NOTICES
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
Availability of Workforce Investment Act, Title II, Section 223 Funds for State Leadership Activities for July 1, 2004--June 30, 2005
[34 Pa.B. 2080] I. Authorization.
The Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (Bureau) is releasing these priorities based on knowledge as of this date.
A. Title II of The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, provides funds to local eligible provider agencies through the Department of Education (Department) for the establishment of adult education and family literacy programs that will:
1. Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency.
2. Assist adults who are parents to obtain the educational skills necessary to become full partners in the educational development of their children.
3. Assist adults in the completion of a secondary school education.
B. Eligible applicants include local education agencies (LEA) and public or private nonprofit agencies, organizations and institutions. A for-profit agency is eligible to participate in the program only if it is part of a consortium with an LEA or other eligible sponsor, with the nonprofit agency acting as fiscal agent. A for-profit organization must also have the capability and capacity to augment significantly the adult education services of a consortium.
Consistent with the purpose of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act for Program Year 2004-05, the Department will give primary consideration to programs for the educationally disadvantaged.
The Federal share of a grant will be 75% of the total cost of the program. The applicant must provide a 25% match of the total cost of the program. The local match may be in kind. Other Federal funds may not be used for the local match unless specifically identified as eligible for use as matching funds.
C. Restrictions placed upon the Department by the Untied States Department of Education on the administration of the grant include:
1. Not more than 12 1/2% of the State's allotment shall be used for State Leadership activities.
2. Not more than 5% of a local applicant's grant may be used for administrative costs, unless the Bureau approves a higher percent in advance.
II. Application Procedures and Program Guidelines.
A letter of intent is due at the Bureau by May 7, 2004. The letter of intent should state the priority number for which the application is intended and a one-paragraph description of the proposed project. Applications for State Leadership funds are due June 11, 2004, and must be completed online and submitted to the Bureau through the e-grant website: www.egrants.ed.state.pa.us. Instructions and the application guidelines are on the e-grant website and the Bureau's website: www.paadulted.org. Faxes will not be accepted.
Note: The Bureau reserves the right to consider proposals received after the deadline and, if appropriate, to approve them if and when funds become available.
III. Funds for State Leadership activities are made available under section 222(a)(2) for one or more of the following activities.
Specific priorities that support these activities for Program Year 2004-2005 follow.
1. The establishment or operation of professional development programs to improve the quality of instruction provided under local activities required under section 231(b).
2. The provision of technology assistance, including staff training, to eligible providers of adult education and literacy activities to enable the eligible providers to improve the quality of activities.
3. The support of State or regional networks of literacy resource centers.
4. The monitoring and evaluation of the quality of, and improvement in, adult education and literacy activities.
5. Incentives for program coordination and integration and performance awards.
6. Developing and disseminating curricula.
7. Other activities of Statewide significance that promote the purpose of this title.
8. Coordination with existing support services, such as transportation, childcare and other assistance designed to increase rates of enrollment in, and successful completion of, adult education and literacy activities, to adults enrolled in the activities.
9. Integration of literacy instruction and occupational skills training and promoting linkages with employers.
10. Linkages with postsecondary educational institutions.
Specific Priorities--State Leadership 2004-05
1. Communications for professional development
The successful applicant will provide support for the design and/or publication of the Bureau's newsletters, reports, handbooks and brochures as needed. The project will direct and provide systematic communication and coordination for the Bureau, Professional Development Centers (PDC) and professional development projects. Specifically, this project will support Bureau communication by providing:
* Quarterly publication of Fieldnews.
* Annual production of the Bureau Provider Directory and Annual Report.
* Annual update of ABLE Pages.
* Maintenance of the Bureau's website.
* Assistance for PDC publications and websites.
* Support for Bureau-related websites.
2. Outstanding adult learners and outstanding adult practitioners
The successful applicant will manage the outstanding student recognition event for the Bureau. This includes the identification, selection and recognition of ten exemplary adult learners enrolled in adult basic and family literacy education programs whose success stories focus on the role of adult basic education in their lives. Approximately 300 copies of a Success Stories booklet featuring both past and current winners and their Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) programs will be prepared, published and disseminated to agencies, legislators, CareerLinks and State directors. In addition, the successful applicant will manage the event recognizing outstanding adult education and family literacy practitioners in this Commonwealth whose interaction with adult learners, colleagues and programs is indicative of best practices in adult teaching and learning. The successful applicant will use the standards and performance indicators set forth by the Pennsylvania Adult Teacher Competencies project for the selection of excellent educators and instructors. The applicant will coordinate activities with an identified Bureau staff person.
3. Support of adult education professional development
The successful applicant will be responsible for administration, fiscal management and support of Statewide adult basic education professional development activities and other Department activities to include provision for support of State Leadership requirements and initiatives under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, support of various adult basic and literacy conference activities, support of Act 42 Council activities and provision of honoraria for presenters at State-sponsored activities.
