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3.1 Describe the process and criteria (licensure, education, credentials, experience, etc.) used in hiring decisions for staff.
3.1 Describe the process and criteria (licensure, education, credentials, experience, etc.) used in hiring decisions for staff.
Because SPCLC is comprised of St. Paul Public Schools and eight non-profit partners that provide direct Adult Basic Education instruction (one member, St. Paul Public Library, does not provide ABE instruction), there is some variability in the criteria and minimum qualifications used in hiring. The state-mandated minimum qualifications are followed by all programs:
Paid staff must, at minimum, have a BA, preferably in education.
Two years experience in teaching (adults) preferred.
Strong preference is given to those with a TESOL/TEFL certificate or master’s in ESL or ABE or equivalent.
All teachers must develop and pursue a personal professional development (PD) plan, responsive to their needs as an ABE professional.
All volunteer staff must complete training required by MDE.
Given the diverse nature of our consortium, we are highlighting a few of the programs that show the variability of process and criteria used in hiring:
Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES)
Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES)
CLUES’ ABE classes are taught by volunteers and supported by a small team of ABE staff. All volunteer teachers complete the training required by MDE. ABE staff are responsible for program coordination, curriculum development, and volunteer teacher support and evaluation. These staff members are required to possess the following qualifications:
Education, Experience & Key Abilities*
Bachelor's Degree in education (Adult Education, ESL, TESL/TEFL, etc.) or related field required.
1+ year(s) of experience in program coordination.
Experience with adult education/training programs preferred.
Experience managing, supervising, and/or working with volunteers preferred.
Experience facilitating and/or leading classroom lessons and/or discussions with groups.
Certified to administer CASAS and TABE testing or willingness to become certified.
Organization and interpersonal skills required.
Must be self-motivated and capable of working independently with little supervision.
*Equivalent combination of education and experience also accepted.
Language Skills
Effective communication in English and Spanish, both verbally and in writing, required.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret written materials, including reports, contracts, and proposals.
Ability to effectively present ideas and information in an organized and effective manner, including writing reports.
Ability to maintain accurate documentation and respond appropriately to questions from clients, co-workers, management and external parties.
Mathematical and Reasoning Skills
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in common units of measure at a high school graduate level minimum required.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Computer Skills
Proficient working knowledge of email software, video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.), the Internet, databases, and common Windows-based programs, including Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint required.
Must be willing to attend training to advance technical skills and maintain appropriate skill levels to perform job duties.
Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House follows the SPCLC hiring policy for instructional staff as outlined above. Paid instructional staff are required to hold, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree, preferably in education; strong preference is given to candidates who have at least two years of experience teaching adults. Priority is given to applicants holding a TEFL certificate, a master’s degree in ESL, ABE, or a related field, or equivalent credentials. All instructional staff are expected to develop and pursue an individualized professional development plan and all new hires are asked to follow the Instructional Staff Suggested PD Pathway provided by ATLAS. Volunteer instructional staff complete all training required by MDE within their first two months volunteering with Neighborhood House.
In addition to these qualifications, Neighborhood House emphasizes strong, consistent hiring and supervision practices through required training for supervisors and directors. Employees responsible for hiring and overseeing instructional staff receive training in recruiting and hiring processes; writing job descriptions; onboarding new staff; performance management; and exiting staff/terminations. This training also includes trauma-informed leadership and wellness strategies, and other topics that support equitable hiring decisions, clear expectations, and consistent staff support.
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, Saint Paul - Saint Paul Public Schools ABE
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, Saint Paul - Saint Paul Public Schools ABE
SPPS hiring requirements are dictated by both state statute and district policy. All SPPS ABE teachers need to either have a valid MN teaching license or a master’s degree in ESL, teaching or a closely related field. SPPS also has an internal policy that contract teachers must have an ABE license (or be willing to get one within 3 years of receiving their contract). Administrators typically have master’s degrees and/or administrator's licenses.
SPPS ABE usually hires teachers for part-time, hourly work before considering them for a contract. Part-time positions are hired by ABE administrators after an application review and interview. When contract positions are available, the applicant pool is typically limited to current part-time teachers. The interview team for contract positions consists of SPPS ABE teachers, administrators, support staff, and sometimes a human resources (HR) representative from SPPS. Contract positions require a current ABE license or commitment to obtain an ABE license within three years of hire date. Hiring for contract teachers is done through the district HR office. Open positions are posted on the SPPS website and applicants are initially screened by an HR staff member.
