WHAT WORKSIntegrating
Basic Skills Training into
Welfare-to-Work
By Garrett Murphy & Alice Johnson
September 1998
National Institute for Literacy
BackgroundPART I: What Are the Issues?
This Report
Exemplary Programs
Policy
Federal Welfare Policy: Overview and Opportunities
New Rules for Welfare ReformPART II: What Do Successful Programs Look Like?
Increased Need for Literacy Services
Requirements on States
Funding
Conclusion
Characteristics
of Successful Programs
Checklist for Success
How to Use this Report
Profiles of
Exemplary Programs
PART III: Where Can I Find More Information?
Glossary of Key Terms
Contact Information
Recommended Resources
OrganizationsPART IV: Appendices
Publications
Appendix I:
Nomination Forms
Appendix II:
Evaluation Forms
The authors would like to thank the following individuals
for generously sharing their time and expertise with us by selecting the
eight exemplary programs presented in this report from the original 84
submissions.
Isabel Andrews | New York Association of Training and Employment |
Beth Blanchard | Seattle/King County Private Industry Council |
Jon Crossman | Region X U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
Debby D’Amico | Consultant |
Evelyn Ganzglass | National Governors' Association |
Suzanne Knell | Illinois Literacy Resource and Development Center |
Russell Kratz | METIS Associates |
Karin Martinson | Consultant |
Julie Strawn | Center for Law and Social Policy |
Jon Weintraub | Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education |
Lou Weissman | Region X, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |
We would also like to thank those who provided comments
and suggestions on drafts of the report.
Donna Cooper | Office of the Mayor, Philadelphia, PA |
Evelyn Ganzglass | National Governor's Association |
Susan Green | National Institute for Literacy |
Andy Hartman | National Institute for Literacy |
Suzanne Knell | Illinois Literacy Resource and Development Center |
Alec Levenson | Milken Institute |
Julie Strawn | Center for Law and Social Policy |
Greg Williamson | Office of Senator Patty Murray
|
Dear Colleague:
Last year, the National Institute for Literacy hosted a National Coalition for Literacy task force meeting in Washington, DC to discuss legislative and policy issues of importance to the literacy and basic skills field. A top priority was the recently enacted welfare reform legislation There was a great deal of concern that this new law would have adverse consequences for the many welfare recipients who enroll in basic skills programs.
The task force asked the National Institute for Literacy to determine whether education was being used as part of effective welfare-to-work efforts in accordance with the new law, and if so, how. This report, What Works: Integrating Basic Skills into Welfare-to-Work, demonstrates that the welfare law does provide opportunities to include basic skills instruction as part of welfare recipients’ transition to work, and includes information about programs that are achieving success in this area.
It is our hope that by broadly disseminating these promising practices, others in the education, job training, and public assistance fields will see that enhancing the skills of welfare recipients can be a component of effective welfare-to-work programs. With state and local welfare agencies now having to work with adults who face greater barriers to employment - including low basic skills - it is our hope that this report will provide practical and timely information for those working to make the new law a success for all.
Special thanks to Garrett Murphy, policy analyst for the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium and former Director of Adult Education for the State of New York, for working with the National Institute for Literacy in creating the selection process and criteria, recruiting and overseeing the review panel, and contributing to the writing of this report Also, thank you to Alice Johnson, policy analyst at the National Institute for Literacy, for working closely with Garrett throughout the project, and for writing this version of the report
We hope that this report, along with the work of the other
organizations and individuals listed on page 37, will create a better understanding
of what is possible under the welfare-to-work law and lead to more educational
opportunities, better jobs, and real self-sufficiency.
Sincerely,Andrew Hartman
Director
What role does basic skills instruction play in successful welfare-to-work programs? In July 1997, the National Institute for Literacy set out to find an answer to this question.
We wanted to know what was happening in literacy programs as a result of the major welfare reform law passed in 1996, and whether basic skills instruction was, in fact, part of the solution. To find out, we conducted a nationwide search for exemplary programs that are using basic skills instruction as a fundamental component of assisting welfare recipients in moving successfully into the workforce.
We assembled a panel of specialists in welfare, adult education, and employment and training, and asked them to evaluate 84 programs that had submitted detailed information about their work. (See Appendix I for the nomination form and Appendix II for the evaluation form.) The applications were judged on the following criteria:
The report is divided into three sections. The first section provides an overview of federal welfare policy, including recent and upcoming policy changes that are driving some exemplary programs’ activities. It includes a close look at education activities that are allowed by current welfare law. The second section identifies as specifically as possible the innovations that contribute to the exemplary programs’ success. It includes a summary of the characteristics of successful programs, a one-page checklist for programs seeking to assist welfare recipients, information on how to use this report, and profiles of the eight exemplary programs. The final section of the report lists resources for learning more.
Brief
overviews of the model programs follow.
Exemplary
Programs
Adult Basic & Literacy Education Program (Cleveland, OH)
Despite
half the participants in this adult basic education (ABE*) reading below
the sixth grade level at entry, 55 percent got jobs, with an additional
11 percent going on to postsecondary education or training programs.
This six to 12-week program includes basic skills instruction integrated
with work experience at a community agency. Keys to success include
a curriculum based on the SCANS* competencies*, job coaches for the newly-employed,
and an innovative use of “client advocates,” who meet regularly with participants
to help them deal with support service needs -- including transportation,
child care, and housing -- as soon as they arise.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
Brooklyn
College Child Care Provider Program (Brooklyn, NY)
This
literacy-based vocational training program prepares parents on public assistance
for employment in the child care field, and has a job placement rate of
88 percent. The five-month program provides basic and job skills
training and work experience in child care in alternating weeks.
