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Dear Texas Adult Educators:

On behalf of the Commissioner Robert Scott, Texas Education Agency (TEA), and Texas LEARNS, I introduce to you Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks.  The efforts reflected in this publication are of good quality, based on research, and include the voice of adult learners, practitioners, and administrators.

The state office of adult education at Texas LEARNS and TEA are committed to adult literacy and learning and to the fact that Standards and Benchmarks will help learners and programs. 

A missing piece in the accountability system has been defining what should be taught and assessed. Content standards fill that gap by describing what learners should know and be able to do. Instructors use content standards to plan instruction, and learners use standards to set learning goals. Standards help instructors and learners develop plans that keep them focused and engaged.

(From the Process Guide for Establishing State Adult Education Content Standards)

Standards can provide a foundation for developing curricula, learning activities, and individualized instruction without being prescriptive. Collectively these standards can:

• Ensure consistency;
• Assist in meeting state performance measures;
• Link assessments to curriculum and instruction;
• Orient new adult education practitioners; and
• Serve as a reference for experienced instructors.

(From Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning 2004)

For those of you who use the Texas Standardized Curriculum Framework (TSCF), don’t worry, it will continue to be posted on the TCALL website and will serve as a resource to teachers and programs. Texas LEARNS does not want to interrupt your proven methods, only enhance your efforts with more resources through the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks.

My special thanks and recognition go out to the tireless labors of the Texas Adult Education Standards Project (TAESP) writing teams, field experts, TAESP staff, and the TCALL staff who dedicated their full attention to the completion and fruition of this project. The project started in July 2004 through the vision of Dr. Don Seaman, Dr. Chia-Yin Chen, and Dr. Lesley Tomaszewski and continued through 2007 under the expert tutelage of Dr. Dominique Chlup along with the research team Dr. Tomaszewski, Elaine Demps, Marilyn Byrd in addition to the help of other TCALL staff.  Both teams were outstanding in their complete dedication to a quality product that you are presented with today.

Finally, I want to thank you, Texas adult educators, for your support and contributions during the development of the Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks! 

Sincerely,

Joanie Rethlake, State Director
Texas LEARNS

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	Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning College of Education and Human Development Department of EAHRD Texas A&M University 4477-TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4477

Dear Texas Adult Educators:

On behalf of the Texas Adult Education Standards Project and everyone who has had a role in shaping the product you see before you, it is with great pleasure that I present to the field the Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks. 

Henry Ford creatively put it this way: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”  From the inception of this project, it has been surrounded by individuals who have believed in its process and more importantly its outcome.  While the Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks represent a change, I hope that the state will endeavor to share the spirit that even though change may be difficult it is indeed possible. 

Change brings with it endless possibilities.  What you have in your hands represents new possibilities in the dimensions of teaching, administration, program development, and student growth.  Therefore, I hope that you will use the standards and benchmarks to explore all of their potential possibilities. 

It has been a privileged experience to have been a small part of the development and now implementation of the Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks.  I trust that as educators, literacy volunteers, program administrators, adult literacy staff members, learners, and workforce developers, you will see all of the hard work, research, dedication, and commitment to this product and will now go forth to implement the standards and benchmarks across the state.  In this undertaking, you have my best wishes.

Respectfully,

 

 

Dominique T. Chlup
Principal Investigator on the Texas Adult Education Standards Project (TAESP) &
Director of Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL)
Texas A&M University

TAESP members
Dr. Lesley Tomaszewski
Elaine Demps
Marilyn Byrd

Former TAESP members
Dr. Don Seaman
Dr. Chia-Yin Chen
Barbara Tondre

Hotline 800-441-READ Phone (979) 845-6615	www-tcall.tamu.edu Fax (979) 845-0952

Many adult learners, educators, and administrators from Texas, national experts in adult literacy and learning, as well as past TAESP staff members have contributed to the development of the Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks.  We acknowledge their invaluable contributions.