3.2 Describe the new staff orientation process and information included.
3.2 Describe the new staff orientation process and information included.
Each SPCLC agency conducts its own staff orientation, however, all programs include the following content, at a minimum: orientation to curriculum resources, SID, MN ABE policies, testing requirements and required training, and details specific to each program (this varies greatly between member organizations). To demonstrate the variation across SPCLC, highlights of the staff orientation process from several programs are detailed below:
Hmong Cultural Center
Hmong Cultural Center
New ABE staff receive information about HCC’s HR and employee policies, which are included in the HCC employee handbook and available on the HCC website. New for 2026 is information about MN’s new paid leave policy.
New staff are introduced to the ABE resources library HCC has on site for teaching ESL and Citizenship. The library includes a variety of textbooks, the Burlington English curriculum and the English Unlocked curriculum.
The ABE manager sets up a SID account for new ABE staff and provides orientation on how to take student attendance in SID as well as other key SID features.
Finally, staff are required to complete ABE Foundations, Distance Learning Basics if involved in Distance Learning programming and CASAS Implementation if involved in testing. All new staff receive a Burlington English orientation and training from Burlington English staff.
International Institute of Minnesota
International Institute of Minnesota
New ABE staff receive orientation and training starting on day one. In addition to receiving the organization’s handbook, teams list, and emergency response documents, all ABE staff receive the following training within their first two weeks on the job.
In the first week:
In the second week:
Additional resources provided for further exploration:
Once these topics have been completed, staff follow the Suggested Training Pathways provided by ATLAS.
Literacy Minnesota
Literacy Minnesota
Literacy Minnesota’s (LitMN) onboarding process centers on preparing new employees to effectively support learners and advance the mission. As part of onboarding, staff participate in Literacy Minnesota 101, an internal learning experience that introduces LitMN programs, communities served, funding, and ways that each role contributes to learner impact. New employees also receive role-specific training, guided support, and early check-ins to help them understand expectations, build relationships, and apply Literacy Minnesota’s values in practice, ensuring they are prepared to contribute meaningfully to learner success.
New teachers begin with a period of observation in the class they will teach, in order to learn the classroom routines, meet students and volunteers, and become familiar with curriculum resources and logistics. Other staff who work in instructional capacities, such as digital navigators, likewise begin with a period of job shadowing and on-the-job training specific to their role. Within the first month, staff receive training on SID from the Data Specialist, and if needed, they are directed to online CASAS and/or Northstar proctor training. During their first year, teachers receive coaching from a Lead Teacher and/or the Instructional Manager. All new staff are directed to enroll in and complete the ABE Foundations online course, preferably within their first 6 months but at least within the first year.
3.3 Describe how the consortium ensures that staff receive the training required by the Adult Education staff training policy for their position, such as ABE Foundations, test administration certification and distance learning training.
3.3 Describe how the consortium ensures that staff receive the training required by the Adult Education staff training policy for their position, such as ABE Foundations, test administration certification and distance learning training.
Each SPCLC member organization has their own approach and timeline for training, though many now follow the guidance of ATLAS’s Suggested Training Pathways. As part of an annual site visit to each member agency, SPCLC ensures that minimum staff training requirements have been met, including CASAS and TABE test administration training, distance learning training, and ABE Foundations. At this visit, SPCLC staff ensure that agency staff have completed the above required training and that SID reflects the most current information. While programs are primarily responsible for tracking this training for themselves, the annual site visit is an opportunity to check in on requirements. If the program is not yet in compliance with any of these requirements, we work collaboratively to set up an action plan for the program to meet these goals, and SPCLC follows up with the program to ensure required training is completed.
Across SPCLC, 164 staff members have completed CASAS certification, 152 completed ABE Foundations, 105 completed TABE certification, and 51 completed 51 Distance and Blended Learning Basics.
3.4 Describe how the consortium supports professional development (PD) for staff.
3.4 Describe how the consortium supports professional development (PD) for staff.
SPCLC takes a structured, multi-layered approach to supporting professional development across its member programs. PD needs are identified through a combination of instructional observations conducted by the Instructional Support Consultant, annual teacher surveys, and ongoing discussions at bi-monthly Governance Committee meetings. The newly formed Instruction Committee — made up of representatives from across member programs — meets quarterly to assess consortium-wide instructional needs and coordinate responsive PD activities.
While SPCLC strongly encourages participation in ATLAS Suggested PD Pathways and other relevant training, individual member programs have flexibility to tailor PD to their unique contexts, resulting in robust onboarding practices and role-specific professional growth supports at organizations such as Neighborhood House, the International Institute of Minnesota, and Literacy Minnesota. Staff are made aware of PD opportunities through MN ABE Connect, direct outreach from the Instructional Support Consultant, and program manager communications.