The instructional approach tightly interweaves basic education and vocational
curriculum elements. In addition, education and training specialists
work together as a team in the same classroom, and interact regularly with
participants’ internship supervisors.
Canton
City Schools Even Start Program (Canton, Ohio)
This
family literacy program provides 20 hours of work experience and 10 hours
of academic and life skills education weekly for parents at their children’s
schools. It targets hard-to-serve families, including some recruited
from local public housing sites. Participants have the opportunity
to do job shadowing, meet with a mentor, and receive comprehensive vocational
assessment. Academic skills are taught in real-life contexts using
the National Institute for Literacy's "Equipped for the Future"*
as a model. (Equipped for the Future is the National
Institute for Literacy’s framework for adult education that identifies
what adults need to know and be able to do to be literate, compete in a
global economy, and be a responsible citizen and parent. EFF will
result in curriculum, assessment, and instruction innovations in adult
literacy and basic skills programs.) The Canton program has established
linkages with school-based Title I programs for child development services.
It also collaborates closely with school-to-work programs in order to identify
skills in demand by local businesses.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
CAP
Services' Family Literacy Program (Wautoma, WI)
This
family literacy program, operated by a community action agency, stresses
both economic and emotional self-sufficiency. The job placement rate
is high, with 78 percent of participants getting jobs – and many also qualifying
for pay increases, and/or continuing their education. The program
develops a “self-sufficiency plan” for each family that includes education,
training, work experience, and other services. Computer skills training
(with Internet access) and one-on-one tutoring are available to clients
in addition to their ABE*, GED* preparation, or family literacy classes.
The program is a cooperative venture between local entities that include
the following: A community college, private industry council, school
district, Head Start program, local public assistance administrative agency,
and domestic abuse outreach program.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
Chicago
Commons Employment Training Center (Chicago, IL)
This
employment training center serves long-term welfare recipients who face
numerous obstacles to self-sufficiency, including domestic violence and
learning disabilities. While most read below the sixth grade
level upon entry, within two years 32 percent became employed and another
17 percent earned their GED*. The curriculum focuses on skills needed
to enter and succeed in one of several local vocational training programs
identified as effective and accessible to people without high school diplomas
or GEDs*. The center provides a rich array of support services
-- many provided by partnering agencies -- including child care, a health
clinic, case management and counseling services, support groups for domestic
violence and depression, career counseling, transportation stipends, and
a toy and book lending library.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
Learning
Elevator Program (Hammond, Indiana)
This
adult education program is notable for accepting all applicants regardless
of educational level. Approximately 40 percent of high-risk, low-skill
participants (reading below seventh grade level upon entry) have secured
jobs. The following factors contribute to the program’s success:
work-oriented curriculum in which all academic instruction is connected
to the workplace, comprehensive assessment and goal-setting processes,
work experience conveniently located in the same building as classes, and
extensive collaboration with other community organizations. Participants
engage in only the components of the program deemed necessary for them
individually. The program offers a wide variety of support services
through partnerships with
community
agencies that include an English as a Second Language (ESL*)
institute, housing authority, YMCA, public library, referral and
emergency service, and two postsecondary institutions that provide scholarships
and tutors.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
Education
for Gainful Employment Program (Albany, NY)
The
EDGE project operated by the New York State Education Department, combines
unpaid work experience with basic education services and, at times, job
skills training. Strengths include the following: contextualization
of academic instruction around work, a close working relationship with
state welfare and labor agencies, precise delineation of project
expectations, and attention to both youth and adult recipients. Program
funding is performance-based. As a result of EDGE's visibility and
success, the State Education Agency's Board of Regents singled out welfare
reform as a topic requiring the attention of a special Regents subcommittee.
South
Bay GAIN Employability Center/Sweetwater Union High School District
(San Diego, California)
This
program offers an integrated academic-vocational program to welfare recipients
who did not succeed in finding a job during a month-long job search.
Eighty percent of participants completed training, and of this group, 70
percent got jobs. Those without the basic skills necessary to qualify for
vocational programs are provided with basic education services to help
them qualify. Others are assisted with GED preparation or vocational
training in business office technologies, health occupations, or industrial
technologies. An on-site “job developer” assists each participant
with job search and placement activities. The goal of job placement
is reinforced throughout the education and training, with participants
being told upon their arrival at the program, “Welcome to the first day
of your new job.”
Policy
A
common denominator shared by all of the exemplary programs is that they
are all succeeding in assisting welfare recipients in meeting the key goal
of the 1996 welfare reform law: jobs.
Because
most recipients have low basic skills, the law has increased the need for
adult education and literacy services -- and this need is likely to continue
to increase. Time limits and restrictions on access to education
and training means delivering services differently. Adult education
services for welfare recipients are adapting by becoming shorter, more
intensive, and more closely tied to work or training.
While
the federal welfare law discourages education and training, states and
localities do have room to help recipients build their skills before and
after becoming employed. In fact, some of the most successful programs
are combining employment services with education and training that will
allow recipients who are already working to qualify for better jobs.
The
bottom line is clear: after five years of TANF* assistance (and less
is some states), welfare recipients will have to support themselves.
The clock is already ticking, and the best way the adult education and
literacy field can help is to keep this in mind in planning and administering
all classes and services. It is also important to plan for the possibility
of increased enrollments as the law’s effects are felt by more recipients.
Helping
welfare recipients acquire the skills needed in today’s workplace is the
only way to genuinely assist them in preparing for their future without
welfare. The adult education and literacy field can make a major
contribution.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
FEDERAL WELFARE POLICY: OVERVIEW & OPPORTUNITIES
Increased
Need for Literacy Services
The
welfare law sets a five-year time limit on welfare assistance, and 20 states
have set shorter time limits. This has created a whole new group
of potential customers for literacy services. In addition,
many of the jobs found by recipients are in low-paying positions that have
limited potential for advancement. In order to move ahead and provide
for their families, many adults will want and need literacy and basic skills
services even after leaving welfare.
Recipients
with stronger educational backgrounds have often been the first to acquire
jobs and move off the welfare rolls. Long-term welfare recipients
are generally less well-educated than other recipients and are more likely
to need to improve their basic skills in order to find a job and become
self-sufficient. For example, in Wisconsin, where the welfare caseload
has fallen more than in most other states, 83 percent of recipients do
not have a high school diploma.
This
need is already being felt by some in the literacy field, and the pressure
will continue to grow in 1999 as a result of provisions in the law that
take effect at that time.
Beginning
in 1999, the law allows all states to count participation in education
activities toward the work requirement for more recipients.
This could lead to a substantial increase in adult education enrollments
at that time.
Prior
to 1999, recipients can satisfy the work requirement by participating in
any of the following activities: unsubsidized employment,
subsidized private or public sector employment, on-the-job training, community
service, and providing child care to an individual participating in community
service. Job search and vocational educational training count within
certain limits that vary by state.
The
law allows states to define some of these terms -- such as “work experience”
and “community service” -- as they see fit, and some states have chosen
to define these activities in a way that allows recipients to meet part
of their participation requirements through work-related education.
In addition, some states have used their TANF* “maintenance-of effort”
state funds to provide skill enhancement services outside the TANF* requirements.
The
number of hours that welfare recipients are required to work increases
with time, as shown in the following chart.
Beginning
in 1999, the hours of work beyond the initial 20 may also be satisfied
by the following:
In
2000-2002, demand for adult education services may increase further, because
a growing percentage of the caseload is required to work 30 hours per week,
and 10 of those hours may be education and training, including literacy.
Recipients will begin to reach the federal time limit in 2001.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
The
law requires each state to enroll a rising percentage of welfare recipients
in work activities for increasing amounts of time or face losing a portion
of its federal funding. The percentage of recipients in each state
who must work increases each year through 2002, as shown in the following
chart:
Many states can meet FY98 participation rates because of the “caseload reduction credit.” This credit reduces a state’s rate by the number of percentage points its caseload has fallen since 1995 (e.g. if the caseload has fallen 10 percent, then the state’s Fiscal Year 1998 rate would be 20 percent instead of 30 percent. Once the state has met its participation rate, it is free to enroll participants in activities that do not count toward the rates. Given that caseloads have fallen by one-third since 1995, the credit is likely to give states substantial room to put recipients in education and training.
In addition to the $16 billion in funding states receive from TANF* for welfare-to-work activities, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 authorizes the U.S. Department of Labor to provide welfare-to-work grants to states and local communities to create additional job opportunities for the hardest-to-employ recipients. The grants total $3.5 billion, with $1.5 billion being awarded in fiscal year 1998, and $1.5 billion still to be awarded in fiscal year 1999.
Adult education and literacy programs that are successfully helping welfare recipients enter the workforce are eligible for some of these grants, as long as they apply in conjunction with a Private Industry Council (PIC) or local government. Special consideration is given to applications from cities with large concentrations of poverty as well as to rural areas.
Grant funds may be used to provide needed basic and/or vocational skills training as a post-employment service in conjunction with either subsidized or unsubsidized employment. While consistent with the “work-first” philosophy of the welfare law, this approach also recognizes the “critical importance of continuous skills acquisition and lifelong learning to economic self-sufficiency,” according to the Department of Labor.
The
first round of these grants was awarded in the spring of 1998, and additional
grants will be made available in 1999. For more information on these
grants, contact the U.S. Department of Labor at: www.doleta.gov.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
States can, and are, currently integrating basic skills instruction into their welfare-to-work activities under TANF*. Beginning in 1999, this opportunity may expand because states will have greater latitude in combining education, training, and work for every recipient counted towards the work requirement. The bottom line is clear: after five years of TANF* assistance, recipients will have to support themselves. The clock is already ticking, and the best way the adult education and literacy field can help is to keep this in mind in planning and administering all classes and services. It is also important to plan for the possibility of increased enrollments as the law’s effects are felt by more recipients.
Providing
services that help welfare recipients acquire the skills needed in today’s
workplace is the only way to genuinely assist them in preparing for their
future without welfare.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
1) Focus on Employment-Related Goals
The goal of the 1996 welfare reform law is employment leading to keeping people in the labor force with opportunities to increase their earnings over time. Whether or not they agree philosophically with this approach, these successful programs have adapted to face this new reality. They recognize that the “clock is ticking” on benefits for recipients, and have, in some cases, restructured their services to help recipients succeed when benefits expire. In the most successful programs, the goal of employment is manifest from the outset and permeates the instructional program.
One
example is the Brooklyn College program, which teaches basic skills entirely
within the context of child care. All participants are preparing
for careers as a child care providers, and every exercise and activity
revolves around that work goal. Another example is the Canton Even
Start program, which makes it simple and convenient for participants to
gain work experience by using one site for both classes and work experience.
