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2.1 Describe the governance and decision-making processes in place between the fiscal agent and its members.
2.1 Describe the governance and decision-making processes in place between the fiscal agent and its members.
The Governance Committee is the central governing body directing the work of SPCLC. This committee consists of one voting member from each SPCLC member in good standing. All core decisions—including those related to mission, goals, organizational policy, financial management, budgetary approval, program implementation, and membership—require ratification by a two-thirds majority of members present at a meeting. A quorum for these meetings is defined as representatives from 50% of full members. The committee meets bi-monthly or as determined by the membership.
The Executive Committee acts on behalf of the Governance Committee in the interim between its meetings. It includes representatives from Literacy Minnesota and Saint Paul Public Schools, up to three other at-large members, and a Chair and Chair-Elect. A quorum for the Executive Committee is 50% of its current members.
The Chair of the Executive Committee (who is elected after serving a year as Chair-Elect) has significant administrative responsibilities, including:
Chairing both Governance and Executive Committee meetings.
Managing Executive Committee membership and ensuring adequate membership on all committees and task forces.
Communicating with the SPCLC Facilitator.
Assisting in resolving issues, including fiscal agent issues and community concerns.
This structure establishes a framework where broad policy and financial approval rests with the large membership body (the Governance Committee), while day-to-day oversight, administrative management, and immediate action are handled by the smaller, representative Executive Committee; the fiscal agent provides necessary financial reports to the Governance Committee.
Indicate the fiscal agent and all additional members of the consortium.
Indicate the fiscal agent and all additional members of the consortium.
St. Paul Public Schools (ISD #625) is the fiscal agent for SPCLC. Other members include Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES); Change, Inc. (Guadalupe Alternative Programs); Hmong Cultural Center; International Institute of Minnesota; Literacy Minnesota; MORE Multicultural School for Empowerment; Neighborhood House; and Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota. St. Paul Public Library is an associate member and does not offer direct ABE instruction.
Which members are ABE providers that receive funding to run their own ABE programming.
Which members are ABE providers that receive funding to run their own ABE programming.
The consortium is composed of several Adult Basic Education (ABE) providers, including: Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES); Change, Inc. (Guadalupe Alternative Programs); Hmong Cultural Center; International Institute of Minnesota; Literacy Minnesota; MORE Multicultural School for Empowerment; Neighborhood House; Saint Paul Public Schools Adult Basic Education (Hubbs Center); and Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota. St. Paul Public Library is an associate member and does not offer direct ABE instruction.
The following organizations are direct Adult Basic Education (ABE) providers and members:
St. Paul Public Library is an associate member, contributing complementary services instead of direct ABE.
Describe consortium meetings, including: frequency, typical agenda items, and invited/required participants with expectations for their attendance.
Describe consortium meetings, including: frequency, typical agenda items, and invited/required participants with expectations for their attendance.
The Governance Committee, which includes representatives from each member, meets every other month; an elected Executive Committee of 5-7 representatives meets in the intervening months.
Governance Committee meetings run 1.5 - 2 hours. Attendance of all members is expected. Agendas generally include:
Financial - review and approval of the previous months’ consortium management budget invoice, detailing expenses in support of the overall consortium, and discussion of any other financial issues;
State issues - updates and discussion of any changes in state policies/practices, and any other statewide issues affecting ABE;
SPCLC management - discussion of any SPCLC management issues, which might include such items as new or ongoing initiatives, major reports, dealing with issues involving consortia membership, long-term planning, etc.;
Program delivery - discussion of such issues as quality assurance, accountability and improvement, and community outreach and engagement. Bi-monthly dashboards are reviewed. The consortium dashboard is presented in each Governance meeting and each program receives their program’s dashboard prior to the meeting;
Learner issues - discussion of issues affecting our learners, which might include speakers on the impact of changing immigration policy, culturally specific training, etc.; and
Announcements from member agencies.
Executive Committee meetings cover similar issues, often from the perspective of framing presentation and discussion at Governance Committee meetings. Sensitive topics which might include personnel issues or concerns about the management of a member agency are also discussed when/as needed. All committee members are expected to attend. In some cases, if a representative is unable to attend they will send someone else from their agency to attend in their place.
