The following Adult Education programs have been designated as Promising Practices.

Adult Individualized Multi-Services (AIMS)
Single Parents or Displaced Homemakers
The Program	The AIMS (Adult Individualized Multi-Services) program provides career oriented and supportive services to single parents or displaced homemakers with little or no income who must prepare for self sufficiency. The program is enhanced through coordinated and collaborative relationships with campus, community, and county service providers. Students or community members are eligible participants. Employment for at least 30 days was secured and retained over an academic year by 84% of graduates with an Associate Degree.
How it Works:	Outreach activities are conducted on the college campus and in the community to recruit participants and educate faculty and staff, members of the target population, and outside service providers about the availability of program services. The program provides individual and group options for career orientated and support services. The career orientated component of the program includes: career assessment and exploration, job search and readiness activities, and a two week career development/life skills training utilizing the Adkins Career Development Training series. The Supportive services include: counseling, providing information and referrals, and parenting skills training utilizing the Active Parenting training program.
Learning Standard:	Career Development/Occupational Studies.
Contact:	Janet C. Smith, Program Coordinator AIMS Program - bldg. H, room 104 Nassau Community College One Education Drive Garden City, NY 11530 phone: (516) 572-7436 fax: (516) 572-9774

Alliance for Manufacturing Competitiveness
Small and mid-sized business employers and employees. Learners vary in age, skill levels, job titles, and educational backgrounds.
The Program	The Alliance for Manufacturing Competitiveness (AMC) is a vehicle through which a consortium of postsecondary institutions and regional businesses combine to achieve vocational and educational goals and objectives. AMC is a delivery model that allows institutions of higher education to retain their individual image and programs while expanding their offerings by leveraging resources of multiple institutions. Potentially competitive organizations work synergistically to develop affordable certificate programs that meet the educational needs of companies.
Implementation Requirements	A full-time program coordinator with part- time secretarial support housed at a central geographic location is necessary. Administrative support from member colleges and a working relationship among member postsecondary institutions is critical. Training Representatives from AMC are available to consult over the phone with sites interested in implementing the program. The AMC representative will answer specific questions, as well as share methodology and implementation, program forms, documentation methods, and successes and problems. Follow-up technical support would be available for a limited time period and would include costs incurred by the AMC representative.
Contact:	Sandra Balzhiser Coordinator Alliance for Manufacturing Competitiveness Broome Community College P.O. Box 1017 Binghamton, NY 13902 (607) 778-5341 fax (607) 778-5535

Comprehensive Career Assessment (CCA)
All adults; can also be used with youth in middle/junior high school through high school settings.
The Program	CCA is designed to help individuals gain information to make informed vocational choices. It offers many tools and techniques for gathering information on career goals and interpreting this information. Tools and techniques, length of service, and feedback mechanism(s) vary depending on needs and agency characteristics. CCA is a core component of every ACCESS agency or consortia. It also helps other community/State agencies like Job Training & Partnership Act (JTPA) agencies, Departments of Social Services/JOBS programs, the Office of Vocational & Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID). Programs can offer assessment services, tools and techniques, trained staff, and strong linkages to other community services.
Implementation Requirements	Strong intra/interagency collaboration; space for individual and group assessment/counseling; trained staff (master's level in assessment, vocational rehabilitation, rehabilitation, counseling, psychology, education or related); $5,000-$50,000 for equipment & supplies depending on service levels. Training Statewide, regional, or on- site training and technical assistance are available. Training is free for ACCESS agencies and consortia; prices for others are available.
Materials	A complete assessment manual is available with training and contains background materials, forms, check lists, resource lists, and supporting documents. "A Framework for High-Quality, Comprehensive Assessment," is available on request and may be copied.
Contact:	Michael J. Irwin Coordinator-Assessment & Placement Services OCM BOCES Career Training Center 4500 Crown Road Liverpool, NY 13090 (315) 453-4404/(800) 444-4406 fax (315) 451-4676

