October 23, 2015
Date and Time: Monday, Nov. 9, 2015 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. EST
Access to financial aid plays a huge role in the ability of
students to access, persist in, and complete postsecondary education,
especially for those without a high school diploma or its equivalent. In
December 2014, Congress partially restored the Ability to Benefit
(ATB) provision of the Higher Education
Act. Under this provision, students who do not have a high school diploma
or its recognized equivalent, but who are enrolled in eligible career pathways programs, may qualify for federal
financial aid. In addition to participating in an eligible career pathways
program, students wanting to qualify for aid need to pass an approved test or
successfully complete six hours of college credit. The partial ATB
restoration provides a great opportunity for thousands of students who will now
be able to pursue postsecondary education and training in community and
technical colleges, or four-year colleges, and attain the credentials needed
for careers in high-demand occupations. To benefit from the restoration,
however, students in eligible career pathways programs need help to gain access
to resources and information.
The webinar will address the following questions:
- What is Ability to Benefit?
- Who is eligible for Ability to
Benefit?
- What are the two primary ways to help
students qualify for ATB and access financial aid for college pathways
programs?
- What constitutes an “eligible” career
pathways program?
- Where can one find the list of ABT
tests that qualify students for ATB?
During the Nov. 9 webinar, staff from the U.S. Department of
Education will provide guidance on how students can qualify. In addition, state
and community college officials will share examples of how Ability to Benefit
is being utilized to support low-income, underprepared students.
ED is asking webinar participants to submit by Nov. 1 any
inquiries on which they would like ED’s guidance. To submit a question(s)
please fill out this short survey. ED will review
the inquiries in advance and respond to as many of them as possible during the
webinar.
For more resources from Jobs for the Future about how to help
underprepared students access and succeed in college, please visit http://www.jff.org/publications/earning-postsecondary-credentials.
For more background on Ability to Benefit, visit http://www.jff.org/initiatives/accelerating-opportunity/policy-update.
Presenters:
- Mark
Mitsui, deputy assistant secretary for Community Colleges, Office of
Career, Technical, and Adult Education;
- Carney
McCullough, director, Policy Development Group, Office of Postsecondary
Education;
- David
Musser, policy liaison, Federal Student Aid;
- Maria
Flynn, senior vice president, Jobs for the Future;
- Jon
Kerr, director of Adult Basic Education, Washington State Board for
Community & Technical Colleges; and
- Derek
Ball, financial aid officer at the Kentucky Community & Technical
College System.
Facilitators:
- Mary
Clagett, program director, Jobs for the Future
- Lauren
E. Walizer, senior policy analyst, Center for Postsecondary and Economic
Success, CLASP
Please be sure to register for the webinar by clicking here.
Login information for the event will be sent out to registered attendees prior
to the event.
If you have any questions, contact Lexie Waugh at awaugh@jff.org..
Last fall, OCTAE’s Moving Pathways Forward initiative launched
the Career Pathways Exchange (the Exchange), and in just one year, this free, e-mail-based career pathways
information service has grown to about 1,500 subscribers and 23 partner
organizations. The Exchange offers subscribers the opportunity to receive
high-quality information and resources, and events on career pathways from a
single source. Additionally, it boasts a growing partner list that includes the
U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Foundation, the Center for Law and Social Policy, Jobs for the Future, the
National Skills Coalition, New America, and the Association for Career and
Technical Education.
In honor of its anniversary, the Exchange released
a new podcast series aimed at advancing
systems thinking about career pathways. The first episode examines developments
in career pathways that have roots in secondary career and technical
education. Tune in to the LINCS YouTube channel for thought-provoking
ideas and conversations.
The Moving
Pathways Forward initiative and the Career Pathways Exchange have been
mentioned in the vice president’s Ready
to Work initiative and OCTAE’s Making
Skills Everyone’s Business reports as
federal efforts to help states and interested stakeholders develop, expand, and
strengthen their career pathways systems.
OCTAE encourages you to subscribe to the Career Pathways Exchange to remain informed and receive helpful resources in your work to
advance career pathways systems. Additionally, receive updates through Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, where resources are archived.
