OVAE released the highly-anticipated report, College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education. The work is the result of a nine-month process that examined the Common Core State Standards from the perspective of adult education. It was funded to provide a set of manageable yet significant CCR standards that reflect broad agreement among subject matter experts in adult education about what is desirable for adult students to know to be prepared for the rigors of postsecondary education and training. The report was written by Susan Pimentel, prepared by MPR, Associates, Inc.

2013 GED Testing Service
Postsecondary Tuition Scholarship
 
In 1997, GED Testing Service established the Post-secondary Tuition Scholarship program to honor GED graduates who live in the host state of the annual GED Administrators Conference.  This year's conference will be held in Maryland and Maryland will join with bordering states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to recognize outstanding GED® graduates from each of these states.  We are excited to double the total number of available awards for this year in order to benefit two (2) graduates from each of these jurisdictions.

During the Graduates Awards Dinner at the GED Administrators Conference in Baltimore, MD on July 17, 2013, the winners will each be awarded a one-time scholarship of $2,500.  GED Testing Service will send the check directly to the designated institutions.   

Application criteria require the student to:

• be a Pennsylvania resident at least eighteen (18) years of age;
• have earned a GED® credential in Pennsylvania within the last five (5) years; and
• be enrolled in the Fall 2013 semester at an accredited college, university or proprietary school.

Additionally, applicants:

• should be considered a positive role model for others;
• must be willing to participate in the Graduate Awards Dinner and speak about her/his experiences related to earning a GED® credential;
• must submit a short, personal autobiographical statement; the personal statement and a photo be used, with their permission, along with their statement in marketing materials; and
• should be willing to participate in state and national GED® testing marketing campaigns (scheduled at the convenience of each recipient).

Applications may be requested, based on the applicant's permanent home address, by contacting:

Mr. Michael Sobkowski
GED Administrator
PA Department of Education
333 Market Street, 12th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
email:  msobkowski@state.pa.us
FAX: (717) 783-0583 

The deadline for submission of all application materials is Friday, May 24, 2013. 

Effective January 14, 2013, there are new Department of Education advisor assignments, which are listed below. Please note that advisors are now responsible for overseeing all services provided by the agencies in their assigned WIAs, including adult education, family literacy and EL/Civics.  All questions should be addressed to your advisor.

Division of Adult Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education - Postsecondary and Adult Education
333 Market Street, 12th Fl | Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Phone: 717.787.5532 

Susan Mansuetti - smansuetti@pa.gov
      Professional Development System Coordinator

The Division of Adult Education has scheduled the two PY 2013-14 Grant Webinars.


Adult Education and Family Literacy 2013-14 Grants: Narrative, Policies and Programmatic Guidelines

                Date and time:             February 20, 10 am- 12 noon

Adult Education and Family Literacy 2013-14 Grants: Budget and Fiscal Guidelines

               Date and time:             February 25, 10 am-12 noon

You do not need to register for the webinar. The link and log in information will be sent closer to the date of the event.

The Division of Adult Education will be hosting bi-monthly webinars for administrators. The first one was held on January 14, 2013. The recording and PowerPoint of the most recent webinar will be available online at the Program Administration Support page.

These webinars will be a time for the Division to share information about activities happening at the state and national level, updates on GED® testing, reminders about due dates, etc. Participation is encouraged but not mandatory. (Please note that the Division will hold one or two additional webinars, probably in late February, specifically about the grant application process for 2013-14 grants.)

The 2013 webinars are scheduled at 10 am on the following dates, all of them Mondays:

• January 14
• March 18
• May 13
• July 8
• September 9 – This one will serve as the 2013-14 Program Year “Kickoff” webinar
• November 18

GED Testing Service is pleased to announce the following new webinars on the 2014 GED® test to be held January and February 2013. Select the link underneath each scheduled session to access the registration form of the session you would like to attend.

2014 GED® Test 101
(Monday, January 14, 2013, 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST)

This hour-long webinar will provide you with an overview of the key features of the new GED® test that launches in January 2014.  The session will include a summary of the major similarities and differences between the current 2002 Series and the new 2014 GED® test, a review of the item types, information about test length, how the Passing Standard will be set, where the test will be given, when the new practice test will be launched, the kinds of reports resulting from the test, and more. Get grounded in the basic facts to help you get ready for what's to come in 2014!

