WIOA State Plan Common Elements

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) solicits applications and proposals from entities eligible to receive WIOA Title II funds. Applicants can apply for funding in the following areas: Adult Education and Literacy Activities – WIOA Title II (per 29 USC §3272); Adult High School Credit Program/Adult Secondary Credit (ASC); Corrections Education and Education for Institutionalized Individuals; Integrated Education and Training Activities (IETs); Workforce Education Initiative (WEI); Professional Development Facilitator Network; and/or Indiana Online Only Distance Education.

Activities described within the grant solicitation are allowable under Title II; three of the adult education programs are described below in more detail.

1. Integrated English Language and Civics Education (IELCE) is defined as education services provided to English Language learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enable adults to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States.

Services include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation, and may include workforce training. The IELCE grant can include direct entryinto an IET program or can be a bridge to advanced credential training. Section 231 requires integrated English literacy and civics education services include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation and may include workforce training.

Section 243 covers eligible providers receiving funds through the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education program, which must provide services that: (a) Include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation; and (b) Designed to: 1) Prepare adults who are English language learners for, and place such adults in, unsubsidized employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self-sufficiency; and 2) Integrate with the local workforce development system and its functions to carry out the activities of the program. The IET curriculum requires a single set of learning objectives for the education and literacy, workforce prep, and training.

Training services must include at least one of the following – 1) Occupational skills training, including training for nontraditional employment; 2) On-the-job training; 3) Incumbent worker training; 4) Programs that combine workplace training with related instruction, which may include cooperative education programs; 5) Training programs operated by the private sector; 6) Skill upgrading and retraining; 7) Entrepreneurial training; 8) Transitional jobs; 9) Job readiness training provided in combination with the services above; 10) Adult education and literacy activities, including activities of English language acquisition and integrated education and training programs, provided concurrently or in combination with the services above; and 11) Customized training conducted with a commitment by an employer or group of employers to employ an individual upon successful completion of the training.

Industry-recognized training credentials include, but are not limited to – 1) Locally approved certificates eligible for inclusion on the Employment Training Provider List; 2) Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP) CTE certificates with more than 48 contact hours; 3) Certificates that meet the minimum threshold for inclusion under Perkins; and 4) Certificates that meet the threshold for Title IV Federal Student Aid.

Students in an IELCE program must have the opportunity to be enrolled in bothan adult education and literacy program and a workforce training program. Co-enrollment in the IELCE program may include one or more of the following options – 1) ELLs are co-enrolled in a workforce training program provided through DWD; 2) ELLs are co-enrolled in the adult education provider’s workforce training program; 3) ELLs are co-enrolled in a series of workforce training courses within a career pathway offered by multiple providers designed to lead to employment; and 4) ELLs are working directly with an employer through apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, or on-the-job training.

2. The Workforce Education Initiative (WEI)is a partnership between Indiana Adult Education and Hoosier employers to help employees retain jobs, improve performance, and advance in their professions. Employers desire a better-skilled workforce in order to optimize safety, increase productivity, and improve quality in the workplace. Meanwhile, employees who possess basic skill deficiencies must have access to quality workforce programs that build their abilities, attain industry-recognized credentials, and qualify for additional training. Funding will be provided to programs that offer remediation services that support these objectives.

3. Professional Development Facilitators (PDFs) are a network of lead adult education instructors who are trained to model and deliver the highest quality professional development both locally and regionally. Professional development delivered by PDFs will be tied directly to state and federal adult education performance measures. PDFs develop local and regional professional development plans and share their knowledge and expertise to assist AE programs and DWD with continuous adult education program improvement.

Responsibilities of the PDF include, but are not limited to, the following – 1) Develop local professional development plans in conjunction with program directors and DWD representatives; 2) Provide input into the development of new teacher trainings and orientations; 3) Deliver local and regional accommodations training; 4) Assist in the delivery of National Reporting System (NRS) training; 5) Assist in the delivery of Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) training; 6) Provide one-on-one assistance to instructors as required by DWD or requested by local program directors; and 7) Model effective teaching strategies.

An eligible individual is an individual who is 16 years of age or older; who is not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under state law; who is basic skills deficient; does not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and has not achieved an equivalent level of education; or is an English language learner.
 
