NCSL July 23, 2008

Transcription

NCSLJuly 23, 2008

Context of SGFF’s Work Work in multi-county area inrural Arkansas andMississippi High poverty, highunemployment, loweducation levels Affiliated with SouthernBancorp Family of companiesincludes three banks andtwo other nonprofits

Arkansas CareerPathways Initiative 8 million for each state fiscalyear from July 1, 2005 – June 30,2007 12 million for each state fiscalyear from July 1, 2007 throughJune 30, 2009 Twenty-five sites at communitycolleges and technical institutes Developed by the AR Dept ofHigher Education, in conjunctionwith the AR Depts of WorkforceEducation and WorkforceServices, the AR Association ofTwo-Year Colleges and SGFF

ACPI - Description Provide TANF-eligible adults skills to earna marketable educational credential forimmediate entry into a high demandoccupation and /or further advancededucation Job readiness education, basic skills,remediation, advanced skill training in highwage, high-demand occupations Strong connections among two-yearcolleges, students, and employers Steps on pathway include adulteducation/GED,WAGE/Employability/Career ReadinessCertificates, Bridge programs, Certificate ofProficiency, Technical Certificates, andAssociates Degrees Counseling and supportive services Job placement and retention

Pilot Site:Southeast Arkansas College Pilot work started in 2003 AATYC, AR Department ofWorkforce Education, SEARK,SGFF Mapped six pathways withbusiness input – Business,Education, Emergency Medicine,Manufacturing, Nursing/AlliedHealth, Welding

NGA Pathways to AdvancementAcademy Governor’s office, key stateagencies, AATYC, and SGFFwere involved Funding to take team to severalAcademy meetings and holdplanning meetings in the state Considered a range of strategiesto help low income Arkansansaccess higher education Career Pathways was one ofthose strategies Also led to expansion of theWorkforce Improvement Grantscholarship program for nontraditional adult students

TANF Funding ADHE worked with AATYC andSGFF to develop a proposal tothe Arkansas TransitionalEmployment Board Governor Huckabee andGovernor Beebe have supported Fourth year of funding began inJuly 2008 Now 12 million per year inTANF funding

Charles Stewart Mott FoundationBreaking Through Initiative SEARK one of 15 colleges fundedaround the country Used the funds to develop a fasttrack developmental educationcurriculum that is part of thenursing/allied health pathway Take students from 9th grade orbelow to 12th grade in onesemester, rather than 2 semesters Local employers recommend entrylevel employees (nursingassistants, etc.) who want tobecome LPNs; recruitment alsodone with existing students 83% completion rate after twosemesters

ACPI Demographics of StudentsEnrolled in Year 1 Average age – 3192% female47% African American, 1% Hispanic,48% White, 4% other56% single parent5% current TEA, 12% former TEA, 70%Food Stamp/Medicaid, 14% below200% of poverty69% with high school diploma, 22%GED, 9% no high school or GED21% TABE below 8th grade47% employed at application Median wage between 7 and 8

ACPI Demographics of StudentsEnrolled in Year 2 Average age – 3193% female43% African American, 1% Hispanic,52% White, 3% other60% single parent7% current TEA, 20% former TEA, 42%Food Stamp/Medicaid, 22% below200% of poverty71% with high school diploma, 19%GED, 10% no high school or GED46% employed at application

Year Two Performance Targets Statewide enrollment of 2500 10% of enrollees must be TEAclients 20% of enrollees should obtaincertificate or degree each year 55% of students mustcomplete their program andgain employment

Incentive Funds Each TEA client enrolled - 100 Each GED orWAGE/employability certificateearned – 100 Each Certificate of Proficiencyearned - 200 Each Technical Certificate earned- 300 Each Associate Degree earned 500 Each student employed aftercompletion - 500

ACPI Outcomes After 1st Year 2233 total students enrolled595 awards earned– 35 GED– 161 WAGE/Employability– 251 Certificates ofcompletion/proficiency– 85 Technical Certificates– 63 Associates Degrees89% of students enrollingSpring 2006 completed orwere continuing in Fall 2006

ACPI Outcomes After 2nd Year 3750 total students enrolled921 received certificates ordegrees––––– 42 GEDs205 WAGE/Employability Certificates249 Certificates of Proficiency204 Technical Certificates221 Associate Degrees90% of students completed orwere still enrolled–––19.7% completed70.6% retained9.7% withdrew

Growth From Year Oneto Year Two Enrollments from 2244 to 3750 GEDs from 22 to 42 Certificates of Proficiency from 80to 249 Technical Certificates from 74 to204 Associate Degrees from 60 to 221

Initial Data on Year Three 6175 enrolled 2127 TEA recipients 2800 certificates and degrees Certificates of Proficiencyfrom 80 to 249 Technical Certificates from 74to 204 Associate Degrees from 60 to221

Next Steps Strengthen connection withemployers in high-demandindustriesLeverage additionalpartnerships at the local level,especially economicdevelopment partnersUse data for continuousimprovementImprove job placement andretention effortsIncrease the enrollment ofadult education students inCPI programs

SEARK one of 15 colleges funded around the country Used the funds to develop a fast-track developmental education curriculum that is part of the nursing/allied health pathway Take students from 9th grade or below to 12th grade in one semester, rather than 2 semesters Local employers