Career
Pathways Toolkit: A Guide for System Development, a recent
publication of the U.S. Department of Labor, is designed to supplement the
original Career Pathways Toolkit: Six Key
Elements for Success. The new
publication provides a framework, resources, and tools for states and local
partners to use in developing, implementing, and sustaining a comprehensive
career pathways systems and programs. The new toolkit is instructive for all
concerned with strong career pathways systems.
The
term “career pathways” has been defined differently by various authors and used
in studies in different ways. Therefore,
emphasizing the elements of the definition of career pathways in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(WIOA) is essential to clarifying the concept. “The term “career pathways” means a
combination of rigorous and high-quality education, training, and other
services that
a)
aligns
with the skill needs of industries in the economy of the state or regional
economy involved;
b)
prepares
an individual to be successful in any of the full range of secondary or postsecondary
education options, including apprenticeships registered under the Act of August
16, 1937;
c)
includes
counseling to support an individual in achieving education and career goals;
d)
includes,
as appropriate, education offered concurrently with and in the same context as
workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or
occupational cluster;
e)
organizes
education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of an
individual in a manner that accelerates the educational and career advancement
of the individual to the extent practicable;
f)
enables
an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent, and at least one recognized postsecondary credential; and
g)
helps
an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational
cluster.”
Career
pathways operate at two levels: a systems level and an individual program
level. From the systems perspective, career pathways development is a broad
approach for assisting populations that may encounter major barriers to finding
employment. This new design offers a clear sequence, or pathway, of education
coursework and/or training that is aligned to employer-validated work readiness
standards and competencies.
From
the perspective of the individual job aspirant, career pathways programs
facilitate the earning of an industry-recognized credential through approaches
that are more relevant, emphasize flexibility into education and training, and
facilitate the attainment of skills that lead to employment. Designed to meet
the needs of both employed workers seeking to enhance their opportunities and
non-traditional students, career pathways programs will serve a diverse
population of leaners including adults, youth dislocated workers, veterans, individual
with a disability, public assistance recipients, new immigrants, English
language learners, and justice-involved individuals.
The
revised Career Pathways Toolkit
comprises three sections. The first
section discusses the six key elements of career pathways. The second section discusses team tools and
provides a “how to” guide for facilitators.
Section three provides resources to
assist a team developing a career pathways system. Especially valuable is the discussion under
Element Six: Measure System Change and Performance. The publication concludes with a glossary and
a bibliography.
By order of a proclamation, President Barack Obama recently announced that October 2015
is National Youth Justice Awareness Month.
“All too often, our juvenile and criminal justice systems weigh our young
people down so heavily that they cannot reach their piece of the American
dream,” the president said. Toward that end, Obama called on all Americans to
assure that the nation’s youths have the opportunity to reach their full potential
and to “recommit to building a country where all our daughters and sons can
grow, flourish ...”
The proclamation is a call to action, as well as a reminder of the facts
and realities of youth involvement in the criminal justice system. Even when not
resulting in a finding of guilt, delinquency, or conviction, involvement often
affects a youth’s ability “to pursue a higher education, obtain a loan, find
employment, or secure quality housing,” the proclamation states. Research has
found that many court-involved and detained youths have been in the foster care
system, and/or lived in homes and communities “where violence and drugs were
pervasive and opportunities were absent.” Many young people detained in
juvenile justice facilities also have had a mental or substance use disorder.
Current data provides guidance for the proclamation’s call to action. Each year, more than 1 million youths under
the age of 18 are arrested, with the majority of the arrests for non-violent
crimes, the announcement states. The percentage of youths arrested before the
age of 23 is staggering — 50 percent of black males, 44 percent of Hispanic
males, and almost 40 percent of white males. Approximately 55,000 individuals
under age 21 are being held in juvenile justice facilities in the U.S., and
youths of color, including tribal youths, are disproportionately represented.
The rise in the number of detained and incarcerated youths is not solely an
issue for males. The number of girls and young women in the system has likewise
increased.
The concerns goes beyond the number of youths in juvenile facilities, as
data reveals that “on any given day, more than 5,000 youth under age 18 are
serving time in adult prisons or local jails.” In fact, nine states prosecute
all 17-year-olds as adults and two states prosecute all 16-year-olds as adults
— regardless of the crime committed. Moreover, all states have transfer laws that allow or require certain youth.”
