Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Program

1. Describe how the State will establish and operate Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education programs under Section 243 of WIOA, for English language learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, including how the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education program under section 243(a) of WIOA will be delivered in combination with integrated education and training activities.

ODCTE conducted an open competition for new grants awarded July 1, 2018.  A new grant competition will take place and be awarded July 1, 2022. The grant application will address the thirteen considerations established in Title II. The competition will be open to all eligible providers. The grant application will contain the local application criteria listed in Section 223(e) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title II Adult Education and Literacy. Applications will be reviewed by the local workforce development boards and ODCTE staff. A rubric will be developed and evaluation criteria will include the 13 considerations in 223(e) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title II Adult Education and Literacy, as well as other components deemed necessary to review the application. Each applicant will fill out the same application. This will ensure direct and equitable access to all eligible providers.

Funded IELCE programs will do the following: work with local Title I partners to identify in-demand occupations in their local areas, meet with local post-secondary and technical schools to develop a training course that prepares IELCE students for the identified in-demand career pathway, and have local adult basic education instructors plan a curriculum that integrates contextualized English literacy, civics educations, academic skills, and training-specific vocabulary and knowledge.  Furthermore, IELCE students will participate in workforce preparation activities in order to be prepared to enter unsubsidized employment upon completion of program.  Furthermore, IELCE students will be assisted by local adult education staff and Title I partners to prepare for, find, and be placed in unsubsidized employment.  Coaching by those individuals will continue after an IELCE students enters employment.  This support will ensure students have a resource as they move forward on their career path.

The IET activities will align with the skill needs of industries in the state or regional economy.  The adult education activities will ensure that there is contextualized learning that complements the IET activities.  The training program, adult education, and workforce preparation activities will occur simultaneously, use occupationally relevant instruction materials, be of sufficient intensity and quality, and have a single set of learning objectives that identifies specific content in each of the required activities above.

ODCTE will monitor and provide technical assistance and support to IELCE funded-programs on an on-going basis.  These activities will focus on ensuring that funded-programs are adequately and appropriately conducting an IELCE program as listed above.

2. Describe how the State will fund, in accordance with the requirements of title II, subtitle C, an Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education program and how the funds will be used for the program.

Funding method and considerations for IELCE will ensure equitable access and consideration for all eligible providers. The IELCE funding process will be conducted separately, and additional consideration will be given to how the applicant plans to integrate IELCE programming.

ODCTE conducted an open competition for new grants awarded July 1, 2018. A new grant competition will take place and be awarded July 1, 2022.  The grant application will address the thirteen considerations established in Title II. The competition will be open to all eligible providers. The grant application will contain the local application criteria listed in Section 223(e) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title II Adult Education and Literacy. Applications will be reviewed by the local workforce development boards and ODCTE staff. A rubric will be developed and evaluation criteria will include the 13 considerations in 223(e) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title II Adult Education and Literacy, as well as other components deemed necessary to review the application. Each applicant will fill out the same application. This will ensure direct and equitable access to all eligible providers.

The ODCTE will fund IELCE in conjunction with integrated education and training activities. Components funded within this program are adult education and literacy activities, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training. Funds for IELCE will be used for the cost of educational services provided to English language learners who are adults, including paraprofessionals with degrees or credentials in their native countries, that enable such 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. Funds will include the planning of and deployment of contextualized instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation. Funds will be used to 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.  Funds will be used for occupationally relevant instructional materials and for occupational license testing.  Funds will be used to help prepare for and provide assistance in placement in employment upon completion of the program.

3. Describe how the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education program under section 243(a) of WIOA will be designed to 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.

Eligible providers will deliver IELCE activities in combination with IET activities.  These two pieces work together to prepare English language learners for unsubsidized employment.  Funded programs must meet with local Title I partners to identify and select appropriate in-demand industries.  Funded programs will develop appropriate contextualized curriculum that incorporates high quality English language activities, workforce preparation activities such as job searching, resume writing, mock interviews, on-the-job behavior, how to get promoted, self-advocacy, the rights and responsibilities of a worker, and how to understand pay and benefits.  Funded programs will work with a post-secondary or technical school to provide the training portion of the program.  During this training, students will learn the hard skills needed to be successful in their new occupations.  Finally, program staff and Title I staff will assist students in job searching and the transition to employment.  Staff will continue to coach and assist students even after employed to make sure students are thriving in their new jobs.

4. Describe how the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education program under section 243(a) of WIOA will be designed to integrate with the local workforce development system and its functions to carry out the activities of the program.

Eligible providers will develop partnerships with business, industry and the Local Workforce Development Boards to provide Adult Education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with both, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training in collaboration with employers designed to improve the productivity of the workforce as well as educational and career advancement for the eligible individual.  Furthermore, eligible providers will coordinate with local workforce partners to identify in-demand industries and occupations, create appropriate education and training, and place them in unsubsidized employment in those identified occupations.

Eligible providers will encourage IELCE participants to co-enroll into local workforce development system partners.  This co-enrollment will allow all WIOA partners to provide the unique services that each specialize in eliminating duplication.  This will allow the participant to have improved access to activities leading to recognized post-secondary credentials including industry-recognized certificates, and portable, stackable credentials.  Furthermore, co-enrollment increases the options for a worker’s pathway to career advancement.

Furthermore, Title I staff will provide workforce preparation activities throughout the duration of the program and coaching to students as they begin to transition out of the IELCE program and into unsubsidized employment.  These touch points will give students additional mentors and helpers to use as supports throughout their journey in the program and during their initial phases as a new worker.