Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

MA Policies for Effective Adult Basic Education FY15

April 21, 2015
Dear ABE Directors, In response to hearing that directors were having trouble finding policies in Massachusetts Guidelines for Effective Adult Basic Education FY13 (i.e., the Guidelines), ACLS revised the 131-page manual to make it user-friendly and succinct. The policies within have not changed; however, the format, style, organization, and name have. The only new information included is the WIOA summary. The first 41 pages of the Massachusetts Policies for Effective Adult Basic Education FY15 contain purely policy information. Pages 42-58 make up the addendum which includes additional information about policies (e.g., context, rationale, examples) organized alphabetically. This revision provides options for directors who want the ease of finding policies without having to read through a lot of context. In previous, longer versions of this manual, information had been taken word for word from online resources (e.g., SMARTT Technical Manual for Program Planning, Program Plan Reference Materials, and fiscal pages on ESE's website); in the new version, links have been substituted for pages and pages of policy information housed on the Department's website. Here is an example of what this looks like in the fiscal section: Programs must ensure that the person responsible for fiscal management become familiar with the following resources and the policies included within them:

Grants Management Procedural Manual

Now, as information is updated online, Massachusetts Policies for Effective Adult Basic Education FY15 stays current. The revised manual is designed to be used online since it includes many links to important manuals and resources (e.g., assessment manuals, SMARTT manuals, ADA resources, adult education websites). Another benefit to using the document on a computer is that educators can use the "find" function to search for a topic quickly. The revised document is organized in the following broad categories, and the rationale for its organization is noted here:

Introduction: an introduction to ABE and information on WIOA, our new federal legislation.
Program Design: the how-to of setting up programs.
Student Services: the why of what we do.
Educational Leadership and Staffing: the hardworking people who carry out this work.
Curriculum and Assessment: the heart and soul of what we do or "what happens in the classroom."
Continuous Improvement and Professional Development: how we continue to get better at what we do.
Administrative Requirements and Reporting: fiscal and reporting pieces of what programs are required to do and track.
Accountability and Assistance: how programs are accountable and how ACLS and SABES provide support to programs.

The manual also includes a detailed table of contents to assist program staff in finding information. The new manual can be found on the ACLS webpage; the new manual replaces the FY13 Guidelines. We hope that you find the revised policy manual user-friendly and useful in finding policy information and resources. Sincerely,
Jolanta Conway
ABE State Director

Last Updated: April 24, 2015