March 19, 2020
COVID-19 - Related Adult Education News
PAACE Conference postponed
The annual conference for the Pennsylvania Association of Adult Continuing Education (PAACE) has been postponed. The PAACE Conference was originally scheduled for March 30-31. PAACE is in discussions with the hosting venue about rescheduling for later in the year and will share information as it becomes available.
COABE Conference rescheduled for August 16-19
The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) has postponed their annual conference. The conference was to be April 5-8 but will now be held on August 16-19, 2020 . Original registrations will be automatically transferred though hotel room reservations will not. If you plan to attend in August, you will need to rebook travel and hotel arrangements.
Tips for Distance Learning website from World Education
World Education has created a new website called Tips for Distance Education to help you launch a distance education program. The site includes first steps for planning and implementation, as well as help in finding and evaluating online learning resources with a focus on free resources.
Free offers for many distance learning products
Many approved supplemental distance learning resources are now offering free or reduced seat licenses. Contact your sales representative for information.
Webinar: Distance Learning Strategy Sessions
World Education's EdTech Center will host a weekly webinar, beginning this Friday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m. This first webinar will be designed for administrators, professional development leaders, and other practitioners to introduce the Tips for Distance Learning website mentioned above. Discussion will also include LINCS resources and guidance on choosing appropriate curricula. Register online.
LINCS discussion boards
Two discussion boards on LINCS can be helpful for agencies who are temporarily transitioning to online instruction or communication with st udents: Preparing for and offering adult basic skills online during the pandemic and Summary of adult basic skills resources for dealing with the pandemic .
HiSET testing postponements
Some local testing centers around the country are postponing and rescheduling dates for upcoming HiSET exams, including Pennsylvania. You can see a current listing at the Educational Testing Service website .
Using Zoom meetings
The popular webinar and online meeting platform Zoom has free Basic accounts which allow you unlimited one-on-one meetings and group meetings of up to 100 participants for 40 minutes. Their recent lifting of the 40-minute limit currently applies only to K-12 schools. Their COVID-19 webpage has many resources and articles.
Teaching Tips and Resources
Community circles in the classroom help students be heard
A recent Edutopia video, 60-Second Strategy: Community Circles , lays out a strategy that you can easily modify for an adult education classroom to ensure that every student has a chance to be heard every day. You could also use this Community Circles strategy for informal assessment of understanding. The video is one minute long and contains several tips to help you make this idea a success in your classroom.
Women's History Month in the classroom
To honor March as Women's History Month, the National Women's History Alliance has chosen the theme of "Valiant Women of the Vote." This commemorates the passing of the 19th Amendment one hundred years ago in 1920, giving women the right to vote. To support this important milestone, adult education students could be asked to research a famous woman or to write or present information on an important woman in their own lives. The topic of suffrage and the importance of voting also could be explored in this election year.
Professional Development Opportunities
Webinar: Prospective Applicants for Pathway Home Funding
A webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 25, at 12:30-1:30 p.m. for prospective applicants for the Pathway Home Funding Opportunity Announcement. This webinar will discuss the major features of the funding, including applicant eligibility and application requirements; required services and partnerships; priority consideration; and the evaluation of the projects. Learn more and register online .
Teaching Skills That Matter in Adult Education Virtual Conference
An online virtual conference will be held on June 16-17. The Teaching Skills That Matter in Adult Education Virtual Conference will focus on "teaching the skills that matter with approaches that work!" For more information, email TSTM@air.org , or register online.
Webinar: Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs General Overview
A March 26, 2020, webinar will give a general overview of the key elements of the Final Rule from the U.S. Department of Labor that established a system for advancing the development of high quality, industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs). Webinar participants will also learn information regarding the next steps for those interested in IRAPs. This webinar will be held by WorkforceGPS on Thursday, March 26, at 2:00-3:00 p.m. Learn more and register for the webinar here .
Professional Learning for Adult Education and Family Literacy Staff
Staff at PDE-funded adult education and family literacy agencies can view  a list of upcoming courses  now available for enrollment in the PD Portal. For more information about any of these courses, please visit the  PD Portal , open the course catalog, and review the syllabus. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please consult with your in-house professional development specialist (IHPDS) to determine whether the course meets your professional learning goals.
