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Integrated Education and Training (IET) in Virginia A Technical Assistance and Resource Blueprint

2019 - 2020

Purpose of the IET Roadmap

The IET Roadmap provides a consolidated set of definitions, tools, and resources for programs to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate IET programming, including IELCE programs, in adult education. Additional resources, including an interactive IET map, can be accessed at ietblueprint.com.

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Table of Contents PurposeoftheIETRoadmap.......................................................................................................................1

PartI.Definitions&Clarifications......................................................................................................3

WhatisIntegratedEducationandTraining(IET)?..............................................................................3MeetingtheRequirementsforIntegration.............................................................................................3WhatareIELCEprogramsunderSection243?......................................................................................3ThethreerequiredcomponentsofIET....................................................................................................41.Adulteducationandliteracy......................................................................................................................................................42.Workforcepreparationactivities.............................................................................................................................................43.WorkforceTraining........................................................................................................................................................................4

SECTORSTRATEGIES......................................................................................................................................5CAREERPATHWAYS........................................................................................................................................5Virginia’sCombinedStatePlanandWorkforceDevelopmentPublicationsandInitiatives.6WhatisPluggedInVA?....................................................................................................................................6

PartII.Resources......................................................................................................................................7

WhatistheIETPlanningTool?...................................................................................................................7WhatcurriculumandinstructionalmaterialsexistforplanninganddeliveringcontextualizedinstructionasapartofanIET?.....................................................................................8TemplateforBuildingaUnifiedCompetencyListforIETs...............................................................................................8VirginiaCareerWorks.......................................................................................................................................................................9CareerPathwaysToolkit:AGuideforSystemDevelopment...........................................................................................9TheVirginiaEducationWizard...................................................................................................................................................10

CurricularResourcesfortheThreeElementsofanIETProgram:..............................................11AdultEducation&Literacy,WorkplaceReadiness,andOccupationalTraining....................111.AdultEducation&Literacy......................................................................................................................................................112.WorkforcePreparationActivities.........................................................................................................................................123.OccupationalTrainingCurricularResources...................................................................................................................14

PartIII.TechnicalAssistance&ProfessionalDevelopment.....................................................15

WhatsupportsareavailableforplanningandimplementingIETs?...........................................15WherecanwefindresourcesforbuildingstrongpartnershipsforanIET?............................16

PartIV.FundingandMonitoringandEvaluation.......................................................................19

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Part I. Definitions & Clarifications

What is Integrated Education and Training (IET)?

From the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II, Sec. 203, “The term integrated education and training means a service approach that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of educational and career advancement.”

IET is the concurrent integration of standards-aligned, contextualized academic and literacy skills, workforce preparation activities, and simultaneous occupational training.

Meeting the Requirements for Integration

➢ An integrated education and training program has a single set of learning objectives that identifies specific adult education academic content, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training competencies, and the program activities are organized to function cooperatively.

➢ The adult education component of the program is aligned with the state’s content standards for adult education (the College and Career Readiness Standards and English Language Proficiency Standards) as described in the State’s Unified or Combined State Plan; and

➢ The integrated education and training program is part of a career pathway.

What are IELCE programs under Section 243?

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) may be offered as an adult education service, one of eight adult education activities and services. Programs may compete for awards to offer IELCE as a program, funded by the Section 243 allocation to states. Under WIOA Title II Section 243, State agencies may fund local providers to offer IELCE programs. IELCE is defined in the law as:

“education services provided to English language learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enable such adults to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States. Such services shall include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation and may include workforce training.”

Section 243 adds the requirement that such services be offered in combination with integrated

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education and training activities.1

The three required components of IET2

1. Adult education and literacy “...programs, activities, and services that include: (a) adult education, (b) literacy, (c) workplace adult education and literacy activities, (d) family literacy activities, (e) English language acquisition activities, (f) integrated English literacy and civics education, (g) workforce preparation activities, or (h) integrated education and training” (34 CFR 463.30).

2. Workforce preparation activities include activities, programs, or services designed to help an individual acquire a combination of basic academic skills, critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, and self-management skills, including competencies in:

a) Utilizing resources; b) Using information; c) Working with others; d) Understanding systems; e) Skills necessary for

successful transition into and completion of postsecondary education or training, or employment; and

f) Other employability skills that increase an individual's preparation for the workforce.

