LITERACY, LANGUAGE, NCRC AND METRICS: PROVING SUCCESS TO STAKEHOLDERS

Kristin J. Ekkens, MACustomized Workplace English, Program Director

2009 Michigan NCRC Conference November 17, 2009

Workshop AgendaPart 1: Literacy Center’s Move towards NCRC The challenge of our current workforce Overview of Literacy Center Implementation of KeyTrain and WorkKeysPart 2: Development of Key Metrics for LCWM Strategy Map Balanced Scorecard Example: A new tool for measuring Internal Processes

Part 1: Literacy Center’s

Move towards NCRC

Part 1: Literacy Center’s Move towards NCRC

The challenge of our current workforce

Source: 2008 report from Michigan’s Council for Labor and Economic Growth

FACT: Low literacy impacts the workplace

1.7 million working-age adults in Michigan lack the basic skills or credentials to attain a family-sustaining job and contribute to the state’s economy.

LCWM adult learner

Employment Letter

The challenge for employers

Staggering Statistics

Labor Force In 2008, 15.6 % of the U.S. civilian labor force

were foreign-born.

Educational Attainment 26.4% foreign-born labor force had no HS

Diploma -- compared with 5.8% native-born

Wages Foreign-born workers with less than a high school

education earned $417 per week in 2008, while those with bachelor's degrees and higher earned about 2.6 times as much--$1,092 a week. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported on March

26, 2009.

The challenge for employers

Competitive pressures Change in operations Requiring more from workers

About 20 % of America's workers have low basic skills, and 75 % of unemployed adults have reading or writing difficulties.

Over 60 % of front-line workers in the goods-producing industry cannot match information in a text to the required task if any inference is involved, and cannot integrate information from several sources.

*Statistics taken from http://www.michiganliteracy.org/worklit.htm (10/08)

Overview of Literacy Center of West Michigan

Literacy Center of West Michigan

LCWM’s Mission:

Build a literate community and transform lives by strengthening language and literacy skills.

Executive Director: Susan K. Ledy Type of Company: Non-profit, 403c since

1986 People Served: 1,372 Total (ABE,

ESL, MWT)

(PY 08-09) Programs: Adult Tutoring Program,

Customized Workplace English Family Literacy Program

Staff: 10 Full-time paid6 Part-time paid, 4

Americorps316 Part-time

volunteers Annual Budget: nearly $1.3 million Website:

www.literacycenterwm.org

Literacy Center of West Michigan

1-1 ESL and Literacy tutoring for adults

1-1 tutoring for families in Head Start

Over 300 volunteer tutors

Served nearly 550 learners in PY 08-09

GRPS’ Schools of Hope and United Way

Iglesias de Esperanza

ESL Classes for parents

PACT Served 40

individuals since Nov 2008

Adult Tutoring Program Family Literacy Program

Customized Workplace English Building Bridges over Language and Culture Barriers

• Upgrade employees’ skills in reading, writing, math, employability, and communication in English

• Keep employers competitive locally and globally by reducing turnover and increasing productivity, safety and quality

We provide literacy, language, and multicultural training for West Michigan

companies.

Recognized for

Innovation and

Quality

Featured in 2008 broadcast of ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson.

Cited as a model program for workplace literacy in 2008 CLEG report and received 2006 Best Practices Award by MDLEG

Featured multiple times in The Grand Rapids Business Journal, Business Review of West Michigan, and MiBiz (area newspapers)

Awarded the 2007 Vendor of the Year Award by WindQuest Companies, Inc., a company in Holland, Michigan

Ranked 6th on the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s list of Top Area Corporate Training Companies of 2008.

Customized Workplace English Building Bridges over Language and Culture Barriers

Rita and son at the award ceremony

Implementation of KeyTrain and WorkKeys

Customized Workplace EnglishWIRED Initiative (2008)

Pilot KeyTrain curriculum with ESL Learners

Make progress towards NCRC’s

Administer WorkKeys testing Partner with 1 employer

KeyTrain curriculum piloted at Lacks Enterprises

15 WorkKeys tests administered

6 individuals tested First LCWM learner to

achieve NCRC !! 3-year KeyTrain license

gifted to LCWM

GOALS OUTCOMES

Customized Workplace EnglishNWLB Demonstration Grant (08-10)

• Establish and develop partnership between LCWM and GRCC’s Learning Corner @ Wealthy

• Provide basic skills (ESL, Literacy, GED) training to 209 individuals

• Meet EFL gains determined by state• Pilot GED/ESL “Plus” components• Transition 60% of 209 participants

to GED program, post-secondary ed., or job training

GOALS

Customized Workplace EnglishNWLB Demonstration Grant (08-10)

Participants Served: 108 EFL Gains:19 people (1 or more

EFL) GED’s: 24 obtained Transitions to Post-

secondary: 29 NCRCs: 74 certificates awarded WorkKeys tests completed:

34 Met other Goals: Economic– 8,

Societal– 2, Family Literacy Involvement– 4, Personal– 41

OUTCOMES (Feb-Sept 09):

Customized Workplace EnglishLearner Achievements (Oct 08-Sept 09)

• Learning Gains and Class Attendance– Average gain on CASAS – 3.5 Listening; 3.9 Reading; 4.8

Math– Average class attendance—70%

• National Career Readiness Certificates– 50 WorkKeys tests administered – 25 individuals tested– 4 bronze and 2 silver NCRC’s achieved (PY 08-09)– 8 more NCRC’s (Oct 2009– PY 09-10)– Progress toward

• Locating Information: 7• Applied Mathematics: 12• Reading for Information: 15

ESL Student Responses to KeyTrain

I think I’m addicted! Once I start, I don’t want to stop! I hear what I read. I can listen as many times as I want to. It

helps me with pronunciation. When I don’t pass the quiz at the end of the Level, I go back

to the beginning and do it again. It helps me to understand what I don’t know.

I am surprised I can do the math! Thank you for KeyTrain! How long can I use KeyTrain? When I work on my own I can take my time and think about

the questions. I like that. I am learning things about English that I never knew before.

It is a very good program. I can work on KeyTrain when I have a break at work…at the

library…at home.

Lessons Learned

Computer-based vs. paper-based Instructors and Tutors need to know the program well. Take

time in class to work out “kinks” together. For the first few weeks, encourage students to bring up issues they may be experiencing. Follow-up is essential.

Use the sound module Prior to the testing experience, determine if student has

worked through Level 4 in each skill he/she is going to take. If not, encourage him/her to wait until the next go-round.

Offer the test about a month after students have begun KeyTrain. Because the students are given approximately 35 questions to finish in 45 minute, they should be encouraged to pick up the pace as they practice with KeyTrain.

Part 2: Development of Key Metrics for

LCWM

Part 2: Development of Key Metrics for LCWM

Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard

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Strategy Maps: Work on What Matters Most

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Strategy Map Perspectives

Ask four questions to determine your most important business objectives.

1. Financial. What financial steps are needed to ensure the execution of our Strategy?

2. Customer. Who are our targeted customers, and what is our value proposition in serving them?

3. Processes. To satisfy our customers, at what processes must we excel?

4. People, Systems, and Culture. What capabilities and tools do our employees need to help them execute our strategy?

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From Strategic Objectives to Measures to Projects

Source

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Scorecards Drive Strategy Execution

1

2 3 4 5

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Steps for Creating a Scorecard

Determine: Your Theme(s). Your Perspectives.

The Strategic Objectives in each perspective. Metrics (Measures) and targets for

each objective. Assign an owner to each metric.

Initiatives to drive each metric.

Determine your theme

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What financial steps are needed to ensure the execution of our strategy?

Determine perspectives: Financial

30

Who are our targeted customers, and what is our value proposition in serving them?

Customer Perspective

To satisfy our customers, at what processes must we excel?

Internal Processes (Operations) Perspective

What capabilities and tools do our employees need to help them execute our strategy?

Employee Learning and Growth Perspective

Objectives Metrics Initiatives

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Team Exercise

Determine: Your Theme(s). Your Perspectives.

Strategic Objectives in each perspective. Metrics (Measures) and targets for each

objective. Assign an owner to each metric. Initiatives to drive each metric.

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Your Strategy

Theme: _______________________________________

Perspectives: _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ (?)

Objectives & Measures Live worksheet

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Mapping Your Strategy: 7 Questions

Participant Goal Progress Form

Measurement Tool for Internal Processes

Participant Goal Progress Form: Tracking

Participant Goal Progress Form:Reporting

Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3

1. Written Skills 5%

2. Verbal Skills 25%

3. Employability 50%

4. Career Readiness

5. Family Literacy

6. Life Skills

7. Education

8. American Culture

9. Technology

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Family Literacy – Program Results

Parent Progress Toward Goals

At Lea

st O

ne

Prim

ary Goa

l

Seco

ndar

y Goa

l

Utiliza

tion

Goal

60%

40%50%

7%

Talk Read Games Homework

3.71

2.29

0.860000000000001

2.21

4.36

3.5

1.79

3.64

PretestPosttest

Everyday Literate Behaviors

Summary

KeyTrain is an effective tool in helping ABE and ESL learners make progress towards achieving their NCRC.

Strategic mapping and balanced scorecards help organizations align with a common mission and show impact, creating more funding opportunities.

Questions and Answers

Kristin J. Ekkens, MACustomized Workplace English,Program Director

Email: kekkens@literacycenterwm.org

Website: www.literacycenterwm.org