MN ABE Connect Archive
Recent Newsletter Articles
New Equity Resources from ATLAS!
It may be summer, but ATLAS staff and consultants are hard at work for you, adding new resources around equity! Read more to learn about what’s been added, where to find them, and some suggestions on how to use them in your setting. Also - look for the Teaching for Equity session at Summer Institute next month! Read More
BeCALM & CALM: High-Quality Math Curriculum for Minnesota Adult Education
In FY26, ATLAS partnered with the Adult Numeracy Center at TERC to offer a CALM Implementation Cohort for representatives from 15 Minnesota Adult Education programs across 12 consortia and a wide variety of instructional settings. The cohort’s goal was never to focus solely on a particular curriculum. Instead, its purpose has always been—and the goal of MN ABE math/numeracy instruction continues to be—to equip teachers and programs with effective tools and instructional approaches that strengthen mathematics instruction and support meaningful learning for all students. CALM and BeCALM are two high-quality resources that we are excited to help make more accessible to Minnesota Adult Basic Education practitioners and learners. Read More
Helping Others, Building Careers: The Personal Care Assistant Pathway
For adult learners interested in healthcare careers, personal care assistant (PCA) / community first services and support (CFSS) training offers a fast and meaningful pathway to employment while developing valuable skills that can lead to future career opportunities. According to the Minnesota CareerForce, personal care assistants (aides) are currently in high demand and will continue to be for years to come. Read More
COABE Takeaways- Neurodiversity in the Adult Classroom
Any teacher who has ever had a student who couldn't sit still, struggled to turn in work on time, or seemed to shut down when things got hard has experienced the reality of teaching neurodivergent learners. So…all of us! Read More
Bridging the Gap: Neuro-Inclusive Teaching Strategies
For students with ADHD, autism, or sensory processing disorders, the traditional classroom can feel like a decoding exercise without a key. When communication is vague or the environment is overwhelming, the result isn't just a missed lesson—it can lead to genuine trauma and a sense of being "broken." Read More
Healing-Centered Adult Education: Resources
Here we are, halfway through 2026. These last months have been incredibly difficult for adult educators and the families we serve. ATLAS has a number of resources for adult educators around stress and the brain, as well as trauma-informed practices. Read More
Equity-Driven Leadership for MN Adult Education
Minnesota Adult Education providers, in collaboration with the IDEAL Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota, are launching a professional development cohort for the 2026-27 school year. This program, based on the Science Museum’s flagship PAGE (Transforming Educational Systems Through Equity and Leadership) initiative, is designed to support educational leaders in creating lasting organizational change toward greater equity and inclusion. Read More
Reading Beyond the Text: The Need for Critical Literacy!
Consider where we get our information in 2026. What should we believe—and what should we question? Answering these questions has become increasingly difficult amid the constant stream of content from print, digital, and visual media, much of it shaped by misinformation, bias, or incomplete context. In this environment, Adult Education has a powerful opportunity to lead by equipping students at all levels with the skills to become discerning readers, listeners, and thinkers. Read More
Online Learning Can Work for Literacy-Level Learners
If you've ever wondered whether or not online instruction can really work for literacy-level adult learners, a recent COABE conference session offered a resounding YES, then shared straightforward strategies for providing accessible content and instruction to this population. Read More
Addressing Student Need in a Rural ABE Program
As ABE instructors, we all know there are times when we have a need within our site, but maybe not the resources to meet the need. This is especially true in rural areas where it is more difficult to reach all students due to the distance between cities within the region, the location of the main site, and staffing. What we discovered in our program is that being flexible and creative in meeting student needs can have results that exceed expectations! Read More