• January 14, 3:30 p.m. EST session:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGE2ZHBPd21zazZyY1ByMmh4T01jS0E6MQ

• January 14, 5:30 p.m. EST session: 
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGRKZXllcno4bm56MEVsN0EtMHBxa2c6MQ

Exploring the Reasoning through Language Arts Module of the 2014 GED® Test
(Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST)

This hour-long webinar focuses on the content and structure of the Reasoning through Language Arts module of the GED® test to be launched in 2014.  Learn more about the content that is the same as and what has changed from the 2002 Series, including how reading and writing have been integrated, information about the Extended Response item that replaces the current Language Arts, Writing Part II Essay, and more.

• January 15, 3:30 p.m. EST session:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG00dGxwZ0txZUYxdmFXOXU4LVNpNGc6MQ

• January 15, 5:30 p.m. EST session:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEtRTV9rLUNaSk1aWkNia0YxY0ZEb2c6MQ

Exploring the Social Studies Module of the 2014 GED® Test
(Tuesday, January 22, 2013, 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST)

This hour-long webinar focuses on the content and structure of the Social Studies module of the GED® test to be launched in 2014.  Learn more about the content that is the same as and what has changed from the 2002 Series test, including the social studies content areas, the new social studies practices, the new Extended Response items that will appear on each Social Studies test form, and more.

·          January 22, 3:30 p.m. EST session:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFhJWkppTnhWa1prSDU1ZVpnWjVtVFE6MQ
  

• January 22, 5:30 p.m. EST session:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDFHWlVZRjk5d0U2bGxUV3hneWJibmc6MQ

Exploring the Science Module of the 2014 GED® Test
(Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST)

This hour-long webinar focuses on the content and structure of the Science module of the GED® test to be launched in 2014.  Learn more about the content that is the same as and what has changed from the 2002 Series, including the science content areas, the new science practices, the two short answer items that will appear on each science test, and more.

·          January 30, 3:30 p.m. EST session:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFdkcDk2eXVpSHZteXI1N1JfUHRCWnc6MQ
  

• January 30, 5:30 p.m. EST session:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFBvbFdsZ0dGOG9vMWp6aWpoS0hvUHc6MQ

Exploring the Mathematical Reasoning Module of the 2014 GED® Test
(Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST)

This hour-long webinar focuses on the content and structure of the Mathematical Reasoning module of the GED® test to be launched in 2014.  Learn more about the content that is the same as and what has changed from the 2002 Series, quantitative problem solving, algebraic problem solving, the new mathematical practices, how the on-screen calculator will be used, and more.

·          February 5, 3:30 p.m. EST session:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGd6MVNaUlhWWC1tdDZ6TDYtMVZKWkE6MQ
  

• February 5, 5:30 p.m. EST session:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHN6SGotM3RRQUVsQklrSUFyaHpIQ3c6MQ

If you're unable to attend, remember that all webinar sessions will be archived on the web for your convenience. These recordings will be available for on-demand access approximately 10 days after the webinar is initially presented.

Questions?  Email GED Testing Service at GED2014@GEDtestingservice.com.

Sincerely yours,

Martin D. Kehe
VP, Products
GED Testing Service


GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education (ACE). They may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE or GED Testing Service. The GED® and GED Testing Service® brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from the American Council on Education.

The December 2012 webinar recordings are now archived on the GED Testing Service website and available for on-demand access at GEDtestingservice.com/educators/new-assessment.

To access the webinars, click on the link below:

• The Wonderful World of GED Testing Technology

• Webb's Depth of Knowledge

The webinar recordings will be streamed in YouTube format to your computer.  You will need an active Internet connection to the Internet to view and listen to each recorded webinar.

Questions or problems?  Email  at GED2014@GEDTestingservice.com.

Best regards,

Martin D. Kehe
VP, Products
GED Testing Service


GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education (ACE). They may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE or GED Testing Service. The GED® and GED Testing Service® brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from the American Council on Education.

We are pleased to announce that Andy Nash, from the New England Literacy Resource Center, World Education, will be facilitating the following professional development activity:

Persistence Institute
Supporting Learner Persistence as Case Managers
What supports are effective and what is our role in providing them?

This four-part professional development activity is an opportunity for Case Managers to discuss the barriers to persistence they see in their programs, review promising strategies that support persistence, define the part they play in providing those supports, and then experiment with strategies they prioritize for their own program contexts.