To be awarded WIOA Title II funds in Indiana, applicant organizations must be an eligible provider as defined by WIOA (per 29 USC §3272). An applicant must be able to demonstrate past effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy activities before the applicant can be considered an eligible applicant. Data which demonstrate the applicant’s effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy services include evidence of eligible individuals’ academic gains (reading, writing, mathematics, or English language acquisition), employment outcomes, family literacy, attainment of secondary credentials, transitions to postsecondary education, and workforce training.

In the state’s multi-year adult education competitive grant application (request for application), all applicant organizations should complete all questions listed under each consideration (I-XIII, XIV) regardless of the type(s) of funding the applicant is seeking. All applicant organizations should address Consideration XIV [General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)]. Considerations I-XIII represent the thirteen statutory considerations DWD must consider when awarding WIOA Title II funds, while Consideration XIV is used to meet the statutory GEPA plan required for all AEFLA funded sub-recipients. Failure to provide answers for the narrative portion of the application is grounds for non-consideration.

In order to fund eligible providers, a rubric is utilized to score the narrative section for the thirteen considerations. Review teams utilize a 0-5 point Likert Scale to score the quality of each response. Reviewers provide notes or commentary to justify the score, provide brief details of what the applicant omitted or missed, and brief descriptions of anything “positive” about the application.

5 - Excellent; Applicant’s response clearly demonstrates an understanding of the question, the consideration, and the challenges and expectations of an adult education provider.

4 - Good; Applicant’s answer does a good job of generally providing support for its claims and demonstrates what would be expected out of a good adult education provider.

3 - Adequate; Applicant’s response demonstrates some understanding, though this understanding may have to be inferred, of the question, consideration, and the challenges and expectations of an adult education provider

2 - Poor; Answer is not well supported, and does not demonstrate what would be expected out of an adult education provider

1 - Bad; Answer lacks any context or support, and in no way demonstrates what would be expected out of an adult education provider

0 - Incomplete; Applicant made no attempt to answer the question

DWD utilizes overall scores, quality of grant submissions, and responses to the thirteen considerations to fund eligible providers. Additionally, the state reviews funding requests and proposed service delivery areas to ensure that every county in the state is covered. 

DWD awards multi-year adult education grants on a competitive basis, beginning with program year (“PY”) 2020 (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021), and ending PY2023 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024). After the initial year of this multi-year adult education grant award (PY2020), DWD requires sub-recipients apply for the renewal of funding through a non-competitive grant continuation RFA for the following program years: PY2021; PY2022; and PY2023.  

Renewals will be made on a program-by-program basis and will be contingent on the sub-recipient’s ability to (1) Successfully implement the terms of the grant; (2) Meet both state and federal performance expectations; and (3) Provide demonstrated value to the community the sub-recipient serves. Funding for future grant continuations will be based on program performance. DWD reserves the right to hold a new competitive grant competition  

1. Funds awarded to applicants are based on three levels of data:

1. The number of WIOA Title II eligible Hoosiers who lack a secondary school diploma (HSD or HSE);
2. The number of Hoosiers utilizing state and federal programs administered by Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration (“FSSA”); and
3. The number of enrollments in WIOA Title II programs in the previous year.
    
   We encourage increased collaboration between Adult Education grant recipients and the local Workforce Development Boards.
    
   County level data is aggregated at the economic development regional level; this determines the total amount of funds available for the region. Applicants must apply for a region or a portion of the funds available in each region they intend to serve.
    
   Funding for future grant continuations is based on program performance. DWD allows funding to be passed through a sub-recipient to subcontracted service provider(s). No more than 5% of the total amount awarded to grantees can be used by the grantee shall be used for administrative and non-instructional purposes. For DWD to maintain the federally-required Maintenance of Effort (MOE), Indiana requires that WIOA-funded Adult Education providers contribute a local match.
    

Other Requirements: The grant requires that local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) be given an opportunity to review all applications submitted to DWD that propose to offer services within the WDB’s workforce development area. Any recipient of funds awarded must provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals (both employees and students) with disabilities, unless that accommodation would represent an undue burden in the exercising of the responsibilities of the sub-recipient to deliver adult education and literacy activities. Accepting an award is an acknowledgement that the grant recipient is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants are also required to acknowledge compliance with the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA).