BUREAU OF PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Florida Department of Education

Rule 6A-6.014, FAC, General Requirements for Adult General Education Program, and Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, Basic Skills Requirements for Postsecondary Vocational Certificate Education, have been revised and filed to conform with recently passed legislation. This technical assistance paper was developed to address the rule revisions as well as related issues. The purposes of this paper are to: (1) clarify the need for basic skills testing; (2) explain placement into appropriate programs and Literacy Completion Points (LCPs) for adult general education students; (3) explain mastery of basic skills requirements for vocational students; (4) recommend testing procedure modifications that may be needed by students with disabilities; (5) describe allowable exemptions under vocational basic skills testing; and (6) describe methods of determining progress for Adult General Education (AGE) students.

Adult General Education (comprehensive instructional programs designed to improve the employability of the state’s workforce through adult basic education, adult secondary education, English for Speakers of Other Languages, vocational preparatory instruction, and instruction for adults with disabilities) programs include:

Adult Basic Education (ABE):

Courses of instruction designed to improve the employability of the state’s workforce through instruction in mathematics, reading, language, and workforce readiness skills at grade level equivalency 0-8.9.

Adult ESOL/Adult ESL:

Noncredit English language courses designed to improve the employability of the state’s workforce through acquisition of communication skills and cultural competencies which enhance ability to read, write, speak and listen in English. ESOL means English for Speakers of Other Languages. ESL means English as a Second Language. The two terms are interchangeable.

Adult High School Credit Program:

The award of credits upon completion of courses and passing of state mandated assessments necessary to qualify for a high school diploma. Except as provided elsewhere in law, the graduation standards for adults shall be the same as those for secondary students.

Adult Secondary Education:

Courses through which a person receives high school credit that leads to the award of a high school diploma or courses of instruction through which a student prepares to take the General Educational Development test.

Adult with Disability:

For educational purposes, an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment, and who requires modifications to the educational program, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, or specialized instructional methods and services. (Proposed definition)

Basic Literacy:

Also referred to as beginning adult basic education; the demonstration of academic competence from 2.0 through 5.9 educational grade levels as measured by means approved for this purpose by the State Board of Education. (LCPs B & C)

Beginning Literacy:

The demonstration of academic competence from 0 through 1.9 educational grade levels as measured by means approved for this purpose by the State Board of Education. (LCP A)

Citizenship:

To prepare students for success in the Naturalization process required for all who have United States Citizenship Test as a goal. The content includes preparation for the citizenship test, by studying U.S. history, government, culture and symbols with specific emphasis on rights and responsibilities under the Constitution of the United States of America.

Family Literacy:

A program for adults with a literacy component for parents and children or other intergenerational literacy components.

Functional Literacy:

Also referred to as intermediate adult basic education; the demonstration of academic competence from 6.0 through 8.9 educational grade levels as measured by means approved for this purpose by the State Board of Education. (LCP D)

General Educational Development
(GED) test preparation:

Courses of instruction designed to prepare adults for success on the five GED subject area tests leading to qualification for a State of Florida high school diploma.

Vocational-preparatory instruction:

Occupational completion point:

Vocational certificate program:

A course of study that leads to at least one occupational completion point. The program may also confer credit that may articulate with a diploma or degree career education program, if authorized by rules of the Department of Education. Any credit instruction designed to articulate to a degree program is subject to guidelines and standards adopted by the Articulation Coordinating Committee pursuant to s229.551(1)(g). The term is interchangeable with the term certificate education program.

Workforce Development Education:

Adult general education or vocational education and may consist of a continuing workforce education course or a program of study leading to an occupational completion point, a vocational certificate, an applied technology diploma, or a vocational education degree.

The basic skills necessary to perform in entry-level occupations or the skills necessary to adapt to technological advances in the workplace.

