DARTE + Human Service Agency CalWORKs + SJDC CalWORKs + CTE Workforce Partnership: A Holistic Model for Adult Learner Success

The Program of Practice

Many adult learners in the Central Valley face significant barriers to completing education and accessing high-wage, high-demand jobs. These include inconsistent educational pathways, lack of awareness of support services, limited access to career navigation, and the difficulty of balancing school with family and work obligations. Particularly impacted are CalWORKs recipients, English learners, and returning adults who need targeted support to transition into postsecondary education and employment.

The Response

In response, the San Joaquin Delta College DARTE Learning Community, in partnership with the San Joaquin Adult Education Consortium, HSA CalWORKs, SJDC CalWORKs and the CTE & Workforce Development Division at San Joaquin Delta College, created a braided service model to close these gaps. The program focuses on adult learners, especially parents receiving public assistance, providing a structured path from adult education to college and into the workforce. This multi-agency collaboration aligns ESL, basic skills, CTE, and CalWORKs services to provide learners with career navigation, academic counseling, wrap-around support services, contextualized instruction, and job placement assistance.

The Unique Features of the Program

Cross-agency integration: Coordinated referrals between adult schools, Delta College, CalWORKs, and WorkNet.


DARTE Learning Community: A dedicated student cohort offering priority registration, success workshops, and intensive academic/career support.


Career Navigation Services: Students are connected to industry-aligned training in fields such as industrial tech, supply chain, HVAC, welding, and mechatronics.


Culturally responsive advising: Many students are adult immigrants and parents—support is tailored to reduce barriers around language, childcare, and economic hardship.


Equity-focused design: Services specifically center the needs of historically underserved communities in the Central Valley.

The Outcome

85% of students who participated in DARTE + CalWORKs support services persisted into a second semester.

68% of students enrolled in CTE pathways successfully completed a certificate or transitioned into employment.

Over 150 students served in the past year through joint enrollment, workforce prep, and CalWORKs-supported programs.

Expanded access to WIOA-funded training through co-enrollment and referrals to San Joaquin County WorkNet.

Positive student testimonials reflect increased confidence, reduced time to completion, and improved family economic security.
This partnership demonstrates how adult education can be transformed through collaboration, intentional design, and a focus on family-first outcomes. By leveraging shared goals across CAEP, CalWORKs, and CTE systems, the program exemplifies best practices in learner transition, equity, and system alignment—making it a scalable model for other regions statewide.