Federal funds to strengthen adult basic education across the state
On May 18 , 2021 , Governor Walz announced that Minnesota will use flexible federal American Rescue Plan ( ARP ) dollars to support academic enrichment and mental health services starting in the summer of 2021 . This is a tremendous opportunity for learners , families , educators , communities , and schools as we come back from the pandemic . Included in this announcement is an allocation of $ 10 million to strengthen Adult Basic Education programming statewide . These funds will ensure access to , and enhance the quality of , Adult Basic Education ( ABE ) programming .
Metro North has worked diligently since this announcement to identify where funds could best be allocated . In these conversations , leadership , staff , and learners have identified under-resourced areas and strategized how to grow our programming . These conversations addressed what our learners will need in the fall , a year from now , and ten years from now . We have experienced a great deal of change in this past year ; while we are excited to hold in-person classes once again , we also see that our past innovations in delivering programming have great rewards .
Metro North was fortunate to receive $ 622,120 in onetime funding for this school year to build our capacity to serve adult learners in our community . We adopted a twelve-point plan to build and sustain enhanced programming into the future :
Goal 1 : Increase learner access to technology to enable equity in participation in online education / distance learning platforms
Goal 2 : Increase site-based technology to enhance staff ’ s ability to deliver quality lessons as well as sitebased learner access to technology
Goal 3 : Increase staff capacity through training and professional development delivery
Goal 4 : Increase the number and variety of class options available to learners to meet differing learner goals and availability
Goal 5 : Increase our supply of testing materials and staffing to enable the move to online testing and increased access for learners
Goal 6 : Increase infrastructure at sites to enhance the learner experience and teacher impact
Goal 7 : Increase availability of new and additional forms of distance learning platforms
Goal 8 : Enhance the quality of the curriculum and instructional materials being utilized by staff
Goal 9 : Increase and enhance partnerships with employers , businesses , and other Careerforce partners to serve more learners and assist them in achieving job / employment-related goals
Goal 10 : Increase learner awareness of the availability and benefits of ABE programming and how it will help them achieve their goals
Goal 11 : Increase our awareness of learner needs / differences through enhancement of learner ’ s voice and awareness / connections with diverse communities and their cultures
Goal 12 : Increase learner awareness of college and career preparedness skills and processes
We are grateful that the State of Minnesota recognizes the importance of adult education . We also realize that learners across our community are going to face increasing challenges as we recover from the pandemic . Before the pandemic , there was a consistent flow of news reports about the disappearance of jobs and how technology will replace repetitive tasks in the workplace . This move to more automation has increased during the pandemic . Now more than ever , there is a call for workers to “ reskill ” to increase language and communication skills , and acquire certifications .
Adult education is an essential part of this transformation . This funding will help us meet this challenge and provide learners new opportunities to reach their full potential .
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Policy update