Rule 6A-6.014, FAC, General Requirements for Adult General Education Program, requires academic skills tests for adult general education. The purpose of this initial assessment is to place adult education students into the appropriate literacy level (Appendix D). Assessment instruments meeting this requirement include: Adult Measure of Essential Skills (AMES); Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Forms 7 & 8, Complete Battery or Survey forms; Tests of Adult Basic Education, Work-Related Foundation Skills (TABE-WR); and Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST). Rule 6A-1.0943, FAC, Modifications of the State Student Assessment Test Instruments and Procedures for Exceptional Students and Other Eligible Handicapped Students, provides examples of allowable testing procedure modifications which may include, but are not limited to: flexible scheduling, flexible setting, flexible recording of answers, mechanical aids, revised format, and flexible timing.

Rule 6A-6.014, FAC, General Requirements for Adult General Education Program, also allows for alternative assessment instruments for students with disabilities and ESOL students when the above instruments do not meet the assessment needs of a particular adult student. For these students, the purpose for testing is to place the student in instruction at the appropriate level. Student progress/gains may be measured by various methods referenced in this paper (Page # 17, Progress/Gains for AGE Programs). ESOL/VESOL students are reported using Student Performance Levels (SPLs).

Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, Basic Skills Requirements for Postsecondary Vocational Certificate Education, requires students who are enrolled in a postsecondary vocational certificate program to complete a basic skills examination within the first six weeks after admission into the program. There is an exemption for programs (not OCPs) that are 180 hours or less (Appendix G). This examination is designed to assess student mastery of basic skills. Assessment instruments meeting this requirement include: Adult Measure of Essential Skills (AMES); Computerized Placement Test (CPT) or Multiple Assessment Placement Service (MAPS)(as authorized); Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Forms 7 & 8, Complete Battery or Survey forms; Tests of Adult Basic Education, Work-Related Foundation Skills (TABE-WR); and Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST). Rule 6A-1.0943, FAC, Modifications of the State Student Assessment Test Instruments and Procedures for Exceptional Students and Other Eligible Handicapped Students, provides examples of allowable testing procedure modifications. Testing procedure modifications may include, but are not limited to: flexible scheduling, flexible setting, flexible recording of answers, mechanical aids, revised format, and flexible timing.

Recent changes in Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, also allow for alternative methods for initial assessment, but still require a minimum basic grade level (or scale score equivalent) in order to receive a vocational certificate of completion. If a student is unable to initially test using one of the five basic skills instruments listed in Rule, even with testing procedure modifications, then the student can be given one of the alternative assessments listed in Rule. When testing LEP students, if the student is having difficulty understanding English, it is recommended that staff defer administration of one of the five basic skills instruments until the student’s literacy levels or language acquisition improve.

Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, Basic Skills Requirements for Postsecondary Vocational Certificate Education, states that students who do not achieve the minimum level of basic skills required for their programs will not be awarded a vocational certificate. However, adult students with disabilities, as defined in Rule 6A-6.0132, FAC, and exceptional students (except gifted) as defined in s. 228.041, F.S., may be exempted from the provisions of this section (i.e., meeting basic skills level to receive vocational certificate).

Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, also exempts students who already possess an associate of arts or higher degree; students who have successfully completed the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) pursuant to Rule 6A-10.0312, FAC, Minimum Standards of College-Level Communication and Computation Skills; or students who have already met the minimum cut scores, within the past two years, on any test listed in 6A-10.0315, FAC, College Preparatory Testing Placement and Instruction.

The basic skills requirements for vocational education programs are exit requirements from those programs, not entry or placement requirements. A student may enter the vocational program before reaching minimum basic skills levels, but may not receive a vocational certificate until basic skills requirements are met, except students exempted in Rule 6A-10.0312 or Rule 6A-10.040. Remediation must be provided to help the student attain these levels. The remediation may be provided concurrently with enrollment in the vocational program, or, in certain cases, prior to entry into the vocational program. Federal legislation prohibits denying entry into a vocational program on the basis of criteria that have the effect of disproportionately excluding persons of a particular race, color, national origin, sex or handicap. In order to use such criteria, the recipient must demonstrate that such criteria have been validated as essential to participation in a given program (Federal Register, Wednesday, March 21, 1979).

