TA Fall Convening Resources

November 2, 2021

Welcome and State of the State

  • Join Illinois’ senior leadership as they welcome us to the Transitions Academy and get our day started. Hear the overall vision of the career pathway system and how ICAPS/IETs and Bridges serve as a vital pathway for Illinois’ economic recovery. Considering the challenges and opportunities of COVID-19, see where we stand now as we reinforce our goals for the future. 
  • Presented by Jennifer K. Foster- Deputy Executive Director, Illinois Community College Board (ICCB)

 The Importance of Data

  • In this session, Cecilia Elhaddad (Director for Adult Education and
    Literacy) and Janelle Jones (Director for Career and Technical Education)
    will discuss how data are used to make decisions at the state and
    programmatic level, and provide resources for further exploration of
    enrollment and performance data in the state.

  • Presented by Cecilia A. Elhaddad, Director for Adult Education & Janelle Jones,
    Director for CTE, ICCB

 BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 

1. Connecting Students to Partnerships using Whatever it Takes-Ideas that Work

  • Join Valerie, an Adult Education Career Advisor at Waubonsee Community College, as she shares how she started a Virtual Job Club and kicked it off with a meeting that featured their local one-stop coordinator. She also works to showcase local employment partners both inside and outside of WCC Adult Education classrooms to serve their students.
  • Presented by Valerie Kozubal, Waubonsee Community College

2. Academic IET - Washington State Model

  • Since Washington State piloted the first integrated education and training (IET) program in professional-technical certificates in 2005, it has expanded the model to include developmental education and college transfer courses. The academic IET called the Academic I-BEST, has produced extremely promising results for precollege students, with adult education students completing degrees at higher rates than any peer group on campus. This session describes the components of the Academic I-BEST and discusses the considerations necessary for creating a similar model.
  • Presented by Doug Emory, Former Adult Basic Education Director for Lake Washington Institute of Technology.  Currently Principal for Doug Emory Writing and Consulting

3. Tidying Up Your Bridges

  • Does your program have bridges approved from before FY20? If so, come hear about recent changes and see if there is anything you would consider updating in your program. Upcoming opportunities for support and guidance will also be shared.
  • Presented by Angela Gerberding, Director for Work-Based Learning, ICCB

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in ICAPS and Bridges Spotlight on Equity Videos

  • Consider how to connect the important work you are doing with federal, state, and institutional initiatives for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. View the recently created series of six short informational videos for use to educate and inform those around you on equity messaging, DEI definitions and examples, ways that Adult Education and CTE promote equity, and more.
  • Presented by Aime’e Julian, Director, Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support, Sarah Goldammer, Director, & Tara Schwab, Educational Training Specialist, Southern Illinois Professional Development Center

Ability to Benefit Update

  • The ICCB convened a focus group of key stakeholders from adult education programs, community college leadership, financial aid, and other relevant partners in Spring 2021 to develop an Illinois Ability to Benefit Alternative State Plan which outlines an alternative method for ATB use. The purpose of Illinois’ Ability to Benefit Alternative State Plan is to increase access to federal financial aid for eligible adults without a high school diploma, who with proper support can be as successful as their peers in postsecondary credential and degree completion.
    In order for institutions to participate in the Alternative State Plan, they must sign on as a part of the plan that we will submit to the U.S. Department of Education for approval on November 15, 2021.

    Additional information – the Plan, Institutional Notice of Interests Form, FAQ, and more can be found here
  • Presented by Angela Gerberding, Director for Work-Based Learning, ICCB

BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 

1. Team Teaching Training at College of Lake County

  • Do you ever have scheduling issues in trying to provide information to your potential Team Teachers for ICAPS? CLC was offering repeated trainings and using staff time to train 2 - 3 teachers at a time several times during the busiest part of the semester - eeek!! What to do? We developed a Canvas course for our potential team teachers and asked them to complete it so they could join our program. We are still introducing it, but it has saved our staff repeated training time, ensured the same information is given to everyone and is easily updated as there are changes or additions. Let's look at some of what we thought about and what the course looks like.
  • Presented by Mary Lynn Carver, College of Lake County

