Administrator Resources

General Information

• New Administrator Orientation - This two-part orientation training for new administrators consists of a self-paced, online orientation and a face-to-face meeting designed to give new administrators knowledge and information related to Aspire grant administration and program management.
• State Aspire Office - State Aspire website provides student and program information, as well as information for program administrators, including forms and reference materials, grants, meetings, program directory, and WIOA resources.
• Aspire E-Guide - Information on Curriculum and Instruction, Program Application and Funding, Program Operation, Student Assessment, Student Transitions, and Student Experience Model.
• Ohio Aspire PD System User Guide - Contains instructions for registering for professional development and accessing personal PD history. Also includes a section for program directors on how to add new staff and access staff PD history.
  
  

Grant/Grant Obligations

• Aspire Forms and Reference Materials
• Aspire Interactive Calendar (required reporting and document submission dates)

Instructional Leadership

• Instructional Leadership Quadrant D Leadership Practices
• 4 Dimensions of Instructional Leadership
• Indicators of Program Quality
• Exploring Curriculum
• Adult Education Educator Evaluation and Support Plan
• Classroom Observation Worksheet

Programming/Additional Funding

• Additional Funding - Aspire grants are “soft” money which generally means that operating cost aren’t fixed in your organization’s budget (“hard” money) and is generally funded through external funds, such as grants and donations. The more financial resources there are to supplement the grant, the better. In addition to writing for the Aspire grant each year, either as a continuation or competitive, many programs apply for funding through grants. If you are not familiar with the grant writing process, there are many online resources including:
  • NEA Foundation – grant writing tutorial
  • Candid Learning - tutorial and training search

Transitions

• Transitions Framework
• Career Pathways in Ohio - The Ohio Aspire Career Pathways website hosts career Awareness, career pathways, and Integrated Education and Training (IET) resources aligned to the 8 Essential Components of the Career Pathways Plan. Career Pathways training around building partnerships, designing contextualized curriculum, developing bridge programs, engaging employers, and integrating career counseling and planning can be found in the Ohio Aspire PDN Moodle.
• Career Pathways Toolkit: A Guide for System Development
• Workplace Education Guide

Technology

• World Education: EdTech Center -; Leverages new digital technologies to increase the reach and impact of adult education and workforce initiatives and to enable everyone to prosper and be active, informed citizens in the new digital world. Professional development, Innovation, Research & Evaluation, and Advocacy
• LINCS Digital Literacy Initiatives - OCTAE funds digital literacy initiatives to enhance the integration of technology into instruction, increase student access, and leverage learning outside the classroom. Resources for students, teachers, and programs.

Professional Development/Support

• Professional Associations
  • State Associations
    • OAACE – Ohio Association for Adult & Continuing Education - OAACE’s mission is to represent and server the providers of adult education in Ohio. When you become a member of OAACE, you also become a paid member of COABE. Professional membership benefits include discount conference registration fees; eligible to participate in state and national scholarships, grants, and awards, including student scholarships; free access to professional development webinars and resources, updates and policy alerts regarding legislation at state and national levels, and much more!
    • Ohio TESOL – Ohio Teachers of English To Speakers of Other Language - Ohio TESOL’s mission is to develop the professional expertise of its members and other involved in educating those learners form who English is a non-native language. Professional membership benefits include subscription to Ohio TESOL Journal; membership in listserv; discounted rates for professional development conferences, webinars, workshops, and events; interest section listservs, eligible to nominate or apply for awards and grants.
  • National Associations
    • COABE – Coalition on Adult Basic Education - COABE exists to provide leadership, communication, professional development, and advocacy for adult education and literacy practitioners to advance quality services for all adult learners. COABE represents the field of 65,000 adult educators and provides a variety of services, including professional development through annual, state-of-the-art national conferences, more than 40 webinars annually, grants, scholarships, awards; and a peer reviewed journal.
    • TESOL – TESOL International Association - TESOL membership is open to anyone involved in the field of English language teaching. Whether you are a teacher, student, teacher educator, administrator, researcher, consultant, materials writer, or curriculum developer, TESOL International Association offers you a global and collaborative community where you can grow personally and professionally through seminars, conferences, online courses, Communities of Practice, advocacy, and more.
    • ProLiteracy - ProLiteracy’s mission is to change lives and communities through the power of adult literacy. They provide professional development and exclusive resources, and instructional tools to support a variety of members such as community-based nonprofit organizations, public libraries, junior colleges, school districts, the corrections industry, and faith-based groups, as well as individuals who share a passion for adult literacy and its potential to improve lives.
• Professional Support Organizations
  • LINCS – Literacy Information and Communication System - LINCS is a national initiative of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) to expand evidence-based practice in the field of adult education. LINCS is comprised of
    • The LINCS Resource Collection
    • LINCS Professional Development Center
    • The LINCS Community (online community of practice)
    • The Learning Portal
  • NCTN – National College Transition Network - The NCTN provides technical assistance and professional development services to community college, adult education, and workforce systems. They design accelerated career pathways, comprehensive student support services, and effective multi-stakeholder partnerships that help adults attain their educational and career goals and access greater economic opportunity.

Program Improvement

• Ohio Leadership Excellence Academy (OLEA) Collection - The OLEA Collection is a database of culminating learning projects from past participants of Ohio’s Leadership Excellence Academy.

Recruitment/Promotion

• MoveAheadwithAdultEd Toolkit - This campaign toolkit is to provide outreach materials and language to help adult education organizations with proactive tools to communicate the value of adult education and how they can support adult learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many state directors and local program providers have expressed a need to let students and partner programs know that they are open for business and that they have a variety of ways for students to participate (virtual, face-to-face, or a combination of the two).
  • Download individual campaign materials below, or all materials in a zipped folder here.
• Social Media Tips
  • Add images to your social media posts. Canva is a free, online resource that makes it easy to create graphics for social media, flyers, reports, and more.
  • Use social media analytics. Facebook and Twitter have an insights tab where you can track how individual posts perform, as well as traffic to your page.
  • Sign up for free social medial management systems, like Hootsuite or Buffer. Free versions allow three different profiles on one screen. Use to schedule posts, promote events, and keep a regular schedule of postings.
• Advocacy Resources
  • Educate and Elevate
  • Advocacy Toolkit for Adult Education and Literacy
  • National Coalition for Literacy