4. Supports for ABLE workforce coalitions
The successful applicant will provide technical assistance to ABLE coalitions, building on activities begun in the Planning for Change project funded in 2001-02. Grantees will guide and support adult education coalitions in attaining regional workforce development goals, including increased/improved communication with regional Workforce Investment Boards and CareerLink Centers, and the development, implementation and monitoring of an Adult Education Coalition Workforce Plan. The project applicant will provide support to all Statewide coalitions.
5. Training
The successful applicant will work with the Bureau to coordinate the maintenance of existing expertise and existing training opportunities in areas including assessment and instruction in learning differences, technology, English as a Second Language, workforce, reading, writing and numeracy. Activities in this project can be provided by one agency, several agencies or a network of agencies. If several agencies or a network are funded, a lead agency will be identified for fiscal activities and a lead agency will be identified for program activities. The same agency can be, but does not have to be, the lead agency for both fiscal and program activities. Applicants should indicate what portion of this activity they are proposing to address. In the case of a network, all members must be identified, including the lead agency.
Activities in this project should build on the expertise that has been developed in this Commonwealth in the specific areas being addressed. The project must show the capacity to have lead trainers to provide support to PDC trainers when necessary, the ability to provide training when appropriate and the intent to respond to various Bureau requests.
No funding in this priority is to be used for the development of new training activities without Bureau approval. The Bureau will look favorably upon activities that build on capacity and expertise that have been developed through previous State Leadership activities.
6. Continuous program improvement
The successful applicant for this initiative will work with Bureau staff to ensure the continuation of program improvement activities in ABLE-funded agencies. The applicant will work with the Bureau to identify a strategy for supporting continuous program improvement and to implement multiple processes by which ABLE-funded agencies can engage in continuous program improvement. Processes that will be considered for supporting ongoing program improvement include inquiry, data logs, action research and mentoring. No funding in this priority is to be used for the development of new models or training activities without Bureau approval.
7. Statewide technology support for administrative activities
The successful applicant for this ongoing initiative will strengthen the Bureau's ability to collect accurate data on agencies' educational services and on Statewide professional development activities. This project will provide agency staff members with necessary training and technical assistance to use technology for administrative activities, especially data management. This training and support will be provided through working with and building capacity among PDC staff, if appropriate. The training and support will be provided directly by the project staff, when appropriate. The project will maintain the current electronic databases and registration system for agency and professional development activities. It will also provide PDC staff members with necessary training and technical assistance to use technology for tracking professional development activities, enabling the PDC to collect and report data for the Bureau's professional development system. No funding in this priority is to be used for the development of new training activities without Bureau approval.
8. State literacy resource center
The successful applicant will maintain a clearinghouse of adult basic education materials and resources for learners and educators in this Commonwealth. The recipient will be responsible for collecting materials from recently funded Bureau projects to establish a comprehensive collection of Pennsylvania publications. Beginning in this contract year, the grantee will ensure that copies of all final reports, products and other materials from Department-funded projects will be collected and housed in the resource center. The recipient will also identify, collect and disseminate information on exemplary projects, reports and other products, both hardcopy and electronic, that are produced outside the Department-funded system. As much as possible, resources will be made available through a website that is linked to the ABLE website and includes research citing evidence-based practices and recent publications of interest to adult basic education and family literacy practitioners. Dissemination of hard copies to meet requests from the field will also be a responsibility of the grantee.
9. Analysis of professional development system
The successful applicant will work with the Bureau to design and conduct an evaluation of the current ABLE professional development system and recommend a framework that will ensure ongoing high quality, clear, user-friendly, accessible professional development services for this Commonwealth's adult basic education, literacy and family literacy practitioners. Project staff will work closely with staff of the Bureau's State Leadership Division, as well as with staff of the PDC and other State leadership projects to achieve the following:
* Documentation and analysis of this Commonwealth's professional development system as it now exists. This is to include identifying and summarizing all initiatives, products, activities and methods of training and communication currently functioning within the system.
* Facilitation of discussion of best practices in professional development. This will include providing research-based information on best practices in professional development and information on existing ABLE professional development systems in other states and countries. It will involve initiating and coordinating discussion among the Bureau and this Commonwealth's current professional development providers on this information and its implications for this Commonwealth's professional development system.
* Evaluation of the current components of this Commonwealth's professional development system. This will include analyzing current training activities, delivery methods and evaluation methods and tools. It will also involve identifying strengths, weaknesses, redundancies and gaps within the professional development system as it now functions.
* Development of a framework for implementing and maintaining future professional development services in this Commonwealth. This framework will reflect sound principles of professional development design and effective methods of training delivery that address the Commonwealth's needs. It will provide clear scope and sequence of training activities and recommend evaluation tools for monitoring the effectiveness of ABLE's professional development services over time.
VICKI L. PHILLIPS, Ed.D.,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 04-658. Filed for public inspection April 16, 2004, 9:00 a.m.]
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