Basic and Transitional Studies Program Overview

Associate Dean (AD) of Basic and Transitional Studies is the senior academic leader of BaTS programming. The AD is directly responsible for guiding program policy and procedures in alignment with state and federal guidelines. They supervise and manage BaTS faculty, staff, and budgetary needs. 

contact: Barbara Whalen at Barbara.Whalen@bellevuecollege.edu 

(AtB) Ability to Benefit is a provision extended by the Higher Education Act that allows students without a high school diploma or equivalency to receive access to federal student aid. AtB is a critical dual enrollment strategy with career pathway programming and adult education to ensure equitable access to postsecondary education. Adults can receive federal student aid by simultaneously completing their high school credentials while earning postsecondary credentials when they enroll in an eligible program and do one of the following: (a) pass a US Department of Education-approved test; (b) complete six credit hours towards a postsecondary credential; or (c) enrolled in High School+ and an I-BEST program within Washington State. 

(CASAS) Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System is the most widely used adult education competency-based testing system in the United States and is currently the only approved adult education assessment by the US Department of Education and US Department of Labor. Tests assess basic and academic skills in real-world contexts and monitors progress in reading, math, English language, writing, and work-readiness skills; and track longitudinal progress that certify attainment of benchmark proficiency levels. A CASAS Implementation Agreement must be maintained on file by approved organizations and organizational changes in program directors or CASAS coordinators must notify CASAS. 

contact: Yelena Zlotnik at yzlotnik@bellevuecollege.edu 

(CCRs) College & Career Readiness Standards are empirically derived cross-disciplinary expectations agreed among subject matter experts in adult education that define the knowledge and skills students should possess in preparation for the demands of college and careers. All approved adult education programming must integrate content curriculum with CCRs.  

Data Specialist is responsible for maintaining program data to advance program data-informed decision making. 

contact: Yelena Zlotnik at yzlotnik@bellevuecollege.edu 

Ed Plan: Federal and state funding policies require goal setting within adult education programming. Ed Plans are intentional yet adaptive quarterly plans of classes for students to achieve their goals. 

contact: Elaine Nutter at elaine.nutter@bellevuecollege.edu 

(EFL) Educational Functioning Level is measured by a participant’s CASAS assessment results. EFLs are used as components for student placement and as data to assess program performance.  

HS+ is a competency-based high school diploma program for adult learners 18 or older who do not have a recognized high school diploma or equivalency. Traditional high school credits are based on hours of attendance whereas competency is based on the demonstration of mastery. HS+ students have the opportunity to use both past and current mastery to count towards prior learning competency. An Ed Plan will then be developed to account for any remaining learning needs, potentially allowing students to achieve their diplomas quicker than the traditional high school model. 

(I-BEST) Integrated Basic Education Skills and Training is a program and instructional model designed to better support students to degree completion. It leans on the best practices of team-teaching and cross-departmental/disciplinary planning while integrating four programmatic key strategies: community engagement, campus involvement, retention, and financial aid. WA State Adult Education State 4-year Plan focuses on I-BEST as a foundational practice for innovations in teaching and learning at every educational level through: On-Ramps to I-BEST, I-BEST@Work, I-BEST, and Academic IBEST programming that integrate with the development and implementation of Guided Pathways. 

contact: Ted Mansfield at ted.mansfield@bellevuecollege.edu 

(LACES) Literacy, Adult, and Community Education System is an online student data management system used by adult education programs for federal and state reporting purposes. 

(MSG) Measurable Skill Gains are indicators used to measure adult education participant progress towards achieving learning outcomes, educational credentials, or employment. Although participants can achieve multiple gains in one period of participation, only one gain per participant per period of participation is reportable. Gains may be made in one of three ways: (a) EFL gain, (b) high school diploma or equivalency completion, or (c) completion of workplace training or certifications or 12 postsecondary credits. 

