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How can we dramatically increase the number of low income young people who graduate high school and earn a postsecondary credential by age 25? One strategy that reaches beyond traditional education boundaries is gaining traction: broad regional partnerships that bring together K-12 school districts and higher education with workforce development, business, and community-based organizations. Jobs for the Future (JFF) and the James Irvine Foundation were among those investing in cross-sector partnerships through creation of the Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence in 2015. The goal, over three years, was to significantly increase the number of California graduates from innovative Linked Learning pathways that blend high school, college, and career. This brief describes the evolution of the Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence and the points of momentum they achieved in transforming an array of individual programs into productive regional systems. It is a summary of multiple years of learning and culminating reflections from the JFF team that supported the Hubs. This is one of two briefs summarizing lessons learned in the Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence about improving student success in high school, college, and careers through systems change in California. The other brief, "How to Lead Systems Change for Student Success: Developing 6 Qualities of Effective Cross-Sector Leadership," examines how to cultivate the leadership qualities that are key to creating high-performing regional systems. [For "How to Lead Systems Change for Student Success: Developing 6 Qualities of Effective Cross-Sector Leadership," see ED593999.]

State reforms and philanthropic investments seeking to improve public education in California have made substantial changes in recent years--from what students learn and how they learn it to how schools are funded and evaluated. Most efforts have focused on one level at a time, either K-12 schools, community colleges, or four-year postsecondary institutions, as each of these state systems is vast and complex, with completely separate funding and governance. But while recent reforms have affected every phase of a student's education from kindergarten to college, this fragmented approach has resulted in little progress toward what many consider the ultimate goal: creating smoother transitions from one level to the next to help more young people complete high school on time, attain a postsecondary credential with labor market value, and succeed in the workforce. Strong leaders are the key to unifying multiple competing efforts to increase student success. This brief examines how to develop the leadership qualities that helped transform loose collections of programs in California into high-performing regional systems. It is based on individual interviews with 11 leaders from Linked Learning Regional Hubs of Excellence.

Opportunity Works is a national initiative to dramatically improve the life trajectories of low-income young people ages 16 to 24 who are not in school or working. This population, often called "opportunity youth," comprises a significant segment of America's potential workforce. Yet they are also the young men and women who face the greatest barriers to entering and advancing in the labor market. Launched in 2015, Opportunity Works has demonstrated how to make a difference in the lives of young people who find themselves without a clear path forward. Opportunity Works served more than 2,000 teens and young adults. Their successes include: (1) More than 800 individuals earned a high school credential; (2) Nearly 1,000 participants enrolled in postsecondary education or training; and (3) Almost half of all participants were young men of color. These initial results are particularly powerful for a population that has had limited access to effective programs in the past. In this report, the authors highlight lessons learned from the initiative, which was based on Jobs for the Future's (JFF) "Back on Track" model to reconnect opportunity youth and guided by JFF coaching to local anchor organizations and service providers. The authors also describe the complex nature of what it takes to reach these positive results and the many interlocking pieces that are part of the solution. [This report was produced by the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions. Additional funding was provided by the Andrus Family Fund and the Ballmer Group.]

Between 2014 and 2016, California policymakers invested a half-billion dollars in the California Career Pathways Trust (CCPT). The initiative funded regional and local partnerships to establish career pathways designed to lead secondary school students to postsecondary degrees or certifications aligned with regional workforce needs. This brief suggests lessons that state policymakers can learn from CCPT about what it would take to increase the likelihood that cross-sector career pathways partnerships succeed and remain viable so they can make a sustained effort to both increase the number of skilled workers coming out of California's educational institutions and strengthen demand for those workers. The authors describe instances where regional efforts needed more state support to succeed and endure. They then recommend steps that state leaders could have, and still can, take to cultivate stronger regional collaboration to advance strategies that, like career pathways, depend on systemic changes across sectors to improve economic advancement for the state's citizens and communities.

