Presentation on the lessons learned from Shifting Gears, a state policy initiative in the Midwest designed to re-engineer state education and training systems to ensure more low-skilled adults obtain postsecondary credentials. Delivered as a conference session during the 2011 National College Transition Network Conference in Providence, Rhode Island.

1. Lessons Learned from Shifting
Gears: Adult Education State
Policy Change for Postsecondary
Success
National College Transition Network Conference
November 14, 2011
Marcie Foster, CLASP
Mark Johnson, Wisconsin Technical College System
Anne Marie Leland, Minnesota Department of
Employment and Economic Development
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2. What is Shifting Gears?
• Shifting Gears is a multi-year, multi-state policy change effort to
reform the way adult education is delivered in five Midwestern
states.
• The goal of the initiative is to ensure that more lower-skilled
adults are able to obtain postsecondary credentials that can
help them obtain family-sustaining jobs and allow for career
advancement.
• Launched in 2007 by the Joyce Foundation. Two phases –
Shifting Gears 1.0 (planning) and 2.0 (implementation).
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3. Why Now?
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Shifting Gears
Shifting
Workforce
Shifting
Economy

4. A System-Led, Statewide Approach
• Re-engineer adult education, workforce development and
postsecondary education state policies to support economic growth
and expand job opportunities for low-skilled workers in the Midwest
using a systemic, state-wide approach.
• Strengthen the connections between the various programs to create
pathways to college and career success for low-income working adults
using an interagency team approach.
• Go beyond a traditional transition model and change the way adult
education is delivered so that students are, right from the start, on
their way to earning a postsecondary credential.
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5. Shifting Gears Tactical Interventions
Policy Technical
Assistance
Data Technical
Assistance
Communications
Support
Networking/Cross-
State Sharing
Evaluation
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6. Common Themes of Shifting Gears State
Initiatives
• Each state has a unique, system-led, statewide approach.
• Common themes include:
• Seeking (and accomplishing in some cases) administrative and/or legislative
policy change to improve the likelihood of scale for Shifting Gears reforms;
• Using innovative delivery models: integrated education and training models,
concurrent enrollment models, “chunking;”
• Developing career pathways and ensuring the inclusion of supportive services;
• Analyzing data to improve program performance and better serve students in
need;
• Engaging in field building, technical assistance , and professional development
to help institutions, faculty, and staff understand the value of the Shifting
Gears state effort and learn how they can be a part of it;
• Developing a communications plan to generate support for the effort and
build awareness among eligible and interested students.
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7. Mark Johnson
Education Director for Adult High School and Developmental Studies,
Wisconsin Technical College System
WISCONSIN RISE
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8. Regional Industry Skills Education
• Mission: The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the
Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) will lead collaboration to
make industry-driven career pathways a core organizing principle for
employment and training programs throughout Wisconsin.
• In partnership with Wisconsin’s sixteen technical college districts and
eleven Workforce Development Boards, this initiative will serve as the
catalyst to align region partnerships, sector-based programs and state
systems around a career pathways model; to bring industry-driven career
pathways to scale throughout the state; and to provide new career-ladder
footholds to low-wage workers with limited skills.
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9. RISE and Wisconsin’s Adult Career
Pathways Model
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10. BelowPostsecondaryPostsecondary
1 year
2 years
Western Technical College
CNC Machinist
•Three 6-credit stacked college certificates (each with job exit
points) that continue into the Career Pathway.
•3 credits of integrated ABE support (the Career Pathway
Bridge) help students successfully complete the first
certificate.
Machine Tool Operator Diploma
Advanced Manufacturing AA Degree
ABE/ELL Support (3 cr.)
CNC Programmer
CNC Set-up Set Up
CNC Set-up Operator
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11. Postsecondary
Manufacturing Math 1
Manufacturing Math 1 – 1 Credit
Blueprint Reading – 1 Credit
Measurement and Inspection – 1 Credit
Introduction to Machining – 1 Credit
CNC Production Lathe: Operation – 1 Credit
CNC Production Mill: Operation – 1 Credit
ABE Math (CNC Pathway) NRS 5 -- 2 Credits
ABE Reading and Study Skills – 1 Credit
Close-up of the first certificate of the WTC CNC Machinist Career Pathway
(6 credits college and 3 credits basic skills blended together)
Below
Postsecondary
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12. Funding
• Joyce Foundation funding helped with planning and
curriculum activities.
• A WTCS competitive funding source was used to encourage
pilots, and DWD WIA discretionary dollars also provided
support.
• Explicit mention in larger AEFL, state ABE, health care and
emerging occupations funding sources.
• Lots of discussions with partners about braiding funding,
using this approach to meet each others’ performance
metrics.
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13. Among Colleges’ Career Pathway Bridge and
Career Pathway Efforts
• CVTC-- Medical Assistant, Welding
• FVTC – ELL/CNA, ELL/Business Professional Certificate
• GTC - CNA, Welding, Auto Mechanic
• LTC - CNA to Nursing, Culinary, Hospitality/Tourism
• Madison – Health, Medical Assistant, Administrative Professional,
Manufacturing
• Milwaukee – ELL/CNA, Office Technology, Green Curriculum, Welding,
Automotive, CAD
• MPTC – Welding, Automotive, CNA, Culinary, Instructional Assistant
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14. Among Colleges’ Career Pathway Bridge
and Career Pathway Efforts
• MSTC - Food Manufacturing, Customer Services/ Office Technology
• Nicolet – Receptionist/Administrative Professional, Welding Pathway
• NTC – CNA, Manufacturing Electronic Maintenance
• NWTC - ELL/CNA, Medical Assistant/Health Care Customer Service,
ELL/Welding, Automotive, CNC/Machine Tool, Accounting, Business
• SWTC - Welding, CNC, Clinical Phlebotomy Specialist
• WCTC - ELL/CNA, ELL/Customer Service, ABE/ELL Welding
• WITC - possible areas include Early Childhood Education, Medical Admin
Specialist, Microsoft Office Administrative Professional and Welding.