Consortium-level PD investment — including the Instructional Support Consultant's work, Literacy Action Network memberships, and Summer Institute registration — totals approximately $52,000 annually, representing roughly 0.5% of SPCLC's annual budget, with additional PD funds allocated at the individual program level.
Describe the process for determining PD needs and priorities at both the consortium and individual staff level
Describe the process for determining PD needs and priorities at both the consortium and individual staff level
While most decisions about professional development needs are handled at the program level, the consortium stays up-to-date on the PD needs of member programs in a variety of ways. SPCLC’s Instructional Support Consultant observes teachers across SPCLC and makes note of issues that suggest PD is needed, either at a program or consortium-wide level. The consultant also develops and leads training on relevant topics as needed for members and/or by request. PD needs are discussed at bi-monthly Governance Committee meetings and members collaborate on PD events and share PD opportunities whenever possible.
After the Instructional Support Consultant conducts each teacher observation, she meets with them to reflect on the observation and discuss the teacher’s professional development goals. The consultant documents this conversation and sends her notes to the teacher, along with links to relevant professional development opportunities and other resources as appropriate.
The Instructional Support Consultant also leads the new SPCLC Instruction Committee, comprised of representatives from SPCLC programs. This committee was formed to discuss instructional practices and PD needs within the consortium, and respond to those needs by organizing trainings, facilitating meetings and planning other relevant activities. Care was taken to ensure balanced representation of member organizations, staff roles and program delivery models/students served. This group gathers at least once per quarter.
Starting this year, the Instructional Committee created and administered a survey to SPCLC teachers that will be administered annually going forward. Topics included:
Teacher background and training;
PD participation;
How teachers make use of existing ABE teacher resources;
Desired support and professional development.
The survey highlighted gaps in PD and identified PD topics of interest to teachers. Results also informed committee priorities for FY26.
As evidenced above, SPCLC has built a strong system of support for teachers in its member programs, but recent feedback has shown there is also interest in additional support for new managers and coordinators in SPCLC. We will be further determining needs in this area to address more fully in FY27.
In addition to the professional development work being done consortium-wide, SPCLC programs support their staff in addressing professional development goals at the individual level. Each program has their own process, and we have highlighted two examples below:
Neighborhood House has each ABE staff member develop at least one SMART goal each quarter. Sometimes there is a theme for the SMART goals that aligns to ABE program goals, such as digital literacy integration. Other times, the SMART goal is based on something that the instructor hopes to implement, learn about, create, etc. Supervisors check in with their staff around these goals throughout the quarter and staff write quarterly reflections on their progress.
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning/ St. Paul Public Schools ABE staff participate in professional learning communities and create personal learning plans based on programs goals and the staff's desires for growth (see more details in the next section below). Oftentimes the PD priorities align with statewide PD initiatives. For example, all of the math instructors participated in the CALM math training offered recently.
Indicate whether the consortium requires any professional development beyond the requirements of the Adult Education Staff Training Policy
Indicate whether the consortium requires any professional development beyond the requirements of the Adult Education Staff Training Policy
SPCLC does not require training beyond what is outlined in the Adult Education Staff Training Policy, but most SPCLC member organizations require additional professional development for their staff. Some follow the Suggested PD Pathways resources developed by ATLAS while others tailor PD to fit their unique needs. In addition, licensed teachers are required to complete 125 hours of professional development every five years in order to renew their license. Here are some examples of how this looks in a couple of programs:
International Institute of Minnesota
International Institute of Minnesota
New ABE staff receive orientation and training starting on day one. In addition to receiving the organization’s handbook, teams list, and emergency response documents on their first day, all ABE staff receive the following training during their first two weeks:
Week One:
Week Two:
Additional resources provided for further exploration:
Thereafter, staff follow the Suggested Training Pathways provided by ATLAS.
Literacy Minnesota
Literacy Minnesota
Literacy Minnesota’s onboarding process centers on preparing new employees to effectively support learners and advance our mission. As part of onboarding, staff participate in Literacy Minnesota 101, an internal learning experience that introduces our programs, the communities we serve, how our work is funded, and how each role contributes to learner impact. New employees also receive role-specific training, guided support, and early check-ins to help them understand expectations, build relationships, and apply Literacy Minnesota’s values in practice, ensuring they are prepared to contribute meaningfully to learner success.
