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Cascadia’s Basic Education for Adults (BEdA) program serves a vital role for adults in our community seeking to improve their English language, speaking, reading and writing, and math skills; earn a high school diploma; or prepare for college-level courses – and sometimes in combination!
Prior to the Spring of 2020, Cascadia’s Basic Education for Adults program employed nine instructors and three program administrators who served hundreds of students each quarter. Classes incorporated language skills, digital literacy, employability skills, and contextualized courses that supported students’ pathways through the program.
As the pandemic spread through our community, and the economy wavered, Cascadia students experienced uncertainty about their education. Many stepped away to work or care for their children who were now learning from home. Many of our BEdA students paused their education as well because they lacked the time, space, and technology resources that were required to study successfully from their homes – and consequently fewer students enrolled in the program.
Cascadia’s International Program students experienced similar challenges. Wanting to safeguard both programs, Cascadia committed to developing a solution that would provide students from both programs a pathway to college-level, degree-seeking courses, while offering the unique resources both populations needed. A planning group formed whose work helped define what success would look like for this innovative and value-added approach to Basic Education. The result … a high-quality educational support program with a new name – College and Career Foundations – that launched in the Fall of 2021.
CCF provides equitable access for all adult learners, whether they enroll to improve their English language skills, brush up on math for the GED, or earn credits toward their high school diploma. It creates opportunities for domestic and international students to study together – and even includes evening ESL classes, GED prep/high school diploma options, and opportunities for students to transition into college-level coursework. CCF focuses on student agency in identifying individual skill levels that ensure each student has a voice in terms of where they start in the program. Consequently, students build on the skills and talents that they bring with them to the program.
More importantly, it provides access to Cascadia’s “College 101”, or college success, course for first year students – a proven approach for student success. It is of particular importance to CCF students who also take on the challenge of attending college in a community different from that in their home country and for whom English is not a first language.
The course introduces students to the College and its systems – and to the knowledge, habits, and skills of successful college students. Students learn critical and contextual thinking, information literacy and learning technologies, and participate in group-oriented, collaborative approaches to learning – a hallmark of Cascadia’s teaching model.
Ultimately, College and Career Foundations increases student success. Through it, students receive the support and learning they need to persist and achieve their academic dreams. In fact, students who complete their CCF program and transition to college-level course work earn a 3.5 GPA in their first quarter and more than 75% continue with their studies.
Since 2008, Cascadia’s Basic Education program has also collaborated with the Foundation to expand access to education through scholarships as well as grants for transportation assistance and academically related expenses.
For many in our community, the cost of transportation, testing, and college-level coursework can be truly burdensome. Small grants for parking permits and bus passes or GED tests make the difference – and allow students to continue with their studies. And for those who complete their CCF program, scholarships allow students to move forward and pursue a college degree. Since its inception, this partnership has provided more than $200,000 of support to more than 450 students – students like Natasha S., a recent CCF student and scholarship recipient.
“[My] scholarship has allowed me to start off college in a very encouraging way! It’s an exciting and amazing introduction to my college experience and what is to come. it has given me a free ticket into starting college-level classes without the stress of finances. It has made me feel more comfortable about starting my college education.”
The Cascadia College Foundation provides essential financial assistance to students through scholarships, grants, and other forms of aid – and supports important college programs. Through our support, we enhance student success and strengthen Cascadia College’s community.
© Cascadia College 2023
18345 Campus Way NE • Bothell, WA 98011 • 425-352-8840 • foundation@cascadia.edu