Community Education program brochures Metro North ABE - Consortium newsletter, Aug. 2015 | Page 5

mastery of competencies opposed to completion of credits. Learners are required to show mastery in five different educational areas in order to earn this diploma. The first four are traditional areas of study: Science (nature of science and engineering, life science, earth and space science, physical science), Language Arts (reading, speaking and listening, writing, language), Social Studies (U.S. government, economics, history, geography), and Math (algebra, geometry, data, statistics, and probability). The fifth area, which is unique to this program, is Career Development and Employability Skills, which includes Digital Literacy Skills. With help from the Anoka County Workforce Center, we have been able to successfully integrate ACES (Academic, Career, and Employability Skills), which includes the Transitions Integra tion Framework areas of self-management, developing a future pathway, and navigating systems. Learners have also been able to work on resumes and Northstar Digital Literacy assessment completion. Previously earned high school credits, completion of training programs, prior GED® test scores, as well as college credits may be applied to competency completion. Students who graduate from this program will receive a Minnesota State diploma as well as a Northstar Digital Literacy Certificate in the areas of basic computer, World Wide Web, e-mail, MS Word, and Windows/Mac. There is also a future possibility to earn a local school district diploma with this option. During the pilot phase, February to June 2015, fifteen students were served at the Blaine Learning Lab with three students graduating. Classes were taught two mornings a week and the learners had access to and support from: a teacher, a diploma advisor, the placement specialist, the computer lab (and its staff), and the Anoka County Workforce Center staff and classes. More Metro North ABE sites hope to apply to become additional pilot sites. If selected, they would begin offering the MN State Diploma program beginning in winter 2015/2016. Stay tuned for more locations and information! Current requirements for the MN State Diploma program include: • Be 21 years of age or older • Available to attend class Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Blaine Learning Lab location - An 80% attendance requirement will be enforced with this class • Assess at the approved reading and math levels - 6.0 on TABE D Reading & 4.0 on TABE M Total Math • Students will be responsible for gathering their own: - Official high school transcripts - Scores for formal assessments including GED®, ACCUPLACER, ACT, etc. - Certificates of completion for specialized training programs - A resume including professional and volunteer experiences - Other supporting documents d for Successful Transitions: Digital Skills are defined by: DIGI TA L • Northstar Digital Literacy Standards ACY ER IT L SKILLS NTENT L S AL/S OF K TS IL Pioneer Training Metro North ABE was asked to participate in two state-sponsored pilot projects in connection with the Minnesota CCRS: Standards in Action Implementation and the Adult Diploma Pilot. This “CCRS Pioneers” pilot involves several instructors from Metro North ABE, primarily from the Blaine Adult Diploma Pilot team. The team will learn the basics of evaluating and creating a gap analysis of materials and lessons that apply the standards in CCRS. Our team, along with a small team from Robbinsdale, will provide feedback to the state trainers who will then adapt the materials before the large Adult Diploma Working Group slated to receive the same training in the fall. There are plans to provide a statewide roll out of this training in Spring/Summer 2016. Metro North Adult Basic Education | Ph: 763-783-4870 | www.MetroNorthABE.org AUGUST 2015 5