Minnesota Adult Basic Education
www.mnabe.org
The mission of Adult Basic Education (ABE) in Minnesota is to provide adults with educational opportunities to acquire and improve their literacy skills necessary to become self-sufficient and to participate effectively as productive workers, family members, and citizens.
One of the ways this mission is lived out is through the services provided through the ABE Supplemental Services grant program.
ABE Supplemental Services
The purpose of the statewide supplemental services grant program is to provide assistance to all approved ABE programs for activities such as professional development, volunteer training, low incidence needs, and technological innovation through the funding of programs which can deliver these services effectively and in a cost-efficient manner. By funding organizations and programs that specialize in the delivery of such supplemental services, expertise and capacity building can be shared with all MN ABE programs. The following organizations are providing supplemental services for 2013-14:
ABE Teaching & Learning Advancement System (ATLAS) –
www.atlasABE.org
ATLAS brings Hamline faculty expertise in adult and ESL teacher education to provide best practice resources and professional development to Adult Basic Education teachers, staff and administrators through regional and statewide activities. Initiatives this year include STAR (Student Achievement in Reading), MNI (MN Numeracy Initiative), and ACES (Academic, Career, and Employability Skills).
Literacy Action Network
http://www.literacyactionnetwork.org/
Literacy Action Network (LAN) coordinates statewide activities and professional development focused on program quality, such as the ABE Summer Institute, the PEGASUS (ABE program of excellence) award process, administrator trainings, and ABE marketing.
Minnesota Literacy Council
http://www.mnliteracy.org
The Minnesota Literacy Council (MLC) recruits, trains, and supports volunteers in their work with adult learners, provides resources and support to volunteer literacy programs, and provides ABE professionals and volunteers with resources, information, and tools to use technology effectively in the classroom. MLC also supports the development of and hosts MN ABE online courses.
PANDA - MN ABE Disability Specialists
http://mn.abedisabilities.org/
PANDA equips Minnesota ABE teachers, program managers, and volunteers with training, disability awareness, and resources to positively impact students with disabilities. PANDA offers a disability helpline for ABE staff who have questions or concerns regarding students with disabilities. PANDA also offers professional development workshops on a variety of disability topics and UDL (Universal Design for Learning). Visit the ABE disability website, which offers disability information, resources, and instructional strategies.
St. Paul Adult Basic Education
www.mnabe-distancelearning.org
The primary focus of this year’s Distance Learning (DL) Supplemental Services grant is professional development to assist Minnesota ABE consortia in planning and implementing distance learning plans. Other emphases include continued coordination of DL policies, procedures, and best practices, as well as training and support in the area of digital literacy.
Southwest Minnesota ABE
http://www.mnabeassessment.com
Southwest ABE provides training to MN ABE staff on ABE assessment tools and provides reimbursements for learning disability assessments for ABE students seeking GED accommodations.
Minnesota Workforce Council Association (MWCA)
http://mwca-mn.org
Literacy Action Network (LAN) coordinates statewide activities and professional development focused on program quality, such as the ABE Summer Institute, the PEGASUS (ABE program of excellence) award process, administrator trainings, and ABE marketing.