Planning Process and Assessment

With the adaption of the consortium's annual plan in August 2021, ERAE members asserted their commitment to Education That Works, Transitions That Matters, and Students Who Succeed, and agreed on a strategic planning process that would combine an outcomes measurement approach and system-building efforts under the guidance of the consortium’s advisory council. In addition to aligning with several state initiatives (e.g., the Department of Education, Adult Education Office Continuous Improvement Plan, Perkins, WIOA I and II reporting), this blended approach has enabled us to:

• Clarify internal and external, and local and regional expectations: Whom are we serving how and why? How well are we serving our communities? How do our community members benefit from our programs and services?

• Build commitment among consortium members: How do we SOAR? (What are our strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and resilience?).

• Strengthen communication with our business, education, and community partners: How does making our programs more effective benefit more people? How are programs, services, and regional resources aligned?

Because we understand ourselves as playing an important role in a larger collective impact ecosystem within distinct socio-economic and socio-cultural contexts, we consulted the following data sources:

• CASAS TOPSpro and Perkins Core Indicator reports for the analysis of member-specific outcomes data and performance

• CAEP reports, CAEP fact sheets, and AEP score card for analysis of consortium-wide data and comparison to other consortia across the state

• CA Healthy Places Index for insights in social determinants of well-being

• GCCCD’s Student Success Metrics for better understanding existing pathways, dual enrollment opportunities and leveraged student support services

• San Diego County Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs: County Arrivals Reports for context and analysis of newcomer data

• Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Reports for exploring shifts and trends in more recent data

• SANDAG – Regional Economic Update (Oct 14, 2021, by Ray Major, to the East County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program and in partnership with East Region Adult Education) for insights into challenges and opportunities in our region (defined by the consortium’s geographic boundaries)

• Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research San Diego/Imperial Counties Subregional Profiles, esp. “Subregional Profile: East”, Feb 2, 2022 for a better understanding of the current and projected labor market and opportunities for alignment and program development with local and regional business partners.

• World Population Review for disaggregation of regionally specific demographic and socio-economic estimates

• San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP) Research (https://workforce.org/research/) for collaboration on workforce development initiatives and braiding of WIOA programs

The outcomes measurement approach helped us refine our internal metrics of success:

• Connection: outreach and ecosystem-building processes.

• Entry: onboarding, enrollment.

• Progress: transitions along paths within adult education.

• Transitions: to post-secondary; to completion of certificates, to college, to employment.

These metrics align with the community colleges’ Guided Pathways initiative and set the stage for communication among consortium members, across partners, and with stakeholders. During a kick-off planning summit in Spring 2021 and over the course of workshops and several focus group meetings with students and stakeholders, held in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, the data sets and reflection questions were introduced to more than 150 participants, and feedback and contributions were collected and shared on this public website. This website also hosted a survey, summarized, and displayed aggregated data, and provided additional resources and information about the consortium’s previous and current work. To focus our resources and leverage others' better, we conducted an environmental scan and surveyed partners such as refugee resettlement agencies, local healthcare, housing, and other support services, the San Diego Futures Foundation, and the SDWP. Data gathered that way helped us understand the impact the pandemic had especially on those who were already struggling in 2019, including households that earn too much to qualify as “poor” but are still unable to cover basic household expenses in the areas where they live.

System-building efforts allowed us to overcome some of the limitations an outcomes measurement approach has. ERAE programs are part of a much larger ecosystem with interdependent factors influencing our communities. For some outcomes that can be quite difficult to measure, e.g., the extent to which advocacy and transition services have been successful, the consortium partnered with a WestEd research team. The WestEd team’s analysis of the effectiveness of consortium structures and services augments our findings and contributions from members and stakeholders.

Regional Alignment and Priorities

Alignment is crucial for any ongoing, meaningful collaboration to develop solutions addressing economic inequality, empowering low-income workers to advance economically, and focusing on racial equity and communities’ well-being. The consortium’s efforts are aligned along cross-cutting issues and areas in need of investment in our region: increase access to education and employment pathways and create sustainable pathways (i.e. expand access to quality jobs, quality childcare, affordable housing, and sustainable careers). We are partners in a multi-agency MOU developed and executed by the SDWP; collaborate in a super region that brings together six local CAEP consortia monthly; coordinate program offerings with refugee resettlement agencies, San Diego’s Literacy Coalition and Library systems, human services and affordable housing organization; and partner with the regional EDC’s Advancing San Diego initiative as a preferred training provider. With the SDWP we created a cooperative working relationship to align goals and individual roles toward achieving three main objectives set forth in the Workforce Development Strategic Plan: foster demand-driven skills attainment; enable upward mobility for adults in our communities; and coordinate and integrate programs and services. Mapping adult education paths toward employment with partners at SDWP’s affiliated career centers, we developed a holistic approach that braids support and transition services, basic skills classes and career training for CET (Contracted Education Training) and ITA (Individual Training Account) students (Title I and II) in short-term programs for applied technology and health occupations. CET programs have become an important component of our evolving ecosystem and our partnerships among consortium members and with WIOA Title I providers. Training agreements emphasize the commitment to serve target populations through co-enrollment in Title I and Title II and, whenever possible, shared case management that helps leverage additional resources, including social service programs (e.g., CalWORKs – Rescare, PCG; IRC; Catholic Charities) and leads to smooth transitions to career and/or college. Implementing SB 544 in close partnership with GCCCD has opened additional opportunities for alignment with career pathways programs and basic needs/basic rights support services available on campus. ITAs, the vehicle envisioned to support the most underserved populations, pose a challenge we are striving to tackle with our AJCCs and the Center of Excellence in Labor Market Research. As long as a regional ETPL identifies the providers who are eligible to receive ITAs, training programs offered through our consortium often do not qualify, despite a researched and confirmed local high demand, and thus become inaccessible to those with the most economical and educational barriers. In addition, ETPL application and reporting processes are not aligned between partners and pose a burden on both staff and students. Across our super region’s consortia and in partnership with the SDWP, we are therefore considering creating new structures and improved processes for students/WIOA clients to understand and succeed in adult education programs.