After a student has completed the remediation prescribed, the student shall be retested on one of the five basic skills assessment instruments listed in Rule 6A-10.040, FAC. No student, except those exempted in this rule, shall be awarded a vocational certificate until the student reaches the minimum basic skills levels required for that vocational program. Programs Courses Standards, published yearly, list minimum basic skills levels as grade equivalents. The charts listed in this document (pages 7-9) provide a crosswalk of grade equivalents to the scale scores of the approved tests. A student only has to reach the minimum basic skills level when completing the entire vocational program. If a student tests and is deficient in only one area, the student needs only to be retested in that area.

Both rules (6A-6.014 and 6A-10.040) allow for the use of scale score equivalencies in the place of grade levels. Scale scores linked to basic skill competencies can provide more meaningful information than grade level equivalents. More critical for adults is whether they are able to apply these academic skills in real world situations. To provide useful information, assessments must measure whether adults have the reading and mathematics skills needed in the workplace and the community at large.

The following pages show comparison charts for the five norm-referenced tests. The scale scores given are the minimum scale score for each grade level equivalency. Following the scale score charts, you will find charts for Student Performance Levels (SPL) for A-LAS, CASAS, ESLOA and TABE.

R = Reading

MC = Math Computation

AM = Applied Mathematics

TM = Total Mathematics

L = Language

GL = Grade Level Equivalency

The following chart represents the scale scores equivalent to Student Performance Levels (SPLs) required for reporting initial and final functioning level for ESOL/VESOL students:

S. 228.301, F.S., Test Security and Rule 6A-10.042, FAC, Maintenance of Test Security, state procedures that must be followed to maintain test security (Appendix D).

Recommendations for good practices in testing:

Testing Personnel:

Testing Procedures:

• preparing the testing room including seating plans
• securing and storing test materials
• admitting examinees to the testing room including recommended identification documents
• distributing and collecting materials
• documenting irregularities
• reading test instructions and directions to examinees
• following testing time guidelines

Minimum time between testing: The minimum time between testing should always follow the testing publisher’s guidelines outlined in the testing administrator’s manual. The Office of Workforce Education suggests that a minimum of 6 weeks should be allowed between pre- and post-testing, using an alternate version of the same assessment instrument. Remediation should be provided during this time.

Post-testing: If a student was pre-tested using TABE 5 & 6, that student should be post-tested using an alternate version of TABE 5 & 6. Switching to TABE 7 & 8 for post-testing will not show true educational gains. This also holds true for those students pre-tested on the SABE; post-testing should also be done on the SABE. When post-testing with any other approved test, testing publisher guidelines must be followed.

Calculator: Some tests allow for the use of calculators on some portions of the mathematics test. If this is allowable, and the testing site allows the use of a calculator, the site must provide calculators and instruction on the use of that calculator for the testing procedure. This ensures equality for all students.

Reporting grade level equivalencies: When reporting math grade levels on the TABE, you must report the Total Math score, not an average of math computation and applied math, or the higher or lower of either of these scores.

Adult education students must be tested during the enrollment process in order to be placed in the appropriate literacy level for either an ABE or a GED program of study. A student may take the official GED test without enrolling in a prep course; however, a student who has never taken the official GED exam, and who wishes to enroll in a GED prep class prior to taking the test, should be enrolled in the GED comprehensive course. A student who takes the official GED test and fails one or more areas, may only be remediated in the area(s) failed. The exception to this is if a student passes all subsections of the official GED test, but fails to reach the cumulative score needed to pass the entire test. This student should be remediated in the area with the greatest strength, so that they may retest. A GED student will earn an LCP for each subsection of the official GED test successfully passed.

