SCAEC/SCCCD College Showcase

The Program of Practice

At the inception of the State Center Adult Education Consortium (SCAEC), a critical gap was identified in the structure, communication, and collaboration among the four community colleges within our region. This lack of cohesion posed a significant barrier for adult school students attempting to transition to postsecondary education. The SCAEC transitions team discovered that many college staff had limited understanding of adult education, and there was minimal cross-campus awareness of programs, services, and outreach efforts. These disconnects hindered the development of a seamless pathway for adult learners.

The Response

In response to this challenge, SCAEC launched its first College Showcase in 2019—an initiative designed to foster alignment and collaboration among adult schools, community colleges, and regional partners. The event brings together college representatives, adult school counselors, campus outreach teams, and the SCAEC transitions team to share institutional offerings and build bridges between adult education and higher education systems.

The Showcase features presentations and informational sessions on certificate and degree programs, transfer pathways, noncredit and multilingual learner support (MLS), AB705 implementation, financial aid resources, Dream Centers, International Student Programs, and other specialized student services. Workforce partners from Fresno and Madera Counties also participate, providing attendees with a comprehensive view of postsecondary and career opportunities.

The Unique Features of the Program

A key strength of the College Showcase is its collaborative planning model. The SCAEC Regional Transitions Counselor works directly with designated representatives from each college to co-develop the event. This cooperative approach has significantly strengthened inter-campus relationships and has laid the groundwork for ongoing partnerships.

Another hallmark of the event is the integrated Resource Fair, which convenes colleges, workforce development agencies, and community-based organizations. This allows attendees to engage with multiple service providers in one accessible and centralized setting, increasing awareness and utilization of available resources.

The Outcome

The College Showcase has experienced steady growth since its inception. The 2019 event welcomed approximately 20 participants, and by 2024, attendance exceeded 100 individuals. This growth reflects the increasing relevance and value of the event across the region.

Notable outcomes include:

Each community college now has a designated adult education counselor and outreach team actively collaborating with SCAEC’s 15 adult schools and the SCAEC Transitions Team.

Colleges have established dedicated adult education webpages, enhancing visibility and access for adult learners.

Counselors conduct regular visits to adult schools in their respective sub-regions, ensuring consistent engagement and support.

Campuses now host targeted college tours specifically designed for adult education students, further strengthening the transition experience.

These efforts have significantly improved communication, coordination, and student support across the consortium, creating a more cohesive and student-centered approach to adult-to-college transitions.

Accoring to DataVista, the transitions data for those that transitioned to Postsecondary Coursework in all SCAEC programs from 2019 - 2023 is 3,929 and is steadily increasing. In addition to our DataVista postsecondary transition numbers, we have made efforts to streamline, clean, and find accurate college enrollment of students transitioning from our consortium adult schools to community colleges.

We have identified an average of 1,849 students enrolled in our consortium colleges in a single academic year who are coming from one of our 15 adult schools based on continued data matching efforts. Due to CCCApply challenges and the lack of accurate data, we are limited in our capacity to properly track all transitions, but these numbers are a better representation than CCCApply’s “Previous High School” alone. We are continuing efforts to create a system where adult school data and community college data can be merged, with ongoing MOUs and data sharing agreements in progress.