Oversees adult basic education, GED preparation, English language acquisition, family literacy, adul

1
New York State Education Department
Adult Education and Workforce Development Team

• Oversees adult basic education, GED preparation,
  English language acquisition, family literacy,
  adult, career and technical education, workplace
  literacy and workforce preparation programs
• Provides staff development and technical
  assistance to over 200 agencies that provide
  adult education through a Regional Adult
  Education Network consisting of seven regional
  centers.

2

• Supports the Commissioner of Education in his
  role as the co-chair of the Emerging Worker
  sub-committee of the State Workforce Investment
  Board.
• Oversees the related instruction component of the
  New York State apprenticeship program
• Maintains the database for nearly 200,000
  students in adult education programs.
• Oversees the statewide administration for the GED
  examination.

3
Statistics for the 2007-08 Program Year

• Total Number of Students Served 33,852
• Number in Adult Education Classes
• to Learn English
  73,723
• Number on Public Assistance
  4,620
• Number of Single Parents
  20,538
• Number of Low Income Students
  49,329
• Number who Entered Employment
  12,582
• Number who Retained or Improved
• Employment
  4,695
• Number Entering Postsecondary Education
  5,835
• Number Leaving Public Assistance
  1,537
• Number who Increased Their Involvement
• in Their Childrens Education
  3,896

4
Literacy Zones

• New York State Education Department
  
• Initiative to Close Achievement Gaps in
• High Poverty Communities

5
New Yorks Challenge

• in
• severely distressed
• communities is to

6
Enable adults/parents to

• navigate complex systems
• education system
• improve literacy skills
• obtain a GED and postsecondary level skills
• engage and participate in their childrens
  education at all levels of their development

7

• support literacy in the home
• help their families utilize key resources to
  close achievement gaps libraries, public
  broadcasting, cultural institutions
• financial system
• ? achieve financial stability
• through banking and asset
• building

8

• health care system
• ? secure health insurance for themselves and
  their children
• manage chronic disease and practice preventive
  health
• housing
• ? secure stable and affordable
• housing

9

• technology
• ? achieve computer literacy for
• employment and information
• access
• legal system
• ? acquire knowledge of their rights
• as citizens

10
Enable immigrants to

• become acculturated to American
• society by gaining access to
• high quality English language
• classes
• literacy instruction
• post-secondary education
• the workforce

11

• the road to citizenship
• credentialing of occupations and professions for
  immigrants with postsecondary level degrees from
  their countries of origin

12
Enable public assistance recipients and
the working poor to

• access programs that provide pathways out of
  poverty
• obtain the necessary wrap-around services and
  work supports

13
Enable ex-offenders and returning
veterans to

• reintegrate into their communities
• access educational services and career and
  technical training opportunities
• re-enter the workforce
• access services, tax credits and benefits,
  including those supports and benefits targeted
  specifically to veterans

14
Enable children to

• begin school ready to learn
• achieve high literacy skills
• graduate from high school ready for work, higher
  education and civic participation
• complete higher education
• obtain satisfying careers
• continue life-long learning as adults

15
A Made-in-New York Strategy for
Meeting These Challenges
Literacy Zones
16
Literacy Zones

• Focus comprehensive effort in a
• distressed community of concentrated
• poverty or limited English language
• proficiency
• 2. Bring together a coalition of community
• stakeholders and focus their action on
• creating a no wrong door system of
• access
• Support effective parent engagement
• with the school system

17
Family Welcome Centers are at the heart of each
and every Literacy Zone
18
Employing a full-time Partnership Coordinator who
will

• 1. identify community stakeholders
• 2. establish and maintain collaborative
• partnerships with these stakeholders
• 3. actively work to establish a
• comprehensive system of referral
• and access to benefits and services

19
Employing family case managers/navigators
who will

• work with educationally
• disadvantaged parents and
• community members in
• 1. navigating complex systems
• 2. management support

20
Employing support and data staff, and
co-locate services and programs to create a
comprehensive access center.
21
Why Now?
22
Driving Forces

• Rapid influx and concentration of immigrant
  families with limited English language
  proficiency unable to navigate complex systems
• Families and communities left behind in global
  economy

23
Driving Forces

• A steady increase in the number of New Yorkers
  lacking basic literacy skills preventing them
  from finding living wage jobs
• Businesses, professions and occupations unable to
  fill positions that require postsecondary level
  skills and credentials, affecting their global
  competitiveness

24
Expected Outcomes of Literacy Zonesinclude
25
An appreciable increase in the number of New
Yorkers

• proficient in the English language
• literate in native language
• completing high school or GED requirements
• entering post-secondary education and training
• 5. possessing work readiness skills

26

• 6. entering the workforce able to earn a living
  wage
• 7. becoming active in their communities because
  of increased citizenship skills, voting behavior,
  increased involvement in childrens
  education/school and increased involvement in
  childrens literacy at home

27

For more information, contact
Robert Purga, Supervisor, Adult Education
Workforce Development
rpurga_at_mail.nysed.gov or Sandy
Vazquez sbelitza_at_mail.nysed.gov or Marisa
Boomhower mpanetta_at_mail.nysed.gov Tel.
518-474-8940
28
Literacy Zone RFPwww.emsc.nysed.gov/funding/cu
rrentapps.htmDue Date March 2, 2009