Incarcerated Education Programs
Incarcerated youths and adults in county and municipal correctional facilities and institutions of drug rehabilitation.
The Program	The program seeks to increase economic self-sufficiency and decrease the likelihood of repeated criminal behavior and recidivism. It involves two distinct yet interrelated sets of program components: Academic Program Components and Transition Program Components. Academic Program Components include basic education, GED preparation, ESOL, high school subject tutoring, and life skills. Transition Program Components include computer career assessment, job readiness skills, decision-making skills, and community support linkages. Community support linkages provide support services through education, training, employment, and social, health, and other supportive services. Components are available during incarceration and for at least 6 months after release.
Implementation Requirements	No minimum staffing, enrollment capacity, or other implementation factors are set. Training Regional and statewide staff development and training are provided annually. Basic and advanced knowledge and skills required to implement both academic and transition program components are provided. Programs are required to provide travel expenses for staff participation in the training activities.
Materials	Requirements are determined by the specific program components offered.
SED approval is required for replication.
Contact:	John London Associate, or Sharon Belli Assistant Incarcerated Education Program NYSED Office of Adult Family and Alternative Education Team, Room 320EB, Albany, NY 12234 (518) 474-5808

Transport Workers Union Local 100 New York City Transit Authority Upgrade Training Program
Program trainees are all entry-level NYCTA workers, particularly those who are deficient in basic academic skills.
The Program	The TA/TWU-Local Upgrade Training Program provides study-skills instruction, test-taking techniques, and competencies geared toward taking an examination. More specifically, this career-advancement opportunity program for entry-level City Transit Authority workers provides basic academic instruction and maintenance skills to prepare applicants for the Maintainer's Helper Group B Promotional exam. Both classroom- based activities and on-site vocational training are used. Its features include: Classes are held during the day and at night. Instructional activities focus on acquiring both academic and technical skills. Trainees are required to spend a minimum of 4 hours per week in instruction over a 6-month period. An additional 2 hours per week are spent in counseling to help support participants while in the program. A key to the success of this program, now in operation over 17 years, is the forged partnership among a community college, municipality, and local union.
Implementation Requirements	Vocational training facilities and equipment are necessary. Training The one-day training covers instructional activities and program management. Staff needed are two instructors and a program director to manage activities/classes and act as liaison between the employer and the program participants. Additional follow-up technical assistance is available by phone.
Materials	Consumable (i.e., handbooks @ $5 per learner) and nonconsumable (i.e., calculators and films are $15 per learner) curriculum materials.
Contact:	Antoinette Sobin, Ed.D. Borough of Manhattan Community College 199 Chambers Street, S-110F New York, NY 10023 (212) 608-0770/71 fax (212) 608-0770

The following Adult Education Programs have been Validated by the New York State Education Department.

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New Jersey Youth Corps*
School dropouts, ages 16-25
The Program	A full-time instructional and community service program with the completion of a high school curriculum and employment as the ultimate goal. The program combines academic instruction with community service and provides services not found in traditional adult education programs. Students divide the day between academic instruction and community service work. The one-month orientation includes academic and interest/aptitude assessment and is followed by placement in community service projects and continuation in basic skills classes. The program uses an individualized instructional approach. Instructors diagnose skill areas and design individual educational plans with career-related goals. Instruction and service interrelate, with new skills and experiences shared between the two components. Curriculum is GED driven. Staff typically includes a basic skills instructor(s), employability skills instructor, counselor(s), crew leader(s),job developer, coordinator, and program director. Staff are full-time and programs operate year round at a minimum of 5 days a week. Staff development, monitoring, and evaluation are integrated into program management. Data support claims that participants are three times more likely to receive a high school diploma than those in traditional programs, five times more likely to be placed in jobs or job training, and likely to complete four times the hours participants in regular adult programs do.
Implementation Requirements	Core staff and a site not at public schools are crucial. Training in intake procedures, counseling, referral, training, and job placement is required, as is knowledge of GED testing requirements. A typical Youth Corps costs about $300,000 a year; an average of $2,000 to $3,000 per participant.
Training:	Staff training, monitoring for contractual compliance, and evaluation are provided on a regular basis.
Contact:	Lynn Keepers New Jersey Youth Corps Division of Student Services CN 500 Trenton, NJ 08625 (609) 984-5971