3. Workforce Training i. occupational skills training, including training for nontraditional employment;

ii. on-the-job training; iii. incumbent worker training in accordance with subsection (d)(4); iv. programs that combine workplace training with related instruction, which may

include cooperative education programs;

1 LINCS, “Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Program Guide” https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/IELCE_checklistFINAL508_0.pdf 2 CLASP. 2017. Integrated Education and Training: Model Programs for Building Career Pathways for Participants at Every Skill Level. https://www.clasp.org/sites/default/files/public/resources-and-publications/publication-1/WIOA-IET-Model-Programs.pdf

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v. training programs operated by the private sector; vi. skill upgrading and retraining;

vii. entrepreneurial training; viii. transitional jobs in accordance with subsection (d)(5);

ix. job readiness training provided in combination with services described in any of clauses (i) through(viii);

x. adult education and literacy activities, including activities of English language acquisition and integrated education and training programs, provided concurrently or in combination with services described in any of clauses (i) through (vii); and

xi. customized training conducted with a commitment by an employer or group of employers to employ an individual upon successful completion of the training.

SECTOR STRATEGIES

“Sector strategies are partnerships of employers within one industry that bring government, education, training, economic development, labor, and community organizations together to focus on the workforce needs of an industry within a regional labor market. At the state level, they are policies and investments that support the development of local sector partnerships. Sector strategies can do the following:

§ address current and emerging skills gaps; § provide a means to engage directly with industry across traditional boundaries; and § better align state programs and resources serving employers and workers.”

Source: National Governor’s Association For more information, visit the Sector Strategies and Career Pathways Academy.

CAREER PATHWAYS

“We define our career pathways system as a ‘series of connected education and training programs and support services that enable individuals to secure employment within a specific industry or occupational sector and to advance over time to successively higher levels of education or employment in that sector. Each step of a career pathway is designed explicitly to prepare for the next level of employment and education.'” Source: Virginia Career Pathways Work Group Career pathways should

§ be employer-defined and built in the context of industry sector partnerships; § prioritize applied work-based learning (e.g., OJT, apprenticeships, internships, etc.); § offer integrated – not sequential – foundational and technical education;

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§ accelerate acquisition of experience and skills and career advancement; § feature easily navigable transition points between “levels” (adult education program to

post-secondary institution) and multiple on- and off-ramps. Access the Career Pathways Toolkit: A Guide for System Development, from the Department of Labor, for more information.

Virginia’s Combined State Plan and Workforce Development Publications and Initiatives Virginia Career Works, https://virginiacareerworks.com/publications-initiatives/ To directly access Virginia’s Combined State Plan, visit https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioa/state-plans/va.pdf

Note: The 2016 Combined State Plan will soon be open for public comment and will be revised in 2020.

What is PluggedInVA?

www.pluggedinva.com

PluggedInVA (PIVA) is a Virginia career pathway IET program administered through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education that prepares adults with the workforce training and education they need to succeed in high-demand, high-wage careers. In partnership with local employers and post-secondary training institutions, the program provides learners with opportunities to simultaneously complete a high school equivalency credential (when needed); earn at least one digital skills certificate, an employability certificate, and an industry-specific credential; and strengthen academic and professional skills. Throughout the duration of the program, learners progress in a cohort and are co-enrolled in the adult

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education program and a local post-secondary program, earning transferable credits or training hours and stackable certifications related to a targeted industry.

The graphic here illustrates how PIVA’s model relates to an IET model. PIVA includes two additional essential elements (a cohort structure and a capstone project) and offers some scheduling flexibility in that now

Part II. Resources

What is the IET Planning Tool?

Virginia’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (CTAE) provides an IET Planning tool to support programs in their design and implementation of IET programming. A link to a fillable version of the IET Planning tool can be found on CTAE’s website here.

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What curriculum and instructional materials exist for planning and delivering contextualized instruction as a part of an IET?

Template for Building a Unified Competency List for IETs

The VALRC developed a simple template for programs to use when planning instruction. On page 1 are important definitions of the three required elements for IET. On page 2 is space to identify the objectives and core content areas for integration in an IET. An essential element of IET programming is a unified competency list which integrates and contextualizes academic and literacy activities with the workplace readiness activities and occupational training content and skills that learners will need to master. Click on either image for a link to the full document.