Note: Federal law prohibits charging tuition, fees or other charges to adult basic education (ABE) and/or English as a second language (ESL) students. The specific citation is 34 CFR 461.10(b)(7).

Adult High School students and co-enrollees are not required to be tested for placement. Placement is determined by evaluating the student’s transcript or movement from ABE courses, and progress is determined by successful course completion. In addition to course completion, adult high school and co-enrolled students must pass the High School Competency Test (HSCT) and meet the requirements of s. 232.246, F.S. in order to earn a standard diploma.

ESOL/VESOL students are tested to determine the student performance level in which to be placed. Reading and listening are both required when using CASAS or A-LAS. Report the lowest of the two scores and place the student according to the lower of the two scores.

Vocational education students must be tested within the first 6 calendar weeks after admission into the program. The purpose of testing is to determine the extent of basic skills mastery and to provide remediation if necessary. This applies to all vocational students, including students dually enrolled in postsecondary vocational certificate programs. Exceptions include those exempted in Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, or those exempted under the 180 hour waiver (DWD memo 98-32). Testing is not to be used as a screening device. Students may not be denied entry into a vocational program based solely on a test score. Students with disabilities must be tested and provided remediation if needed though they may be exempted from meeting the basic skills requirement for their vocational program. This exemption must be determined by district policy.

Some students with disabilities may require testing procedure modifications. Students with disabilities should have every opportunity to discuss such needs with appropriate staff early, during the counseling process, when the student participates in planning his/her program. However, adult students are not required to reveal their disability and may elect to participate in the program without assistance, and subsequently, self-identify and request services only if they do not succeed without modifications. Documentation of the need for specific testing procedure modifications should be maintained in the student's confidential records and revealed only on a "need to know" basis. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) (Appendix C) is designed to protect the privacy of a student’s education records. The law applies to all schools which receive funds under an applicable program from the U.S. Department of Education. Generally, the school must have written permission from the parent or eligible student before releasing any information from a student’s record. However, the law allows schools to disclose records without consent, to the following parties:

• School employees who have a "need to know"
• Other schools to which a student is transferring
• Parents when a student over 18 is still dependent
• Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to student
• Organizations doing certain studies for the school
• Accrediting organizations
• Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas
• Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies
• State and local authorities to whom disclosure is required by state laws adopted before November 19, 1974

Schools must notify parents and eligible students of their rights under this law. The actual means of notification is left to each school.

Schools must adopt a written policy complying with FERPA. Schools must give the parent or eligible student a copy of the policy, on request.

Rule 6A-1.0943, FAC, Modifications of the State Student Assessment Test Instruments and Procedure for Exceptional Students and Other Eligible Handicapped Students, provides the basis for modifications to Florida's statewide assessment system for students with disabilities and provides examples of allowable testing procedure modifications. Consideration must be given to providing modifications that will allow the student with a disability to demonstrate the skills and knowledge the test is designed to measure rather than a score that reflects the student’s disability. Modifications are not specified to provide the student with an unfair advantage or interfere with the validity of the test; they are required to allow the student an equal opportunity to demonstrate the underlying skills that are being measured by the test. Students are unique and may require a different modification, even if they have the same disability. When specifying test modifications for an individual student, preference should be given to the option requested by the student, and strong consideration should be given to the modifications, aids and services used during instruction. All modifications must be documented on the student’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP), Adult Individual Educational Plan (AIEP), 504 plan or other educational plan.

Testing procedure modifications may include, but are not limited to:

* Flexible scheduling

several brief testing sessions during a day, frequent rest breaks, testing at a different time of day

* Flexible setting

individually or in small group with proctor, study carrel or separate room, special lighting, equipment, acoustics

* Flexible responding

oral response, signed response, response on word processor, or Braille response

* Flexible presentation

mechanical aids, readers, revised formats such as Braille, large print, or sign language presentations

* Flexible timing

additional time, extended time

The goal is to ensure that each student has every opportunity to demonstrate mastery of basic skills. Some students with disabilities may need special testing procedure modifications during the testing and instructional process (including remediation). These testing procedure modifications must be provided to ensure equal access to programs and activities.

Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, includes permissive language that allows local educational agencies (LEAs) to exempt adults with disabilities from meeting the required basic skills level to earn a vocational certificate. Since application of the exemption is permissible and not mandatory, each LEA should develop a local policy to address this issue and ensure that the policy is followed consistently throughout the LEA's service area. This policy should not deny anyone access or opportunities because of a disability.

The intent of Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, is to provide opportunities for remediation when needed and to avoid penalizing a student who may not be able to attain the required basic skills requirements due to a disability. Students with disabilities should be tested, with appropriate testing procedure modifications as needed, and participate in remediation if needed. However, if the student has demonstrated mastery of the student performance standards for the vocational program, but has not attained the appropriate basic skills levels required for completion from that program, the LEA may use the exemption, code the student as a completer, and award the appropriate certificate. Local policy should describe the steps to be followed and documentation to be maintained throughout the testing, remediation, certification, reporting, and audit process.

Adult general education programs service students with disabilities representing a wide range of abilities and needs. LEAs should ensure that adults with disabilities have appropriate testing procedure modifications throughout the testing and instructional process. To ensure equal access and accurate documentation of the student’s strengths and needs, it is recommended that LEAs develop a local policy addressing testing and instruction for adults with disabilities in adult general education programs

In the required academic testing, the first test administration is for diagnostic purposes and to establish baseline data for the individual student. This information should be used in the student's AIEP or other appropriate instructional plan. Students may be retested periodically, as necessary, to document mastery of skills and to determine further instructional needs. Please remember, if you are using a test that has not been validated for adults with disabilities, there may be fluctuations in scoring. Testing publisher's recommendation on minimum time span between retesting should be followed.

Certain students with disabilities may be unable to function at a level necessary to perform on the approved academic tests listed in Rule 6A-6.014, FAC. However, an attempt must be made to test all students with testing procedure modifications as needed. The examiner must document the attempt to test (including modifications), describe the level of student response, and explain why the student was unable to respond. Then, the examiner should use another test/strategy, described in Rule 6A-6.014, FAC to document the student’s strengths and weaknesses and recommend appropriate instructional programming (including testing procedure modifications). It is critical that all staff follow the local testing policy consistently. Local policy should describe the steps to be followed and documentation to be maintained throughout the testing, remediation, certification, reporting, and audit process.

The following Matrix was designed to assist in testing for the 1999-2000 school year:

In order to progress through the Adult Literacy Completion Points (LCPs) a student must complete the performance standards listed in the state Adult Education Programs Courses Standards. Teachers must keep well documented records of student progress. The following methods, approved in Rule 6A-6.014, FAC, may be used to document progress for ABE and ESOL/VESOL students (not for vocational preparatory students):

* Criterion and/or norm referenced pre, post and progress tests listed in Rule 6A-6.014, FAC, and Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, may be used to show progress and/or completion of an LCP. Testing publisher's recommendations for appropriate time between testing must be followed. When using various assessment instruments, allow at least 6 weeks between testing.

Vocational preparatory students must be post-tested with one of the approved basic skills tests listed in Rule 6A-10.040, FAC.

* Checklists/Inventories are based on the state Program Courses Standards for each LCP. The student must have completed each standard and documentation must be maintained. Progress through LCPs can be documented by checklist/inventories.

* Performance-based portfolios are selected collections of a variety of performance-based work. A portfolio might include a student's "best pieces" and the student’s evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of several pieces. The portfolio may also contain some "works in progress" that illustrate the improvements the student has made over time. It may also contain writing examples, open-ended or extended response exercises, or extended tasks. Extended tasks are assignments that require sustained attention in a single work area and are carried out over several hours or longer, such as: drafting, reviewing and revising a poem; conducting and explaining the results of a science experiment; or even painting a car in auto body shop.