TAESP Writing Team Members

Team members for the standard Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate

Janell Baker Anthony Chan Nancy Dunlap

John Hodges Vicki Hoffman Melanie Mayeaux

Team members for the standards Read with Understanding and Convey Ideas in Writing

Peggy Anderson Sheryl Jefferson Angela Johnson Nancy Jordan

Ruth Lestock Lester Meriwether Terri White Michael Willard

Team members for the standards Listen Actively, Speak So Other Can Understand, Read with Understanding for ESL Learners, and Convey Ideas in Writing for ESL Learners

Alma Ayala Bronwyn Bowen Debra Coe William Dixon Mary Ann Freeman Eduardo Honold Cynthia Joy-Rocha

Karen Mauer Stephen Mills Bonita Montgomery Felissa Taylor Nause Michael Saenz Sandi Schneider Barbara Tondre

Standards Specialists

Alma Ayala Janell Baker Jose Banuelos Summer Carrillo Anthony Chan Ellen Doyal Nancy Dunlap Mike Fulton Flor Garcia-Urias John Hodges Eduardo Honold Sheryl Jefferson Tiffany Johnson Nancy Jordan Alvin LeBlanc Kiersten Lee

Karen Mauer Melanie Mayeaux Stephen Mills Bonita Montgomery Elizabeth Moya Felissa Taylor Nause Georgia Reese Mike Saenz Sandi Schneider Mary Sharp Christine Spin Barbara Tondre Nadine Townsend Jan Whisonant Terri White Krista Young

GREAT Center Trainers Who Have Standards Specialist
Training

Robin Booth Marilyn Calhoun Lauri Cherian Sue  Ferguson Janie  Gonzales Ginny Marek Aida Martinez

Mary Helen Martinez Esteban Martinez Cynthia McConnel Rita McSorley Ronnie Porter Irene Ramos Doris Vardell

Consultants

Brenda Bell Patricia deHesus-Lopez Barbara Goodridge Aaron Kohring Traci Lepicki Roberta McKnight

Nancy Markus Andy Nash Susan Pimentel Peggy Seufert Mary Dunn Seidow Heide Spruck Wrigley

Individual Contributors of Other TAESP Efforts

Jose Aguilar Nina Alford Charles Anderson Vicki Angel Dorris Baker Yvonne Baltazar Peter Bas Lynn Baudoin Barbara Beadles Lyleth Bell Judy Berry Sarita Bickham Carol Biggs Janie Bonham David Borden Maria Cesnik Neera Chopra Veronica Collazo Stephanie Collins Sergio Contreras Michael Cote Maria Cruz Janet Davis Rebecca Davis Judy Dean Henry Diaz John Dicker Gayla Dirks Lucille Dominuguez

Ila Driver Carolyn Ellis Olga Escamilla Cheryl Fennessey Margaret Flores Clem Gallerson Dorothy Ganther Sharon Gaudin Glenda German Oscar Gomez Pam Gorney Barbara Gosnell LouAnn Gray Anson Green Jennie Hardesty Vicki Heard Lee Heisey Tracy Hendrix Rosa Hidalgo Trisha Horan Elizabeth Horton Patricia  Imes Sharon Ivey Bobby Jackson Richard Jackson Debbie Janysek Laurie Jensen David Jordan Rhonda Labor

Doris Larry Erika Leos Ana Macias James Marlin Velma Marlin Laurie Marquez Narda Martinez Diane Mathy Laura McGinnis Terrence Meineke Janet Melton Beverly Miller Helen Mills Sheri Montano Yolanda Moore Elizabeth Moya Linda Munoz Carlos Munoz Varshna Narumanchi- Jackson Linda Nemec Alice Ormiston Chris Palacios Emily Payne Ismael Perez Amy Petter Duane Pitts Gloria Yvonne-Porras Karen Price

Jeannie Pruitt Marilyn Querejazu Elma Ramirez Rose Ramos Roberto Renaud Roxanne Richards Maria Rivera Marta Rodriguez Janet Rothring Renata Russo Ernie Salcedo Lupe Schneider Jo Ann Scott Martha Serna Terry Shearer Connie Siebert Billie Smith Lisa Smith John Stevenson Kirsten Thompson Gail Wade Tina Washco Stephen White Gloria Wood Laura Wood Sofia Zamarripa Daniel Zamora

 

Organizational Contributors of Other TAESP Efforts

American Institute for Research
Easy, the ESL Series
Pearson Longman
The Texas LEARNS Staff
The TCALL Staff

Past TAESP Staff Members

Dr. Don Seaman
Dr. Chia-Yin Chen
Barbara Tondre

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