Formal minutes of all Governance and Executive Committee meetings are prepared by the SPCLC Facilitator, and emailed to all members following each meeting.
How and when the annual consortium agreement is developed and signed by the consortium members.
How and when the annual consortium agreement is developed and signed by the consortium members.
The annual SPCLC operating agreement (Attachment D) is called the Operating Principles and Procedures. This is a comprehensive agreement that covers all aspects of SPCLC operations, including membership, governance, roles and responsibilities of members and staff, fiscal issues, procedures for dealing with problems with member agencies and considering new membership applications, and quality assurance. The agreement is updated each year prior to submitting the annual ABE consortium application to MDE, and formally approved by the membership.
2.2 Describe the program quality and accountability plans and procedures for consortium fiscal agent and all members.
2.2 Describe the program quality and accountability plans and procedures for consortium fiscal agent and all members.
Each SPCLC member shares responsibility for maintaining high standards of program quality and accountability. Bi-monthly SPCLC Governance Committee and Executive Committee meetings include standing agenda items on data management, testing rates, student level gains and MSGs. In addition, the St. Paul ABE Supervisor (fiscal agent) and the SPCLC Instructional Quality Consultant conduct site visits with each ABE provider at least once a year, with additional visits planned as needed. During the site visit, SPCLC representatives and agency staff discuss all aspects of the member's ABE programming, including policy implementation, staff and volunteer training, and testing rates and outcomes. The visit is guided by a checklist that has been developed and refined by SPCLC over many years to evaluate critical factors of quality and accountability. If SPCLC staff identify areas for improvement during site visits, they work with the consortium's executive team to develop and implement training and/or provide resources. For example, this past year the team developed a short staff training on best practices in tracking and recording contact hours. This asynchronous training was shared with staff at every member organization.
Last June, SPCLC facilitated a meeting between executive directors/leadership of partner organizations and State Director of Adult Education Brad Hasskamp. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for members to learn about statewide policy updates and insights and to share their goals and ask questions about the coming year. While events like this are not organized annually, they are held on a regular basis to ensure open dialogue and up-to-date information for each consortium member.
For many years, SPCLC has contracted with an experienced ABE teacher to serve as the consortium's Instructional Support Consultant. The consultant helps to ensure quality instructional practices across the consortium by conducting regular teacher observations and feedback sessions that help teachers further develop their strengths and identify/address challenges. The consultant also connects teachers to state-sponsored ABE training or workshops as needed. Finally, the consultant facilitates an SPCLC Instruction Committee that plans and facilitates initiatives to improve instructional quality and enhance teacher support within the consortium.
Indicate how the fiscal agent ensures that ABE providers in the consortium spend funding appropriately and exclusively for the purposes of running adult education services, and how the fiscal agent ensures that caps on spending for administration are not exceeded.
Indicate how the fiscal agent ensures that ABE providers in the consortium spend funding appropriately and exclusively for the purposes of running adult education services, and how the fiscal agent ensures that caps on spending for administration are not exceeded.
The consortium budgeting process begins in May of each year by forecasting each program’s budget based on student contact hours and projected state and federal reimbursement rates. Once a final dollar amount per contact hour is determined, St. Paul Public Schools confirms allocations and issues a purchase order for the total funds to be allocated to each program. Programs submit a budget to the facilitator, who checks for compliance with budget limits such as the 8% cap on administration, the 15% cap on site occupancy costs and the 12% cap on indirect costs. SPCLC's facilitator also checks that programs are allocating funds for technology and professional development required to meet consortium goals. In addition, if a program plans to make a capital expenditure, documentation is required and filed to ensure that, in the case of program discontinuation, these expenditures are returned to the consortium to be re-allocated to other Minnesota Adult Education programs.
Hubbs Center representatives report to the consortium on financial matters. The facilitator provides technical assistance each year in completing program budgets. Programs submit invoices to ISD#625 and to the facilitator either monthly or quarterly and the facilitator confirms adherence to funding rules when reviewing invoices.
Indicate how the fiscal agent ensures that ABE providers in the consortium adhere to all federal and state ABE law, policy and guidance for operating ABE programming.
Indicate how the fiscal agent ensures that ABE providers in the consortium adhere to all federal and state ABE law, policy and guidance for operating ABE programming.
