LITERACY ZONES: Regents LITERACY ZONES: Regents Educational Reform Educational Reform

InitiativeInitiative

Planning for A Literacy ZonePlanning for A Literacy Zone

TodayToday Not a bidders conferenceNot a bidders conference T.A. support for adult education programs, T.A. support for adult education programs,

foundations, other providers interested in foundations, other providers interested in developing a literacy zonedeveloping a literacy zone

Made in NY concept so no state or federal legislationMade in NY concept so no state or federal legislation Currently first wave funded; opportunities over next Currently first wave funded; opportunities over next

several years for second and third waves, working several years for second and third waves, working through RAEN centers through RAEN centers

Our assumption: any planning or steps to develop a Our assumption: any planning or steps to develop a literacy zone is good for adult education students, literacy zone is good for adult education students, their families, their communities and for adult their families, their communities and for adult education results—multiple funding opportunities education results—multiple funding opportunities over next 2-3 yearsover next 2-3 years

Concept, elements, directions, lessons from first Concept, elements, directions, lessons from first wavewave

More Background ThinkingMore Background Thinking

Lessons learned through Literacy Zone pilots Lessons learned through Literacy Zone pilots will be integrated into core adult education will be integrated into core adult education funding, as appropriatefunding, as appropriate

SED role on two tracks: build up and pilot first SED role on two tracks: build up and pilot first wave; support planning for 2wave; support planning for 2ndnd and 3 and 3rdrd waves waves

Already piloting new technologies, regional Already piloting new technologies, regional pipeline approaches, ASISTS metrics to tell pipeline approaches, ASISTS metrics to tell more comprehensive story of impact of adult more comprehensive story of impact of adult education when fully connected and leveragededucation when fully connected and leveraged

ContextContext Adult education nationally moving to a greater focus Adult education nationally moving to a greater focus

on career pathways and postsecondary transition for on career pathways and postsecondary transition for out of school youth and adults---beyond the GEDout of school youth and adults---beyond the GED

Also greater focus on aligning systems and resource Also greater focus on aligning systems and resource streams streams

Simultaneously, NYSED implementing education Simultaneously, NYSED implementing education reform effort called Literacy Zones that involve reform effort called Literacy Zones that involve pathways out of poverty for all ages in a high pathways out of poverty for all ages in a high poverty/immigration neighborhoodspoverty/immigration neighborhoods

Objective: statewide network of literacy zones Objective: statewide network of literacy zones connected as learning community on cutting edge of connected as learning community on cutting edge of innovation for adult educationinnovation for adult education

Neighborhood pipelines of opportunity/regional Neighborhood pipelines of opportunity/regional pipelinespipelines

Literacy ZonesLiteracy Zones Place-based strategy using an all hands on Place-based strategy using an all hands on

deck approachdeck approach Cross-lifespan: pre-natal through elderlyCross-lifespan: pre-natal through elderly Cross-education: full continuum from Cross-education: full continuum from

baby basics and early childhood, k-12 and baby basics and early childhood, k-12 and postsecondary, adult education as leadpostsecondary, adult education as lead

Cross-system: vocational Cross-system: vocational rehabilitation/independent living centers, rehabilitation/independent living centers, libraries and cultural education, workforce libraries and cultural education, workforce and one-stops, health services, financial and one-stops, health services, financial and legal, social services, foundations, and legal, social services, foundations, volunteer sector, benefits and support volunteer sector, benefits and support servicesservices

Literacy Zone Literacy Zone characteristicscharacteristics Six characteristics:Six characteristics:

1.1. High needs neighborhood or community of High needs neighborhood or community of concentrated poverty/concentrated concentrated poverty/concentrated immigration with limited English language immigration with limited English language

2.2. Effective adult education provider as leadEffective adult education provider as lead

3.3. 14 priority partnerships for programs, 14 priority partnerships for programs, service and referralservice and referral

4.4. 10 pathways out of poverty10 pathways out of poverty

5.5. Family welcome center as hubFamily welcome center as hub

6.6. Guiding coalition to develop LZGuiding coalition to develop LZ

Neighborhood of Concentrated Neighborhood of Concentrated Poverty/Limited English Poverty/Limited English