These methods, like all types of performance assessments, require that students actively develop their approaches to the task under defined conditions, knowing that their work will be evaluated according to agreed-upon standards. This requirement distinguishes performance assessment from other forms of testing.

Adult high school and co-enrolled students show progress by demonstrating mastery of course performance standards and earning credit for course competencies.

General Educational Development (GED) students progress through LCPs by passing the subtests of the official General Educational Development test (GED). These subtests are: Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, Literature and Writing.

Vocational Preparatory Instruction students progress through LCPs by attaining the basic skills requirement of their vocational program as measured by one of the five approved tests in Rule 6A-10.040, FAC, unless exempted.

Audit requirements for state and local government recipients of federal grants were implemented by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to comply with the Single Audit Act of 1984, P.L. 98-502, and Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996, P.L. 104-156. Revised OMB Circular No. A-133 "Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-profit Organizations" further clarified the public law. These requirements are found in Appendix to 34 CFR Part 80 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), and proposed amendments to these Circulars, based on the 1996 Amendments, are found in the Federal Register, November 5, 1996. Part 80 of EDGAR sets forth the uniform administrative requirements for grants and cooperative agreements to State and local governments, and Part 74 of EDGAR sets forth the administrative requirements for institutions for higher education and nonprofit institutions.

The 1996 Amendments require that non-federal entities expending $300,000 or more in a year in federal awards must obtain an audit. Any non-federal entity expending less than $300,000 in a year will be subject to monitoring by the Florida Department of Education, as provided in proposed revisions to Revised OMB Circular A-133.

Audit reports for federal projects shall be made annually and shall state that the audit was made in accordance with the appropriate circular as stated in the Appendix to 34 CFR Part 80 of EDGAR. Audit reports for state projects shall be made annually in accordance with Florida Statutes 216.349 and 10.600 of the Rules of the Auditor General.

The following are examples (not all may apply) of audit documents: (Please note some data may be stored electronically pursuant to S. 239.113, F.S.) All data concerning individuals with disabilities must be kept confidential as per FERPA and Section 504.

1. Facilities: Attendance forms, course number, name, social security/student ID number
2. Enrollment/registration forms/student eligibility
3. Teaching certification on file
4. Academic: Documentation of intake, progress of LCPs

1. ABE/ESL - performance standards, checklists, test results, portfolios, IEPs, AIEPs
2. High school - transcript
3. GED - test results
4. VPI - test results, TEP
5. Adults with Disabilities - Documentation of any testing modifications/accommodations, IEPs, any other accommodations

Documentation must be kept in compliance with approved State of Florida procedures. It is recommended that the following assessment documentation be maintained, if applicable:

• Student folder: TEP/AIEP, progress indicators, student work/assignments
• Office folder: student test results (pre, progress and post), attendance documentation (time sheets, time cards, teacher rolls), student registration information, teacher documentation of progress, documentation of completion of LCPs, documentation of any testing procedure modifications/accommodations, documentation for students unable to test
• ABE/ESL: Student checklist/test results
• High School Credit: Transcript, grades, student records
• VPI/GED: test results
• Adult students with disabilities: AIEP

Counseling is an essential element in career preparation to assist students in identifying career goals and selecting appropriate training programs. Explaining the demands of the academic vocational program is an important part of the counseling process. A clear understanding of expectations will better prepare the student for making sound decisions and successfully completing the program. It is important for students to understand the relationship between basic skills and success in their chosen vocational program, and that improving their skills will help foster success in the program resulting in job placement.

While it depends on the student and remains a local decision, the following guidelines are used by many providers throughout the state: (1) students who test below the sixth grade level be referred to adult basic education; (2) students who test two grade levels below the basic skills requirements for their vocational program be provided with remediation before entry into the vocational program; and (3) students who test within two grade levels of the requirements be provided concurrent remediation. Also, students who are on a waiting list for entry into a vocational program may be provided with remediation prior to entry.