2. Engaging Partners in a Career Pathway Bridge 

  • World Relief Chicagoland instructional and employment staff will share how they engage employers, WIOA-approved occupation training centers, its local One-stop, and other community partners to serve students participating in their Emerging Careers Bridge
    Class. Best practices on building these partnerships and how to engage these partners with students both inside and outside of the class will be considered.
  • Presented by Cara Kolbe, Dan Peterson, and Mike Moline, World Relief Chicago

 Introduction to Apprenticeships and Making Connections to Apprenticeships 

  • Would you like to learn more about apprenticeships, what they are and how they operate in Illinois? Interested in how to connect adult education students with apprenticeship programs? Hear from Lavon Nelson and Kathy Olesen–Tracey as they discuss how to connect Adult Ed and Apprenticeships.
  • Presented by Lavon Nelson, Senior Director for Workforce Education, ICCB Kathy Olesen-Tracey, Senior Director for Adult Education and Literacy, ICCB

 November 3, 2020 

Emerging Practice for Service Integration 

  • Hear from Unify Job Center Partners from Lake County as they share information about their referral system and the importance of their Partnerships.
  • Presented by Eva Locke, Manager of the Job Center of Lake County, and Arlene Santos-George, Dean, Adult Education, College of Lake County

 Sharing the Load with Core Partners Building ICAPS/IETs

  • This will be a panel presentation. The ICAPS team from two colleges will be present to answer questions from the audience about how to build, implement, and fund IETs/ICAPS in Illinois. Included in these teams are Core Title partners - Title I and Title II. Building and maintaining an ICAPS/IET program can be a heavy lift and utilizing various partners can help spread that load so it becomes more manageable for everyone involved. ICCB understands that each college has its own structure, so not everything discussed will fit every audience member. However, the goal is that each audience member can take away 2 or 3 tidbits to help them either improve existing or build future programming.
  • Presented by Angela Gerberding, ICCB, Maggie Wolf, Director of Adult and Community Education, Kankakee Community College, Christina Manchen, Skills Center Director, Rend Lake College, Gabrielle Farner, Dean of Applied Science & Technology, Rend Lake College, and Leigh Dunning, WIOA Program Manager, ManTraCon, Rend Lake College     

BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 

1. Leveraging Volunteer Power for Mentoring in ICAPS Model 2

  • We identified the need to provide our ICAPS/IET students with an accountability coach, extra motivation during challenging moments and individualized professional networking help. We decided to leverage the power of our large volunteer pool to address these needs. Our mentors are industry professionals who volunteer their time and coaching skills, and share their network and personal lived experience, to help our students get their foot in the door in their field of choice.
  • Presented by Mary Jarjour,  Heartland Human Care Services

2. How to Count in All the Places You Want...and the State Needs

  • In this presentation, Cecilia Elhaddad, Director for Adult Education and Literacy, will demonstrate how to input, monitor, and develop reports with Bridge and ICAPS data in DAISI.
  • Presented by Cecilia A. Elhaddad, Director for Adult Education, ICCB

3. What is CBE? An Introduction to Competency-based Education

  • The ICCB is engaging in systemwide planning to provide support and build capacity for competency-based education programs in the community college system. Competency-based education programs can help institutions increase equitable outcomes for students while becoming more responsive to local workforce needs. Come learn about Competency-based Education and ICCB’s cohort participation in the CBE Equity Collaboratory.
  • Presented by Ann L. Storey, Associate Director for Career and Technical
    Education

Spotlight on New Resources & Adjourn

  • Join the professional development team as they showcase new Team Teaching Videos, an updated ICAPS Manual, a new Jot Form for ICAPS Approval, and resources from IET Design Camp. Learn about the benefits of the WIOA Wednesday offerings and ways to integrate services for your students. ICAPS Office Hours and ICAP/IET and Bridge Learning Communities will also be showcased.
  • Presented by Aime’e Julian, Director, Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support, Sarah Goldammer, Director, & Tara Schwab, Educational Training Specialist, Southern Illinois Professional Development Center