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Virginia Career Works

https://virginiacareerworks.com/ From the Virginia Career Works website, “Our mission is to advance economic stability and growth by preparing and connecting people who want to work with employers who need to hire through its training providers and network of professional partners. Virginia Career Works is Virginia’s vital link between meaningful employment and growing businesses, changing lives; and advancing economic prosperity.” The site includes resources for workforce practitioners, job seekers, and employers, including links to training and education options, labor market data, and local workforce development board and career center information. For policies, tools, and practitioner resources, see the Practitioner’s Corner page: https://virginiacareerworks.com/practitioners-corner/

Career Pathways Toolkit: A Guide for System Development

https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEN/TEN_17-15_Attachment_Acc.pdf Developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, the primary audience for this Toolkit is staff who work at the state level representing one of the core partners required to develop a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Combined State Plan. The purpose of the Toolkit is to provide the workforce system with a framework, resources, and tools for states and local partners to develop, implement, and sustain career pathways systems and programs. It incorporates the Career One-Stop competency model as a building block for creating career pathway programs and references the Career One-Stop credentials Toolkit as an easy way to search existing industry-recognized credentials.

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The Virginia Education Wizard

https://www.vawizard.org/wizard/careerHomePage Explore the Virginia Education Wizard‘s Workforce page for work skills, aptitude, and interest assessments; resources for building technical and soft skills; resume and interviewing practice; and local career resources. The site also includes resources for job searching and locating occupational training opportunities. Learners can set up an account to keep track of their assessments, resources, and progress.

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Curricular Resources for the Three Elements of an IET Program: Adult Education & Literacy, Workplace Readiness, and Occupational Training

1. Adult Education & Literacy College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), 2013 https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/CCRStandardsAdultEd.pdf English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), 2016 https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/elp-standards-adult-ed.pdf VALRC Standards-Based Instructional Technical Assistance This page includes links to the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education and the English Language Proficiency Standards, along with supplemental documents and resources such as activity ideas for teaching and aligning resources to the standards. https://valrc.org/learning/sbi/standards.html College and Career Readiness Standards Observation Tools v English Language Arts & Literacy:

https://valrc.org/learning/sbi/docs/14-CCRS-ELA-ObservationTool_a.pdf v Mathematics: https://valrc.org/learning/sbi/docs/34-Math-CCRS-ObservationTool_a.pdf v Note: An adapted tool for the ELPS from the VALRC is forthcoming.

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2. Workforce Preparation Activities Workplace Skills for the Commonwealth: Virginia’s Career and Technical Education provide research and curricular resources for workforce preparation. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/workplace_readiness/index.shtml Employability Skills Framework from OCTAE

Successful careers are built on solid personal and interpersonal skills. In an effort to leverage and connect the efforts of policy makers, educators, and employers, the U.S. Department of Education compiled the Employability Skills Framework and developed related tools, media and resources. https://cte.ed.gov/initiatives/employability-skills-framework

National College Transition Network: Integrating Career Awareness into the ABE & ESOL Classroom: Curriculum Guide and Modifiable Handouts https://www.collegetransition.org/career-pathways/publications/ica-curriculum-guide/

The Integrating Career Awareness into the ABE & ESOL Classroom curriculum is a ready-to-use, flexible curriculum that prepares adult educators to incorporate career awareness and planning into their instructional and counseling activities. The lessons and handouts can be adapted for a range of students and skill levels.

The Penn State IET Library at http://sites.psu.edu/pathwaystoemployment/ provides resources for building IET programs and contextualized workplace readiness curricula for adult education.

Developing Basic Skills Curricula for an IET (2017): https://sites.psu.edu/pathwaystoemployment/files/2017/09/IET-Guide_FINAL_U.ED-EDU-17-48-no-page-on-tools-p7rrm7.pdf Basic Skills Curricular IET Lesson Plans for Healthcare and Manufacturing industries: http://sites.psu.edu/pathwaystoemployment/project-resources-overviewoverview/basic-skills-curricular-resources/

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ABE Career Connections: A Manual for Integrating Adult Basic Education into Career Pathways https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/CareerPathwaysToolkit2011.pdf Soft Skills to Pay the Bills U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/ "Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments. The basic structure of the program is comprised of modular, hands-on, engaging activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism. The content provides a foundation for soft skills instruction in adult contexts.

NC-NET Employability Skills Resource Toolkit, NC Network for Excellence in Teaching, http://www.nc-net.info/employability.php

NC-NET developed this toolkit of instructional materials to support instructors as they seek to further enhance how their courses address eight employability skills competencies:

1. Interpersonal Skills and Teamwork 2. Communications 3. Integrity and Professionalism 4. Problem Solving and Decision Making 5. Initiative and Dependability 6. Information Processing 7. Adaptability and Lifelong Learning 8. Entrepreneurship