This policy report defines and provides a 50-state review of teacher license reciprocity, explores how state-specific licensing requirements impact the teacher labor market, and includes examples of national and state efforts to facilitate reciprocity.

This report examines the structure of school transportation systems, the surrounding regulatory landscape, school transportation funding mechanisms, student safety, the impact of school choice, the growing need for school transportation data, and school transportation's effect on the environment. Drawing from these various perspectives, it asks whether the traditional system of district-provided school transportation is the best way to get kids to school in different district contexts, explores potential alternatives, and analyzes the practical and policy barriers and incentives around student transportation.

Scotland's colleges have a wide-ranging mission. They strive to meet the needs of a diverse range of stakeholders, including individual learners, local communities, regional and national bodies and the national and international economies. At an individual level, the curriculum offered in Scotland's colleges aims to enable people to develop skills and capacities which will improve their working, personal and community life. Colleges have undergone significant change over the recent past, particularly during the last five years. College sector reforms, including regionalisation, associated Regional Outcome Agreements (ROA) and college mergers have changed the context in which colleges plan their curriculum. Regional Skills Assessments (RSA) and Skills Investment Plans (SIP) generated by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) are now key drivers in informing curriculum planning. The role of colleges in local Community Planning Partnerships (CPP) has also evolved over recent years. This task will evaluate how well colleges are aligning their curriculum to meet the needs of employers and communities at local, regional and national levels. In preparing this report, inspectors visited a sample of five colleges and drew on the findings of published Education Scotland reviews of colleges and other relevant publications and reports. Each college in the sample was visited once during the fieldwork. During the visits, inspectors discussed issues with managers, curriculum teams and college stakeholders, including employers. The five colleges visited during the fieldwork for this report are listed in Appendix 1. Inspectors undertook desk analysis of relevant documents. This included a review of individual college Regional Outcome Agreement (ROAs), Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Regional Skills Assessments (RSAs), programme information and other external reports. In addition to the evidence obtained from the five colleges involved in the fieldwork, reviewers also examined the evaluations contained in annual engagement visit reports for 2014-15 and in college external review reports published between January 2014 and June 2016.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015. Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015 among which 39 were implemented in the South Mediterranean Region. The report's results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalised CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The analyses takes also into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organised by the Agency as part of its monitoring strategy. The report is analysing the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of HEIs (HEI), their modernisation of study programmes and their teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI's technical capacities. It will zoom into the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, associations and NGOs. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through 'Structural Projects'. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analyses will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015 and a few two-year projects from the second generation (2016). Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015 and 88 finalised projects have submitted their final reports in 2019, among which 23 were implemented in the Eastern Partnership Region. The report's results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalised CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The analysis also takes into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organised by the Agency as part of its monitoring strategy. The report analyses the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the modernisation of their study programmes and teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEIs' technical capacities. It will examine opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like quality assurance agencies, student associations, NGOs, enterprises, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through 'Structural Projects'. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first nine interim reports of the second generation of the CBHE projects selected for funding in 2016, which was when the programme opened for first time to the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Region. Among the nine projects in the Region 13 universities from Sub-Saharan countries are involved as partners. There were no funded projects involving Caribbean and Pacific countries in this project generation. Therefore, the report highlights only the situation of Sub-Saharan Africa and does not reflect the challenges of the Caribbean and Pacific Region although some of the challenges may be in common. The report's results are therefore based on a very small sample of on-going CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The report is analysing the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of higher education institutions (HEIs), their modernisation of study programmes, teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEIs' technical capacities. It will then focus on the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through 'Structural Projects'. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analyses will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of reports (interim, monitoring, final and impact) of the first generation of CBHE projects selected in 2015. In 2015, two projects were selected for an EU funding, namely: (1) Internationalisation of Higher Education in Iran (561753-EPP-1-2015-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP) Region 9 Country: Iran; and (2) International MSc Educational Programme in Environmental Management and Modelling (561967-EPP-1-2015-1-SE-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP) Region 9 Countries: Iran and Iraq. The report is analysing the role of the CBHE action regarding the impact and sustainability of the funded projects. More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of higher education institutions (HEIs), their modernisation of study programmes their teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of their technical capacities. It will then focus on opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff). The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, despite the fact that for the years in question no Structural Projects are active in the country.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015. Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015 and 88 finalised projects have submitted their final reports in 2019, among which 15 were implemented in the Western Balkans. The report's results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalised CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The analyses takes also into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organised by the Agency as part of its monitoring strategy. The report is analysing the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of HEIs (HEI), their modernisation of study programmes and their teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI's technical capacities. It will zoom into the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through 'Structural Projects'. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analyses will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015. Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015 and 88 finalised projects have submitted their final reports in 2019, among which 13 were implemented in the Russian Federation (RF). The report's results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalised CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The analyses takes also into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organised by the Agency as part of its monitoring strategy. The report is analysing the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of HEIs (HEI), their modernisation of study programmes and their teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI's technical capacities. It will zoom into the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, associations and NGOs. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector. Finally, the analyses will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015. Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015 and 88 finalized projects have submitted their final reports in 2019, among which 22 were implemented in Central Asia. The distribution of project per country is as follows: Kazakhstan 13, Uzbekistan 11, Kyrgyzstan 6, Tajikistan 2 and Turkmenistan 1. The report's results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalized CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage . The analysis takes also into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organized by the Agency as part of its monitoring strategy. The report is analyzing the role of the CBHE action regarding the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers) where applicable. More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of higher education institutions (HEI), their modernization of study programs and their teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI's technical capacities. It will then focus on the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, NGOs, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, through Structural projects and indirectly through Joint Projects. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference. structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI's technical capacities. It will then focus on the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, NGOs, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, through Structural projects and indirectly through Joint Projects. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference. structural reforms and the strengthening of HEI's technical capacities. It will then focus on the opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, NGOs, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, through Structural projects and indirectly through Joint Projects. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference. academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, NGOs, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, through Structural projects and indirectly through Joint Projects. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference. academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, NGOs, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, through Structural projects and indirectly through Joint Projects. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the first final project reports of the first generation of CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015. Altogether 138 projects were funded in 2015 and 88 finalised projects submitted their final reports in 2019, of which 18 were implemented in Latin America. The report's results are therefore based on a relatively small sample of finalised CBHE projects and are to be considered as preliminary and to be reviewed at a later stage. The analysis also takes into account the institutional monitoring visits and cluster meetings that were organised by the Agency as part of its monitoring strategy. The report analyses the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, the report will look into the institutional development of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the modernisation of their study programmes and teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEIs' technical capacities. It will examine opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties such as enterprises, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through 'Structural Projects'. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analysis will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

