Narrative: a.

Alignment of adult education curricula and instruction with state-adopted academic standards (the Maine Learning Results since 1997) is not new to Maine Adult Education. Providers that issue an adult high school credential must align with the required standards and learning outcomes of their corresponding high school. In 2011, the Maine Learning Results were updated to include Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts and math and were implemented in the 2013-14 school year. This presented a challenge for adult education as the CCSS were not normed for adult learners.

In the spring of 2013, the U.S.D.O.E. Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) released the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for Adults. These research-based standards are drawn from those common core standards that are most relevant for adults to meet 21^st century college and career readiness skills. Maine Adult Education adopted the CCRS and met its goal of statewide integration into instructional practice by SY2016-2017.  Extensive professional development in the college and career standards for instructors in the areas of reading, language arts and mathematics has continued since it began in the spring of 2014.

To receive state and federal funding, CCRS implementation must be apparent in lesson plans and instructional delivery. Maine Adult Education also requires local providers to contextualize instruction and make use of research-based best practices in all content areas, including mathematics and reading, and in the implementation of Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE). CCRS training is ongoing for both veteran and new instructors.

The adoption and implementation of College and Career Readiness Standards for Adults and other valid, research-based practices has enabled all WIOA and state literacy funded providers to meet both the state and federal requirements for research-based, rigorous instruction that prepares adults for postsecondary education, training and employment. Implementation of CCRS also maintains alignment with State-adopted K-12 content standards and clarifies for students, institutions of higher education, as well as employers, that Maine Adult Education is a research and standards-based pathway to postsecondary education, training and career.

Maintaining high standards of instruction resulting in improved learner outcomes includes rigorous, standards-based classroom instruction; distance, online, and blendedlearning instructional environments; dual enrollment in postsecondary; and project and community-based learning. The goals of these strategies, combined with contextualized content relevant to learner needs should enhance learner engagement and attainment of goals.

Specialized support continues to be given to programs striving to integrate CCRS into English language acquisition courses. To determine if progress is being made, the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (a research-based and validated model that allows English learners to acquire academic knowledge as they develop English language proficiency) is a part of Maine’s College and Career Readiness Implementation plan.

Beginning in the late summer of 2019, Maine Adult Education adopted the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP) prepared in October 2016 by American Institute of Research. These standards correspond to College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). Training for instructors and administrators has begun and will be ongoing. Because the need to serve English language learners has been spreading throughout the state, steps will be taken to train all teachers on meeting the needs of English language learners.