Another
effective approach is organizing basic skills instruction around more general
work requirements, such as the SCANS competencies* or Equipped for the
Future’s generative skills*. Many of the exemplary programs seek input
from private sector employers about both the local job market and skills
needed for specific jobs. They often provide computer training
and certification programs that help participants meet requirements for
specific jobs that are available in the community.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
2) Hands-on Work Experience
One of the best ways to familiarize a person without work experience with the world of work and to demonstrate the utility and relevance of skills taught in the classroom is to provide hands-on work experience. This practical experience may take the form of internships, job shadowing, or actual employment. The exemplary programs have found that it is important for students to have the opportunity to apply material learned in the classroom in a hands-on working environment on a continual basis. For example, students in some of the programs alternate weekly between the classroom and the worksite, while other programs incorporate both classroom and work experience into their schedule every week.
3) Collaboration with Welfare Agencies and Other Community Organizations
One
of the most important components of a successful welfare-to-work program
is a close working relationship with the appropriate welfare
agencies. Much of the confusion over what services are to be provided,
how long participants are to remain enrolled, and what outcomes are to
be expected can be avoided by mutual pre-planning and agreement.
For example, the South Bay GAIN Employability Center set its goals
for successful outcomes through contract negotiations with the San Diego
Workforce Partnership.
The
needs of welfare-to-work participants often extend well beyond the services
normally available in an educational institution or volunteer agency.
Participants may need assistance in such areas as life skills, child care,
education counseling, health, housing, domestic violence, alcohol and drug
abuse, transportation, income maintenance, job placement, and clothing.
Exemplary programs look beyond the basic instructional needs of their participants
and find a way to connect with other organizations and agencies that can
provide the wide array of services that are needed.
One
good example is the Chicago Commons program, which helps families meet
their basic needs with on-site support services -- including counseling,
a health clinic, domestic violence and depression support groups, career
counseling, and transportation and child care stipends. While
the services are delivered by a variety of agencies and organizations,
students view service delivery as seamless.
Comprehensive centers may be able to offer some of these services on-site, but will still have to network with other agencies to be able to provide all the services that are needed. Smaller stand-alone instructional programs often rely almost entirely upon partnerships and collaboration to make these services available.
4) Early Intervention and Personal Attention in Addressing Problems
Several exemplary programs have a particular staff member is responsible for orchestrating the many separate components into a well-integrated total program. Whether called counselor, case manager, or client advocate, the distinguishing feature of this position is responsibility for coordinating a number of support services that ensure participants’ job readiness and job retention. This includes promptly addressing problems that could interfere with participants’ success, and often includes following a participant’s progress through each stage of the welfare-to-work process, including initial employment.
The
Cleveland Adult Education program uses client advocates successfully.
New workers and employers have testified that continued employment would
not have been possible without client advocate intervention. Another
good example of this is the Canton Even Start Program, which provides each
student with a mentor who assists with needs as they arise.
5)
Commitment to continuous staff development
All
the exemplary programs emphasize the importance of having well-trained
staff. Often the staff are specialized, and have clearly defined
areas of authority and expertise. For instance, one staff person
will work only in the classroom, while another works only on job search
activities.
All staff members at the CAP services program are trained and certified as family developmental specialists by the University of Iowa School of Social Work. The Cleveland Adult Education staff developed a special six-week training utilizing SCANS* skills to prepare teachers for the project-based approach. Over a two-month period, staff members met regularly with each other and their project coordinator in order to share experiences and learn from each other.
In
addition to sharing with each other in-house, some programs are reaching
out to other similar programs in the community. New York State’s
EDGE program has a best practices clearinghouse that can be used by instructors
across the state. The Hammond City Schools Adult Education program
staff routinely attend staff development conferences on issues that include
cognitive strategies, learning styles, learning disabilities, and employer/educator
dialogues on workplace needs.
______________
*
= See Glossary.
______
Are basic skills integrated with other welfare-to-work activities?
Are academic, vocational, and job placement activities fully integrated
(on-site,
if possible)?
______
Does your program have clearly defined goals and outcomes that relate
directly to success in the workplace?
Do you assist students in setting clear and appropriate goals for themselves
that take into account their
skills, interests, and possible career options? Does
your program have clearly defined goals? Do
you track program costs per
outcome (not just seat-time)?
______
Do you collaborate with welfare agencies and other community groups?
Have you asked local colleges, school districts, and other human and social
service agencies to share
resources and expertise?
______
Are private sector employers actively involved?
Have you asked the sector for information on the local labor market,
wages,
and education and training
requirements for various jobs?
______
Does your program include hands-on work experience for students?
Is work experience available on-site or in another convenient location?
Do you pre-screen work sites
and select them based on the degree to which
they model appropriate professional practices for students?
______
Is a staff member responsible for providing students with individual
assistance
in addressing problems
that could interfere with attendance?
Is someone available to assist participants individually with issues such
as
child care, transportation, physical or substance abuse, housing, etc?
______
Are support services available?
Do you provide students with information on local health clinics, clothing
banks, support groups, and career counseling services? Have you asked
the
local public transportation system to donate bus tokens or farecards?
______
Does your curriculum include both job readiness skills and life skills?
Does your program offer computer, job readiness, and transition-to-work
training? Do you recruit outside speakers to lead workshops on
nutrition,budgeting, depression, anger management, etc?
______
Does your staff participate regularly in staff development activities?
Are instructors certified by the state? Do they participate in special
trainings, conferences, and other
professional development opportunities?
This report grew out of the tremendous demand in the adult education and literacy community for information on how to better serve people on welfare.
Because programs are making decisions daily that will affect welfare recipients’ success -- or failure -- in the workforce, we wanted to provide information on how some programs across the country are effectively using basic skills instruction as a fundamental component of successful welfare-to-work efforts. This report is an overview of eight programs that have been selected by a panel of experts based on information provided by the programs -- including outcome data, costs, and information on who is served. We do not consider this report to be a cookie-cutter recipe for success, but we do believe it identifies some key ingredients.