The ABE Supervisor for St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) ABE also serves as the Quality Assurance Advisor/Data Supervisor for the consortium. In that role, she conducts site visits with each ABE provider in the consortium on an annual basis. During the visit, she works with agency staff to complete an annual site visit form that addresses training, testing trends, and policy implementation. She is also available to answer questions throughout the year and has access to SID data for every agency. The SPPS ABE supervisor or their SPPS designee attends all Executive and Governance meetings during the year.
All members of SPCLC are strongly encouraged to attend quarterly Web chats led by ABE staff at the state level as well as the annual manager’s meeting. During these meetings, there are often updates on state policies. Organizations are also encouraged to attend SID-related trainings, either in real time or by accessing recorded trainings.
In order to ensure that all SPCLC ABE providers are in compliance with the state contact hour policy, we created a Contact Hour Training video and a form to sign after watching it, indicating understanding and compliance. This has already been completed by the majority of SPCLC ABE staff who use and enter contact hours in SiD, and it will be a requirement within SPCLC in the coming year for new and existing staff.
Indicate how program performance data (especially information about attendance, pre- and post-testing, measurable skills gain, level gains and other outcome achievement) is monitored at the fiscal agent, provider, site, teacher, and/or class-levels.
Indicate how program performance data (especially information about attendance, pre- and post-testing, measurable skills gain, level gains and other outcome achievement) is monitored at the fiscal agent, provider, site, teacher, and/or class-levels.
At the bi-monthly Governance meetings, the consortium dedicates time to review the consortium dashboard. Each year, programs set a goal for increasing contact hours. This goal is then fixed in the dashboard so that progress towards the goal can be measured. The first ring of the dashboard focuses on hours, broken out by distance learning, class and total hours.
The second ring of the dashboard focuses on retention, measuring the number of students enrolled, participating, and reaching 40 or more hours. Goals for this ring are set by the consortium and are as follows: at least 69% of enrollees will accumulate enough hours (12+) to become participants; at least 47% of participants will reach 40+ hours of instruction.
The final ring of the dashboard reflects data on testing, measuring number of learners who are test-eligible, number who have a post test, and number making a measurable skill gain. The goals for this ring are set by the state and are as follows: 60% of enrolled learners will have a post test; 37% of participants will have a measurable skill gain. Programs share this dashboard with their staff.
While outcome achievement is monitored by each program, how it is shared with individual teachers may vary. Some programs find it helpful to share this information during one-to-one meetings, while others find that it places undue stress on staff. Some outcomes, like total GED completions, are shared at relevant team meetings on a regular basis. Post-testing levels have been of particular interest in recent years for programs who have online classes and offer remote testing, since post-testing tends to be lower with online students.
Larger programs have their own dashboards in addition to this consortium-wide metric. Please see example from Literacy Minnesota below.
Indicate how and when program performance data is shared and communicated with staff and other partners.
Indicate how and when program performance data is shared and communicated with staff and other partners.
Program administrators receive a Program-Specific Dashboard detailing performance across four key metrics: Program Hours, Student Retention Rate, Student Testing Completion, and the Percentage of Students with Social Security Numbers (SSNs).
During the Governance Meeting, a Consortium-Wide Dashboard is presented, providing a comparative analysis of each program's performance against the overall consortium benchmarks.
Program leadership utilizes this data to inform their teams, driving the development of targeted action steps aimed at improving program performance and achieving consortium goals. Most organizations share this data regularly with their staff during all-staff and team meetings. They also share this information at meetings with their boards or advisory councils. This data is regularly shared with SPPS leadership during meetings with the Community Education Director as well as the Citywide Community Education Advisory Council.
Several programs have grants with the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) or partnerships with workforce organizations such as Goodwill. These members share subsets of their data with these partners to demonstrate successful outcomes and progress towards mutual goals.
Dashboard Reporting and Governance Review
Individual Program Reporting: Each program is issued a tailored Program Performance Dashboard. This tool tracks three essential operational metrics—Total Program Hours, Student Retention Rate, and Student Testing Completion—alongside the critical administrative metric of Percentage of Students with Valid Social Security Numbers (SSNs).