These justice system practices continue notwithstanding compelling data finding
“that that youth prosecuted in adult courts are more likely to commit future
crimes than similarly situated youth who are prosecuted for the same offenses
in the juvenile system.”
The long-term consequences on the lives of these youths, including their future
opportunities, welfare, and solvency are only a part of the effect of detaining
and incarcerating so many of them. The
economic reality is no less daunting: of Detaining one youth in a
state-operated facility can exceed $100,000 per year, per inmate. The amount
spent nationally to detain and incarcerate youths “could be better spent — with
improved youth and public safety outcomes — by investing in our children in
ways that help keep them out of the juvenile and criminal justice systems in
the first place, or that prevent them from penetrating deeper into the system.”
In this context, the administration is committed to and has implemented a
number of initiatives to reduce recidivism and improve youth outcomes. For
example, the Department of Justice launched the Smart on Juvenile Justice initiative; the departments of Education and Justice have a joint effort to
revamp school discipline policies and support underfunded schools; and the departments
of Health and Human Services and Justice are working to improve diversion
policies by screening and treating youth for substance abuse, trauma, and unmet
mental, emotional, and behavioral needs. In addition to these federal agency
efforts, President Obama has launched two initiatives: My Brother's Keeper to address the
particular needs of boys and young men of color, and Generation
Indigenous to improve the lives of Native youths.
National Youth Justice Awareness Month reaffirms that our country is “a
nation of second chances, and justice means giving every young person a fair
shot.” The proclamation calls for a recommitment to ensure that “our justice
system acts not as a means for perpetuating a cycle of hopelessness, but as a
framework for uplifting our young people with a sense of purpose so they can
contribute to America's success.” October is an opportunity for all citizens to
find ways to get involved in efforts, ceremonies, programs, and activities that
focus on supporting these youth.
In
an effort to ensure that all students have access to a world-class education
that prepares them for college and careers, the U.S. Department of Education, in collaboration with the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services, has released a resource guide to help educators, school leaders, and
community organizations better support undocumented youths in secondary and
postsecondary schools. Those for whom the guide is intended also include Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
The
guide includes resources aimed at high school and college students and includes
- an
overview of the rights of undocumented students;
-
tips
for educators on how to support undocumented youths in high school and college;
-
key
information on non-citizen access to federal financial aid;
-
a
list of private scholarships for which undocumented youths might be eligible ;
-
information
on federally funded adult education programs at the local level; and
-
guidance
for migrant students in accessing their education records for DACA.
The aim of the guide is to help educators and school staff to support the
academic success of undocumented youths and debunk misconceptions by clarifying
the legal rights of undocumented students. The guide also shares information
about financial aid options open to undocumented students, and supports youths
applying for DACA consideration or renewal.
More information about resources for immigrants, refugees,
asylees, and other new Americans can be found here. .
During
the week of November 2, the U.S. Department of Labor and apprenticeship leaders
nationwide will celebrate the first annual National Apprenticeship Week
(NAW). NAW is an opportunity for the national apprenticeship community to
share its pride in using the registered apprenticeship model to train U.S.
workers.
National
Apprenticeship Week is your chance to raise awareness, promote the value of apprenticeship,
and celebrate the innovative and effective strategies being used around the
country to train workers in all industries. The week also serves as an opportunity
for those in business, industry, and education, as well as career seekers, community-based
organizations, students, and workers to learn about the advantages of
apprenticeship, as evidenced by activities like those taking place at Harper College
in Palatine, Illinois.
Harper
is an active ApprenticeshipUSA LEADER. Through a $2.5 million grant awarded as part of the
American Apprenticeship Grants initiative,
Harper College, in partnership with Zurich North America, a global insurance
company, is developing the Apprenticeships on Demand program. This program integrates
technical instruction and on-the-job training for workers
in high-growth and in-demand occupations in manufacturing, insurance, and
information technology occupations. Individuals completing the program may earn
an associate and a bachelor’s degree paid for by their employers.
To
learn more and find out how you can get involved and plan events in recognition
of the important role of apprenticeship in building the nation’s workforce
industries, please visit http://doleta.gov/oa/naw/..
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