Navigators provide a wide variety of student support services including Ed Planning, exploration, and advising. They are components of effective adult programming in providing one-stop institutional and community resources to support student success and persistence. 

contact: Elaine Nutter at elaine.nutter@bellevuecollege.edu 

(NRS) National Reporting System is an outcome-based accountability reporting system for state-administered and federally-funded adult education programs. The NRS database is designed to collect and organize data to ensure program alignment with state and federal guidelines. NRS program (re)certifications are required annually for program compliance. 

CASAS Proctors ensure that the appropriate CASAS testing occurs fairly and uniformly in a controlled testing environment. Proctors must be certified and certification must be renewed every two years. 

contact: Yelena Zlotnik at yzlotnik@bellevuecollege.edu 

Program Managers supports faculty and students by administering, organizing, and managing program recruitment, operations, policies, and procedures. They are components of effective decision making for faculty, staff, and administration: collecting and analyzing program data to review and report ethical stewardship and assurance of state and federal compliance. 

contact: Ted Mansfield at ted.mansfield@bellevuecollege.edu and Megumi DeMond at megumi.demond@bellevuecollege.edu 

Quick Admit is a ctclink process used by some programs such as adult education and continuing education to quickly register students into an institution to permit course enrollment. 

(SAI) Student Achievement Initiative is WA state’s SBCTC performance funding system that reward colleges with funding attached to meaningful outcomes. Colleges receive SAI points when students achieve key academic momentum points proven by data analysis to show that students are more likely to achieve certificates, degrees, or higher wages. 

(WABERS) Washington Adult Basic Education Reporting System is an online data management system. LACES replaced this system in July 2024. 

(WIOA) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is a federal legislation signed in 2014, replaceingthe Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amending the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. The mission is to improve the national public workforce system to ensure that individuals obtain in-demand and higher-paying jobs. WIOA outlines grant funding regulations and policies that guide the mission of adult education. 

To participate in adult education in publicly-funding adult education in Washington State, a person must:

• reside in Washington state;
• be at least 16 years of age;
• must not be enrolled, or required to be enrolled in a secondary school; and
• must either:
  • lack sufficient mastery of basic education skills,
  • not have a WA State recognized high school diploma or equivalency,
  • be unable to speak, read, or write in the English language. 

There is no minimum period of state residency nor proof of residency required. In addition, neither legal U.S. residency not citizenship is required. 

Persons who are in this country on a foreign visa such as a student, a tourist, or an au pair visa (J-1, F-1, M-1, B-1, or B-2) may not participate in publicly-funded adult education. International students should inquire with the Bellevue College English Language Institute. 

No collection or reporting of Social Security Numbers is required for non-credit continuing education adult education programming. However, all students must sign the SSN Disclaimer of our Intake Form. Through the disclaimer, individual students decide whether to supply SSN information for data-matching purposes. 

Eligible educational institutions are required to collect and report student transactions for data-matching and tax information purposes. This tax information determines student eligibility for tax credits, deductions, or other benefits related to higher education expenses. In addition, data-matching assists in our ability to prove our program’s effectiveness. 

Once enrolled, each student is provided a unique student identification number. SSN are not used to identify any student, staff, or faculty. 

Program Managers facilitate student recruitment and placement through an intake process. This intake process varies on the route of inquiry. Some students inquire about our program on a walk-in basis and some students inquire about our program online. Generally, placement is through:

1. Informal speaking/listening screening
2. Information Sessions: Educational Interview Process and goal setting information
3. Intake forms
4. CASAS appraisal and pre-testing
5. Form indicating student’s preferred time and location of classes
6. A writing sample
7. Potential math assessment should this fit the goals and needs of the student

Informal Interview

The Informal interview is a CASAS best practice conducted to provide an abbreviated assessment to triage intake of walk-in inquiries. Students who are unable to communicate without translation or assistance are immediately placed or referred to appropriate student or community services. Referrals to services on our campus or within our local community demonstrates our responsiveness to student learning needs and to community partners who provide opportunities to support community learning. 

Info Sessions

BaTS provides regular public information sessions conducted by faculty and staff trained to ensure the quality of the information distribution. It is recommended that all inquiring students attend a live info session. The Educational Interview Process informally begins during these live information sessions. During the information sessions, students will be asked to complete goal setting forms and a form declaring preferred time and location of classes as a part of our intake forms. Students will also be directed to complete the initial program intake forms online. 

