U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

2 Year Modification

Plan: Colorado PYs 2018-2019
Combined Plan C

Section: WIOA State Plan Common Elements

Narrative: III. b. 5. B. i.

Published
Located in:
  • III. Operational Planning Elements
    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that support 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—

III. b. 5. B. i. Multi-year Grants or Contracts

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.
View corresponding narrative from PYs 2016-2017

Current Narrative:

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is the State’s eligible agency for adult education and family literacy programs. CDE is responsible for administering funds and providing program and performance oversight to sub-grantees.

Adult education and family literacy eligible providers approved under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) requirements will continue to receive funding through June 30, 2017, as long as they adhere to State and federal grant expectations, as measured through an annual continuation application, annual financial reports, annual performance reports, and desktop monitoring.

During grant year 2016-17, CDE will design and implement a new competition application process for all Title II funding. The WIOA competitive grant process for local adult education and family literacy providers will include a request for models associated with customer-centered services, including adult basic and secondary education and English language acquisition within career pathways and family literacy to promote stronger educational advancement of children, helping break cycles of poverty and build stronger local areas within Colorado. This process will include rating responses to the thirteen (13) considerations in Title II of WIOA.

Timeline: The following steps will be taken in conducting the Title II competition:

  • November 2016: CDE publishes three-year federal AEFLA Request for Proposals (RFP) aligned with the priorities in the approved Combined State Plan.
  • December 2016 - January 2017: CDE provides technical assistance to inquiries from potential eligible providers.
  • January 2017: Eligible providers submit “Intent to Apply” notification to CDE.
  • January - March 2017: CDE recruits candidates to review and score AEFLA grant applications.
  • March 2017: Due date for AEFLA grant applications.
  • March - April 2017: Reviewers review and score AEFLA grant applications.
  • April 2017: CDE conducts review of budgets and other grant requirements and develops a rank-ordered slate based on applicant scores for each federally recognized local workforce development area.
  • May 2017: CDE announces AEFLA grant applicants that will receive funding.
  • July 1, 2017: AEFLA grant providers begin grant cycle, programming, and funding.

Funds will be available for a three-year grant cycle (July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2020) for the development, implementation, and/or delivery of adult education and family literacy programs that support strengthening of local areas. After successful development, implementation, and/or delivery of a program during year one of the three-year grant cycle, a provider may apply on an annual basis (for years two and three of the original three-year grant cycle) for continuation of financial support through Title II funding. All providers will be subject to the same funding cycles.

Proposal Process

As a critical component of the Colorado talent development system, providers are encouraged to expand and improve the current system of delivering adult education and family literacy services and to encourage the establishment of adult education and family literacy programs that will:

  • Build career pathways providing adults with basic and secondary education to enable them to earn a high school equivalency diploma, transition into postsecondary education or training, and/or gain or advance in employment in order to achieve self-sufficiency;
  • Provide parents and guardians with sufficient skills to become full partners in the educational development of their children.

AEI will establish a work group of core partners and Combined State Plan partners to develop the Request for Proposal and indicators of successful performance in providing adult education and family literacy services as part of the Colorado talent development system. Demonstrated effectiveness will be included in the indicators of successful performance. Effectiveness will be based on improving the literacy of eligible individuals and the program’s proposed ability to meet the Colorado levels of performance. Further, the competitive grant process will include focus on plans for adult education and family literacy providers to include how they will ensure service to individuals with barriers to economic self-sufficiency.

AEI will seek the best possible combination of agencies, organizations, and institutions to implement the goals and objectives within the Colorado State Plan and allowed through the WIOA. Local programs may be approved for three-year funding, contingent on funding availability and CDE approval.

Proposals will be read and reviewed by a Review Team selected from the following areas:

  • Core partners
  • Combined State Plan partners
  • Business and industry
  • Civic organizations
  • CDE representation
  • Educational leadership
  • School district personnel
  • Non-profit agencies
  • Local Workforce Development Boards (for alignment with local area plans)

The CDE Office of Competitive Grants will oversee the Request for Proposal and competition process. Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy funding will be used to award grants to providers offering adult education and literacy services in each of the ten federally recognized local workforce development areas. The funding allocated to each federally recognized local workforce development area will be based on the literacy needs within each area, using data from the American Community Survey. A formula method will be used to determine the amount of funding and will take into consideration the literacy rate in the federally recognized local workforce development area, existing capacity of the community to meet diverse needs of the learners, innovative practices, service delivery based on current and relevant research, demonstrated effectiveness in improving literacy of eligible individuals, and the core indicators of performance as outlined in Title II of WIOA. The formula will be designed to consider local provider levels of performance and service rates as compared to established benchmarks as a basis for increase or decrease in funds.