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Professional Development

Each year, AAE staff are required to attend a specific number of hours of professional development (PD) courses. See chart below for required hours. The State Adult Education Office provides opportunities for professional development, training, and technical assistance.

Assessment and Technical Assistance Manual

Each year, AK Adult Ed staff are required to attend a specific number of hours of professional development (PD) courses. See chart below for required hours. The State Adult Education Office provides opportunities for professional development, training, and technical assistance.

Professional Development Required Hours

Program Coordinators must report the following information at close out to the State AK Adult Ed Office:

  • Annual Professional Development hours:
  • Date(s) of training:
  • Title of training; and.
  • Trainers name.

Professional development hours must be entered into VOS system (coming soon) for all staff working with adult education students.

Professional Development Requirements

Employment Role and Status

Hours Required

Program Coordinator

16 hours per year

Full-time Teacher

12 hours per year

Part-time Teacher

9 hours per year

Full or part-time Instructional Assistant / Paraprofessional

6 hours per year

Full or part-time Data Entry Staff / Paraprofessional

  • In addition to professional development hours, Data Entry staff must be up-to-date on all relevant NRS training, policies, and regulations.

3 hours per year

Volunteers

Determined by regional programs

women working at laptop on office desk

Student Information

Adult Education Program Information

Grant Information

AAE CONTACT INFORMATION

Windy Swearingin, AAE/GED Director
Phone:(907) 465-8714
Donna Collins, Education Associate
Phone:(907) 465-4685
Christi Scott,
Employment Services Technician I
Phone:(907) 465-6549
Email:ak.adult.ed@alaska.gov

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AspireAlaska

AspireAlaska is the State of Alaska's learning and performance management system. The system is accessible to both State of Alaska employees and external users to take learning provided by the Alaska Adult Education Office. Program Coordinators must request access to AspireAlaska from the AAE Office prior to use.

External users are users that are not State of Alaska employees, however they have been given access by the AAE Office to access certain areas of AspireAlaska. Access AspireAlaska as an external user, and enter the login credentials you were provided by the AAE Office or your Program Coordinator.

For State Employees to access AspireAlaska and on the login page, click on the blue banner that says SOA Employee Login (it is recommend bookmarking the page for future use). If prompted, please enter your state user ID credentials along with the password you use to access IRIS ESS.

Required Training Topics

Required training topics below are completed either through vendor training or on the AspireAlaska learning and performance management system. The AAE Regional Programs are responsible for requesting access to AspireAlaska for all new staff. Although training is individual to each program, the following are required topics that must be complete in new AAE training orientation and refresher courses (as needed):

Title

Training Requirements

The First 90 Days

Must be completed by all new Program Coordinators within the first 90 days of hire

Intake Form Completion

Must be completed by all new staff

Staff assisted completion process

Accuracy of data capture

AAE Student Application

AAE Roles, Responsibilities, & Application Definitions

Timeliness

Assessment Guidelines

Must be completed by all new staff

Pre-testing policies

Post-testing policies

Alaska approved assessments

Virtual testing policies

High School Equivalency

 

Alaska GED testing requirements (all new staff)

GED® Virtual Administration Training (Program Coordinators and any designated individual)

GED® Manager Training (Program Coordinators and any designated individual)

GED® Test Administrators (all test administrators only)

Pearson VUE administrative policies and procedures

Examiner training

TABE Training

(AAE Programs)

Program Coordinators and all staff administering TABE Assessments

TABE Administration Training

Virtual TABE Administration Training

Certification Process (optional by recommended):

  • Understand and follow general TABE 11/12 test best practices
  • Implement correct forms and levels
  • Securely administer and handle test resources
  • Follow student privacy protocols
  • Score and interpret the TABE 11/12 test results

Regional AAE Program Coordinators will train all staff in TABE test administration. Staff are trained according to the directions and test policies stated in the TABE Test Administration Manual .