Language ProficientLanguage Proficient Clearly defined target community: Clearly defined target community:

neighborhood, zip code, or community, not neighborhood, zip code, or community, not entire borough, city, region, countyentire borough, city, region, county

Detailed evidence of concentrated poverty Detailed evidence of concentrated poverty and/or limited English language proficiencyand/or limited English language proficiency

If low performing school in neighborhood, If low performing school in neighborhood, must be identified and connected as part of must be identified and connected as part of coordinated plan for raising literacy and coordinated plan for raising literacy and English language proficiency, P-16 through English language proficiency, P-16 through adultadult

Literacy needs of the community clearly Literacy needs of the community clearly defineddefined

Effective Adult education Effective Adult education provider as lead applicantprovider as lead applicant

Lead applicant has demonstrated expertise and Lead applicant has demonstrated expertise and results in providing adult literacy, esol, ged results in providing adult literacy, esol, ged preparationpreparation

Could be part of consortiumCould be part of consortium Key investmentsKey investments Community partnership coordinatorCommunity partnership coordinator Full time case managementFull time case management Statewide networking and training, including Statewide networking and training, including

benefits trainingbenefits training Contextualized literacy to build skills to navigate Contextualized literacy to build skills to navigate

complex systemscomplex systems

Family Welcome CenterFamily Welcome Center Heart of every literacy zone: one or more, hub and spoke, Heart of every literacy zone: one or more, hub and spoke,

serves as access portal to literacy, services, benefits, serves as access portal to literacy, services, benefits, pathwayspathways

Stabilize family: benefits counseling, supports, program Stabilize family: benefits counseling, supports, program and services access, referral (literacy zone counselors and and services access, referral (literacy zone counselors and connections to other counselors)connections to other counselors)

Skills to navigate complex systems: health literacy, Skills to navigate complex systems: health literacy, financial stability, postsecondary access, immigration, financial stability, postsecondary access, immigration, support for literacy at all agessupport for literacy at all ages

Pathways out of povertyPathways out of poverty OPT testing for public; possible GED test onlineOPT testing for public; possible GED test online Internet technologies (job/career zone, Learner Web, Internet technologies (job/career zone, Learner Web,

ASISTS, my benfits, Lotus Live and other social networking, ASISTS, my benfits, Lotus Live and other social networking, e-literacy)e-literacy)

Volunteers to provide tutoring, remediation, help with Volunteers to provide tutoring, remediation, help with technologies, and skills support across the continuumtechnologies, and skills support across the continuum

Family Welcome centersFamily Welcome centers Fully and clearly described, including locationFully and clearly described, including location Accessible to parents and communityAccessible to parents and community Access to webAccess to web Services and programs co-located on site Services and programs co-located on site Space to administer OPTSpace to administer OPT ADA compliantADA compliant Center staff have skills and experience to work Center staff have skills and experience to work

effectively with individuals from different effectively with individuals from different cultures, backgrounds, languagescultures, backgrounds, languages

Connections to other case managers/counselorsConnections to other case managers/counselors Hub and spoke connections clearHub and spoke connections clear

10 Pathways Out of Poverty10 Pathways Out of Poverty1.1. Raise literacy levels, birth through adult (100% literacy)Raise literacy levels, birth through adult (100% literacy)2.2. Programs to enable at risk in school youth to complete Programs to enable at risk in school youth to complete

high school and move to postsecondaryhigh school and move to postsecondary3.3. Postsecondary transition for out of school youth and Postsecondary transition for out of school youth and

adultsadults4.4. Programs for public assistance recipients and 200% Programs for public assistance recipients and 200%

poverty leading to employment and advancement.poverty leading to employment and advancement.5.5. Incarcerated transitionIncarcerated transition6.6. Veterans transitionVeterans transition7.7. Pathways to citizenship and English language proficiencyPathways to citizenship and English language proficiency8.8. Support for individuals with disabilities and their familiesSupport for individuals with disabilities and their families9.9. Support for mature workers and senior citizens to enable Support for mature workers and senior citizens to enable

them to stay out of poverty.them to stay out of poverty.10.10. Workforce development programs, including Workforce development programs, including

apprenticeship and career pathways.apprenticeship and career pathways.

