WASC FOCUS ON LEARNING VISITING COMMITTEE REPORT
SAN MATEO ADULT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION

Chapter II: Progress Report

The 1998 W ASC Visiting Committee identified six major recommendations that are being addressed in the following ways:

1. That the Steering Committee, school administration, staff, students, and community members collaboratively develop and systematically review the Mission Statement, schoolwide goals and objectives, to promote shared school decision-making and cooperation among departments and the community.

The Leadership Team for the current Self Study reviewed the Mission Statement and decided to make the statement more general to reflect the diverse student body. The new Mission Statement includes the ESLRs that were developed with staff and student body input. Additional efforts that contribute to shared decision-making and cooperation include:

Regular Student Council meetings which include discussion and information
The daytime clerical staff and ESL department hold regular meetings
The secondary and basic education department provides regular written communication and obtains feedback
The School hired an additional student services aide to assist ESL students
Annual departmental goals are developed collaboratively and communicated. The Web site provides the community, staff, and students with timely access to information

2. That the administrative staff develop and utilize a budgeting system which establishes priorities, allows staff input, and provides a defined process of allocation of funds.
The School has addressed this issue. The priorities for resource allocations are illustrated in the types of classes offered and the facilities and instructional supplies that are provided. Budget documents are now available for review by staff and other interested parties. In addition, department coordinators receive itemized budgets and the ESL coordinator builds and monitors budgets for special grants. Requests for unusual expenditures such as computer software and hardware are made in open discussion.

The recent downturn in the economy, coupled with state budget issues, impacted the budget process. Classes were closed and layoff notices issued. Fortunately, the School was able to continue operations without actual layoffs; but the
administrative staff remains very cautious about reopening classes and using funds.

3. That the school administration, Program Coordinators, faculty, and guidance/advisement staff collaboratively institute formalized career advisement and planning so students will be better informed and have greater access to training opportunities and school-to-career connections.
In addition to the Employment Development Department counselor who is on campus one day per week to meet with students, the School has added another student services aide in the ESL department to help with career guidance; and the secondary department advisors assist students with goals.

4. That the school administration, Program Coordinators, faculty, and guidance/advisement staff implement formal, systematic assessment, and record keeping of students achievement and outcomes in all departments to provide a solid basis for evaluation of curricular design, instruction, and advisement/guidance services.
The School documents student outcomes through CASAS testing in three programs, TopsPro entry/update reporting for all programs, and EL Civics, distance learning, and PBA reports. Instructors are provided with CASAS reports.

The ESL department has modified its intake assessment and increased assessment staff. Instructors review student work in the ESL video checkout program. The - secondary program uses exit interviews with all students to assess program effectiveness. The online courses have embedded assessments. Computer instructors have ongoing evaluative dialogue with their students. Assessment for the Older Adult program includes community input regarding needs. The ESL program began looking at standardized exit tests, but has not completed this process.

5. That administration, certificated, and classified staff work toward developing and implementing a coordinated staff development plan which will ensure that students are supported by a staff that understands and uses current instructional strategies and technologies as well as the new attendance software.

Between 1998 and 2001, numerous program specific in-services were held. Although there was a reduction in staff development during the recent State budget crisis, the School administration has found creative ways to provide ongoing staff development. The ESL department has been able to use EL Civics funds to maintain a broad spectrum of training opportunities. Monthly staff meetings, which began this year, provide communication links and help to identify training needs. Staff development, which addresses state-of-the-art instructional strategies and technologies, remains an ever-present goal.

Between 1998 and 2001, the School used the Peer Assistance and Review model as a staff development and evaluation tool. Peer coaching replaced the traditional evaluation and many projects required students' participation. This practice was discontinued. In interviews with the Visiting Committee, teachers expressed an interest in regular feedback regarding classroom instruction. Although there does not appear to be formal evaluations for all teaching staff, regular classroom visits and dialogue was noted. The Visiting Committee recommends that the administration and Adult School Teachers Union collaborate to provide teachers with periodic formal feedback.

6. That the district and adult school administration and staff collaboratively develop and implement a long-range facility plan, which will address the needs of the community and students.

The School has been very successful in addressing this issue. The District loaned the Adult School funds to build the new East Wing, and construction was expedited when the high school office needed the old ESL buildings for temporary housing. By the end of this fiscal year, the School will have repaid approximately half of the loan and is ahead on the scheduled payment plan. The Student Council has held fundraisers to assist the School with the loan repayment. In addition, the School continues to build broad partnerships in the community. These partnerships assist in bringing vital educational services into the community and leverage resources.

Key Issues:

1. The School needs to develop and implement standardized exit assessments for the ESL program.

2. Develop and implement a department-specific Professional Development plan.

Significant Findings:

The School has demonstrated significant progress in addressing the students' need for career advisement. The School has shown success in implementation of TopsPro reporting of student outcomes and in the assessment process used among the different programs. The broad range of courses available in the community and the electronic outreach through the Web site speak to the clearly articulated focus on student learning. Addressing the key issues will assist in the continuing growth of the program and the achievements of the students.