Adult Learner Transitions

START Transitioning Plans Now!

Like every other program, my Adult Education team struggles to find the right combination of strategies to boost adult education to postsecondary transitions. There are plenty of strategies, but few examples of applications and even fewer statistics to guide us in what works and what doesn’t. One of the greatest things about adult education in Texas is the willingness to share and learn from each other. In keeping with that tradition, here is some information about the Victoria College (VC) Adult Education Transition Plan that other programs may be able to use or adapt.

ABE to College

In early fall of 2006, a task force was formed called Student Transitions And Retention Team (START). The members of this task force came from some key departments of the VC, this program’s fiscal agent: Adult Education, Counseling, Marketing, Developmental Education, and Testing. We later determined that we needed the college’s Recruitment and Retention Coordinator. There have been three meetings--the first, to explain adult education to the members of the team; the second, to review transition strategies culled from the Internet and primarily from the California Adult Learner Persistence Project (CALPRO); and third, to develop a referral plan and transition project. The referral plan still needs refinement, but here are the basics of the transition project to be implemented this spring semester:

1. Adult Education will identify up to five students to participate in the first cohort of this project. The students will have earned a GED or have completed four of the five tests.
2. Adult Education will administer a practice Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) test using the online version (one of the admission tests acceptable at VC) by the third week in January 2007.
3. The Developmental Education (DevEd) Program Specialist will develop individual tutoring plans with the students based on their practice THEA scores and provide an orientation to familiarize them with the tutoring services available to DevEd students.
4. During the spring 2007 semester, this first cohort of students will work through their tutoring plans and use the DevEd educational support services.
5. By the summer, these students will take the official THEA test.
6. Funding for the tests will come from the Title V program – Educational Opportunities Center (EOC).
7. At this time, students will either be eligible for credit courses or be referred to DevEd classes. If students require DevEd classes, financial aid will be sought through scholarships from the VC Foundation (proposal to be submitted in early January).
8. Data to be collected includes practice THEA scores, tutoring plans, hours committed to using the tutorial services, and official THEA scores.
9. The START members will evaluate the project, make changes as needed, and implement again with a second cohort of adult education students.

Other transition strategies in place prior to creating START include college campus tours, obtaining college library cards, arranging college program tours (MLT, welding, etc.), making appointments for Adult Education students to visit specific college classes, having college program and counseling representatives visit the adult education classes, holding Adult Education registration on campus, and holding some Adult Education classes on campus.

Corrections to College

The VC Adult Education Program provided at the Victoria County Jail (VCJ) is fortunate to have acquired permission for Internet access, for educational purposes during class time, and under strict supervision for inmates enrolled in “Project: New Start.” A logical step is to take students from ABE to online classes provided by VC. Beginning in September, 2006, seven students have been allowed to pilot this online Continuing Education (CE) project. CE classes were chosen because the duration is shorter than a full semester of regular credit courses.

Students allowed to participate in the project are either ABE students who have completed the ABE level and who are participating post-GED in the ASE level, or inmates who are above the 12.9 reading, language, and mathematics level and cannot be served by our program. Let me clearly state that contact hours for online classes are not counted for Adult Education purposes, nor are all students “counted” as adult education students. For those who were, or are, in the program, postsecondary transition measures are captured. For students who are not part of the Adult Ed program, the program technically receives no credit or kudos. Basically, the Adult Ed program has acted as a catalyst, bringing together the Continuing Education Division of Victoria College and the Victoria County Jail.

• Inmates pay for their own CE course from their commissary funds (VCJ issues checks to VC from the inmate’s commissary fund) or have their families send the money directly to the college (approximately $89 each).
• Checks are picked up by a VC representative.
• “Dummy” email accounts were created by the Adult Ed instructor for the purposes of registration and security during class time.
• Courses last approximately six weeks.
• Students are explicitly told that if they are released they may complete the online course on their own, or if they are transferred to a state or federal facility they will be unable to complete and lose the credit and the money. However, with CE classes there will be no permanent record on their college transcript.
• A $5 supply fee will be added, beginning in January and CE will provide reams of paper, tablets, and other classroom supplies needed for them to complete the course.
• The VCJ Instructional Coordinator is responsible for security checks, arranging transportation to and from class, and overseeing the students while engaged on the computers.

Final Results: Seven inmates took nine classes; six classes were completed (three inmates were released before completion); of the six classes that were completed, five classes were completed with a grade of “B” or better. The number of students has been limited so far, because we wanted a manageable number to supervise in this new project and because of technology limitations (current Internet access is 56k modem dial-up). In addition, students who have successfully completed one course were given priority during the next registration session. Two students have been part of two sessions and have completed two classes each.

Issues to be aware of and that continue to vex us include:

• Internet access – equipment needs to be upgraded and remain compatible with VCJ equipment.
• The demand for classes is extremely high and exceeds the capacity of the technology, classroom space, and time.
• Male and female inmates are not mixed and choices must be made concerning granting access to the opportunity.
• Students who have already participated want to continue, while other inmates who have not yet had the chance also request permission to participate.

Questions that this project has answered for us include:

Are inmates willing to use their own money for the opportunity to take an Online CE course even if they run the risk of leaving the facility before completing? Yes, over 75 requests have been submitted (the facility houses approximately 500 people).

What kinds of classes are they interested in taking? Business management, Web page design, computer repairing courses, drawing, and selling and advertising have been the classes chosen so far.

How will the college benefit? Contact hours accrue that are eligible for state reimbursement.

How will the Adult Ed program benefit? Of the original seven students four will be tagged with “entered postsecondary education” on TEAMS.

How will the correctional facility benefit? The students must maintain their behavior within the facility in order to participate. This results in fewer disciplinary problems for the staff as well as promoting a positive environment in the facility.

How will the students benefit? They are exposed to postsecondary education topics and level of expectations; they earn CE credits; they learn how to participate in Online courses; and they have evidence of positive accomplishments to report to the criminal justice system and/or aid in future employment.

The partners involved (VC Adult Ed, VC CE, and VCJ) agree that this project is worth pursuing, but there are still issues to work out. A future next step will involve providing Online credit courses for a full semester.

Stacey L. Weaver is the Director of the Victoria College Adult Education Program; Victoria, TX 77901, 361-573-7323 or email stacey.weaver@victoriacollege.edu. She is also the current president of Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education.