Module Four
Recruitment, Retention and LCPs

Beginning. . . . . this is Part 1

Objectives

• Review Recruitment and Marketing Strategies
• Understand the importance of retaining students for FTE (full-time equivalency) funding and progress

Recruitment and Marketing

Recruiting students or marketing our Adult ESOL Programs will be critical to the success of any program by ensuring enough students for the program to thrive and prosper. Healthy enrollment numbers can allow Adult ESOL Programs to offer more distinct levels of instruction so that student needs can be met. As students needs are met through effective instruction aimed at specific proficiency or functioning levels, retention of students within the program until their goals are met should also increase.

Students — Our Best Recruiters

• Teachers and program administrators should recognize that our ESOL students are our best recruiters. Quality instruction helps students to learn and encourages them to tell others of their success and bring friends. Some Adult ESOL Programs report more than 75% of students are recruited through other students.
• Some programs reward students who recruit others. One district had the following reward system for student recruiters:

1. First time recruiters receive a three-ring notebook.
2. Second time recruiters receive a plastic pouch to fit in their three-ring notebook with two pencils, a pen, an eraser, and a highlighter.
3. Third time recruiters receive a pen with the school name and logo.

• Indian River Community College encouraged students to tell others if they were happy about the instruction they were receiving with a "Bring a friend to school day" welcome party. Students who brought a friend received tickets to enter a drawing for gift certificates donated by local merchants, free books or other gifts bearing the college logo.

Community Outreach and Recruitment

• Leave flyers or brochures advertising your program at local businesses frequented by English language learners such as restaurants, Laundromats, and stores. Make sure you have the owner or manager's permission.
• Many districts develop strong networks within churches which have services in Spanish, Haitian Creole or other languages besides English. Ministers and church personnel are great advocates of Adult ESOL Programs.
• Work with social service agencies to develop a strong referral network where they refer students needing English language skills and your district or college refers students needing other services. Examples of social service agencies include immigration lawyer groups, faith-based groups which provide services for immigrants, etc.
• Foreign language radio shows will often run short Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for no cost for non-profit organizations.
• Foreign language or bilingual newspapers will frequently allow schools to add information about free classes to the announcement section of the newspaper.

Recruitment Strategies Summary Project

Do you have any special recruitment strategies which have worked for you or your district or community college? Share a success with others by posting 2 or 3 sentences to the bulletin board.

Post your Recruitment Strategies Summary Project to the:

Bulletin Board

Continue on to (Part 2) Recruitment, Retention and LCPs

This web-based training program was developed through an Adult Education State Leadership Grant from the Florida Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education.

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this web-based training component, it is not an official publication of the Florida Department of Education.