In partnership with other regional adult ed consortia and the Strong Workforce regional consortium, we also developed an inclusive vision that weaves equity and principles of guided and career pathways throughout. Collaborative efforts to align CTE course offerings to occupations (SOC) and community college Taxonomy of Program (TOP) codes resulted in a shared repository of Occupational Training Programs, designed as a staging ground for adult education career education program data and a resource for promoting coordination and collaboration among adult education CTE providers region wide.

A priority of the planning process was to ensure inclusion of all stakeholders and transparency throughout. To that end we also discussed the alignment of priorities and efforts of member-specific WIOA Continuous Improvement Plans, WASC plans, and Perkins goals. All these plans are aimed at increasing workforce outcomes for job seekers in general and special populations in particular; ensuring access and fostering success in equity-driven contextualized programs that are augmented with improved onboarding, advising, and counseling processes. Within a collective impact ecosystem, priorities and services intersect in various ways: Increased persistence among ESL students and increased implementation of IET programs can lead to seamless transitions to college and workforce; co-enrollment under SB 554 and IET programs can lead to increased high school diploma and transition to postsecondary rates. Responsive customer services and targeted marketing can lead to more effective workforce pathways tailored to our high-need populations.

Educational Needs of Adults in the Region

San Diego's East region has its unique challenges and needs. A review of the region, utilizing various data sources, indicates that among adults in our region: 77,944 (19 %) are foreign-born; 12% have less than a high school diploma; 15% self-report speaking English less than well; over 40% self-report English, 25% indicate Spanish; and 15% self-report Arabic as their home language; 72% of live in the region and work outside of the region; about 25% have an income below $ 60,000; and 17% live near poverty or below the poverty level. The greatest population change expected will be in the 65 years or older age group, which is projected to increase by 25%. This is significant for at least two reasons: The cost of living in the area is much higher than the national average (160.1 on the cost-of-living index) and will most likely increase the need for retraining and post-retirement employment. Secondly, the child dependency ratio and age dependency ratio are relatively high across the region, which might point to older adults to take care of children and/or support school-aged children.

In addition, our area saw an influx in individuals who arrived as refugees or parolees (2,571 between October 2021 and March 2022), after refugee resettlement had almost come to a halt. Rebuilding the system will require even closer relationships between government entities, NGOs, CBOs, and public education providers. Though the newcomers' urgent needs are known, we are not always able to address them right away, or at all, within the constraints of our socio-political circumstances. Newcomers arriving as parolees, for example, don't always receive the same federal and state support as refugees. Deeper community engagement will be key to the successful implementation of culturally competent, trauma-informed programs and wrap-around services.

Though refugee newcomers, tribal communities, and underserved, high-need communities represent a significant number of potential students, only a small percentage are being served. Of the nearly 500,000 people who are 18 years or older in our area, ERAE serves about 4% of those with no high school diploma, 19% of those with limited English, and only 5% of those who are low income. There are several factors that created barriers to engagement: Existing transportation and employment corridors have always disadvantaged potential consortium students who live across the Mtn Empire region. In addition to COVID, the high cost of living raises opportunity costs for any potential student in our programs. The self-sufficiency standard for our region has risen to $ 19.71 per adult/hour (or $81,988.42 for a household with two adults, one preschool-age child and one school-age child); the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment has increased by 49% (to $ 2,270). At the same time, employment opportunities have been expanding, especially in leisure, hospitality, and food services. This reality is reflected in a decline in overall numbers of students served in the consortium (an overall 32% decline in students served from 2018‐19 to 2020‐21). To serve potential students who would benefit from our programs to achieve higher wages, we will need to address the true cost to students, including time and potential of lost wages from an available, but lower paying job.

