Community Education program brochures Metro North ABE - Consortium newsletter, Aug. 2015 | Page 4

Three Different Pathways:
One End Goal
In the 2014 MN legislative session, a third pathway was
approved for adults seeking their high school credential.
Metro North ABE-Blaine Learning Lab had the honor of
being selected as one of thirteen ABE sites across the
state to pilot this new innovative program.

Test-Based Secondary Credential:
The GED® (General Education Development) exams provide adults with an
opportunity to complete a series of subject-based exams designed to measure
the skills and knowledge a learner
would be demonstrating after a traditional high school experience. This program is widely available throughout the

state and learners who successfully
complete this pathway earn an equivalency diploma from the Minnesota Department of Education.

K-12 Diploma Completion: Also
known as “credit recovery” or “credit
completion,” this diploma program offers adults a no-cost opportunity to
complete the credits required by a sponsoring Minnesota school district (typically, the high school/school district
where the learner previously attended)
to earn their diploma. Learners who participate in this pathway work through
the various credits needed for graduation and are granted a local school dis-

College and Career Readiness Standards

4

Metro North Consortium

into the specific standards that are relevant
to their classrooms and their learners. Minnesota ABE teachers should continue to
think of standards-based instruction as a
three-pronged approach to teaching. Lessons in our ABE classrooms should reflect
the outcomes designated in the CCRS, the
Transitions Integration Framework (TIF),
and the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards. Keeping these documents on the
forefront when planning lessons will help
to create classrooms that provide learners
with the skills necessary to help them transition successfully to the next stage in life.

In November 2014, the Minnesota Department of Education put a call out for
ABE programs to pilot the new Minnesota State Diploma option. The
Blaine Learning Lab was selected, and
after a series of specialized trainings,
began offering classes in early February
2015.
The MN State Diploma: This third option is a free program that is based on

Skills Adult Learners Need
Basic Skills are defined by:
• College and Career
Readiness Standards
for Adult Education
• Transitions
Integrations
Framework

LS

CON

Content for
teaching and
learning:
R
• Life Skills
O
FE
SS
• Occupational
IO N
• Civics/Citizenship
• Science & Social Studies
• Other
P

Minnesota is moving forward with adopting the College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) in response to the need from
our ABE field, but also from changes made
in WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act). During this past year, staff
at ATLAS and the MN Department of Education have put together an advisory team
to help plan professional development opportunities in the state. The advisory team
has been busy working to bring a selection
of informational sessions to Summer Institute and regional trainings taking place
around the state. Many ABE teachers were
introduced to CCRS last year, but this year
teachers are being expected to dive deeper

trict diploma. Unfortunately, due to the
intensive time commitment and costs
associated with running this type of program, this model is not available in
many ABE programs.

BASIC
SK
IL

Prior to this new legislation, our adult
learners only had two pathways approved by the Minnesota Department of
Education and the state of Minnesota to
complete their high school equivalency:
a test-based credential and K-12
diploma completion.