Assessment Model be adapted foruse in Community Adult Education Information Services. Theadapted Model would cover a broader range of skills andprograms than the "career/vocational" focus of the originalModel. The adapted Model would cover assessment andplanning for all adult education options including Adult BasicEducation (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), HighSchool Diploma, Citizenship, Parent Education, and OlderAdult programs, as well as career and job mining programs.

The adapted Model will provide guidelines and criteria bywhich to determine the amount and nature of assessment andplanning activities to be provided to adult learners. At everylevel of the assessment process, some form of one-to-onepersonal contact betwec11 adult learner" and adult educationrepresentatives will be made available. Assessment activitieswill be made available to individuals who speak languagesother than Eialish through the a multi-lingual database andutilization of community resources. Access will also beassured for senior citizens.

Depending on the needs of the individual adult learner, theadapted Model would lead to the following outcomes:(1) identification of goals, (2) assistance in setting of goals,(3) assessment of skills and aptitudes, (4) information on forreview of program options, (5) guidance towards selection ofappropriate program. The proposal follows:


Conununity Adult Education Information Services Page 66

This adaptation of the CDE Agency-Based VocationalAssessment Model will pnavide an assessment and planningprocess for Community Adult Education Information Services.Assessments at all levels will utilize a computer network anddatabase containing information about available programs andservices and previously collected information aboutindividuals. Various levels of assessment will be madeavailable depending on adults' needs and goals. Specificactivities for the three Stages are as follows:

STAGE 1:Preliminary Goal Setting and Screening

Adults make initial contact with Community AdultEducation Information Services by interacting withcomputer terminals at various locations. A databaseprovides information about available services and acomputer program allows learners to self-assess theirneeds and goals by answering questions. Previouslyunserved adults may access information services atcomputer terminals located at "neutral" (not having todo with school) locations in the community includinglibraries, supermarkets and malls. Individuals who arealready employed or enrolled in education or trainingprograms may access information services byinteracting with computer terminals located atrespective locations.

Information may be collected from adults in two ways.First, the adult may answer questions about his/herpersonal and educational background, wort experience,and goals using an interactive computer pnagram.Second, information on the individuals contained in thedatabase may be accessed via the adult's EduCard .,,,.Based on analysis of inputted information orinformation on the EduCard T., the software programidentifies the adult education programs and servicesthat appear to be most appropriate for the individual.

If the individual has clearly identified his/her goals andappears to meet the prerequisite requirements, then thesoftware program prints out a referral slip that enablesdirect access to the program by the individual. If theperson appears to be "not ready" (according to pre-selected criteria) or if more information is neededbefore an appropriate program determination can bemade, the adult is referred to Stage 2 for moreas sessment.


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STAGE 2:Intermediate Assessment and Goal Setting

The adult checks in to assessment center and receivesshort term assessment (up to a half-day) process. Theindividual receives an interview and detailedinformation is collected. If needed, formal andinformal skill and aptitude assessments are conductedto ascertain individuals' skill levels, needs, and goals.Formal tests may include paper-pencil basic skills testsor "hands-on" cuter/vocational aptitude tests,depenning on the ii.dividual's goals. To assist in goalsetting, vocational interest inventories and self-directedcareer assessments (interactive computer programs)will be available. Assessment results are reviewed anddiscussed with the individual by a counselor and anindividual plan is developed.

If adults appear to ready for referral, arrangements aremade for placement to a program. If the individual stillis not ready to commit to a program or moreinformation is needed to determine appropriateplacement, the individual is referred for Stage 3assessments.

STAGE 3:Extended Assessment and Intensive Goal Setting

An extended assessment (one day or more) isconducted at an assessment center to determine adults'needs and goals. Assessments feature "hands-on"applied ptrformance testing where the individual isasked to demonstrate his/her skills in real or simulatedprogram settings. This approach implies that theindividual will be given an opportunity to experience ordemonstrate skills or behaviors related to specificprograms in which he/she is interested. These activitieshelp identify needs and related support services thatmay be required to enable the individuals to succeed.

Counselors review assessment results with theindividual and an individual plan is developed.Arrangements and referrals are made for appropriateplacements.

A flow chart describir g the three stage intake process forcommunity adult education information services is presentedon the next page.


Community Adult Education lnformaiion Services Page 68

Exhibit 14COMMUNITY ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES:

ASSESSMENT AND GOAL SETTING MODEL

STAGE 1:Preliminary Goal Setting and Screening

Adults access community adult educationinformation services through interaction withcomputer terminals at various locations. Adatabase provides information about services,and a computer program allows individuals toself-assess their needs and goals by answeringquestions.

If not iready

ISTAGE 2:

Intermediate Assessment Pnd Goal Setting

Adults are interviewed and detailed informationis collected at an assessment center in an up tohalf-day period. If needed, formal and informalskill and aptitude assessments are conducted toascertain individuals skill levels, needs, andgoals.

If not iready

ISTAGE 3:

Extended Assessment and Intensive Goal Setting

Intensive assessment and goal setting activitiesare carried out over a longer period where skillsand needs are assessed through adults' demon-stration or exploration of skills (competencies)related to the adult education programs beingconsidered.

If ready

If ready

!

>REVIEW

AND SELECTPROGRAM

FINAL AGENCY REVIEW DRAFT June 29, 1990 82 A20P3


These refinements and additions made by the Data andInformation Subcommittee reflect the deliberations of thesubcommittee. They add specificity and detail to the sevenproposals.

Future Action

The next step'is to research the feasibility of developingthe community information services system. Feedback fromthe Steering Committee and the agency administrators willguidot us. In particular we will continue to refine the issues andanal) s by:

Continuing to research viable modeli andelaboratinq its features.

Examining the technical feasibility of the system.

Assessing the usability and political feasibility ofthe motiel.

Detailing legal and statutory issues and conditions.

Defining the costs of the development andoperations of the model within a five year context.

The tiny; period for this feasibility aaalysis is about fourmonths. The pace quickens, but cracial decisions are made.


Documents

AUTHOR Porter, Dennis; Turock, Betty TITLE Community Adult … · 2014-03-24 · DOCUMEMT RESUME ED 323 383 CE 055 778 AUTHOR Porter, Dennis; Turock, Betty TITLE Community Adult Education