Intake Form

BaTS uses the LACES long form as an initial intake form to collect student data. These are computer-based forms translated into various languages on the Bellevue College BaTS home page. Students can complete these forms online or within our office; however, it is still recommended that all students attended a live information session. Upon completion of the online form, students will be referred to the Bellevue College Testing Center for CASAS appraisal and pre-testing. Students who have stopped out for one or more quarters must complete a new intake form. 

CASAS Testing and Orientations

The combination of screening results, CASAS test results, and intake forms will determine the student’s Orientation Grouping. Students will be invited to return for an Orientation Course according to their grouping. Orientations are conducted by faculty and staff trained to ensure the quality of intake, information distribution, and class placement. Within Orientations, students will complete a writing sample and a math assessment, should it fit the goals and needs of the student. Upon completion of the Orientation, students will be enrolled into classes. Students who have stopped out for two or more quarters must complete new CASAS testing and attend an Orientation. 

Placement

Students are placed and enrolled into courses based on the critical learning outcomes of each course. Course placement may be different than the federal EFL as determined by the CASAS scores. Students may be enrolled into career-contextualized courses of their choosing should their goals and placement fit and there are available spaces in classes. 

Students in non-credit ESL, ABE, and GED courses pay $25 in tuition per quarter. 

• Online payments can be made through the Bellevue College’s Cashier Self-Service portal. A Student ID number is required. See instructions to pay for tuition online HERE.  
• Pay by phone by calling: 425-564-2309. The Cashier’s Office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
• Students who are unable to pay $25 can request a tuition waiver directly by the individual student through the BaTS website forms page.

Students with financial hardship can apply for a $25 tuition waiver. 

• A tuition waiver application is required each quarter a student is registered.
• Applications for tuition waiver must be requested directly from the individual student through the BaTS website forms page.
• Evidence of financial hardship may include, but is not limited to, documentation of:
  • public assistance (QUEST, WIC, SSI, WCCC, HUD, etc.)
  • employment assistance or unemployment
  • referral letters from community organizations

Tuition waivers are processed, recorded, and filed by the Program Manager. Student waivers are kept with the student’s records. 

Our programs follow the Community and Technical Colleges Records Retention Schedule for record retention that articulate the required maintenance of records specific to adult basic education and grant management (Section 3.5). 

All Basic Education and Transitional Studies courses at Bellevue College are aligned with (CCRs) College & Career Readiness Standards as mandated by WIOA. These standards are shared in the master course outline, student learning outcomes, and course syllabus, and are the basis for curriculum and lessons. Faculty are responsible for teaching towards these standards to support student achievement of course outcomes to pass a course or move up through EFLs. 

Master course outlines can be found in the Bellevue College Catalog or can be provided by the Associate Dean. 

Program Managers and Navigators determine student placement upon intake and initiate student Ed Plans.

Student placements are determined:

• student goals
• CASAS scores and other assessments
• student preference of class times and location

At the end of the quarter, faculty determine placement and work with Program Managers and Navigators to continue to develop and update Ed Plans.  

• student goals
• CASAS scores and other assessments
• student preference of class times and location
• student attendance
• student grades as attributed to the Grading Policy expressed in a Course Syllabus

To continue within our programs, students must make progress towards their goals or within their skills levels. Note that students progress at different rates. However, students are not allowed to repeat a class more than three times. A student who has not successfully completed a course after three attempts will be advised to step out of the program until there is a change that will allow the student to make the expected progress. Such student will also be referred to other community programs that may better meet his or her needs. 

Specific program placement and progression policies can be found under the specific Program Overviews. 

BaTS follows the Add/Drop Policies of Bellevue College. The Academic Calendar – Bellevue College page includes important dates and deadlines for enrollment and for dropping classes. 

Note that instructors may also initiate drops per Bellevue College’s 2450P2 Instructor-initiated Drop (Procedures) :: Policies and Procedures.