Recommendation 1: Set a statewide goal for increasing

adult credential attainmentDevelop a plan to reach that goal

Measure (and fund) progress, including “momentum points”

Recommendation 2: Expand the FastTRAC Initiative

Statewide

www.mnfasttrac.org

three-quartersof all students are “non-traditional”

halfof all students seeking associates degrees

need remediation

9 percent of these students graduate in 3 years

Source: Complete College America. Figures are for U.S.

34 FastTRAC programs on 20 campuses

Healthcare, manufacturing, education, trades, business

88 percent success rate in credit-bearing courses. 

Minnesota FastTRAC(Training, Resources and Credentialing)

Building Adult Career Pathways for the Non-Traditional Learner**Nontraditional learners are students who have one or more of the following characteristics: has delayed postsecondary enrollment, attends college part-time, works full time while in school, is financially independent, is a single parent, and/or has no high school diploma or GED.Center for American Progress/CAEL, 2010

Adult Career Pathways

“A series of connected educational and training programs that allow students to advance over time to successively higher levels of education and employment in a given sector.”Davis Jenkins, Community College Research Center

Adult Career Pathways

• Each “chunk” connected to the next• Programs target jobs in industries that are

important to local and regional economies• Involve collaborations among local educators,

workforce development professionals, employers, and community based organizations to design and implement

• Provide support services that address the needs of working learners

Minnesota FastTRAC Adult Career Pathway

POST-SECONDARY CREDENTIAL

BRIDGE II

BRIDGEPREP BRIDGE I

INTEGRATED SUPPORT SYSTEMS

INTEGRATEDINSTRUCTION

Core Literacy +Employability SkillsCareer ExplorationCollege Readiness

Leadership

Re-purpose and Braid Existing Resources:

•Federal ABE (WIA Title II and WIA title IB)•WIA Incentive Funds•TANF•Perkins•United Way•EL Civics •State ABE funds•Joyce Foundation

Program and Policy ReformCo-location (silo-busting)

ABE is a co-location partner with 17 of the 25 Minnesota Public Community and Technical Colleges.

Minnesota’s ABE programs are on 26 of their 44 campuses.

Program and Policy Reform

Additional policy and systems change efforts:•EL/Civics Grant Programs•Regional Transition Coordinators•Data – sharing, tracking •Professional Development•WIB involvement•State level FastTRAC staffing

Sustained Collaboration and Funding

Collaboration and Funding

•Importance of data around transition measures•FastTRAC committees of stakeholders•Continuing braiding of common client fund sources•ABE funding formula changes•Legislative re-purposing of key state funds•Centralized oversight

For More Information