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 subject matter and topics essential to meeting the goals of the California adult basic 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. When tailored to the specific needs of an educational agency, school district, or regional adult education consortium, these CoPs offer targeted support that aligns directly with organizational objectives and encourages meaningful change and growth. 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!
- Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction
General Instructional Strategies
- 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
- Using Questioning Strategies to Improve Instruction 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
English as a Second Language
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction in the ESL Classroom
- Managing the ESL Multilevel Class
- Mastering the English Language Proficiency Standards
- Optimizing ESL Instructional Planning: Management, Monitoring, and Reflection
- 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
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ABE/ASE Classroom
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ESL Classroom
- Integrated Education and Training (IET)
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)
- CCRS 2: ELA Implementation and Application
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction for ABE/ASE
- Math Instructional Strategies
ESL
- Mastering the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards
- Optimizing ESL Instructional Planning: Management, Monitoring, and Reflection
- Managing the ESL Multilevel Class
Instructional Strategies
- Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
- Universal Design for Learning: Developing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities
- Using Questioning Strategies to Improve Instruction
Transitions
- Supporting Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education and the Workforce
Workforce
- Accelerated Learning to Facilitate Career Pathways
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ABE/ASE Classroom
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ESL Classroom
- Integrated Education and Training (IET)
Engaging and Motivating Today’s Adult Learners
Hosted by ABC Adult School
Today’s adult education classrooms are welcoming a growing number of younger learners whose high‑school years were impacted by pandemic‑era disruptions. This three‑hour workshop equips educators with practical, evidence‑based strategies for engaging today's adult learners. Drawing on CALPRO’s motivation and persistence for adult learners training, participants will explore how to set clear and high expectations, build trust through social‑emotional learning, support goal setting and self‑management, and design student-centered learning experiences that engage all students.
The session also highlights active learning approaches—such as providing autonomy, collaborative learning, and contextualized instruction—that resonate strongly with today’s learners with varied needs. Educators will leave with ready‑to‑use strategies to motivate, connect with, and support all students in their classrooms.
Registration Information:
This tailored regional CoP is designed for the staff and teachers at ABC Adult School. Registration through the school is required.
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.
Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction Session 3 (San Mateo Morning)
Hosted by San Mateo Adult and Career Education
Adult learners bring a wealth of cultural knowledge and lived experiences to the classroom and have distinct motivations, learning needs, and expectations that require unique instructional approaches. In order to support adult learners in achieving their goals and meaningful outcomes, educators must design evidence-based and engaging learning experiences.
Participate in this 3-part workshop series to explore key aspects of effective instruction in adult education. Session 3 focuses on student-centered and differentiated learning. Whether you are an experienced teacher or new to adult education, this series offers valuable opportunities for professional growth and networking.
Location: San Mateo Adult and Career Education
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (Choose morning or evening)
Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 Noon
Registration Information:
This tailored regional CoP is designed for the San Mateo Adult and Career Education staff and teachers. Registration through the school is required.
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.
Separate registration is necessary to participate in other sessions.
Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction Session 3 (San Mateo Evening)
Hosted by San Mateo Adult and Career Education
Adult learners bring a wealth of cultural knowledge and lived experiences to the classroom and have distinct motivations, learning needs, and expectations that require unique instructional approaches. In order to support adult learners in achieving their goals and meaningful outcomes, educators must design evidence-based and engaging learning experiences.
Participate in this 3-part workshop series to explore key aspects of effective instruction in adult education. Session 3 focuses on student-centered and differentiated learning. Whether you are an experienced teacher or new to adult education, this series offers valuable opportunities for professional growth and networking.
Location: San Mateo Adult and Career Education
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (Choose morning or evening)
Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Registration Information:
This tailored regional CoP is designed for the San Mateo Adult and Career Education staff and teachers. Registration through the school is required.
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.
Separate registration is necessary to participate in other sessions.
Engaging and Motivating Today’s Adult Learners
Hosted by the San Joaquin Adult Education Consortium
Today’s adult education classrooms are welcoming a growing number of younger learners whose high‑school years were impacted by pandemic‑era disruptions. This two‑hour workshop equips educators with practical, evidence‑based strategies for engaging today's adult learners. Drawing on CALPRO’s motivation and persistence for adult learners training, participants will explore how to set clear and high expectations, build trust through social‑emotional learning, support goal setting and self‑management, and design student-centered learning experiences that engage all students.
The session also highlights active learning approaches—such as collaborative learning and contextualized instruction—that resonate strongly with today’s learners with varied needs. Educators will leave with ready‑to‑use strategies to motivate, connect with, and support all students in their classrooms.
Registration Information:
This tailored regional CoP is designed for the staff and teachers within the San Joaquin Adult Education Consortium. Registration through the consortium is required.
There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.
Universal Design for Learning: Developing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities
Virtual Community of Practice (CoP)
This fully online CoP incorporates the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and introduces accommodations and modifications that support learning, self-determination, and success.
The CoP offers an opportunity to discuss the challenges adult education professionals face while supporting adults with learning disabilities and share strategies and tools that work.
Participants will be able to apply UDL principles to design curriculum, instructional methods, and assessments that accommodate and engage all learners including students with learning disabilities.
With more than 8 participants, CALPRO can set up a regional CoP for your agency/consortium.
Effective Teaching for Adult Educators
To enhance student learning gains and to help adult learners meet their goals as productive workers, family and community members, and lifelong learners, and to foster continuous program improvement, this training will provide a framework for teachers to reflect on their own teaching and to identify areas on which they would like to focus and where they would like to improve their practice.
Civic Engagement through Democratic Literacy
Civic Education and Democratic Literacy play a pivotal role in empowering students to become engaged and informed citizens. Individuals equipped with this knowledge understand political and civic systems, allowing them to navigate these systems effectively and contribute meaningfully to the improvement of their communities.
The goal of this CoP is to enhance the capacity of adult educators and programs to provide instruction that amplifies student perspective and voice, builds civic engagement, and dives deep into participatory approaches to democratic processes for adults including those who are developing literacy and language skills.
Supporting Immigrant Integration through Civics Education
California is a state of immigrants, and benefits from the cultural, social, and economic contributions they confer to systems, communities, and our state as a whole. Adult education plays a significant role in the lives of immigrants. This CoP/Training will support educators in best serving immigrants through civics instruction understood within the lens of the California Immigrant Integration Initiative and aligned to approved English language learner (ELL) Civics metrics.
Collaborative Curriculum Alignment
This training outlines the process of curriculum alignment to help adult learners successfully transition within adult education programs and from adult education to post-secondary environments.
Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
Increasing reading, writing, and oral communication skills enough to succeed in job training, job promotions, and postsecondary education requires persistence. Research reveals numerous strategies that can make a difference. This training examines nine of these strategies and offers adult educators the opportunity to practice and internalize them.