We urge you to do the following:
1.
Contact the programs that interest you for more information about how they
achieved
their success.
2.
Think carefully about what seems to be making a difference in the exemplary
programs
and how specific activities fit into the
big picture. Before adopting any practices
from exemplary programs, be sure to modify them for your program
as necessary.
3.
Carefully track outcomes. Both the federal government and private
funding
organizations want specific outcome-based evaluations. Establishing
an effective
means of collecting and conveying information on success will
pay big dividends
in the future in terms of both student achievement and funding.
PROFILE:
Cleveland Public Schools’ Adult Basic and Literacy Education
SCANS Employability Skills (SES) Project
Cleveland, Ohio__________________________________________
Type
of Agency or Organization: Public school district
Number
of Recipients Served Annually: 150
Outcomes:
55 percent got jobs
11 percent went on to postsecondary education
5 percent were referred for additional basic skills classes
Cost:
Cost per placement in employment was $2,000.
(If postsecondary placement is also counted as an outcome, the cost per
positive
outcome is $1,600.)
Educational
Services: ABE*
ESL*
GED* preparation
Structure:
Six to 12-week program includes basic skills instruction integrated with
work experience at a community agency, such as the
Ronald McDonald House.
Selection
Process: Target population is primarily adults functioning
at a low level,
without a high school diploma or
GED*. Most have very low skills,
but some students with higher skills are also served. Participants
must be on public assistance.
Curriculum:
PROFILE:
Brooklyn Child Care Provider Program
Brooklyn, New York______________________________________
Type
of Agency or Organization: College
Number
of Recipients Served Annually: 60
Outcomes:
88 percent of participants are placed in jobs.
10 percent earn their GED*.
Cost:
$4,711 per job placement
Educational
Services: Five-month literacy-based vocational training
program through
which graduates qualify for positions
as assistants in childcare
centers, or as self-employed family child care providers.
Structure:
Basic skills instruction is highly contextualized with a
child care career curriculum. Students alternate weekly
between
the classroom and the internship worksite. Many students are
offered full-time jobs at the site where they interned.
Selection
Process: No formal reading
or other skills are required for participation.
Since graduates go on to work in
child care centers, they are
screened for employment in the child care field (i.e. must pass
clearances for child abuse, criminal convictions, and tuberculosis).
Curriculum:
PROFILE:
Canton City School Even Start Program
Canton, Ohio_____________________________________
Type
of Agency or Organization: Partnership between a local school
district and county Department of Human Services
Number
of Recipients Served Annually: 100 families
Outcomes:
8 percent families left public assistance
21 percent secured a job for the first time or got a better job
29 percent of parents passed the GED or official GED practice test
Cost:
$1,914 per family
Educational
Services: Work-based program, with academic skills taught in
context as
needed to fulfill participants’ roles
as parents, workers, and
citizens as identified by Equipped for the Future.*
Structure:
30 hours per week of class, and work experience. Both classes
and work experience take place at participants’
children’s
elementary schools.
Selection
Process: Participants must lack a high
school diploma and be a parent (or serve
in a parenting role) to at least
one child under 8 years of age. Upon
entry, 96 percent receive public assistance, and 51
percent read below
the 6th grade level.
Curriculum:
PROFILE:
Cap Services Family Literacy Program
Wautoma, Wisconsin_____________________________________
Type
of Agency or Organization: Community-based organization
Number
of Recipients Served Annually: 74 families
Outcomes:
78 percent (58 parents) got jobs.
59 percent (44 parents) earned raises.
24 percent (18 parents) earned a GED* or high school diploma.
14 percent (10 families) bought their first home.
Cost:
$4,000 per family per year (with most participating in the program for
2 years)
Educational
Services: ABE*
GED* preparation
Family literacy*
Structure:
Year-round, open day and evening
Selection
Process: Eligibility criteria are as follows:
1) Reading below the eighth grade level
2) Having a child under seven years of age;
3) Needing a high school diploma or GED*;
4) Demonstrating commitment to the program before enrolling.
Participants must prove their commitment by completing
small assignments -- such as applying for a job that fits with
their skills, attending an adult education class for several days,
or checking available housing that might meet their needs.
Curriculum:
Contact:
Mary Patoka
CAP Services’ Family Literacy Program
1608 West River Drive
Stevens Point, WI 54881
715/345-5208
______________
*
= See Glossary.
PROFILE:
Chicago Commons Employment Training Center
Chicago, Illinois__________________________________________
Type of agency or Organization: Community-based organization
Number of Recipients Served Annually: 150+
Outcomes:
32 percent became employed.
17 percent enrolled in vocational training.
17 percent earned a GED*.
Cost: $3,500 per year per student
Educational
Services: ABE*, with special focus on learning disabled
GED*
ESL*
Structure: 20 hours per week (five days per week, four hours per day).
Selection
Process: No skills level requirements must be met to enter
the program.
All participants are on public assistance; the average participant
for
six years or more. Most face barriers to employment
(i.e. domestic violence, learning disabilities, little or no connection
to the labor market), and 40 percent
read below the 6th grade level.
(Please note: Grade level estimates are not generally
used with reference to adults, since these do not reflect the skills
needed to fulfill adult roles. This
estimate is used for illustrative
purposes only.)
Curriculum:
PROFILE:
Learning Elevator Program, Hammond Adult Education Center
Hammond, Indiana________________________________________
Type
of Agency or Organization: Adult education center of a city school
district
Number
of Recipients Served Annually: 69
Outcomes:
30 percent got a job.
9 percent earned a nursing certificate.