It is suggested that vocational prep students have a Technical Education Plan (TEP) and that it addresses/includes special support services the student needs to be successful in the vocational program. It is recommended that if a student with a disability has an AIEP, the TEP should be incorporated into that document.

All students who are referred to adult education programs require ongoing counseling/ monitoring to ensure that: (1) basic skills levels are improving; (2) support services are being provided if needed; and (3) progression toward completion of program goals is occurring.

Subsection 104.47(b) of Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act) states ..... The recipient shall ensure that qualified handicapped students are not counseled toward more restrictive career objectives than are nonhandicapped students with similar interests and abilities. This requirement does not preclude a recipient from providing factual information about licensing and certification requirements that may present obstacles to handicapped persons in their pursuit of particular careers.

A strong network infrastructure within the school including ongoing counseling, communication, and appropriate service agency contacts, is essential for individual student success. Special needs students often have several advocates/service providers assisting during various stages of the career preparation continuum. These advocates/service providers should maintain communication with the student and with each other to ensure a smooth transition and delivery of services.

Regardless of age, educational/employment goals, family or economic circumstance, career/transition planning is an important component of every individual's educational program. This is especially true if the individual has any special needs due to a disability, economic or academic disadvantage, or limited proficiency in the English language.

Career planning involves: (1) the identification of interests, aptitudes, abilities, and career/ employment goals; (2) an assessment of special needs or the need for special support services or testing procedure modifications in the educational setting and the workplace; and (3) the development of a course of study, including the classes and activities needed to reach individual goals. Transition planning, an ongoing process, involves strategies to enable an individual to move smoothly among the different programs/activities needed to reach one's goals as well as the movement from the educational setting to employment in the workforce. Examples of transition may include: (1) mastering adult education literacy completion points (LCPs) and then enrolling in a vocational certificate program or higher education; (2) completing a VESOL program and then entering a vocational certificate program; (3) concurrently enrolled in Vocational Preparatory Instruction and a vocational program, completing a vocational certificate and then enrolling in higher education; or, (4) completing one or more vocational occupational completion points, meeting the required basic skills levels through concurrent enrollment in Vocational Preparatory Instruction, and entering the workforce.

A variety of strategies may be used to assist adults in the career planning process, including:

* career shadowing and exploration

* goal setting

* formal and informal interest and aptitude tests

* learning styles inventories

* vocational work evaluation

* guest speakers, mentors

* career portfolios and career planners

* career guidance and counseling

* connections with adult agency service providers

Over a period of time, a strong, unified career/transition planning process can be developed that is responsive to the needs of students in the local community and enables each individual to reach his/her education and employment goals. The development of such a system requires a dedicated team with members representing education, service agencies, business/industry, and students/families. The career/transition planning process for adults should be closely linked with the local K-12 student development (guidance/counseling and transition) system to ensure that students can move through a seamless continuum.

For this to occur, it is critical that vocational education, adult education and adult service agency staff work closely together, and collaborate to plan programs/activities/services that allow students to move from one activity to another in a smooth, organized "efficient" fashion so that they have the experiences they need (in a logical sequence) to reach their goals.

Appendices

                                Rule 6A-10.042, FAC

                                        ESL/ESOL      English for Speakers of Other Languages

                                        LEA      Local Educational Agency

On the next four (4) pages you will find examples of an Adult Individual Educational Plan (AIEP) and a Technical Education Plan (TEP). You may use these to develop plans for your school/district.

9. SAIL Status __ __Concurrently enrolled in SAIL & supplementary voc. program. Posttest Date____________

__Concurrently enrolled in SAIL and job preparatory program. Grade Placement: Reading ___

__Enrolled in SAIL, preparing to enter job preparatory training. Grade Placement: Mathematics ___

__Non-vocational student. Grade Placement: Language