Managed Enrollment
February 27, 2008 
How’s that for an exciting topic? I like the idea of managed enrollment. I just wish we could close our eyes, and then when we opened them, everything would have magically converted to managed enrollment (ME). It’s the difficult transition from non-ME to ME that’s really complicated. I think that was quite clear from our brief discussion of it in our last all-staff meeting. There seems to be a whole plethora of unanswered questions, but I guess that’s what pilot projects are for.
I’d love to find out how other centers are doing ME. It seems like 6-week cycles are too short. I would have thought something like a semester-long period, like 12 to 15 weeks would be more effective. I would like to see managed curriculum, too. Not only do you have a fixed length of time, but you narrow the curriculum to focus on certain areas, like a course in writing, or grammar, or conversation, etc. I’m thinking more in terms of a college model. (Forgive me for my ESOL bias; I realize ABE is transitioning to ME at the same time.)
Personally, I am looking forward to ME! But, to be honest, I’m kind of glad not to be part of the pilot. Good luck to the teachers who are the brave pioneers!
I’m going to try to figure out how to invite you all to contribute to this blog. I guess when I have figured it out, you will receive an e-mail inviting you to the blog. You may have had to sign in to get here. Please be patient and let’s work out the peculiarities.
Well, I am one of the “volunteers” in this pilot, so I’ll have to let you know how it goes for us. I was concerned that students would think that they only needed to commit for the six week period. I also wonder what happens if we happen to have a rash of drop-outs and our class becomes small and a drain on our good attendance. It remains to be seen.
Hope this comment makes it onto the blog. If it does, I would say that this is a very easy process. (If it doesn’t, I won’t have said anything!)
Roberta
I am a little concerned about being part of the pilot. I have the feeling Don does not think it is a good direction for us to go in and will be looking for a significant amount of evaluation to prove that it is worthwhile. However, I like the idea of having a stable group to work with for a period of time. I will know that everyone has studied a set of vocabulary, grammar, or skills at the same time.
In our persistence group we decided to try the 6 week blocks in part because of the fears Roberta has about going for a long period with empty seats. This is a short block for which students can see a beginning and an end, not of their time at Bootstrap, but of a learning block with some kind of evaluation at the end that we hope will give them a sense of accomplishment. We also hope that this will give teachers a more stable cohort of students. Everyone finds serial enrollment during the month difficult.
We’ll all try to make it work.
Nancy
Another reason for trying modified ME is to give
the counselors a better opportunity to work out an improved intake and enrollment process.
I don’t think Don is opposed to the idea of managed enrollment. I think he is very cautious.
Oops. Next time I’ll edit before I hit the submit button. Nancy
I’m very much in favor of what I think you’re calling the “college model,” even for ABE. I would love to see a format where students moved daily between dedicated classrooms for reading/writing, math, conversation, ESL, diagnostic/remedial reading, computer training, etc.–depending on their needs.
All OB needs is cash, more space, and five more Mary Clares…but I do think some other centers are already set up this way–at least, Lowell has classes by subject with subject-matter teachers. Plus, students there attend classes more days per week if I’m not mistaken.
That type of setup, coupled with semesters of the 12 week + variety, I think would help students move through OB more quickly.