PathwaysPathways

Tailored to needs of communityTailored to needs of community Clearly described, including Clearly described, including

connections and plans to buildconnections and plans to build SED will help build and enhanceSED will help build and enhance

Networking and interagency Networking and interagency coordinationcoordination

Literacy zones should provide comprehensive access Literacy zones should provide comprehensive access to services and programs supporting individual or to services and programs supporting individual or familyfamily

Literacy zone partnership matrix describes 14 priority Literacy zone partnership matrix describes 14 priority services (handout)services (handout)

Substantive partnerships with substantive letters of Substantive partnerships with substantive letters of intents, mou’s, resource commitmentsintents, mou’s, resource commitments

Roles and responsibilities clearRoles and responsibilities clear Planning clearly described; steps and agreements for Planning clearly described; steps and agreements for

coordinating servicescoordinating services Clear description of comprehensive support for families Clear description of comprehensive support for families

to increase literacy and English language proficiencyto increase literacy and English language proficiency

Guiding Coalition of Guiding Coalition of StakeholdersStakeholders

Clear commitment of stakeholders to Clear commitment of stakeholders to develop literacy zone over long termdevelop literacy zone over long term

Planning calendarPlanning calendar Implementation calendarImplementation calendar Substantive letters of supportSubstantive letters of support

First Wave Just FundedFirst Wave Just Funded

18 very comprehensive Literacy zones with 43 family 18 very comprehensive Literacy zones with 43 family welcome centers---3 year, $15 million commitment welcome centers---3 year, $15 million commitment supplemented by federal incentive grant fundingsupplemented by federal incentive grant funding

Dozen plus capacities, including: IBM support for Dozen plus capacities, including: IBM support for social networking software and strategic planning; social networking software and strategic planning; benefits training through Cornell University Waking benefits training through Cornell University Waking Work Pay, DOH, OTDA, mybenefits NY portal; one-Work Pay, DOH, OTDA, mybenefits NY portal; one-stop connections; career and job zone; disability stop connections; career and job zone; disability training; work readiness curricula; piloting of ITTS training; work readiness curricula; piloting of ITTS and e-literacy; VISTA volunteers; training in NIFL LD and e-literacy; VISTA volunteers; training in NIFL LD curricula; connections to immigrant rights supports curricula; connections to immigrant rights supports (DOL) etc. (DOL) etc.

Expand tracking of impact through ASISTS and semi-Expand tracking of impact through ASISTS and semi-structured family interviewsstructured family interviews

Central New York Central New York Postsecondary and Workforce Postsecondary and Workforce

Pilot Pilot 6 literacy zones in central New York supported by Regional 6 literacy zones in central New York supported by Regional

Adult Education Network Center (Jim Matt) and strong Adult Education Network Center (Jim Matt) and strong community foundationscommunity foundations

USDOE postsecondary transition and regional educational USDOE postsecondary transition and regional educational pipeline focus: 6 literacy zones provide support services, pipeline focus: 6 literacy zones provide support services, program connections, special transition services to create program connections, special transition services to create smooth pathways to 5 community colleges and 5 workforce smooth pathways to 5 community colleges and 5 workforce investment boards to support regional economic investment boards to support regional economic developmentdevelopment

Learner Web could be tool for developing Pathway Learner Learner Web could be tool for developing Pathway Learner Plans for all 10 pathways Plans for all 10 pathways

Start with postsecondary transition and transition to Start with postsecondary transition and transition to training and careerstraining and careers

CORD will provide comprehensive 9 month training on adult CORD will provide comprehensive 9 month training on adult career pathways in key economic sectors: green jobs, career pathways in key economic sectors: green jobs, advanced manufacturing, health careadvanced manufacturing, health care