This report is based on the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency's evaluation of the final project reports of the first CBHE projects selected for funding in 2015 and 2016. A total of 138 projects received funding and 88 projects submitted their final reports during 2019, The conlusions of this report are based on 6 final reports that have been submitted in the region South Africa. . These results are therefore based on a small sample of completed CBHE projects and should be considered preliminary, for final review at a later stage. The report analyses the role of the CBHE action as regards the impact and sustainability of the funded projects together with their inclusiveness (participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers). More specifically, it will look into the institutional development of higher education institutions (HEIs), their modernisation of study programmes and teaching and learning methodologies, structural reforms and the strengthening of HEIs' technical capacities. It will then focus on opportunities created for individuals (students, academic and administrative staff) and third parties like enterprises, chambers of commerce, etc. The report will also examine how the EU projects have influenced national policy developments in the education sector, mainly but not exclusively through 'Structural Projects'. Special attention is given to the strengthening of regional cooperation through CBHE projects that include two or more countries from the same Region. Finally, the analyses will be used to identify challenges and provide a set of recommendations for future reference.

As education reforms increasingly focus on the needs of students as they cross education systems and enter the workforce, regional partnerships, or consortia, are developing across the country to meet a wide range of students' needs. While regional partnerships have existed in different forms for decades to serve community needs, current partnerships are focusing on connecting education systems to prevent students--particularly traditionally underserved students--from falling through the cracks. Specific efforts can include: aligning curricular expectations across high school and college to reduce the need for remedial coursework; working with business partners to develop curricular pathways, degree programs, and certificate programs that will help students find meaningful employment and help regions meet workforce needs; and improving student support services to increase high school and college graduation rates. There is a great deal of experimentation with different kinds of regional partnerships across California. This report is aimed at encouraging new and existing partnerships to learn from the growth and development of current partnerships. It highlights issues that support or impede consortia processes, their work to support student success, and their sustainability. The information used in this report came from 37 interviews with stakeholders from 19 regional consortia located throughout California. The audiences for this report are three-fold: (1) education, community, and business leaders engaged with regional partnerships; (2) state agency staff who could provide an enabling environment for regional partnerships to thrive; and (3) philanthropic organizations that support cross-sector collaboration. While it is too early to draw conclusions about effective strategies, there are some clear implications that arose from this research. For example, representatives of all the consortia noted that building trusting relationships is one of the largest challenges faced by these consortia in the early stages, and constant attention and time must be devoted to maintaining them for the long run. Having a base of trusting relationships makes it easier to develop and maintain a common agenda to serve the larger community. The job of facilitating trust-building conversations and activities falls to the lead organization, which must be viewed as the appropriate entity for that work by all of the participating entities from the start. This report describes the following strategies suggested by representatives of the studied partnerships: (1) Start with a coalition of the willing; (2) Focus on a few main goals; (3) Foster involvement of key leaders; (4) Leverage existing networks; (5) Create opportunities for cross-system communication and collaboration; (6) Embed activities in existing organizations; and (7) Use data to motivate action and inform activities. The report concludes with suggestions to help state policy and philanthropic communities better support regional partnerships. [To access the policy brief "Regional Cross-System Education Partnerships and the Need for Supportive State Policies. Policy Brief," see ED574460.]

This brief is aimed at state policymakers as a companion to the report, "Organizing for Success: California's Regional Education Partnerships." The brief recommends actions that could be taken by state policymakers and philanthropic foundations to better support the work of regional partnerships--such as improving alignment across funding streams and programs, establishing cross-system data capabilities, and providing technical assistance to regional partners. [To access the full report, "Organizing for Success: California's Regional Education Partnerships," see ED574459.]

Employers currently struggle to find workers who possess the necessary skills to fill job openings, and this skills gap is projected to grow. By 2025, 30 percent of all job openings in California--or a total of 1.9 million jobs--will require some form of postsecondary education short of a four-year degree. California's education pipeline is not keeping pace with the higher levels of skills and education required by employers and must significantly increase the number of individuals with industry-valued, middle-skill degrees, certificates and credentials. California's community colleges have a strong career technical education mission and, with added emphasis and prioritization, are well positioned to close this impending skills gap. The California Community Colleges Board of Governors launched the Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation and a Strong Economy (Strong Workforce Task Force) to address the projected shortfall in middle-skill workers. The task force, comprised of both internal and external stakeholders, was convened to recommend a series of policies and practices to increase the production of industry-valued degrees and credentials. This report details 25 recommendations to build upon current college efforts and address barriers to enhancing the capacity of California Community Colleges to prepare students for high-value jobs in regions throughout the state. The recommendations are the culmination of extensive input from more than 1,200 stakeholders during a nine-month period to identify actions that can be taken to provide policy guidance, regulatory review, and legislative and budgetary actions with the goal of increasing the number of students obtaining career technical education degrees and certificates--crucial for closing California's skills gap. Appendices include: (1) Task Force Membership; (2) Summary of Regional College Conversations; (3) Summary of Strong Workforce Town Halls; (4) Issue Statements; (5) Task Force Background Papers; and (6) Suggested Reading List.