Penn State Certificate Programs
Penn State's summer courses begin on May 18, 2020, and PSU's World Campus will offer courses of interest to adult educators. Students in these courses earn credit toward one of two Penn State certificates: a  Family Literacy Certificate  and an  online Certificate in Adult Basic Education
Technology and Adult Education Conference
Philadelphia's Office of Adult Education, in collaboration with Temple University's Center for Community Partnerships, will hold the 32nd Annual Technology and Adult Education Conference on Temple University's main campus on May 8, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The theme of this one-day conference will be "Access, Create, Explore: Digital Literacy in the New Decade." This conference is open to administrators, teachers, case managers, and volunteers. Learn more or register here .
State and National Adult Education News
Student speakers wanted for NCFL Conference
The National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) will hold its annual conference in Dallas, TX, on October 19-21, 2020. The NCFL is seeking to share the first-hand stories of family literacy and family learning with the conference attendees. If you know of a past or current student who could share their learning story of determination, hard work, and achievement, encourage them to apply to speak at the 2020 Families Learning Conference. Applications can be completed either by the student or someone nominating that student. Learn more about the application process or preview or download a PDF version of the application here . Nominations are due May 1, 2020.
Labor Market Information in adult education
Have you heard of LMI and wondered what it is and why it matters to adult education? LMI, or labor market information, can help guide career awareness and exploration activities, inform program improvement, and help adult education programs work more collaboratively with workforce partners.
If you are interested in learning more about LMI, the Workforce Development Project has several options:
  • Teachers can enroll in the Contextualizing Instruction using Student Career Goals and Labor Market Information course to explore how to use LMI in the classroom. The course starts April 3 and the last day to register is March 20, 2020.
  • All adult education staff are welcome to participate in the Innovative Ways to use Labor Market Information with Adult Learners webinar on April 27, 2020 at 12 p.m. (Email Chrissie at cok5111@psu.edu for the webinar link).
  • Programs that are already familiar with LMI can use the Local Labor Market Information Inventory to track how LMI is used to support adult education programming.
  • Additionally, PA WorkStats has industry cluster packetscounty profile sheets, and workforce development area specific career posters that may be of interest to adult education practitioners.
KayLynn Hamilton ( klh267@psu.edu ) and Chrissie Klinger ( cok5111@psu.edu ) are available to provide customized technical assistance around using the local labor market inventory, different resources from WorkStats, or any other LMI questions you might have.
Grants and Scholarships
Grant opportunity: Workforce services for incarcerated individuals
The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, has posted the grant opportunity Pathway Home. The purpose of this pilot program is to provide eligible, incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities or local jails with workforce services prior to release and to continue services after release by transitioning the participants into reentry programs in the communities to which they will return. These grants are job-driven and build connections to local employers that will enable transitioning offenders to secure employment. You can view the notice at  https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=325084.
Integrated English literacy and civics education
The Notice of Availability of Grant Funds for the Section 243 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education grant competition was posted in the Pennsylvania Bulletin last Saturday. It can be viewed at  https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol50/50-10/337.html.
Job Posting
The job postings below are for adult basic education programs funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. You can also find the postings on the  paadultedresources.org  website. To post a job, please email the job advertiseme nt to  dschauer@tiu11.org

There are not job postings at this time.
PA Adult Education Resources
Upcoming State and National Conferences


The conferences listed below have been cancelled or postponed and are listed with their original dates:

State and National Newsletters
State and national organizations' newsletters are listed below and may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter. 

OCTAE Connection, US Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, & Adult Education   Features news and resources for adult basic, career, and technical education

Families Learning: News of the Week, National Center for Families Learning
Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education

WorkforceGPS, Workforce3 One Features career pathways and workforce development information

COABE Journal, Coalition On Adult Basic Education Features national information, resources, and initiatives for adult basic education

World Education/U.S. Features resources and information from World Education projects including The Change Agent, College for Adults, E-Learning, LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center, National College Transitional network, and many others.