Only trained test administrators may administer TABE 11/12

WorkKeys Training

(AAE Programs)

Program Coordinators and all staff administering WorkKeys Assessments

ACT WorkKeys Test Administrator Training

https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/act-workkeys/act-workkeys-assessments/administration/training.html

Only trained test administrators may administer WorkKeys Assessments

Testing Staff Training Plan (PDF) must be completed by all staff administering WorkKeys Assessments

 

For ESL students, Adult Education Programs must be trained to administer BEST or CASAS assessments. Smaller programs may enter into an agreement with the Statewide IELCE program to provide assessments.

BEST Plus / Literacy Training

(ESL Programs using BEST Assessments)

Program Coordinators and all staff administering BEST Plus and Literacy Assessments

Only trained test administrators may administer BEST Plus and Literacy

BEST Plus 2.0 Administration Training CAL facilitated workshop

  • All administrators are required to attend a 6-contact-hour training workshop conducted by a certified BEST Plus 2.0 trainer before they may begin testing.
  • Virtual BEST Plus Administration Training

BEST Literacy

  • Test manual overview
  • Test administration procedures

CASAS Training

(ESL Programs using CASAS Assessments)

Program Coordinators and all staff administering CASAS Life & Work and Citizenship Assessments

CASAS Test Administrator Training http://training.casas.org/

Only trained test administrators may administer CASAS Assessments

  • Module 4 highly recommended for all test administrators
  • CASAS eTests Basics Training required for all eTest users available soon

e-Test Only

  • Modules 1-2 required

Paper Tests Only

  • Modules 1 & 3 required

e-Test and Paper Tests

  • Modules 1-3 required

Teachers, Counselors, and Career Coaches Recommended Training

  • Module 1 & 4

CASAS Citizenship (not used as a pre/post assessment)

  • CASAS Citizenship Interview Test (CIT)   Modules and annual recertification course

AlaskaJobs System / Data Entry (ongoing training)

All new staff must be familiar with AlaskaJobs System and Data Entry Requirements

Program Coordinators, Teachers and Data Entry staff are required to have ongoing training associated with data entry procedures

 

 

Must be completed in first 15 days of hire.

Staff account request procedures and log in guidelines

Staff must complete AlaskaJobs Staff Training or Program Coordinator Training Modules in AspireAlaska. Training videos include:

  • Participation and enrollment information
  • Entering student information
  • Accuracy of attendance
  • Assessments and assessment data: TABE, WorkKeys, BEST, CASAS, GED, GED Ready, information assessments, etc.
  • Creating and maintaining classes
  • Follow up services
  • Timeliness
  • Quality control guidelines
  • Data review procedures
  • Entering and updating student information
  • Duplication of records and how to avoid occurrences
  • Requesting information change from the State AAE office

NRS Tables

Must be completed by all new staff

Program Coordinators must provide training to all staff members as policy changes dictate

Overview of NRS Tables

NRS Definitions of measures

NRS Level to Scale Score Range

Conducting assessments

NRS policy, accountability policies, and data collection process

Data entry staff must stay up-to-date on all relevant NRS training, policies, and regulations

Confidentiality

Must be completed by all new staff

FERPA Regulations

Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

AlaskaJobs System accessibility and information sharing

Recorded Video and Training Documents for Adult Educators

AlaskaJobs

Program Training

Professional Development Resources

Annual Professional Development Requirements

  • Professional Development hours must be completed within the fiscal/program year (July 1-June 30).
  • Employees who hold more than one role must complete the higher of the PD hours. They do not have to combine required hours.
    • Example: Part-time Teacher also in charge of Data Entry - Required PD: 9 hours per year.
  • If hired after December 31st , hour requirement is ½ the time above.
  • Professional Development hours may only be used in the fiscal/program year they were acquired. Hours may not be "banked" or "credited" in following years.
  • Professional Development is used to enhance programs. Program Coordinators must approve staff professional development hours.