Join the Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List February 16 – March 1, 2009, to discuss Washington State’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model. Challenging the traditional notion of “transitions” (whereby students must first complete ABE or ESL before moving to college level course work) Washington State’s I-BEST integrates basic education and job skills training concurrently by pairing ABE or ESL instructors with vocational or content area instructors to prepare low-skilled adults for high-demand jobs.

Week 1: February 16 – 22: Discussion Primer

1. Review resources, list of terms
2. Post introductions
3. Share questions or responses to: "What do you look forward to discussing about Economic Recovery and the I-BEST Model? What do you want to know from the various guests?"

Sharing our questions and responses will help our guests prepare.

Week 2: February 23 – March 1: Economic Recovery and the I-BEST Model

About Our Guests

Dr. Lennox McLendon, Special Advisor, National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

Tina Bloomer, Policy Associate, Workforce Education, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Kim Ward, Associate Dean for Adult Basic Skills, Tacoma Community College

Dr. Leslie Heizer-Newquist, previous Director of the Center of Excellence at Green River Community College

About I-BEST

Washington State’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) began as a pilot program at 10 community and technical colleges and has since been implemented in all 34 colleges in the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) system. The program was developed in response to studies performed by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges SBCTC that indicated that students were unlikely to complete a long-term basic skills class and then successfully transition to college level vocational programs. The I-BEST model challenges the traditional notion that students must first complete adult basic education or ESL before moving to college level course work. The I-BEST model pairs ESL or ABE instructors with vocational or content area instructors to co-teach college level vocational courses.

Early professional development focused on how to plan and develop an I-BEST program and the necessary elements to bring about a cultural shift bringing together Basic Skills and Professional/Technical education. Subsequent professional development included learning outcomes training for teachers and administrators.

I-BEST has historically been tied to economic development, with I-BEST courses at individual colleges aligning with high-wage, high-demand jobs within their communities. There will be a [JT1] just-in-time response to the economic stimulus package addressing, for example, green jobs.

Additional Resources

Transition Team on Youth Education and Employment

I-BEST:

• I-BEST Program Guidelines
  —Provides background on the I-BEST and the program criteria.
• Student Success page from SBCTC Web Page
  —Provides additional information about I-BEST

Research Behind I-BEST:

• Building Pathways to Success for Low-Skill Adult Students: Lessons for Community College Policy and Practice from a Longitudinal Student Tracking Study (The “Tipping Point” Research)
  —Presents the research base for I-BEST programs.
• Increasing Student Achievement for Basic Skills Students, Research Report 08-1
• Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) Pilot Programs, Research Report 05-2

Last updated: Monday, 30-Mar-2009 10:02:24 EDT