Consortium Governance: The Governance Meeting serves as the forum for sharing a consolidated Consortium-Wide Dashboard. This view enables program leadership to perform a benchmarking analysis, comparing their program's specific results against the aggregated performance of the entire consortium.
Performance Improvement Cycle: Following the review, program leadership is responsible for disseminating these comparative insights to their staff. This data-driven communication informs the creation and execution of performance improvement plans designed to elevate their program's standing relative to consortium standards.
2.3 Describe the process(es) used in the consortium to help students develop realistic goals and timelines for educational progress, secondary credential attainment, enrolling in college and/or gaining or improving employment.
2.3 Describe the process(es) used in the consortium to help students develop realistic goals and timelines for educational progress, secondary credential attainment, enrolling in college and/or gaining or improving employment.
Each consortium member develops their own methods for helping students develop realistic educational goals and timelines for progress. All programs begin the process with student intake forms and conversations to determine initial goals. These conversations typically address both the student's prior education and the amount of time they have available to dedicate to learning, as these are two factors that play a big role in how quickly a student progresses. At the same time, students know themselves best and are encouraged to make individual and ambitious goals if they would like.
It can be difficult at an initial intake to advise students on goals. Most programs offer further guidance at later touchpoints, such as when a student is advancing to a higher-level class. Assistance also comes in the form of in-class lessons, where students often speak about future goals and develop steps to reach them.
Students are also advised at the point where they may have “tested out” of a program. Some of the smaller programs in SPCLC only serve students at ESL levels. Once a student is testing into ABE levels and is ready to start preparing for college or an HSE, they are given information about their options within the consortium to continue studying at the appropriate level.
Potential students often call and say, “I need to get my GED. How long will that take?” which is an impossible question to answer without more information. The go-to answer is that we need to better understand their starting point by giving assessment tests and then some of the answer will depend on how much time they have to dedicate to their classes.
All programs support learners who want to attend college. Because college can take a significant investment in time and money, programs also ask students why they wish to attend college. In some cases, we can offer other options that are shorter-term but also help students meet their goals. For example, many students say they want to attend college in order to get a job. Programs will make sure students also know about shorter-term job training opportunities that may also satisfy this goal.
Below is one example of how students are advised.
Hubbs Center: The majority of Hubbs learners enter programming through general ESL classes. Once they reach the lower-intermediate level, learners are eligible to enroll in select job training classes such as PCA, CPR, customer service, patient care, and job readiness. There is also a career navigator available to meet with learners at all levels to create employment goals and action steps, including keeping students informed about job training at both Hubbs and other agencies in St. Paul. As students increase their skills, they are informed of other job training opportunities available to them. Students with a GED goal first attend a GED orientation where they learn about the testing process and receive resources to help them study. Students who have diplomas from other countries meet with the GED advisor to determine whether a GED is necessary (this usually depends on access to documentation). Visuals are used as much as possible to help students at all levels understand their options.
Explain how these processes vary for different types of students, or for students enrolled in different types of programming.
Explain how these processes vary for different types of students, or for students enrolled in different types of programming.
Students receive slightly different levels of advising depending on their program of study. Students with a GED goal typically receive additional advising time at registration, since it is important for them to understand the steps required in obtaining that credential. Many programs, including Hubbs Center and Literacy Minnesota, have intake and advising staff that work specifically with students who have a GED goal.
Those entering job training receive more intensive advising. For example, International Institute uses a Healthcare Careers Guide to help students understand their pathway options.
2023-Healthcare-Careers-Guide.pdfBelow are some examples of advising documents used for different types of students:
2.4 Describe how the consortium adequately identifies, tracks, and reports information about students that may fall within WIOA barriers to employment (public assistance, exhausting MFIP, disability, displaced homemakers, ex-offender, foster care, homeless, learning disabled, low-income, migrant worker, and single parent) in the intake process.
2.4 Describe how the consortium adequately identifies, tracks, and reports information about students that may fall within WIOA barriers to employment (public assistance, exhausting MFIP, disability, displaced homemakers, ex-offender, foster care, homeless, learning disabled, low-income, migrant worker, and single parent) in the intake process.
