ALC Program Information

ALC Learner Support Services

ALC learner support staff provide learners with services that guide ALC students, assist them in meeting their educational goals, and help students to overcome any barriers that might make successful participation difficult. Designated staff offer a variety of learner support services.

Counseling

Information & Referrals:

• Education advisement
• Career information
• Health, housing, family issues
• Immigration and citizenship information
• Next Steps advisement
• Volunteer tutor support

Requirements for ALC Program Participation

1. Ability to abide by ALC Code of Conduct. *
2. Ability to learn and retain new information. During the first semester of enrollment, students who seem unable to benefit academically from ALC participation will be referred to learner support for a case conference meeting to determine an appropriate level of service and support. Students not ready to advance to the next level after three (3) years at the same class level will have an ALC case conference to determine if referral to other programs, services, or agencies is appropriate.
3. Ability to complete daily assignments with or without accommodation. Examples of accommodation include tape recorders, large print materials, time extensions, and calculators. Accommodations that pose a risk to personal or public safety cannot be allowed.
4. Ability to remain in the classroom without constant supervision by ALC staff. Enrollees in the program are expected to remain in the classroom during class periods except during regularly scheduled breaks or as pre-arranged with the instructor. Staff need to be notified in advance if auxiliary aids or services are requested.
5. Ability to understand the essential purposes of the ALC program. The Adult Learning Center is designed for adults who can understand instruction and use it to pursue educational goals. Persons enrolling in the program should be able to demonstrate understanding of this purpose, have appropriate goals to pursue, and participate in the curricular choices and instructional activities.
6. Ability to attend class and maintain at least a 70% average for class attendance. Students who are unable to meet this minimum requirement will be placed back on the ALC Request for Services or ALC Waiting List. All persons who enter the ALC program complete an assessment to determine their current educational needs and goals. Initial enrollment in the program does not guarantee that a student will be eligible to receive services indefinitely.

*Failure to follow the ALC Code of Conduct could result in dismissal.

Code of Conduct

The Brockton Adult Learning Center works to help all students learn well in a safe and orderly environment where all students and staff follow these rules:

1. Everyone is courteous and respectful to each other.
2. Everyone follows the directions of ALC staff in performing their duties.
3. Everyone respects the property of the Adult Learning Center, ALC staff and fellow students.
4. Everyone obeys the laws that prohibit alcohol and illegal substances on school grounds.
5. Everyone obeys the law that prohibits smoking on school property.
6. Everyone follows all rules for computer lab and ALC technology use.

Attendance Policy

ALC students must maintain at least 70% class attendance to be guaranteed a seat in a class for the following semester. Because there are more than 1,000 adults waiting for a class seat, we cannot hold class seats for students who are not able to attend regularly. We are sorry to have to do this, but we need to be sure that adults on the waiting list have the opportunity to attend classes also. Students unable to meet the 70% attendance requirement may add their name to the Request for Services list for enrollment at a future date when they will be able to attend more regularly.

Family Learning Classes

The Brockton Public Schools Adult Learning Center has maintained an active Family Learning Program since 1988. Fifteen families with 3 and 4 year old children attend school together, four mornings each week, with parents attending ABE classes while their children participate in developmentally appropriate early childhood classes. For the Family Learning classes, participants must have a three or four year old child, must be a resident of Brockton, and must meet Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines for participation in an adult basic education program (limited English and/or skills below a secondary level). The Brockton residency requirement is applied because the Early Childhood classes in this service component require Brockton residency.

Family Connections Classes

These classes have no residency requirement; however, participants must be the parent(s) of a school-age child and meet DESE guidelines for participation in an ABE program.

Family Learning Activities

Parents in both the Family Learning and Family Connections classes attend two family celebrations each year. These have included puppet shows, and visits to area museums and zoos. Parents receive activity packets for math, reading and writing. They may also borrow children's books CD's, children's games, books, and videos from the Family Connections Library.

Parents in these classes improve their English language and literacy skills through an emphasis on "real life" curriculum: parenting, schooling and child development, role-playing of parent conferences, shopping, banking, etc. They receive assistance with issues like how to "read" a report card, how to write an absentee note, how to register for kindergarten, and how to read aloud to children. They also learn life skills such as how to read and understand about advertising, contracts, driver's manuals, citizenship preparation, employment, insurance, health information, and participate in parent involvement training and presentations on a variety of topics like fire safety, nutrition, and Brockton Public School department services.

Citizenship Preparation

The Adult Learning Center offers four eleven-week citizenship classes, two that meet during the day and two that meet in the evening. At this time, Citizenship Preparation is a supplementary class available only to currently enrolled ALC students and is not presently available to the general public.

These classes prepare ALC students to complete the application process for US citizenship and to pass the US Citizenship Test. Information on US history and US government are covered as well as how to complete INS applications.

Volunteer Program

The Brockton Public Schools Adult Learning Center has maintained an active volunteer program since 1977. Volunteers work as one-to-one and small group tutors or serve as teaching assistants in ALC classes. Adult Learning Center volunteers commit to ALC service for at least six months, with a suggested commitment of at least one hour per week for a full school year. Volunteers are required to satisfactorily complete a twelve hour pre-service training and communicate regularly with the ALC volunteer coordinator and ALC teaching staff.

For more information or to register for the next volunteer orientation contact: noreenkguiggio@bpsma.org

ALC Advisory Council

As a program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Adult and Community Learning Services, the Brockton Adult Learning Center is encouraged to maintain an ABE Advisory Council made up of a diverse group of stakeholders (e.g., students, volunteers, community members). The ALC Advisory Council meets four times a year and plays an active role in supporting the program's ability to meet its goals and contributing to the program's success.

ALC Funding Sources

The Brockton Adult Learning Center is supported by a combination of State grant funding that is administered through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and required local match funding provided by the Brockton Public Schools and the City of Brockton.

Community Partnership for Adult Education

The Adult Learning Center is an active member and co-convener of the Community Partnership for Adult Education. This partnership is a coalition of educators, service providers, employers, and others working together to provide quality services to adults in need of basic education. CPAE's goal is to expand adult learners' access to educational opportunities by sharing resources and expertise and to eliminate barriers that interfere with access to educational services.