New teachers begin with a period of observation in the class they will teach, in order to learn the classroom routines, meet students and volunteers, and become familiar with curriculum resources and logistics. Other staff who work in instructional capacities, such as digital navigators, likewise begin with a period of job shadowing and on-the-job training specific to their role. Within the first month, staff receive training on SID from the Data Specialist, and if needed, they are directed to online CASAS and/or Northstar proctor training. During their first year, teachers receive coaching from a Lead Teacher and/or the Instructional Manager. All new staff are directed to enroll in and complete the ABE Foundations online course, preferably within their first 6 months but at least within their first year.
Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House
In addition to internal onboarding, all new instructional staff are expected to follow the Instructional Staff Suggested Professional Development Pathway developed by ATLAS. This pathway provides a structured timeline for completing core ABE training, including ABE Foundations, assessment certification, CCRS foundations, digital literacy, and Distance Learning.
During the first 90 days of employment, instructional staff meet one-on-one with their supervisor at least weekly to receive support, feedback, and guidance as they orient to their role and develop their instructional practice. After the 90-day onboarding period, staff transition to biweekly one-on-one meetings with their supervisor. Supervisors have recently completed training focused on supporting staff in developing individualized professional development plans and facilitating effective, goal-oriented one-on-one meetings.
Together, these onboarding components ensure that new ABE staff are well-supported, appropriately trained, and prepared to deliver high-quality, standards-aligned instruction while integrating fully into Neighborhood House’s program culture and instructional framework.
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, Saint Paul - Saint Paul Public Schools ABE
Ronald M. Hubbs Center for Lifelong Learning, Saint Paul - Saint Paul Public Schools ABE
As part of contractual obligations, all contract teachers at Hubbs Center spend two hours each month working in a Professional Learning Community (PLC). Each year, teachers work in small groups to identify a focus area and SMART goals. Throughout the year, the group meets to review student data, share instructional strategies, and plan future lesson. According to St. Paul Public Schools, “These communities operate on the district's core assumption that continuous, job-embedded educator learning is the key to student achievement.” While all contract teachers are required to join a PLC each year, hourly teachers are also encouraged to join and are paid two hours per month for their time.
In addition, each contract teacher is required to identify and write an annual Personal Learning Plan (PLP). This allows teachers to choose an area of focus that is personal. They can then spend an average of one hour per month on activities related to the goal, such as watching a recorded PD session, observing another teacher, or researching a new curriculum. Some PLPs for this year included a focus on better implementing a particular distance learning platform, increasing phonics instruction, and integrating more specific test preparation. Again, while all contract teachers are required to do a PLP, hourly teachers are also encouraged to do one and are paid one hour a month for their time.
Explain how the consortium ensures all staff are aware of appropriate PD opportunities
Explain how the consortium ensures all staff are aware of appropriate PD opportunities
During onboarding, program staff will encourage new ABE staff to sign up for the MN ABE Connect emails so that they are aware of upcoming PD opportunities. Program managers also highlight PD opportunities of particular relevance to their staff.
Additionally, as highlighted earlier, the Instructional Support Consultant meets with each instructor throughout the year as part of the observation process and checks in about the instructor’s goals. The Consultant helps guide the instructor to appropriate cohorts, webinars, and other resources in their debrief conversation and on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Addtional opportunities for managers, instructional staff, and support staff are shared across SPCLC as they come up. This is often done verbally in SPCLC Governance Committee meetings or by email to our listserv. Below are a couple of examples:
Occasionally, a program in SPCLC will host a SiD or content standards training and invite any interested SPCLC programs to participate.
The Director of Education at Neighborhood House, who is also the co-lead of the Adult Interest Section of MinneTESOL, promoted an event that this interest section hosted, available to all regardless of membership in MinneTEOSL.
When the SPCLC Instuction Committee hosts events such as Idea Shares, these are always shared by email with all SPCLC instructional staff.
Indicate the amount and percent of total funding that the consortium sets aside or uses for professional development
Indicate the amount and percent of total funding that the consortium sets aside or uses for professional development
Funding is set aside for professional development in both the SPCLC Management Budget and in each agency's ABE budget. The SPCLC Management Budget includes the professional development work of the Instructional Support Consultant, memberships to Literacy Action Network, and registration fees for Summer Institute. In total, these professional development-related annual expenses amount to just under $52,000 or .5% of SPCLC's annual budget.
In addition to PD expenses paid through the SPCLC management budget, each member program allocates funds for staff PD, including staff time to participate in these activities. We estimate those costs are about 1% of the total annual state award.
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