Accelerating Opportunity (formerly ABE to Credentials)

Illinois was one of 11 states to be recently funded for the Design Phase of the Accelerating Opportunity: A Breaking Through Initiative. The Accelerating Opportunity initiative is designed to fundamentally change the way Adult Basic Education is delivered, moving from a system designed for an earlier age, when a GED credential alone could lead to a family supporting career, to one expressly structured to transition students to postsecondary credential programs. It seeks to significantly increase the number of lower-skilled students that achieve at least one “stackable,” credit-bearing, post-secondary credential. The initiative is based on the belief that postsecondary credentials are the gateway to family supporting wages and are critical to alleviating the trans-generational cycle of poverty and to ensuring equity in America.

ICCB ROLE IN Accelerating Opportunity
The Illinois Community College Board will work with Jobs for the Future, and its partners (National Council for Workforce Education, National College Transitions Network, and the Washington State Board of Community & Technical Colleges) and its funders, during an intensive design phase which includes, but is not limited to policy planning, selecting eight community colleges to pilot evidence-based models, realignment of financial resources and administrative structures, submission of state and institutional level student data, and program re-design strategies such as accelerated learning and co-enrollment efforts.

Request for Proposal
RFP Signature Page

Application

Accelerating Opportunity Budget Form - DUE AUGUST 30, 2011
(June 21, 2011 through November 15, 2011)

Accelerating Opportunity Design Team Directory

Adult Education Strategic Plan Overview and Summary

Webinars
June 30, 2011 Presentation

Streaming Recording link
Download Recording Link

Agendas
April 26, 2011 Agenda
June 9, 2011 Agenda

Presentations
April 26, 2011

Illinois Community College Board: Opening Presentation

Deliverables Due April 30, 2011
Work Plan Tasks

CLASP Presentation: Washington State's I-BEST Approach

June 9, 2011

Julie Strawn's Career Pathways Presentation

June 24, 2011

ABE to Credential Logic Model Presentation

ABE to Credential Logic Model Template

November 8, 2011

I-BEST - Highline Community College's Presentation
Co-teaching in I-BEST - Highline Community College's Presentation

Meeting Resources
April 26, 2011 Meeting

How IBEST Works: Community College Research Center
State Innovation to Advance Workers and the Economy in the Midwest
Strategic Plan for Adult Education
Strategic Plan Summary
Initial Steps in Planning an I-BEST Program
Create Your Own I-Best Program

Meeting Minutes
April 11, 2011 Minutes
April 26, 2011 Minutes
June 9, 2011 Minutes

Committee Reports

- Highline Community College: I-BEST Resources
- Funding Resources
- New Issue Brief on Dual Enrollment Basic Skills/CTE models
- The Federal Rule on Ability to Benefit (with Q and A on how the policy should be implemented)
- A Federal Funding Stream Toolkit (highlights ways they can be used to fund career pathway and bridge programs aimed at state policymakers)
- Breaking Through: Achieving Ambitious Goals
- Wisconsin Bridge Project Summary
- Program Summaries
- How to Build Bridge Programs that Fit into a Career Pathway
- Breaking Through: Achieving Ambitious Goals

Video Clip Links:
http://www.btc.ctc.edu/DegreesCertificates/Programs/Videos/IBEST-Med.wmv
http://www.careerladdersproject.org/videoa/vpages/caaoverview10.html