3 percent earned GED*.
1 percent earned commercial driver’s license.
Cost:
Not provided. (Through a performance-based funding structure, costs
incurred are
claimed and then reimbursed through
a payment point system that is calculated on the
basis of student outcomes.)
Educational
Services: ABE*
ESL*
GED*
Work Transition/Training
Structure:
25 hours/week (including one 10-hour volunteer service module
per student plus five to 10 hours of unpaid
work activity in the
Community Work Experience Program /CWEP)
Selection
Process: No entry or skill level requirements
are necessary to enter the
program. All participants read below the
7th grade level upon
entry and have additional barriers to employment (e.g.
learning disabilities; health
problems; drug, alcohol, or physical abuse).
Curriculum:
PROFILE:
Education for Gainful Employment (EDGE) Program
Albany, New York________________________________________
Type of Agency or Organization: State Education Agency
Number of Recipients Served Annually: 26,000 adults
Outcomes: 7,817 placed in jobs
Cost: $2,600 per placement into employment
Educational
Services: ABE*
ESOL*
GED* preparation
Vocational education
Life skills
Job readiness
Job development
Vocational ESOL* and ABE* in the native language for
non-native English speakers
Structure:
20 hours/week of work-based education combined with job-readiness or
work-based activities, such as community work experience, internships,
and job shadowing. Part of the week is spent on education and part
in
work experience in some areas, while in other areas a full week is spent
in the classroom and the next full week is spent in work experience.
Selection
Process: Target population is welfare recipients with low basic skills
who lack
a high school diploma and/or have limited proficiency in English and
little or no work experience. Teen parents are a priority.
Curriculum:
PROFILE:
South Bay GAIN Employability Center/Sweetwater Union High School District
San Diego, California_______________________________
Type
of Agency or Organization: Public School District
Number
of Recipients Served Annually: 148
Outcomes:
80 percent completed both academic and vocational training.
Of this group, 70 percent got jobs.
Cost:
$3,461 per outcome (defined as employment)
Educational
Services: ABE*
ESL*
GED*
Vocational training (nurse assisting, computer maintenance,
and business office technologies)
Structure:
Year-round, open entry, open exit
Selection
Process: All participants receive welfare. Many
have no previous work
experience and face barriers to employment. To qualify for
GED* preparation or vocational training, participants must read at
7th grade level. Those reading below this level are placed in
ABE* classes.
Curriculum:
ABE - Adult Basic Education. – Services or instruction below the postsecondary level for individuals who lack sufficient mastery of basic educational skills to be able to function effectively in society and who do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
America Reads VISTA - VISTA is shorthand for “Volunteer in Service to America,” which is a federally-administered domestic counterpart to the Peace Corps. Volunteers provide two years of community service in exchange for a modest stipend. With the Clinton Administration’s America Reads Challenge to ensure that all third graders can read well and independently by the end of third grade, some America Reads VISTA’s are volunteering in programs working to meet this challenge. For more information, contact the Corporation for National and Community service at 202-606-5000.
CASAS - Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System. CASAS is a nonprofit organization that provides competency-based curriculum management, assessment, and evaluation systems to education and training programs. These systems are learner-centered and are designed to meet the needs of adults and youth in today’s multicultural society. CASAS has developed systems for ABE, ESL, employment preparation, workforce learning, special education including developmental and learning disabilities, and secondary education. For more information, contact CASAS at 619/292-2900 or www.casas.org.
Creaming - This term, which is commonly used in the job training field, refers to the practice of selecting people who are most likely to succeed in a program to participate. For example, a training program that only admitted trainees who had a high school diploma or GED – when in fact trainees without such a degree could benefit from the training -- would be considered as “creaming” students who were more likely to succeed. The benefit to programs is that their placement numbers can be higher than if they had accepted all students regardless of ability and skill level.
Equipped for the Future (EFF) - The National Institute for Literacy’s framework for adult education that identifies what adults need to know and be able to do to be literate, compete in a global economy, and be a responsible citizen and parent. EFF will result in curriculum, assessment, and instruction innovations in adult literacy and basic skills programs. For more information, contact Sondra Stein at 202/233-2025.
Equipped for the Future’s generative skills – Generative skills are those skills that are durable over time, in the face of changes in technology, work processes, and societal demands. Generative skills are transferable across the three primary adult roles of parent/family member, citizen/community member, and worker. The generative skills are the basis for the EFF standards for adult learning. The four generative skill areas are: communication skills, interpersonal skills, decision-making skills, and lifelong learning skills. For more information, contact Sondra Stein at 202-233-2025.
ESL/ESOL – English as a Second Language/English for Speakers of Other Languages These terms are often used interchangably to describe programs of instruction designed to help individuals of limited English proficiency.
Even Start – Even Start is a national family literacy program funded by the federal government. The funding level for fiscal year 1998 is $124 million. For more information, contact Even Start Office, U.S. Department of Education, at 202-260-7764.
Family
literacy - A family literacy program integrates the following
four components:
1)
Literacy or pre-literacy education for children; 2) Literacy
training for parents or caregivers of children in the program; 3)
Equipping parents or caregivers with the skills needed to partner with
their children in learning; and 4) Literacy activities between parents
or caregivers and their children. For more information, contact
the National Center for Family Literacy at 502-584-1133.
GED - General Educational Development. A series of tests that offer people who did not finish high school the opportunity to earn high school credentials. For more information, contact the GED office in your state or the American Council on Education, GED Testing Service, One Dupont Circle, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20036-1163.
