Dear Renata (and list)
  It is indeed sad that many programs who serve those most in need stand to lose funding. This just happened in New York State, where part of our WIA proposals scores were based on "report cards."  So programs who serve students who make lots of progress quickly and programs who are good at massaging their data were at an advantage. Programs who chose to serve people in great need yet who were often unable to persist and/or did not show much progress on a standardized test were at a great disadvantage, and many did not receive funding. 
  Bruce Carmel
   
   
   
   
  
Renata Russo <rrusso at hcde-texas.org> wrote:
      Hello Bruce,
   
  Thank you for sharing the two strategies that you have found helpful when dealing with persistence. A comment I have about the second strategy relates to funding and accountability. We as teachers and administrators understand our learners' barriers to participate. However, accountability has become a major barrier for some programs in recent years. The performance-based approach and funding measured by contact hours can have a major impact in our programs. 
   
  Renata
    -----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Bruce Carmel
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:26 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 91] Persistence Strategies


  Dear John,
  I've been working in adult literacy since 1989, and student persistence (and retention) has been a challenge in every setting I have known. Students' dropout or irregular attendance makes educational gain difficult and really frustrates teachers. I learned a lot when you and I worked together on the Wallace Funds project, where we focused on persistence among library literacy students.  There are two main strategies I have found helpful:
  1) Offer high-quality instruction in a supportive environment (There are many components of this.)
  2) Re-define success. Accept that students are going to attend classes in a way that fits into their lives and satisfies their needs.  This might not fit into staff's concept of intensity and duration of instruction--so staff have to accept a new, irregular, sporadic model of participation. 
   
  What do you think?  What do you think are the key issues, strategies, suggestions for programs and staff struggling with student persistence?
   
  From Bruce Carmel
  Turning Point
  Brooklyn, NY 
   
    
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