As part of our transition to a standards-based system and in order to comply with WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) requirements, Minnesota has adopted the College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS), along with the ACES Transitions Integration Framework (TIF) and the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards, as our content standards for ABE. (Visit https://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/ for more information on Northstar.)
As seen in the visual above, the business of Minnesota Adult Education is helping students attain the academic, transitions, and digital literacy skills they need to transition to whatever is next in their lives. This is the “what” of our instruction.
These skills are taught via meaningful content, the subject matter or context that is central to the instruction. This content may be related to an adult career pathway such as nursing or construction, or it may be focused on science or social studies if students are preparing for GED or a secondary credential. The content may also be connected to daily life skills and civics, such as navigating the community and accessing resources if students are newer to the US. Meaningful content could also be related to financial literacy, health literacy, and developing a future pathway. In Adult Education, much depends on the program, context, and students’ goals!
CCRS for Adult EducationThe College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS) is the document that lays out the standards for English Language Arts/Literacy, Math, and Foundational Reading Skills. It forms the foundation of the CCRS Implementation Cohort, a year-long MN ABE professional development activity that prepares program teams to align curriculum and instruction to the CCR Standards and develop a long-term standards implementation plan for their program (see more information below).
The CCRS document itself is divided into two sections:
This free online course on the Canvas platform provides an introduction to the CCR standards for English Language Arts/Literacy or Mathematics in a self-paced format. Participants can complete the entire course for ELA and/or Mathematics, or access specific topics for a refresher or further practice.
This course meets the prerequisite requirement for several MN ABE professional development activities, including the CCRS Implementation Cohort.
These face-to-face workshops engage participants in a guided exploration of the CCR standards for ELA (English Language Arts/Literacy) or Mathematics.
These workshops meet the prerequisite requirement for several MN ABE professional development activities, including the CCRS Implementation Cohort and Adult Diploma Training.
The CCRS Implementation Cohort is a year-long, intensive professional development activity. It prepares program teams to align curriculum and instruction to the CCR standards, develop a long-term standards implementation plan for their program, and, ultimately, improve learning outcomes for students. Participation in the cohort is done at the program level; individuals do not apply, but rather their programs do.
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Don't miss the chance to participate in the next CCRS Implementation Cohort and collaborate with colleagues on strengthening standards-based instruction in your program! After the 2024/2025 year, the next offering won't be until 2026/2027. Read More
Join us online for CCRS Foundations and ABE Foundations in the new Canvas platform. Check out new and revised content, more opportunities for interaction, and the most updated information on teaching with the CCRS and working in our amazing MN Adult Education system! Read More
Registration Deadline: FRI. 4/26/24 Come learn about the new CASAS STEPS assessment and the new BurlingtonEnglish CASAS preparation materials. We’ll collaborate together in person, sharing strategies learned from states who have already adopted the new CASAS Steps assessment, gaining confidence with the English Language Proficiency standards, and receive… Learn More
Registration Deadline: FRI. 4/26/24 Learners with limited English and literacy skills have unique needs for in-person and remote instruction. Participants will learn best practices and tips for success at this level. They’ll also get several ideas for routines, activities and resources to use in their classes and tutoring… Learn More
Registration Deadline: MON. 4/29/24 Teaching intermediate alphabetics (syllables, prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. Learn More