JOBS program - Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Program. Refers to the welfare-to-work program that preceded TANF and that focused on improving the basic skills of participants. Concerns about its effectiveness led, in part, to a renewed focus on “work-first” rather than first helping welfare recipients upgrade their skills.
SCANS - Secretary’s Commission on the Achievement of Necessary Skills. A Department of Labor-led effort to define the knowledge and skills required by high performance work environments and to consider how these attributes might be best assessed. For more information, go to www.dol.gov.
SCANS Competencies - SCANS involves five competencies: resources (how to allocate time, money, materials, space, and staff); interpersonal skills (how to work on teams, teach others, serve customers, lead, negotiate, and work well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds); information (how to acquire and evaluate data, organize and maintain files, interpret and communicate, and use computers to process information); systems (how to understand social, organizational, and technological systems), and technology (how to select equipment and tools, apply technology to specific tasks, and maintain and troubleshoot equipment). For more information, go to www.dol.gov.
SCANS Foundation Skills - The SCANS system involves three foundation skills: basic skills, thinking skills, and personal qualities. For more information, go to www.dol.gov.
TANF
– Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Refers to the
federal welfare program of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities
Reconciliation Act of 1996, which replaced Aid to Families with Dependent
Children (AFDC) as the federal government’s primary public assistance program.
Model
programs can be reached as follows:
ABLE Program, Cleveland Adult Education
Judith Crocker, Ed.D.
ABLE Program, Cleveland Adult Education
Cleveland Public Schools
4600 Detroit Avenue, Room 169
Cleveland, OH 44102
216/631-2885
(fax) 216/631-3692Brooklyn College Child Care Provider Program
Cheryl Harwood
Brooklyn College Child Care Provider Program
80 Willoughby Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718/722-3462
Canton City Schools Even Start
Jane J. Meyer
Canton City Schools Even Start
618 Second Street, NW
Canton, OH 44703CAP Services’ Family Literacy Program
Mary Patoka
CAP Services’ Family Literacy Program
1608 West River Drive
Stevens Point, WI 54881
715/345-5208
Chicago Commons Employment Training Center
Jenny Wittner
Chicago Commons Employment Training Center
1633 North Hamlin
Chicago, IL 60647
773/772-0900School City of Hammond: Learning Elevator Program
Steven E. Watson, Ed.D.
School City of Hammond: Learning Elevator Program
5727 Sohl Avenue
Hammond, Indiana 46320
219/933-2419EDGE Program
Barbara Shay or Robert Purga
New York State Education Department
Adult, Family and Alternative Education Team
Room 307 EB
Albany, NY 12234
518/474-8920
South Bay GAIN Employability Center
Melinda Templeton
South Bay GAIN Employability Center
Sweetwater Union High School District
3045 Beyer Blvd., Suite D-102
San Diego, CA 92154
619/662-4024
For more information on the role of basic skills in welfare-to-work, and welfare-to-work in general, we recommend the following organizations and publications:
Center
for Law and Social Policy
1616
P street, NW, Suite 150
Washington,
DC 20036
202-328-5140
www.clasp.org
National
Governors’ Association
Employment
& Social Services, Policy Studies Division
444
North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 267
Washington,
DC 20001-1572
202-634-5394
www.nga.org
The
Urban Institute
2100
M Street, NW
Washington,
DC 20037
202-261-5709
www.urban.org
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
Administration
for Children and Families
Office
of Family Assistance
Washington,
DC 20447
202-401-9275
www.dhhs.gov
Welfare
Information Network
1000
Vermont Ave., NW, Suite 200
Washington,
DC 20005
202-628-5790
www.welfareinfo.org
Wider
Opportunities for Women
815
15th Street., NW, Suite 916
Washington,
DC 20005
202/638-3143
Access
to Jobs: A Guide to Innovative Practices in Welfare-to-Work Transportation
Community
Transportation Association of America
1341
G Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington,
DC 20005
202-628-1480
Adult
Education and Welfare-to-Work Initiatives: A Review of Research,
Practice & Policy (by Debby D’Amico)
National
Institute for Literacy
800
Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 200
Washington,
DC 20006
800-228-8813
www.nifl.gov
Against
the Odds: Steady Employment Among Low-Skilled Women
The
Urban Institute
2100
M Street, NW
Washington,
DC 20037
202/261-5709
www.urban.org
Beyond
Job Search or Basic Education: Rethinking the Role of Skills in Welfare
Reform
Center
for Law and Social Policy
1616
P Street, NW, Suite 150
Washington,
DC 20036
202-328-5140
www.clasp.org
Business
Guide to Hiring Welfare Clients
Welfare
to Work Partnership
www.welfaretowork.org
Community
Service Employment: A New Opportunity Under TANF
Center
for Law and Social Policy
1616
P Street, NW, Suite 150
Washington,
DC 20036
202-328-5140
www.clasp.org
Education
and Training under Welfare Reform: Issue Note
Welfare
Information Network
1000
Vermont Ave., NW
Suite
200
Washington,
DC 20005
202-628-5790
www.welfare.info.org
Employer’s
Guide to Welfare Reform
21st
Century League
One
Penn Square
Philadelphia,
PA 19103
215-557-2662
Family
Literacy Guide to Welfare Reform
National
Center for Family Literacy
Waterfront
Plaza
325
W. Main St., Suite 200
Louisville,
KY 40202-4251
502/584-1133
Funding
Community Service Employment in the TANF Framework
Center
for Law and Social Policy
1616
P Street, NW, Suite 150
Washington,
DC 20036
202-328-5140
www.clasp.org
Health
Care and Welfare
21st
Century League
One
Penn Square
Philadelphia,
PA 19103
215-557-2662
Helping
Families Transition from Welfare to Work
National
Center for Family Literacy
325
W. Main St., Suite 200
Louisville,
KY 40202-4251
502/584-1133
How
Much More Can They Work? Setting Realistic Expectations for Welfare
Mothers
The
Urban Institute
2100
M Street, NW
Washington,
DC 20037
202/261-5709
www.urban.org
Increasing
the Employment and Earnings of Welfare Recipients
The
Urban Institute
2100
M Street, NW
Washington,
DC 20037
202/261-5709
www.urban.org
Learn
to Earn: Issues Surrounding Adult Education, Training and Work in Welfare
Reform (videotape by Suzanne Knell)