SPCLC uses the simplified definitions for barriers to employment that are found in the SID help center and based on WIOA documentation. These definitions can be difficult for students to understand, especially when English is not their first language. Some programs have multilingual staff who can assist and provide explanations, others use translation apps and websites to make sure students fully understand these questions. With many programs offering online registration now, documents are easily translated by potential students using online services.
There are typically two ways that programs identify and track barriers to employment: by asking about them on intake forms, and by engaging each student in a conversation about them as part of the intake process. The easiest barriers to identify are those around public assistance, disability, and parenting status. Low-income status is typically determined using students' self-reported income and federal poverty guidelines; however, students' household income can fluctuate due to seasonal employment or changing work schedules and sometimes students don't know their household income. Many lower-level students will bring a trusted family member with them to intake who can help staff collect accurate information.
All programs ask about barriers at a learner’s initial intake and follow up at various intervals; some programs update information for current students on a predetermined schedule while others do it during touchpoints such as at assessment or during advising. Students who have stopped out of a program for a period of time and return are asked to update information about barriers at their return intake.
Different programs have designed different approaches to discussing these barriers with students. One example is that GAP typically asks new students about challenges they are facing and how these challenges might impact their ability to access programming.
We believe programs are generally obtaining accurate information about barriers. During 2024-2025, 62.8 percent of learners identified as being low income. While that is still likely lower than the true number, it does show a significant need. For disability, 3.1 percent identified as having a disability and 3.2 percent specifically said they have a learning disability. This is smaller than the estimate that 12 percent of MN residents are disabled (according to the American Community Survey). However, we serve a population that is less likely to be diagnosed as disabled due to barriers around language and health access. It is also possible that new students don’t wish to share their status because of fear or privacy concerns.
How are the barriers to employment defined and/or explained to students during the intake process?
How are the barriers to employment defined and/or explained to students during the intake process?
In general, the barriers to employment are shared both on the student intake form and also in conversation with each student during the intake process. Some barriers and their definitions are easy to explain and/or translate and others are quite complicated. Here are some specific examples:
English Language Learner/Low Level of Literacy: Students can usually tell you if they struggle with reading or if English is not their first language. This can also be confirmed through student testing.
Disabled: Students often know if they are physically disabled. Asking a student if it is hard for them to learn will sometimes reveal a learning disability. However, some students are not officially diagnosed and may not identify their challenges as being a disability; others may feel hesitant about sharing a disability.
Displaced Homemaker: When asking students about their goals and why they are hoping to attend classes, many students will talk about needing employment. Follow-up questions about prior employment will sometimes reveal a change in relationship status that requires the student to work.
Ex-offender: Typically addressed in conversation.
Homeless: Students often understand the most obvious definition of homelessness. In conversation, we can sometimes find out more details about whether a student’s residence is stable or temporary.
Low-income: Many students know if they are receiving SNAP, TANF, or SSI. SPCLC programs also use pictures to help students identify the forms of assistance they may be receiving. Students do not always know their household income, which is a challenge.
Single Parent: Students usually understand this one through conversation.
How is the consortium utilizing the information collected? (e.g. specialized referrals, additional services, instructional planning).
How is the consortium utilizing the information collected? (e.g. specialized referrals, additional services, instructional planning).
The primary way we respond to this information is to enroll students in classes, helping them to increase their English and literacy levels and providing job training and academic skills that help them overcome some of these barriers. Teaching students ACES-TIF skills can help them navigate the systems necessary to access resources.
Students often come to ABE with some assistance already in place, such as MFIP counselors, job counselors, and relationships to resettlement agencies. Programs will ask about these relationships and may collaborate with them in some cases. Programs will sometimes consult with PANDA. Students who have children in K-12 may be referred to resources connected to their children’s school.
In addition, students with immediate needs such as lack of stable housing or enough food are connected to relevant resources if they are interested. GAP has social work interns on site that can follow up with students. Hubbs has a part-time counselor and also has Ramsey County navigators on site once a week. Other programs, like VSS, have staff in other parts of their organization that can provide some navigational help or referrals.
Documents
Documents
Document A - Intake and Orientation Procedures Template
Document B - Assessment Procedures Template
Document C - Contact Hour Tracking Procedures Template
Document D - Most recent consortium annual agreement with members districts and/ or organizations
Document E - Blank intake form if not using the provided form in SiD
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