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

Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy funding allocations were established based on data from the American Community Survey in addition to a review of the number of citizens needing literacy services within each of the eight LA Workforce regions. WorkReadyU ensured that funding allocations were used to provide comprehensive literacy programs in all eight geographical workforce regions and that local providers are sufficiently equipped to meet the needs identified for each area. Further, eligible providers were expected to identify, and coordinate with, all available organizations and programs in their workforce areas to expand and leverage deliverable services beyond those provided solely through WRU state/federal funding.

Louisiana is focused on performance to ensure that funds are used effectively to serve customers and produce positive results. WRU implemented a funding formula for state/federal adult education funds. The formula was designed to consider the scope of services provided in the local program and performance as compared to established benchmarks as a basis for an increase or decrease in funds. Performance benchmarks and performance standards were established with the expectation that grantees will maintain or exceed performance standards through effective service delivery and innovation.

LCTCS awarded multi-year grants to eligible local providers through a competitive RFP process for the purpose of developing, implementing, and improving adult education within the State. The grants are for a three-year cycle that applies to all programs. After implementation of services, providers must apply on an annual basis for continuation funding under Title II. (See Title II — Adult Education and Literacy Programs (b) Local Activities, Eligible Provider)

During grant year 2016-17, LCTCS released a competitive application process for all federal AEFLA funding to determine eligible providers that will be awarded funds starting July 1, 2017. The review of proposals included rating responses to the 13 considerations in Title II of WIOA.

All applications were evaluated using the 13 considerations in WIOA section 231(e). The evaluation of each grant application involved an intense assessment of the ability of the eligible provider to comply with the expectations and statutes described within the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity inclusive of: (a) meeting the literacy needs of the area; and (b) demonstrating past effectiveness in improving the literacy of eligible individuals, especially those individuals who have low levels of literacy, participants with disabilities; refugees, dislocated youth and foster care youth, individuals with low literacy skills, displaced homemakers, ex-offenders, individuals with cultural barriers and individuals with a variety of barriers to employment. As a result of the evaluation process, LCTCS funded twenty-eight (28) eligible providers that includes local educational agencies; community colleges, faith-based and community-based organizations and correctional institutions in fiscal year 2017-2018.

As required in Section 427 of GEPA, each applicant provided a description of the agency’s process to ensure equitable access to and participation in, the WIOA Title II adult education program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. LCTCS has approved state policies that provide for equal opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to disability in the recruitment of, admission to, accessibility to, participation in, treatment in or employment in the programs and activities operated and sponsored by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System ensured that all applicants provided data demonstrating their ability to improve the skills of eligible individuals, particularly eligible individuals who have low levels of literacy, in the content domains of reading, writing, mathematics, English language acquisition, and other subject areas relevant to the services contained in the RFP application for funds and in accordance with WIOA §463.24. Forms were provided for new eligible applicants (See Title II — Adult Education and Literacy Programs (b) Local Activities, Eligible Provider) to provide performance data for student learning gains, including performance outcomes for low-literacy level and English language learners. All applicants were required to report effectiveness in improving the knowledge and skills of adults to successfully transition to postsecondary education, skills training, or employment. Each application was reviewed to determine whether it met the standard of demonstrated effectiveness.

Several factors were used to determine the funding amounts for successful applicants: (1) performance-based funding formula based on the core indicators of performance as outline in Title II of WIOA and (2) the literacy rate within each workforce region. The formula was designed to consider the levels of performance in the local programs as compared with established benchmarks as a basis for an increase or decrease in funds.

Programs that do not meet established minimum standards in the first year will be expected to demonstrate and document substantial improvement toward meeting those standards. Using the approved statewide data management system, monitoring results, and other documentation, WRU will determine and apply requirements for program improvement in the subsequent grant cycles. Minimum standards will be determined initially based on data collected during the first year and will be raised with each new grant cycle. Programs that do not demonstrate and document substantial improvements during each year of the multi-year grant cycle may not be eligible to receive funding in subsequent years of the cycle.