Building Career Pathways for Adult Learners: An Evaluation of Progress in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin After Eight Years of Shifting Gears

Record Description
The Joyce Foundation launched Shifting Gears in 2007 to assist six Midwest states to increase the number of low-skilled adults with the education and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy. The Joyce Foundation extended Shifting Gears funding from 2012 – 2014 in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. These states had committed to expanding adult education bridge programs to increase the number of students transitioning into postsecondary education. This report examines the progress made in each state from 2012 – 2014, and also briefly reviews how the Shifting Gears work influenced the national discourse on increasing skills and credentials for adult learners.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-09-29T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.joycefdn.org/assets/images/joyceFnd_ShiftingGears3.0_update.pdf
Publication Date
2015-09-30

Strengthening Systems to Family Stability

Record Description
This post from a TANF program specialist at the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) describes OFA’s efforts in improving TANF programs across the country. To share ideas about improving case management, integrating two-generation approaches, engaging workforce partners, and enhancing training, OFA has launched a national policy academy. The first groups to enter the academy are Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, North Carolina, Ramsey County (Minnesota), Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.
Parent Record
ACF Blog Spotlight
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-05-18T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2015/05/strengthening-systems-to-family-stability
Publication Date
2015-05-19

Webinar: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and Other Child-Only Issues

Record Description
The Administration for Children and Families' Office of Family Assistance (OFA) Regions V, VI, VII, and VIII hosted a webinar, "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and Other Child-Only Issues" on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT. This webinar was the second in the 2014 Regions V, VI, VII, and VIII Tribal TANF webinar series "Addressing the Needs of Children." The Webinar provided strategies for addressing the needs of the growing population of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, particularly those with child-only, TANF-eligible grandchildren. The speakers provided strategies and resources that were relevant to both social service providers and grandparents.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2014-08-20T10:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
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Attachment Size
Presentation 3.8 MB
Transcript 258.04 KB

Webinar: TANF Children Endangered by Drug Use

Record Description
The Administration for Children and Families' Office of Family Assistance (OFA) Regions V, VI, VII, and VIII hosted a webinar, "TANF Children Endangered by Drug Use" on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT. This webinar was the first in the 2014 Regions V, VI, VII, and VIII Tribal TANF webinar series: "Addressing the Needs of Children." It addressed the growing issue of protecting children in environments of increasing drug use. Key topics included: identifying when a child is exposed to drug use in his/her home; implementing processes for addressing the needs of drug endangered children; and strategies for keeping a child's life stable when his/her family is unstable.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2014-08-12T10:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
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Attachment Size
Transcript 313.86 KB
Presentation 5.21 MB

TANF Directors Midwest Meeting: Building Bridges to Self-Sufficiency: Tools for ACF Region V and VII TANF Programs, September 2014

Record Description
The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, Regions V and VII convened a meeting in Chicago, Illinois entitled “Building Bridges to Self-Sufficiency: Tools for ACF Region V and VII TANF Programs” from September 4 - 5, 2014. This one and one-half day in-person technical assistance meeting was aimed at State TANF managers and State leadership. Participants were provided technical assistance and training that would contribute to and facilitate improvements in their States’ ability to meet TANF program goals and Federal requirements. The Region’s focus was provided through facilitated collaboration, communication, and problem-solving sessions. Region V and VII managers shared lessons learned and gathered strategies that can improve their own programs’ ability to identify and address multiple barriers, including assisting the homeless community, understanding the foundations of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and how executive functioning and soft skills can led to economic success. Participants were provided an opportunity to interact with presenters, while receiving new information on programmatic changes and updates, and practical approaches to take to their home States dealing with TANF Programs.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2014-11-23T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2014-11-24
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Attachment Size
Final Summary Report 808.73 KB
Agenda 1.23 MB
Building Bridges to Self-Sufficiency Scenarios 1.18 MB
Speaker Biographies 1.25 MB
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Fact Sheet 969.08 KB
Housing and Urban Development Presentation 49.12 KB
Health Profession Opportunity Grants Presentation 751.49 KB
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Presentation 1.01 MB
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Presentation 906.74 KB
Department of Labor Presentation 484.11 KB
Dorcas International Presentation 793.54 KB
Nebraska Subsidized Employment Pilot Project Presentation 275.8 KB

State Supervised/County Administered TANF Programs Roundtable

Record Description

In response to a technical assistance request from the Minnesota Department of Human Services pertaining to gaining a more clear understanding of the different state supervised/county administered models, the Peer Technical Assistance Network organized a peer-to-peer roundtable in Chicago, Illinois on July 18-19, 2012 with directors and staff from state supervised/county administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. This report describes the technical assistance request and response, as well as the overall findings from the roundtable event and lays out potential recommendations for future discussions about the state supervised/county administered structure.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2012-06-30T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2012-07-01
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Attachment Size
Final Report 1012.2 KB
Innovative Programs

FATHER Project, a program of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota

Mission/Goal of Program

Founded in 1999 by the City of Minneapolis, the FATHER (Fostering Actions to Help Earnings and Responsibility) has served thousands of fathers through an extensive network of community partners. The FATHER Project became a program of Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota in 2004. The mission of the FATHER Project is to empower fathers so that they can provide for the emotional and economic support of their children. This program is a collaboration of community and government organizations that encourage low-income, primarily unmarried, non-custodial fathers to participate fully in the healthy development of their children.

A Return on Investment study by the Wilder foundation in 2010 showed a long-term financial return of $3.41 for each dollar invested in the FATHER Project. Evaluation outcomes have shown increased parenting skills, educational achievement, job placement and benefits for the children of participating families.

