CCRS Cohort Applications Due June 1, 2022!

Kristine Kelly, ATLAS Literacy Coordinator

Is your program ready to dig into implementing the College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education? Would you benefit from a team of teachers and an administrator from your site working together throughout the year with face-to-face workshops on English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, focused time to plan together, and technical assistance from CCRS specialists?

Consider applying for the next CCRS Implementation Cohort beginning fall 2022! Note: Because many consortia have gone through the cohort, we are offering the cohort only every other year. After the 2022/2023 year, the next offering will be in 2024/2025.

What is the CCRS Cohort?

This CCRS Implementation Cohort is an intensive, long-term professional development activity from ATLAS. Participation in this training will prepare program teams to align curriculum and instruction to the CCR Standards and develop a long-term standards implementation plan for their program.

But don’t take just my word for it! Check out what three participants in the previous Cohort had to say:

“Participating in the CCRS cohort has inspired me to hold higher expectations of myself as a teacher: creating lessons that are worthwhile and based on complex texts; integrating meaningful writing, speaking and listening, language, and reading tasks; and facilitating more opportunities for students to engage in productive struggle. Due to my CCRS cohort work, I also hold higher expectations of my students, and they are rising to the challenge.” (from Rochester)

“I’m more comfortable now with the CCRS and planning lessons. Actually excited! The Cohort forced me to do things I have been wanting to do, but now they do not seem so overwhelming. Applying more coherency has made a difference.” (from Moorhead)

“For me, CCRS was both a learning experience and a chance to connect with peers and content experts. As the only ABE teacher at my facility, I so appreciated the opportunity to work collaboratively with job-alikes at other facilities and get to know the CCRS experts who have been there for questions, suggestions and support. Not only has my approach to teaching become better aligned with standards, I also now have peers with which to connect and share resources. (from Oak Park Heights Correctional Facility)

Requirements for participation

Please note the following important details when considering whether to apply as a program:

Prerequisite = CCRS Foundations training in ELA or math, depending on which content area you plan to participate in during the Cohort
All future Adult Diploma programs need to go through CCRS cohort training prior to launch
Program application: 3-5 individuals. Participating teams should consist of at least one administrator/coordinator from a program, one math teacher and one English language arts (ELA) teacher. An ideal team would be comprised of 1 administrator, 2 math teachers, and 2 ELA teachers. There is an opportunity to add more later, if space is available.

Important dates and activities

Kick-off webinar on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 from 2:00-3:30pm
CCRS Institute I on October 27-28, 2022 in Roseville
December webinars:
- ELA content group: Monday, December 12, 2022 from 2:00-3:30pm
- Administrators: Tuesday, December 13, 2022 from 10:30am-12:00pm
- Math content group: Thursday, December 15, 2022 from 3:00-4:30pm
CCRS Institute II on March 9-10, 2023, VIRTUAL MEETING
April webinars:
- ELA content group: Monday, April 24, 2023 from 2:00-3:30pm
- Administrators: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 10:30am-12:00pm
- Math content group: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 2:00-3:30pm
Ongoing, active, and thoughtful participation in our online cohort community via Schoology
Participation in team meetings and completion of implementation tasks throughout the year at your site
Phone calls and written correspondence with an assigned CCRS coach throughout the year as needed

Supports for participants

Travel costs (hotel and mileage) for participants traveling more than 100 miles round trip to the in-person workshops will be reimbursed by ATLAS.
In order to support participation, programs will receive a stipend of $400 per team member upon their completion of all required cohort activities.

What will I learn by participating in this cohort?

Program teams will be able to:

Articulate the benefits of standards-based education for their students, program, & staff
Align materials and resources used regularly in ABE instruction
Articulate which standards are being addressed in courses and instruction
Improve instruction and courses to incorporate shifts and standards appropriate to student levels
Develop a long-term standards implementation plan for their local program

Administrators will be able to:

Conduct standards-focused classroom observations and teacher feedback sessions to support implementation and improve instruction
Identify supports and resources instructors may need to implement standards-based instruction

Instructors will be able to:

Improve units, lesson plans, and student tasks to incorporate shifts and standards appropriate to student levels
Participate in standards-focused classroom observations and teacher feedback sessions to support implementation and improve instruction

Applications now being accepted!

The application deadline for the 2022/2023 CCRS Implementation Cohort is Wednesday, June 1, and programs will be notified by June 6 of their acceptance.

Check out the CCRS application on the Applications page for more details about next year’s cohort.

Please direct any questions regarding the application to Kristine Kelly, ATLAS Literacy Coordinator.

Kristine Kelly, ATLAS Literacy Coordinator ATLAS

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