Regional Professional Development
Communities of Practice
To provide opportunities for California adult educators to interact regularly and to engage in extended collective learning, CALPRO is offering regionally based professional learning opportunities using a Community of Practice (CoP) model across topics essential to meeting the goals of the California adult education system. In the blended-learning CoPs, participants meet for two face-to-face (or synchronous online) sessions. As part of the CoP activities, participants access online resources via Moodle before, between, and after their face-to-face/synchronous training sessions to participate in activities designed to extend their learning and support their implementation of new practices with their students. Fully virtual or HyFlex CoPs may be offered on selected topics.
Tailored Regional Communities of Practice
Tailored Regional CoPs support the unique needs of educational agencies, districts, or consortia and offer a responsive, flexible, and engaging approach to professional development. The available topics are highly relevant to California adult education agencies, from instructional strategies to career pathway development. Tailoring can be done by adjusting the overall training length, modality (e.g., in-person, online, or HyFlex), focus areas depending on the target audience, or by integrating multiple topics to address intersecting priorities. This tailored approach allows CALPRO to help educational agencies balance professional development with operational needs, ensuring minimal disruption while maintaining the quality of learning.
Regional Training
CALPRO also offers 1–2-day, 3+ hour on-site workshops on an available topics below.
If your consortium or agency would like to host a regional professional development event, please contact calpro@air.org.
What You Need to Know
Host a CALPRO Training
For more than a decade, CALPRO has trained California adult educators to deliver professional development on various topics.
CALPRO will:
- Identify and pay for the workshop facilitator’s travel and honorarium when your agency hosts a regional community of practice.
- List the workshop on the CALPRO Event Calendar.
- Advertise the workshop.
- Manage registration.
- Provide copies of the participant handout packet for the number of registered participants.
- Provide blank sign-in sheets and evaluation forms for facilitators to distribute and collect.
What are the responsibilities of the hosting agency/site?
- E-mail certificates of attendance to participants.
- Open registration to teachers and administrators from other eligible agencies.
- Register at a minimum 8 participants from your agency and/or other eligible agencies in your region prior to the start of the training.
Which training topics are available?
New!
- Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
General Instructional Strategies
- Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction
- Universal Design for Learning: Developing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities
- Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
- Civic Engagement through Democratic Literacy
Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education
- College and Career Readiness Standards: English Language Arts (ELA) Implementation and Application
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction in the ABE Classroom
- Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
English as a Second Language
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction in the ESL Classroom
- Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
- Managing the ESL Multilevel Class
- Mastering the English Language Proficiency Standards
- Supporting Immigrant Integration through Civics Education
Workforce Skills and Career Pathways
- Supporting Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education and the Workforce
- Accelerated Learning to Facilitate Career Pathways
- Collaborative Curriculum Alignment
Community of Practice
Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly (Wenger-Trayner, 2015).
Blended Instruction
In regional CoPs, participants meet for two face-to-face (or synchronous online) sessions. Before, between, and after their face-to-face/synchronous training sessions, CoP members access additional online resources via Moodle and participate in activities designed to extend their learning and support their implementation of new practices with their learners. Fully virtual or HyFlex CoPs may be offered on selected topics.
Time Commitment
CALPRO’s CoPs require an average total of 16-20 hours of professional learning.
Shift in Culture
Communities of Practice place a strong emphasis on supporting educators in implementing new skills. This greater emphasis on implementation may involve one or more shifts in culture.
Benefits of Participating in a CALPRO Regional CoP
- Opportunity to interact with other teachers or administrators and trainers online and in-person to share classroom experiences and problem solve
- Support and help to implement training in the classroom
- Ability to identify and serve the needs of students
- Ways to help students improve their skills and meet their personal goals
- Increase of professional knowledge in targeted topic
- Access to additional resources that extend the learning beyond the CoP
- Working together as a school team to make changes, identify challenges and solve problems
On-Site Regional Training
CALPRO also offers 1–2-day, 3+ hour workshops on an available topic below. CALPRO will send a trained facilitator to your agency/consortium site.
