Academic Upgrading Partnerships
August 26, 2008 Update
The goal of Academic Upgrading Partnerships is “to help early school leavers develop the literacy, numeracy and essential skills required for entry into and success in college postsecondary and apprenticeship.” (Source: LBS letter of September 18, 2006).
The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities introduced a partnership approach to help Literacy and Basic Skills programs more actively participate in AUP. This partnership approach encouraged shared delivery among colleges, school boards and community agencies.
As of August 2008 there are approximately 32 Academic Upgrading Partnerships operating across Ontario. A call for new partnerships is not anticipated at this point as time is needed to support and grow the existing ones. The majority of these partnerships are between colleges and community agencies; however, there are also several partnerships between colleges and school boards.
We are pleased to profile the Academic Upgrading Partnership between the Iroquois Falls Adult Learning Centre and Northern College on pages 4-5 of Community Literacy of Ontario’s July 2008 Newsletter. Please see: www.nald.ca/litweb/province/on/clo/newslet/july08/4.htm.
For more information on AUP, please check with your MTCU program consultant. Also, to view a wide variety of AUP partnerships, please see CLO’s April 2007 newsletter at www.nald.ca/clo/newslet/07april/1.htm.
May 14, 2007 Update
Funding for Academic Upgrading Partnerships (AUP) was first announced in the Ontario Budget in 2004. The AUP is “intended to help early school leavers develop the literacy, numeracy and essential skills required for entry into and success in college postsecondary and apprenticeship.” (Source: LBS letter of September 18, 2006).
In the fall of 2006, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) introduced a partnership approach to help Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) programs more actively participate in AUP. This partnership approach encourages shared delivery among colleges, school boards and community organizations. The funding announcement limited participation to current LBS deliverers for the 2006-7 fiscal year.
Prior to MTCU’s 2006 announcement, academic upgrading was delivered by all 24 Ontario Community Colleges using the Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) curriculum. Under the AUP, MTCU hopes to increase access to academic upgrading for “underserved and under-represented groups including first generation learners, Aboriginal and Francophone learners, persons with disabilities and remote/rural learners.” (Source: LBS Funding Guidelines for Academic Upgrading Partnerships, September 18, 2006).
All MTCU information pertaining to the Academic Upgrading Partnership initiative can be found in the Info-LBS discussion group on AlphaCom in letters dated September 18, 2006 and March 27, 2007. Literacy agencies can also contact their MTCU program consultant for more information.
AUP - PHASE 1
Phase 1 of the Academic Upgrading Partnership initiative was introduced in fall 2006 and included :
- expansion of academic upgrading through the introduction of a partnership model of delivery through current LBS providers
- development of online curriculum and
- data gathering to create baseline data for further program development
According to Lynne Wallace, Executive Director of the College Sector Committee, the first phase of the Academic Upgrading Partnership initiative has been quite successful. Despite a relatively short turnaround time (funding applications were due in mid-October 2006 with a January 2007 start date), 23 projects are currently underway. Nineteen of the projects involved at least one community-based literacy agency, including programs from the Aboriginal stream. Most of the partnerships target improved access for rural and isolated learners. All partnerships had a college partner. The college acted as the lead partner agency in most cases. The various partners typically report overall positive experiences and want to continue. In short, the AUP initiative is doing what it was designed to do which was to address the needs of rural and isolated learners and expand delivery of academic upgrading.
AUP – PHASE 2
Information about Phase Two of AUP (2007-2008) was released by MTCU on March 27, 2007 as part of the business planning process. Applications are due to MTCU by April 27, 2007, with start-up of new projects to be no later than September 2007. In the meantime, existing Phase 1 projects will continue to be supported, and further funding will be based on an evaluation of results that will be conducted by June 20, 2007.
In its letter of March 27, 2007, MTCU notes that the partnership approach is consistent with its broader plans for Employment Ontario since this approach expands models of delivery and ensures a focus on successful transitions to postsecondary programs and apprenticeship training.
The second phase of funding allows for partnerships to be established with other non-LBS funded agencies (funded by MTCU or the Ministry of Education) including school boards, First Nations technical institutes, apprenticeship training delivery agencies and universities. Only agencies who currently receive LBS funding are eligible to apply as Lead Partners.
Phase 2 projects must clearly identify a target group such as Aboriginal learners, first generation learners, Francophones, persons with disabilities, rural/remote learners or youth-at-risk. Projects must achieve a goal of 70% of learners moving on to postsecondary education or apprenticeship training at exit. Quarterly reports will be required.
A third phase, slated for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, is also planned to expand on work accomplished in the first two phases.
According to the March 2007 funding guidelines for Phase 2, MTCU’s principles and goals for this partnership approach are to:
- enhance pathways to postsecondary education and apprenticeship training for adult learners by providing locally-relevant community-based solutions
- be time-limited, fast-tracking direct access to college postsecondary or apprenticeship training
- demonstrate increased access to college postsecondary or apprenticeship training for targeted underserved and under-represented groups
- address the limits of existing college-based delivery of academic upgrading to reach areas and populations not served by existing sites or programming
- leverage the expertise of Employment Ontario to enhance college-based programming
- respond to local labour market emerging needs and government priorities.
For more AUP information including a profile of five successful partnerships, please check out CLO’s April 2007 newsletter at: www.nald.ca/litweb/province/on/CLO/NEWSLET/07april/april07.pdf.
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