• WTC - Medical Administrative Professional, Food and Hospitality Pathway,
CNC, etc
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15. • Local results have been very promising
• All 16 colleges and most workforce regions have been
involved, we’re continuing to work through the issues
re cultural change and going to scale
• We anticipate over a thousand low skill adults
achieving college credentials yearly through this
approach
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J8eIxzb5Sk
Results are Promising
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16. Anne Marie Leland
State Program Administrator, FastTRAC, Minnesota Dept. of Employme
and Economic Development
MINNESOTA FASTTRAC
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17. Minnesota FastTRAC
Multi-Agency/Organization Partnership
Core state-agency partners
• Adult Basic Education – MN Department of
Education
• Workforce Development – MN Department of
Employment & Economic Development
• Postsecondary (2 & 4 yr colleges) – MN State
Colleges and Universities
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18. FastTRAC Program Model
POST-
SECONDARY
CREDENTIAL
OCCUPATIONAL
PREP
READINESS CAREER
AWARENESS
INTEGRATED
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Resources that help students
complete the programs
INTEGRATED
INSTRUCTION
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19. POST-
SECONDARY
CREDENTIAL
BRIDGE II
BRIDGE
PREP BRIDGE I
INTEGRATED
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
INTEGRATED
INSTRUCTION
Bridge Prep
Intentional focus
on work skills into
beginning basic
adult education
Bridge I
Low intermediate
reading, writing,
speaking, and math
skills taught in the
context of a variety
of occupational
sectors
Bridge II
High intermediate basic
skills and focused
preparation for targeted
postsecondary
occupational courses in
the context of a specific
occupational sector
Integrated Instruction
Adult Basic Education
skill building within a
Career & Technical
Education course
Support services for success
including barrier mitigation, career
advising, system navigation
provided by workforce
development, community based
organizations, and human services
Industry
recognized
credential in
regional high
demand field
Model - Details
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20. Braided Funding
• 2008-2009 – developed ABE occupational
bridge courses leading to postsecondary
customized training
– Joyce Foundation, Federal ABE & WIA 1b
• 2010-2011 – developed ABE occupational
bridge courses leading to credit-bearing
postsecondary pathway education
– Joyce Foundation, Federal ABE & WIA 1b, Human
Services, United Way, MnSCU
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21. Sustainable Funding - 2012
Drafted legislative proposal requesting $4.625
M in existing resources be used to support
FastTRAC programming
• Supports on-going pathways – funding used
for student tuition and other wrap-around
service needs
• Supports new pathways - funding used for
student tuition and other wrap-around service
needs and program start-up
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22. Healthcare FastTRAC Pathway
South Central Healthcare Pathway – 4 ABE
programs, one college, workforce
development and employers
4:44 – 5:10
5:40 – 7:45 – male student talks about impact
on family, then instructors talk about co-
teaching
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23. FastTRAC Success!
Since January 2010, preliminary results have shown –
• 34 FastTRAC programs became operational on 20 of the 47 college
campuses.
• 26 (approximately 90% of Minnesota’s ABE service delivery) of 51
ABE consortia have created bridge and integrated programming
with FastTRAC funding.
• 807 adults have enrolled in FastTRAC ABE bridge courses, 540 have
completed to date and moved into an integrated course – a success
rate of 67%.
• In the integrated model, 415 adults were served as of August 2011,
and 364 adults have completed an integrated course – a success
rate of 88%.
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24. DRIVING IT HOME
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25. Why State Policy?
• Scale
– Enables you to develop and test innovative models and
scale up those that work.
– Reach more students!
• Sustainability
– Access more funding (particularly federal funding that
flows through states). Go beyond “seed” funding.
– Interagency approach means more partners/potential
supporters.
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26. Lessons Learned from Shifting Gears
• Getting state-level buy in is challenging and can take years to accomplish
– but worth it. State-level support is critical to creating a truly scalable
and sustainable model for the purposes of obtaining new resources,
dedicating federal and state formula funds, future RFPs, developing
interagency relationships to enhance outcomes for students, and more.
• Programs must measure outcomes in any way they can. Evidence of
success will help lay the groundwork for continued support and prepare
you for success for state, federal and local grants.
• Field building is key – engaging local partners, CBOs, local industry and
employers. The distinction between building top-down and bottom-up is a
false one – need to do both.
• Support Services are difficult to fund, but absolutely essential. A lack of a
supportive network can be a make or break from the student’s
perspective.
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27. How Shifting Gears Fits In to the National
Landscape
• Federal Policy
• Administration initiatives are increasingly interagency –
focused and pathways-focused.
• WIA reauthorization bill (Senate) emphasizes alignment
and encourages the use of these types of innovations.
• Accelerating Opportunity
• Two Shifting Gears states participating (WI + IL).
• Federal and State Budgets
• Despite the tough budget climate, these approaches can
work using braided funding models.
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28. Find Out More
• Check out the Shifting Gears website: www.shifting-gears.org.
• Shifting Gears Reports:
– Statewide Data as a Lever for Systems Change: Experiences and
Lessons from Shifting Gears
Derek Price and Brandon Roberts. (September 2010)
– Shifting Gears: State Innovation to Advance Workers and the Economy
in the Midwest
Julie Strawn. CLASP. (July 2010)
– Educating Adult Workers: The Shifting Gears Approach to Systems
Change
Brandon Roberts and Derek Price. (December 2009)
• A public evaluation report will be released in the summer of 2012.
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