We have built a foundation on which to develop programs that support adults, especially from traditionally underserved populations, in gaining a marketable set of skills and accessing the level of education necessary to establish both long-term economic self-sufficiency and economic security. The Centers for Excellence forecast an increase in the number of jobs in the East Region from 171,654 to 178,745, which is an increase of 7,091 jobs or four percent between 2020 and 2030. Employers in our region are projected to hire 19,370 workers annually; especially in middle-skill occupations. We have not yet been able to engage adult learners who might fill these positions.

In several workshops and focus groups, planning participants identified several concerns, utilizing data provided:

• The need for more support services

• Limited access to transportation, childcare, and technology

• The need for initial onboarding and assessment (including prior work and learning assessment)

• A lack of awareness among stakeholders of programs and resources available

• The imperative to align and coordinate programs and services with business partners and high-priority middle-skills occupations

Workforce and education programs need to be accessible for all, especially populations with barriers to employment, and ensure that everyone has access to a marketable set of skills. To achieve scale and impact, the consortium also needs to explore new marketing and outreach strategies, prioritize professional development that matches the changing needs of business partners and the technologies used, and invest in earn-and-learn programs that incentivize training and lead to meaningful careers.

Contributions by Entities

Describe the ways in which each consortium member or partner contributed to the development of the three-year plan. The description should include a list of all consortium members and partners who contributed, and a brief description of the ways in which each member contributed

The strategic plan is the top-level planning document consortium members designed to set the path forward. It is built on a cascading philosophy: During a kickoff summit in April 2021, representatives from each consortium member (Grossmont Adult Education (GAE)/GUHSD, Mtn Empire/MEUSD; GCCCD) brought in consortium partners and community stakeholders to share their higher level priorities and objectives and to explore possible gaps, overlaps, and alignment of services. The planning process initiated was based on guiding principles:

• Work toward collective impact

• Leverage and cultivate regional capacity

• Develop dialog with new and existing partners

• Strive for transparency and clarity

An advisory council was established to review the summit's findings and recommend next planning steps. Deans of Career Education from Grossmont and Cuyamaca College shared disaggregated data for first-year students and students transitioning from an adult school to college; counselors from the colleges and the consortium's transition specialists reviewed matriculation, enrollment, and special admittance processes; program directors from both adult schools presented student success data compiled by GAE's data technician; the VP of Human Resources for Viejas Casino & Resort provided insight in regional business needs; and the San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP) Operational Manager presented an overview of planning and operational documents of the regional workforce board. The council then initiated a shared planning process with several guiding questions. The consortium manager created a public strategic planning site that laid out the components, timeline, priorities, goals, data, and planning activities and provided regular updates on the process. A series of workshops and focus groups were established to collect more specific input from our business partners, students, teachers and staff, and community partners. The manager completed an analysis of data from CAEP fact sheets, the Adult Ed Pipeline, a report prepared for the consortium by SANDAG, and data summaries prepared by GAE's data technician. GAE shared their CIP, Perkins, and WASC reports and action plans. The consortium manager and GAE's director participated in activities of the regional Strong Workforce Consortium. Reports and strategic plans from SDWP and EDC were reviewed. Planning updates were shared with the consortium's Governing Board whose members provided the feedback that set the stage for the final plan.

Levels and types of education and workforce services currently offered by the consortium,

ERAE’s three members - GUHSD, GCCCD, and MEUSD – currently provide adult education and training opportunities as well as student support services in medical and non-medical CTE, ESL, Citizenship, Digital Literacy, High School Diploma/Equivalency Programs, and Adult Basic Education. Students have access to extensive services that support students in transitioning to college and careers. GAE offers a spectrum of classes and programs for approximately 99% of the consortium’s students. GCCCD provides support for agency-wide coordination and transition services in the three major languages spoken by our students (including 5 transition specialists, a business engagement, and a Professional Learning and LMS Coordinator). Specialists and coordinators have developed a comprehensive system that helps students identify career options and goals; supports students in transitioning smoothly and across members and partners to college and career; and they conduct outreach to help communities understand educational options and services available. GCCCD support also encompasses ongoing needs analysis informed by labor market data and assessment of community needs; and implementation of technology-supported case and learner management tools. GAE receives WIOA Title II and Perkins funding. The funds are leveraged to supplement ABE, ASE, and ELL population and CTE programs. Regular advisory meetings and a business roundtable are used as a time for business partners to guide GAE in providing programs with current industry standards. A comparison of current instructional programs to regional labor market information shows that CTE course offerings are aligned with the 10 largest industries and will benefit from realignment with the fastest growing occupations.

Our students live and work across consortium lines and (have to) navigate very different education and training systems. We need to design and implement student-centered paths that clearly delineate on and off-ramps, requirements, and opportunities. Mapping efforts need to be further coordinated with the other adult ed. consortia in the region. Work and focus groups voiced a need for better integration with CBOs and suggested creating a sharing platform that incorporated mental health and well-being resources and activities.

GAE and MEUSD are in the process of returning to in-person instruction. In surveys and focus groups, students voiced preference for blended learning modalities; we need to continue offering them.

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