• The first part of the activity is a one-day F2F workshop on January 29, 2013 at the Penn Stater in State College, during which participants explore the topic of persistence and identify one to two strategies to implement. 
• The second part is a webinar on February 25, 2013, from 2:00 – 3:30. Participating Case Managers and their Administrators are expected to participate in the webinar. 
• The third part, which takes place over eight weeks, is an inquiry period during which participants submit journal entries every two weeks about what they are doing and seeing. Entries are read by a small “buddy group” of colleagues trying similar strategies. On the alternate weeks, the entire group will discuss an article they have all read (three total). All of these activities will occur on a Ning housed at World Education and facilitated by Andy. 
• The fourth part is a follow-up F2F workshop on April 19, 2013 at the Penn Stater that will include the presentation of selected projects and an analysis of the projects and their impacts. Participants will look for patterns in what strategies were tried (and why), what kind of impacts were found, and how they might follow-up. 

Space is extremely limited, and participants will be selected based on their applications. This is an intensive professional development activity and full participation is expected, so please take into consideration your time commitment to any other professional development before you apply for this activity.

Applications are due on, or before, December 17. Agencies will know by December 20 if they have been selected to participate. Both the content and timeliness of submission will be considered in the selection of participants. 

• Agencies must provide evidence that this professional development aligns with their Consultation and PD Plans.
• Agencies must express a commitment to enhancing case management services.

About Andy Nash
Andy Nash coordinates professional development projects at World Education. She has been a teacher and professional developer for almost thirty years, specializing in ESOL, learner persistence, civic participation, and standards-based instruction. In 2008, she directed the New England Learner Persistence (NELP) Project, in which 18 programs investigated promising persistence strategies in their diverse contexts. She is co-author of Making it Worth the Stay, a report on the NELP findings, developer of a companion website (www.nelrc.org/persist), and creator of many other adult education resources.

Thomas Crane, author of The Heart of Coaching, defines Transformational Coaching as “the art of assisting people enhance their effectiveness, in a way they feel helped.” A major component of the PA Professional Development System is the integration of qualified teacher coaches to support instructors in the agency and within their individual classrooms around the development, practice, and ultimate improvement of instructional skills. 

Coaching has long been associated as a process that promotes increased skills among athletes. However, coaching is also used in many other professions. Doctors regularly work with their colleagues in learning and mastering new procedures. Business professionals, musicians, and many other professions frequently utilize the support of a coach to improve their on-the-job skills. When one considers that teachers spend the majority of their time in a classroom with only their students, it makes sense that having the ongoing support of a peer could result in positive changes to a teacher’s practice.

Teacher coaches have been identified in ESL, learning differences, math, reading, and technology as well as those that will be working with participants completing the course, Integrating Career Awareness into the ABE & ESOL Classroom. All coaches, lead consultants, Division of Adult Education staff, and other identified individuals will be asked to attend the Teacher Coaches Institute which will be held at the Penn Stater on January 30 – 31, 2013. Thomas Crane will be the featured presenter of the Institute. These individuals have been identified because of their experience in the subject area, as well as their interest in working in a coaching role.

Currently, the following individuals have been identified as teacher coaches:

Case Management
Patricia Capito (Stairways Behavioral Health)
Jennie Jamieson (Somerset Career & Technology Center)

ESL 
Allegra Elson (Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council)
Seeta Rees (Reading Area Community College)

Learning Differences (Differentiated Instruction)
Melanie Ferris (Luzerne County Community College)
Lynne Watson (Adult Literacy Lawrence County)

Math
Jamie Baron (Somerset Career & Technology Center)
Drew Coffman (Luzerne County Community College)
Dan Guzewicz (Goodwill of Southwest PA)
Maribel Ojeda (Center for Literacy)

Reading
Bobbi Hurst  (Lancaster-Lebanon IU#13, The Literacy Council of Lancaster/Lebanon, Inc.)

Technology
Anthony Chiocco (Stairways Behavioral Health)
Destiny Long (Tuscarora IU#11)

Integrating Career Awareness into the ABE & EOSL Classroom
Linda Cullen  (Lancaster-Lebanon IU#13, The Literacy Council of Lancaster/Lebanon, Inc.)
Bobbi Hurst  (Lancaster-Lebanon IU#13, The Literacy Council of Lancaster/Lebanon, Inc.)
Angela Kennes (Intermediate Unit #1)
Seeta Rees (Reading Area Community College)
Chris Roman (Goodwill of Southwestern PA)
Rachel Zilcosky (Intermediate Unit #1)