National
Institute for Literacy
800
Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 200
Washington,
DC 20006
800/228-8813
www.nifl.gov
Learning
Faster, Learning Smarter: The Functional Context Approach to Self-Sufficiency
Wider
Opportunities for Women
815
15th Street., NW, Suite 916
Washington,
DC 20005
202/638-3143
Literacy
and Dependency: the Literacy Skills of Welfare Recipients Living in the
United States
Educational
Testing Service
609/734-5694
Serving
Welfare Recipients with Learning Disabilities in a “Work First” Environment
National
Governors’ Association
444
North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 267
Washington,
DC 20001-1572
202-634-5394
www.nga.org
States
Can Use Family Literacy Programs to Support Welfare Reform Goals
National
Governors’ Association
444
North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 267
Washington,
DC 20001-1572
202-634-5394
www.nga.org
The
Employment Prospects of Welfare Recipients in the Most Populous U.S. Counties:
Limited Skills Mean Limited Employment Opportunities
Milken
Institute
1250
Fourth Street
Santa
Monica, CA 90401
310-998-2600
Welfare-to-Work
Options for Families Facing Personal and Family Challenges: Rationale
and Program Strategies
The
Urban Institute
2100
M Street, NW
Washington,
DC 20037
202-261-5709
www.urban.org
Will
Welfare Recipients Find Work when Welfare Ends?
The
Urban Institute
2100
M Street, NW
Washington,
DC 20037
202/261-5709
www.urban.org
The form used to nominate programs as exemplary follows.
Name
of Program: _______________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Phone : _____________________________ Email: __________________________ Geographic Area Served: __________No. of Recipients Served Annually:________ Type
of agency or organization (state education or welfare agency, community-based
organization, volunteer program, etc.): _______________________________
|
Feel free to attach supporting documents or additional pages if necessary, but please limit submission to a total of 6 pages.
1. Describe how adults are selected, and list any special characteristics of the population served. Are there any educational or skill level requirements to participate in the program?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe the educational services that are delivered (e.g. -- ESL, GED preparation, combined education and work, family literacy). Who provides the services and where? Include information on how such services interface with and are integrated into other components of the welfare-to-work program.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Please provide information on success rates and how they are determined and evaluated, including, where available, the following:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Describe the record-keeping system by which enrollment, achievement, and costs are calculated. Include a description of program goals and performance standards, if available.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. List all funding sources (including public and private sources but excluding in-kind contributions) and the relative percentage from each source.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What other factors make this an exemplary program? Is there anything unique about it that would be particularly useful for other programs? For example, how is the private sector involved in the planning and implementation of the project?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The evaluation form used by reviewers follows.
Criterion 1: Participant Selection and Case Management (5 Points)
Does applicant clearly show:
1.
that individuals are being recruited and receiving services as part of
a
welfare-to-work program?
2.
any evidence of avoidance of “creaming” in the selection of individuals
to be served?
Your Score: ________________
Criterion 2: Type and Quality of Services Delivered (30 Points)
Does the applicant clearly show:
1.
evidence of initial assessment activities by which appropriate education
and training
services are identified?
2.
that the basic skills services (including family literacy services) appear
relevant to
participant needs, are related to the skills needed for work (such as SCANS),
and
demonstrate sufficient intensity to move the participant from welfare to
work?
3.
evidence of a strong connection/integration between basic skills component
and other
aspects of the overall welfare-to-work program?
4.
evidence of a case management or counseling function that contributes to
the integration
of services?
Your Score: ________________
Criterion 3: Program Outcomes (30 Points)
Does the applicant clearly demonstrate:
1.
a clear definition of what it considers to be a successful outcome(s) and
how these
outcomes relate to preparation for, or success in, the workplace (e.g.--program
goals
and performance standards)?
2.
that the sponsoring welfare agency was either involved in setting the outcomes
or
has approved of the outcomes?
3.
that they have achieved a cost per positive outcome (not a cost per student
or cost per
contact hour) which appears reasonable given the nature of the clientele
and the number
and type of services offered?
4.
that a high percentage of the participants achieve these outcomes?
Your Score: _______________
Criterion 4: Record Keeping (5 points)
Does the applicant show evidence of a well maintained data base which is regularly updated and which contains information about participant progress related to the outcomes and costs associated with such outcomes?
Your Score: ________________
Criterion 5: Funding Sources (5 Points)
Does the applicant describe the source(s) of support that appear adequate to sustain all the activities included in the program description?
Your Score: ________________
Criterion 6: Replicability (20 Points)
In your judgment, is the program described in this proposal:
1.
replicable, in the sense that it could be transferred to other agencies
and would be seen
as attractive for adoption by other agencies?
2.
exemplary, in the sense that it is an excellent example of the general
approach
being proposed?
Your Score: ________________
Criterion 7: Private Sector Involvement (5 Points)
Has the applicant documented evidence of a commitment and/or involvement on the part of the private sector in terms of the design and operation of the program or the placement of participants in jobs.
Your
Score: ________________