ABE/ASE
- College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS)
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction for ABE/ASE
- Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
- Math Instructional Strategies
ESL
- Mastering the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards
- Managing the ESL Multilevel Class
- Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
Instructional Strategies
- Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
- Universal Design for Learning: Developing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities
Transitions
- Supporting Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education and the Workforce
Workforce
Accelerated Learning to Facilitate Career Pathways
Training Type
Training Type
Math Instructional Strategies (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-paced course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months, there is no official start or end date to worry about.
This course is intended to help teachers understand how to present concepts vital for: 1) mastering the College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics; 2) passing high school equivalency tests (i.e., GED, HiSET); and 3) helping students, through the CCRS Standards for Mathematical Practice, to conceptualize and utilize math concepts in and out of the classroom. The estimated course completion time is 5 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Introduction to College and Career Readiness Standards (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
Get an overview of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. Learn about the three instructional shifts in math and in English Language Arts, and consider the implications for your classroom. The estimated course completion time is 12 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Teaching Math to Adults (Online)
Workshop Description:
Discover innovative strategies to transform math instruction in this one-week CALPRO math course designed for adult educators. Participants will explore the Standards of Mathematical Practice (SMPs) and their practical application in fostering student success, delving into the science of brain-based learning to address math anxiety and promote long-term retention. They will learn how to create lessons that encourage productive struggle, persistence, and confidence in tackling challenging concepts. Additionally, the course provides tools to integrate technology and evidence-based instructional routines that enhance engagement and align with the SMPs.
This course takes place entirely online and runs for one week. Daily participation is required, though participants may log in whenever they wish. A live webinar will be scheduled during the course, with a makeup option offered to accommodate time conflicts. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate of participation (4.5 hours).
Goals:
The goal of this course is to equip educators with effective strategies and tools to enhance math instruction by fostering student engagement, promoting mathematical proficiency, addressing math anxiety, and integrating technology and evidence-based practices aligned with the Standards of Mathematical Practice (SMPs).
Registration Information:
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees; agency/work email address required at registration to confirm eligibility.
Registered participants will receive final confirmation and details by Friday, October 30, 2026. Waitlisted participants will also receive an update regarding their enrollment status by that date.
Contact Information:
Please contact calpro@air.org with any questions.
Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
Hosted by Twin Rivers Adult Education
This tailored virtual community of practice will introduce nine strategies that help learners persist in their learning. There are a number of research-based strategies for helping adults persist in reaching their education goals. The goal of this session is for participants to explore nine of these strategies and to incorporate them into their instructional practice.
Registration Information:
This tailored regional CoP is designed for the faculty and staff at Twin Rivers Adult Education. There is no registration fee to participate.
Application Deadline: 2027 Adult Education Leadership Institute
Join the more than 600 California adult education administrators who have participated in this program since its inception in 1985. The Institute covers topics and skills that new and aspiring adult education administrators need to perform their jobs effectively including Collaborations and Partnerships, Career Pathways, Data Analysis and Data-Based Decision Making, Fiscal and Human Resources Management, Public Relations and Program Marketing, Strategic Planning, Instructional Leadership, and The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
Apply online by Friday, November 13, 2026.
Goals:
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) in conjunction with the California Department of Education (CDE) is seeking nominations and applications for the 2027 California Adult Education Leadership Institute (the Institute). We are seeking aspiring and new administrators (defined as three or fewer years) for the Institute. This is an opportunity for your organization to nominate an aspiring or new administrator from your adult education program to attend. For the 2027 year we will accept up to 24 nominations for participation in the Institute. Priority registration will be given to nominees with the most recent appointment date to their administrative position.
Please contact Cherise Moore at cmoore@air.org.
The Institute is open to all California funded adult education programs. The application deadline is Friday, November 13, 2026.
Session 2: Supporting Immigrant Integration through Civics Education (Oct. 2026) - College of Marin
Hosted by College of Marin
Description:
How can we facilitate the two-way process of immigrant integration through adult immigrant students’ participation in civic and community activities? Our community benefits from the cultural, social, and economic contributions of immigrants. As well, adult students’ engagement in their community supports their sense of belonging and the development of practical skills.