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3. Occupational Training Curricular Resources LINCS Adult Education and Literacy Career Pathways Resource Collection https://lincs.ed.gov/resource-collection?keys=&field_rcis_topic_areas_value%5B%5D=Career+Pathways *To customize your search, in the left-side column, click “Career Pathways” under Topic Area, then scroll down and under Resource Type, click on “Instructional Material.” Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/LINCS_CLR-1_508_0.pdf Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways provides teachers and administrators with instructional tools, strategies, and resources that support career-focused, contextualized English language acquisition instruction. CUNY Career Kits http://www.collectedny.org/careerposts/ The NYSED/CUNY CareerKit project is a comprehensive career preparation resource for adult literacy and ESOL programs from New York State. It provides lessons teachers and counselors can use with students to explore careers while at the same time practicing literacy and numeracy skills. This site contains selected activities from the Career Kits, provides supplementary materials for use with Career Kit activities and lends support to the field to implement career pathways into adult basic education, high school equivalency preparation, and ESOL instruction.

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Part III. Technical Assistance & Professional Development

What supports are available for planning and implementing IETs?

The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education The staff at the CTAE office is available to answer questions regarding program design, funding, and program evaluation. Click here for their contact information. Contact Jenna Kelly at jenna.kelly@doe.virginia.gov or 804-371-7852 for questions regarding career pathways. CTAE Professional Development Page http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/adulted/professional_development/ This CTAE site contains information and tutorials on WIOA Performance Measures, credential attainment, reporting career and training services, and the IET Planning Tool. The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center VALRC staff are also available to support program design, partnership development, and instructional planning. The full staff directory can be found here. Contact Kate Rolander at kedaly@vcu.edu or 804-827-1946 for questions regarding IET.

Online and face-to-face training. VALRC offers online and face-to-face trainings to support program planning and instructional delivery for IETs and standards-based instruction. Explore training offerings in each section of the Professional Learning VALRC site and contact VALRC to join their listservs to learn about professional development opportunities. The IET Blueprint site contains a repository of instructional materials, program development resources, planning templates, a map of current IET programs in Virginia, and resources for collaborating with employers and WIOA partners.

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PluggedInVA Visit the PluggedInVA website for a PluggedInVA Implementation Guide, Instructor’s Guide, examples of industry-targeted contextualized curricula, digital literacy resources, and program planning guidance. LINCS Courses and Resources offers Career Pathways online trainings, communities, and a bank of resources, including instructional materials and programmatic planning guidance. Adult Career Pathways Online Courses: https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-initiatives/adult-career-pathways/online-courses ACP courses are available in the LINCS Learning Portal for free and take from 90 minutes to 3 hours to complete.

Where can we find resources for building strong partnerships for an IET?

CLASP Memo: “Integrated Education and Training: Model Programs for Building Career Pathways for Participants at Every Skill Level” https://www.clasp.org/sites/default/files/public/resources-and-publications/publication-1/WIOA-IET-Model-Programs.pdf This memo provides guidance on the types of partners that can be engaged to build IET+S (IET + Support Services) programs that are truly parts of impactful career pathways. It also provides examples of Bridge programs, Workplace Learning programs, Pre-apprenticeship programs, IELCE programs, Corrections education, Postsecondary IET, and Out-of-School youth programming. The memo illustrates how each IET program type integrates adult education and literacy, workforce preparation, and workforce training.

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Career Pathways Toolkit: An Enhanced Guide and Workbook for System Development https://careerpathways.workforcegps.org/announcements/2016/10/20/09/37/Career_Pathways_Toolkit_An-Enhanced_Guide_and_Workbook

ProLiteracy Guide https://www.proliteracy.org/Portals/0/Downloads/Workplace%20Literacy%20Guide.pdf?ver=2016-06-02-160543-527 A guide to help organizations explore opportunities associated with starting a workplace literacy program. Learn about practices and procedures used in a variety of workplace literacy programs and how to adapt them to fit the needs of your organization and community. This guide, while not specifically designed for IET programming, includes useful tip sheets, sample scripts for engaging partners, sample MOUs, and sample question lists for working with employer partners.

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Reentry Education Toolkit https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/LINCS_CLR-1_508_0.pdf This tool kit offers guidelines, tools, and resources to help education providers implement the Reentry Education Framework. The Framework promotes the development of an education continuum spanning facility- and community-based reentry education programs. It has five critical components—program infrastructure, strategic partnerships, education services, transition processes, and sustainability.

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Part IV. Funding and Monitoring and Evaluation

How are IET programs funded?

Visit the CTAE Grants and Funding site for grant announcements and forms. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/adulted/grants_funding/index.shtml

How are IETs evaluated? What outcomes are measured in IET programs?

Visit the Virginia CTAE Professional Development website regularly to access video tutorials on reporting career and training services and on planning for a compliant IET program.

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/adulted/professional_development/