Support Services Conference – Check Out These Sessions!

Remote Testing Overview

Does your agency have an active CASAS eTest/TOPSpro or TABE Online/DRC INSIGHT account, through which you are currently delivering online testing? Do you want to learn more about delivering remote testing?

This discussion panel is made up of Jeff Galbavy (CASAS eTests-Metro East-Harmony Learning Center), Melinda Doll (TABE Online-Moorhead ABE), and Linda Keller (CASAS eTests and TABE Online-Metro North). They have all successfully launched remote testing and share their unique experiences. They also provide local tips and tools that they developed and were happy to share with others.

Adult Literacy Hotline Basics

The Adult Literacy Hotline is an important way for potential students to find ABE programs in their area. In this session Caspian Jensen (Hotline Specialist at Literacy Minnesota) and Jenny Schlukebier (SiD Coordinator for MNABE) cover the following topics:

• How the Hotline works
• How SiD delivers ABE program info to the Hotline;
• How to make sure your information is up-to-date on the Hotline
• How to search for classes on the Hotline

It’s a great time to check out your list of classes on the Hotline, and this session will help you to understand how to do so, and how to spread the word about the Hotline in your area.

Best Practices for Intake & Support Staff Serving Beginning ESL Literacy Learners

Intake for students with little or no English and lacking literacy in their primary language is a distinct challenge that we face in Adult Education. Beginning ESL literacy learners can be tricky to register and place efficiently, and the process can be stressful to staff and overwhelming for students.

Listen to Patsy Egan (ATLAS Director, Hamline University) and Rebecca Jarvis (EL Coordinator, Metro South ABE) as they share the work of an ATLAS task force that identified barriers, discussed tools, and learned best practices in intake for these students. The identified practices are aimed at easing the process of registering, placing and testing low literacy adult learners.

SiD Back to Basics: Level Gains & Measurable Skill Gains (MSGs)

In this session, Jenny Schlukebier (SiD, Minnesota Adult Education) and Mary Zimmerli (SiD, Minnesota Adult Education) cover all the Measurable Skills Gains for state and federal reporting, from testing level gains to IET/Credentials, GED/HiSET, and more.

The session is designed to strengthen your understanding of all the MSG options and learn ways to improve reporting on student outcomes.

There are eight other presentations that you can watch in the 2025 Support Services Conference playlist on the MN Adult Ed YouTube channel. Other presentations include:

• All About GED Accommodations
• GED Data Detective: Solving the Readiness Puzzle with AI
• CASAS Recertification
• TABE Recertification
• Becoming a Distance Learning Support Pro
• Using Canva for Outreach Materials
• Intake Strategies & Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
• Resettlement in Minnesota Feder Trends and Local Services

After you’ve had the chance to view some of the sessions from our last conference, it’s not too soon to put the 2026 Support Services Conference on your calendar! It will be held virtually on November 12 and 13. Plan to join us then. The registration for the conference will be available in early October. Also, if you have suggestions for presentations that you would like to see offered, please contact Rachel Stiglitz, SPARC chair, at [email protected].