Programs/Services Offered

There are a variety of supportive services offered to fathers in the program, along with key employment and education supports. 

  • Case management: a professional father advocate provides expert consultation on issues facing fathers and support for effective parenting.
  • Parenting support: parenting classes help fathers learn practical skills and receive support from other fathers in similar circumstances.
  • Child support services: Child support staff works with FATHER Project; from paternity to payment issues, to help fathers understand and improve their situation.
  • Father and family activities: fun and educational activities provide fathers, children and family members with important opportunities to strengthen relationships.
  • Employment services: comprehensive employment services, including job search support and resume development.
  • GED tutoring: provision of 1-1 tutoring from experienced, committed volunteers; all testing expenses are covered and bus tokens are available for students who demonstrate a commitment to the program.
Start Date
Friday, January 1, 1999
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-based Organization
City
Minneapolis
State
Minnesota
Geographic Reach
Multisite
Clientele/Population Served
Low-income, non-custodial parents
Topics/Subtopics
Family Strengthening
Fatherhood
URL
https://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/services/helping-families-veterans/father
Innovative Programs

Minnesota Internship Center Charter High School

Mission/Goal of Program

The Internship Center in Minnesota offers ongoing structured internships in health-related fields, customized internships for almost any appropriate job and classroom training for people preparing to begin their internships. The Minnesota Internship Center (MNIC) is a public charter high school that is sponsored by Pillsbury United Communities. MNIC has four school sites in Minneapolis and St. Paul that offer a high school diploma with extensive tutorial services at all sites, as well as graduation standard-based classes and individualized programs. They have had over 1300 graduates since 2003.

MNIC opened in 2003 with the goal of providing high-quality educational and career development experiences to learners with multiple challenges or those who have encountered difficulties in traditional public school settings. Today MNIC serves nearly 500 learners at four Minneapolis and St. Paul sites, and employs 70 full and part-time staff. Last year, MNIC students earned over $800,000 in competitive jobs while they earned their diplomas!

Programs/Services Offered

MNIC creates individualized programs for students based on credit accumulation and skill level. To meet so many levels within their four small school sites, they create courses and learning experiences (like internships and service-learning opportunities) that emphasize academic integration. These all meet state standards. MNIC offers its students free driver education, including classroom and behind-the-wheel.  About 150 students participate in job and internship programs each year. They provide very strong internships in diverse areas like pre-construction, and job trainings in health care, hair braiding and more. MNIC Serves breakfast and lunch every day at no charge.

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college-level, nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university sets its own requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course.

Start Date
Wednesday, January 1, 2003
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-based Organization
City
Minneapolis
State
Minnesota
Geographic Reach
Multisite
Clientele/Population Served
They have four sites in Minneapolis, and serve some of the poorest students in the state.
Topics/Subtopics
Education and Training
On the Job Training
URL
https://mnic.org/

Regions V and VII Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Priority Update Meeting

Record Description

On September 10-11, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance hosted the Regions V & VII TANF Priority Update Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. Representatives from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin met to network and share lessons learned and promising practices and to seek guidance from Federal and Regional staff in a number of different areas, including: planning to implement TANF EBT requirements, understanding the implications of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, addressing homelessness through TANF, utilizing data to inform program practices, developing career pathways for TANF participants, and discussing key TANF issues with Federal ACF leadership.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2013-08-31T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2013-09-01
Upload Files
Attachment Size
View Agenda 667.97 KB
View Final Report 1.12 MB
View Participant List 638.16 KB
View Speaker Biographies 627.96 KB
View ACF Marketplace 101 1.61 MB
View Adult Education Programs PP 389.83 KB
View ACF's Family Self-Sufficiency and Stability Research Consortium (FSSRC) PP 404.18 KB
View Strong Families Make a Strong Kansas PP 1.16 MB
View Jobs to Careers PP 410.75 KB
View Career Pathways PP 1.18 MB
View EBT Access and Restrictions PP 528.64 KB
View TANF Employment and Training Requirements/PATH PP 880.37 KB
View Minnesota Rebuild-- Refocusing on Work PP 230.95 KB
View Missouri Temporary Assistance Program PP 481.57 KB
View Developing Demand-Driven Career Pathways for Low-Income Individuals and TANF Participants PP 893.61 KB
View A Study of TANF Work Participation and Engagement PP 112.12 KB

TANF Data Reporting and Analysis Webinar #1: Overview and Related Topics

Record Description

This first webinar in the 2013 Region VI and VIII TANF Data Reporting and Analysis Webinar Series was held on Thursday, June 27, 2013. The webinar, sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Regions VI and VIII, was open to all Region VI and VIII State TANF Directors and staff, local TANF agencies, and contractors. The webinar featured Patrick Brannen, a Statistical Consultant to ACF's Office of Family Assistance. He was responsible for statistical aspects of data collection and reporting of the TANF Data Report and the Separate State Programs – Maintenance of Effort (SSP-MOE) Data Report and for data analysis, including the calculation of the Work Participation Rates. Patrick Brannen provided a brief overview of the Section 1-4 reports, Work Participation Rate files and feedback, TANF sampling, and common edits and error flags.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2013-06-27T10:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
Videos in the Regions VI & VIII TANF Data Reporting and Analysis Webinar Series
Publication Date
2013-06-01
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Attachment Size
Webinar Presentation 2.39 MB
Webinar Transcript 583.4 KB
Speaker Biography 8.25 KB