Located in:
- III. Operational Planning Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above. Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs. This section must include—
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include a description of the State operating systems and policies that will support the implementation of the State strategy described in section II Strategic Elements. This includes—
- 5. Distribution of Funds for Core Programs
Describe the methods and factors the State will use in distributing funds under the core programs in accordance with the provisions authorizing such distributions.
- 5. Distribution of Funds for Core Programs
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
III. b. 5. B. i. Describe how the eligible agency will award multi-year grants or contracts on a competitive basis to eligible providers in the State, including how eligible agencies will establish that eligible providers are organizations of demonstrated effectiveness
Current Narrative:
In accordance with Section 231 under Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act of WIOA, the DCAE provides funding to eligible local entities to provide adult education services through a competitive process for 2020-2021, and a competitive process for multiple years. This includes grant projects funded under Section 225 – Corrections and Other Institutionalized.
A competitive bidding process will be conducted in the spring of 2020. DCAE will identify, assess and award multi-year grants to eligible providers throughout the state. An eligible provider is an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education activities that may include a/an:
- Local education agency;
- Community-based or faith-based organization;
- Volunteer literacy organization;
- Institution of higher education;
- Public or private nonprofit agency;
- Public library;
- Public housing authority;
- Nonprofit institution with the ability to provide adult education and literacy services;
- Consortium or coalition of agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities described above; and
- Partnerships between an employer and an entity described above.
In the grant and contract awarding process, the required 13 considerations identified in Section 231 are included in the evaluation and selection process. Other factors considered include the ability of the eligible provider to meet the literacy needs of the area, the ability to comply with WIOA expectations, the demonstrated and past performance of the entity in providing literacy instruction and meeting programmatic goals and the overall qualifications and expertise of the provider’s personnel.
As part of the grant application awarding process, Florida will incorporate integrated education and training services that provide adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation and training for a specific occupation and occupational cluster for educational and career advancement.
A multi-year grant competition will be held in accordance with 34 CFR part 463, Subpart C for the 2021-2022 year. This is in accordance with program memorandum OCTAE 20-3, which permits states to suspend FY2020 competitions for one year. As such, FDOE is suspending the competition by one year and extending current eligible providers' grants for a one-year period. Just as in 2017-2018, first competition hosted under WIOA, Florida will utilize data from the most recent American Community Survey (ACS) to determine projected allocations (not less than 82.5%) of federal AEFLA funds for each of Florida’s 67 counties. ACS provides the most current data and is a standard dataset used by OCTAE and other state formula grant programs at U.S. Department of Education. The allocation and distribution of funds are expected to address the educational and training needs of eligible individuals throughout the county, particularly those eligible individuals who have low levels of literacy skills, are English language learners, or are individuals with disabilities.