Consortium Subcommittee Information

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE

Purpose: To provide training and resource materials for instructional staff in the Adult Education program.

Contact: Debbie Talavera, 223-7708, dtalaver@austincc.edu

Specific areas include:

• Participate in planning professional development workshops offered at various times throughout the year. This might involve preparing for the workshop, contracting presenters, leading a session, or hosting a workshop.
• Making training sessions that your organization offers available to our instructors, administrators, and staff. Training could involve workforce development concerns as well as academics. Life skills such as parenting issues, alcohol and drug abuse, consumer awareness, and nutrition are also part of what we teach, so think broadly about the training that your agency offers. Other areas of professional development might include public speaking, time management, or facilitating meetings.
• Providing materials (periodicals, books, audio/video tapes, supplies, equipment, etc.) for an Instructor Resource Center. This Center will serve as a lending library for professional development materials for teachers in the Adult Education program. More expensive or infrequently used classroom materials will also be available on loan to teachers.
• Assist in periodic review of professional development activities to insure they are meeting the needs of full-time and part-time instructors.

CURRICULUM SUB-COMMITTEE

Purpose: To assist with the integration of the Texas Curriculum Framework into AE programs. Workforce development skills and life skills will also be addressed.

Contact: Debbie Talavera 223-7708, dtalaver@austincc.edu

Specific areas include:

• Serve as resource person or subject matter expert as curriculum is integrated.
• Assist in selection of textbooks, computer based curriculum, and other training aids to assist the instructor in meeting the diverse learning styles of all students.
• Assist in determining ways to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities.
• Assist in developing curriculum for workforce development skills and life skills.
• Develop a system of ongoing evaluation of curriculum to insure it is current and meeting the needs of students and instructors.

ORIENTATION, ASSESSMENT AND RETENTION (ORA) SUB-COMMITTEE

Purpose: To create a standardized system for initial student orientation, initial and ongoing assessment and retention.

Contact: Sonia Hogan, 223-7777, shogan@austincc.edu

Specific areas include:

• Review current orientation process and offer suggestions for program improvement.
• Continually review initial and progress assessment data to insure program are seeing student gains. Offer suggestion for improvement when needed.
• Review retention data and offer suggestion for retaining students in AE programs.
• Offer suggestions for ongoing case management of students.
• Devise a plan to encourage GED recipients to transition to post-secondary education. Identify barriers to transitioning from AE to ACC certificate and degree program and solutions for overcoming barriers.
• Devise a plan to assist students in transitioning into the workforce.
• Work with Student Outreach Coordinator (Peierls) to insure students are being informed of post-secondary opportunities and available funding sources.

PROGRAM EVALUATION SUB-COMMITTEE

Purpose: To create a standardized system for ongoing monitoring of programs and processes for planning purposes and to make mid-course corrections.

Contact: Pat Hernandez, 223-7054, phernan@austincc.edu

Specific areas include:

• Review current status of AE program, suggest improvements, and devise a plan for continual evaluation and monitoring.
• Work with AE Director on quarterly review of data (ACES) to insure numbers are on track with grant year goals.
• Look at current forms and processes used for monitoring/evaluation and offer suggestions for improvement.
• Assist in periodic unannounced class observations and also annual instructor/class evaluations.
• Conduct informal interview of students to insure individual/collective student goals/needs are being met
• Offer suggestions for improvement or closure/relocation of a poor performing site.
• Work with newly formed Adult Education student council to insure student issues/concerns are addressed.
• Conduct student and community focus groups to insure Travis County residents are aware of AE offerings and solicit suggestions for program improvement, accessibility, etc.