This report covers fall 2014 enrollments for WUE [Western Undergraduate Exchange], WRGP [Western Regional Graduate Program], and PSEP [Professional Student Exchange Program]. It details the funds that flow between students' home states and the enrolling PSEP institutions that receive them. This newly expanded format gives detailed enrollment for participating WRGP programs and WUE institutions. The "WUE Enrollment Report" will be discontinued as of the 2014-15 academic year, and going forward, it will be replaced by the "Statistical Report".

California's community colleges continue to play a crucial role in the state's economy by providing students with the skills and knowledge to succeed and by advancing the economic growth and global competitiveness of California and its regional economies through the Economic and Workforce Development Program (EWD). Under the Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy (DWM) framework, EWD supports community colleges working within and across economic regions as they: (1) partner closely with businesses and other organizations; (2) train students for the in-demand skills employers require through contract education, and credit and non-credit instruction; (3) provide these students with career pathways and stackable credentials; (4) promote their success and improve program completion; (5) build the skills of current employees; and (6) get Californians into jobs. The DWM strategy of increasing outreach to employers within regions and priority industry sectors has contributed to upward trends in EWD's outcomes. The data for this report is collected through both quantitative and qualitative methods. Financial data and select performance information are collected through online grant reporting systems. Qualitative data, such as success stories, are collected through the Sector Navigators. The new initiatives funded in fiscal year 2013-14 created and strengthened the alignment between community colleges and the industries in their economic regions. Sector Navigators and Deputy Sector Navigators increased the number of businesses served. Industry Driven Regional Collaboratives provided employers and colleges the opportunity to work together to create and improve course offerings to prepare students with the skills and education needed to fill high-demand jobs. The Centers of Excellence provided colleges with labor market research with which to base their decisions. The increased collaboration with industry enabled California community colleges to supply in-demand skills for employers, create relevant career pathways and stackable credentials, promote student success and get Californians into open jobs. EWD decisions are becoming more data-driven and evidence-based, resulting in strategic investments based on proven practices. Continuing the work of the EWD program gives California community colleges the ability to build upon their current success and positively impact California's economy into the future. Appended are: (1) Priority Sector Summaries; (2) EWD CCCCO and Regional Consortia Resources; (3) EWD Program Advisory Committee.

For more than one hundred and fifty years, until 2008, California was an undisputed national leader in its commitment to adult education. The state's investment in adult learners topped $750 million, a sum greater than the combined total of every other state in the nation. However, for the past several years recession and fiscal crisis have left adult education battered and underfunded. Since the late 1960s California's adult education system has been shared between the K-12 adult schools (K-12 Adult) and the community colleges. This governance structure exists with little coordination or alignment of policy and practice. Institutional practices impede the transition of students from basic skills courses into postsecondary education and training programs. In response, the 2013-14 Assembly Bill 86, Section 76, Article 3 (AB 86) charged the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office with jointly implementing a planning process to integrate and improve adult education. The legislation appropriated $25 million to distribute to 70 regional consortia, composed of at least one community college and one K-12 district, as well as other partners, to assess their regions and develop shared plans. Under the leadership of State Superintendent Tom Torlakson and Chancellor Brice W. Harris, the CDE and Chancellor's Office engaged in a collaborative effort, created a Cabinet, appointed a Work Group, and established the principles that would guide the two year planning process: transparency, inclusion, and a focus on students. The unified response and commitment to creating an improved adult education system was shared by both the CDE and the Chancellor's Office. As directed by AB 86, this report details the needs that emerged from the 70 consortia's reports and the joint recommendations of the CDE and the Chancellor's Office. Senate Bill 173 (Liu) also required this report to address the following in the provision of adult education through the K-12 Adult and community college systems: accountability; assessment, evaluation, and data collection; and fees. The recommendations in this report are designed to strengthen the foundation for a new adult education system in California. Maps containing enrollment data submitted by the seventy AB 86 consortia in their 12/31/2015 reports for the 2012-13 school year are appended.