Update on State Initiatives

Leadership Excellence Academy

by Sheryl Jefferson, Texas LEARNS

It was with great pride that the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium and ProLiteracy announced the first Certified Managers in Program Improvement in the state of Texas. Nineteen Leadership Excellence Academy (LEA) participants have earned the prestigious distinction of being among the elite adult education leaders in the country to earn this national certification. The participants completed an intensive two-year training program. This national certification is the first of its kind in adult education. Texas is one of only ten states that have adult educators who have achieved this certification status.

The graduation ceremony for Cohort 1 was held on Wednesday, July 15 at The Summer Administrators’ Institute in Salado, Texas. The keynote speaker was Dr. Phil Cochran from the Texas Education Agency. A national recognition event in their honor will be held at the joint COABE/ProLiteracy conference in March 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Texas would like to thank Lennox McClendon, Kathi Polis, Bonnie Goonen and Susan Pittman Shetler for their dedication and service to adult education and the LEA.

Registration for Cohort 3 is complete and the activities for Year 1 will begin in the fall. Cohort 2 will begin activities for Year 2 in the fall.

Texas has expanded its in-state capacity by selecting Rene Coronado and Guadalupe Ruvalcaba as its in-state trainers. Rene and Guadalupe attended the LEA Trainers’ Retreat in Hamilton, New York.

Congratulations Rene and Guadalupe!