Sign up for the upcoming Community of Practice (CoP) on Supporting Immigrant Integration through Civics Education at College of Marin.
The CoP is designed for instructors teaching adult immigrant learners (learners may be in ABE, ASE, ESL, CTE, etc.) and will help educators support immigrants through civics education as understood within the lens of the California Immigrant Integration Initiative and aligned to the EL Civics metrics. Participants will examine the Immigrant Integration Framework, explore the resources from the Teaching Skills That Matter in Adult Education (TSTM) project, and gain skills to better support their immigrant students in their classrooms and programs.
This CoP takes place in person at College of Marin on Fridays, October 9 and November 13th, 2026, from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm with a 30 min lunch break. Participation in both sessions is strongly recommended, and there will be asynchronous job-embedded work (i.e., lesson planning and reflection) in between the two face-to-face sessions.
Goals:
The goal of this community of practice is to enable instructors to 1) understand the California immigrant integration context, and 2) plan instruction that supports immigrant integration by aligning to the objectives of the Participation in Civics and Community Life Goal area of the Immigrant Integration Framework, using the Teaching Skills That Matter (TSTM) lessons and tools, and pre-approved COAAPS.
Registration Information:
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees. This training is hosted by College of Marin. Participants from neighboring districts or regions may be admitted on a space-available basis.
The registration deadline is Monday, October 5, 2026.
Contact Information:
Please contact Sachiko Oates at soates@air.org.
Supporting Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education & the Workforce
Hosted by the Long Beach Adult Education Consortium
The goal of this workshop is to support adult learners’ postsecondary and workforce transitions by
- building consortia and adult education program staff’s capacity to implement evidence-based practices that facilitate transitions.
- identifying ways to enhance support services, program structures, and local partnerships.
- prioritizing improvement actions and identifying challenges and solutions for implementation.
Date: Friday, November 13, 2026
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Registration Information:
This tailored regional workshop is designed for the members of the Long Beach Adult Education Consortium.
There is no registration fee to participate.
Implementing English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards
Hosted by Sanger Adult School
This interactive training empowers adult education instructors to implement the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards to guide instruction toward the increased rigor with the knowledge and skills necessary for multilingual adult learners to successfully transition to work and postsecondary education and to participate actively in their communities.
This tailored community of practice (CoP) introduces the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards and provides an opportunity for participants to plan classroom activities that incorporate the standards.
Location: Sanger Adult School
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Time: 03:30pm - 05:30pm
Registration Information:
This tailored regional CoP is designed for the Sanger Adult School staff and teachers. There is no registration fee to participate.
Designing for Learner Variability: Multilevel and Differentiated ESL Instruction
Multilingual adult learners bring a wealth of cultural knowledge and varied lived experiences to the classroom and have varied motivations, learning needs, and expectations that require different instructional approaches. It can be challenging for instructors to provide level-appropriate, engaging instruction for all students in a multilevel class. In this research-forum webinar, participants will explore evidence-based strategies and innovative new tools for effective adult ESL instruction, including leveraging adult learners’ strengths and designing differentiated instruction to enhance learning outcomes.
Join this webinar to explore ways to meet your students where they are and design instruction that is responsive to your students’ needs.
Formative Assessment to Inform Instruction (Online) — NEW
Course Description:
This course looks at formative assessment as a way to monitor learning and address student needs effectively as they work toward intended targets or outcomes. The course highlights strategies for gathering data on learning in progress, as well as approaches to responsive, data-informed instructional planning.
The course takes place entirely online and runs for one week. Daily participation is required, though participants may log in whenever they wish. A live webinar is scheduled during the course, with a makeup option offered to accommodate time conflicts. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate of participation (4.5 hours).
Goals:
This course aims to highlight the importance of frequent, formative assessment as a tool for collecting data to support thoughtful instructional planning.
Registration Information:
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees; agency/work email address required at registration to confirm eligibility.
Registered participants will receive final confirmation and details by Friday, November 27, 2026. Waitlisted participants will also receive an update regarding their enrollment status by that date.
Contact Information:
Please contact calpro@air.org with any questions.