Narrative: b.

The state of Montana requires eligible providers to operate a program that includes:

• Adult education;
• Literacy;
• Workplace adult education and literacy activities;
• English language acquisition activities;
• Integrated English literacy and civics education;
• Workforce preparation activities; or
• Integrated education and training.

In 2015, all adult education providers successfully completed a Local System Logic Model that demonstrates how they can integrate all the adult education and literacy activities listed above to effectively provide comprehensive adult education services required for transitioning adults to postsecondary education, occupational training or employment. This model continues to evolve and is the driving force for adult education services. This confirms that programs can deliver a variety of services to meet individual student needs. The foundation of every provider’s Local System Model is the identification of partners they need to collaborate with to provide a variety of adult education and literacy activities.

All eligible adult education and literacy providers assess the need to provide an English Language Acquisition and Civics Education Program in their area and provide services when there is a demonstrated need. The state will not fund family literacy activities, as limited resources have inhibited the state’s ability to provide those activities in Montana.

WIOA [§463.24] mandates that an applicant must demonstrate past effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy activities before that applicant can be considered an eligible applicant.  All grant applications will be pre-screened prior to review to determine if the applicant agency meets the standard of demonstrated effectiveness to be considered eligible for an award.”  As part of the application documents submitted, all interested applicants must submit data covering a two-year period, which includes:

1. The total number of individuals served; and

2. Demonstrates the applicant’s effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy activities.  Areas of demonstrated effectiveness should align as closely as possible with WIOA performance accountability measures.  Data must demonstrate the applicant’s effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy services and include evidence of academic gains (reading, writing, mathematics, or English language acquisition), employment outcomes, attainment of secondary credentials, and transitions to postsecondary education and training.

Montana uses the 13 considerations listed under “Required Local Activities” to fund each eligible provider establishing and operating programs that provide AE and literacy activities. The Request for Proposals (RFP) will include the considerations and ask for applicants to provide an explanation of how they meet the described elements. Reviewers will be given a rubric and scoring guide that includes these considerations. Funding is determined using a state-imposed performance-based formula.

WIOA mandates that Montana’s State Workforce Innovation Board (SWIB) coordinate activities with education and training providers within the designated regional service areas.  In accordance with WIOA Title II (34 CFR §463.21), the Montana AEFLA grant solicitation requires that the SWIB be given the opportunity to review all AEFLA applications submitted to the OPI.

The SWIB will review the application materials of eligible providers to determine whether the applications are consistent with Montana’s Combined State Plan.  Upon completion of this review, the SWIB will submit a formal recommendation to the OPI.

The state funds local providers that serve adults 16 years and older, not enrolled in secondary school. Services include:

• Adult Education and Literacy Services;
• Workplace Preparation tied to Career Pathways;
• English Language Acquisition;
• Integrated Education and Training.

Local providers are selected using the following criteria:

1. Scope: Programs must be able to provide data demonstrating they have met previously proposed state targets for the required percentage of students making a measurable skill gain. For programs not previously funded, data demonstrating student learning gain, especially for individuals with low levels of literacy, will need to be provided. Programs will also need to make available data that demonstrate they have provided students with the knowledge and skills needed for a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment. Both measurable skill gain data and transition data must be disaggregated to demonstrate a history of success with students who have low levels of literacy, disabilities (including learning disabilities), or are English language learners.

Eligible providers will need to articulate how their instructional delivery model aligns with the needs of one-stop, postsecondary, and employer partners. This alignment at a minimum must include the ability to offer flexible scheduling so that adult education services coordinate with the students’ wrap-around support services and logistic needs. The delivery model must be of sufficient intensity and duration so that the students’ will exit with the necessary skills to attain their career goals. Existing providers will base intensity and duration of service on demonstrated past effectiveness (student skill gain and transition outcomes) and the latest research on the effectiveness of time and intensity.

It will be critical for each program to validate its commitment to an instructional delivery model that can support high school equivalency attainment, as well as preparation for entrance into postsecondary, a training program, or employment for adults with, or without, a high school diploma. This support must lead to preparation for a career pathway for all students, including the low-skilled and under-employed, in need of increasing their knowledge and skills for the next career step. All eligible providers will assess the need for providing an English Language Acquisition and Civics Education Program in their area and provide services when there is a demonstrated need.

2. Content: Eligible providers will verify that adult education activities are conducted by licensed teachers, counselors, administrators, or individuals with relevant adult education experience and confirm that all staff will participate in high-quality professional development offered by the state AE unit. Professional development activities will include face-to-face and virtual opportunities, so all staff will be able to participate in a variety of delivery modalities.

Providers will ensure that the curriculum supports high school equivalency attainment, measurable skill gains, and career pathways. Instruction in all content areas, including reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, and English Language Acquisition are delivered by staff who are knowledgeable of the essential components of reading instruction. Providers must use scientific, research-based instructional delivery models for students in all content areas. Providers will articulate how distance learning, and other modes of technology, are integrated into instruction to support digital literacy attainment and meet students’ specific learning needs.

The goal of instruction for all students will be a successful transition to employment, postsecondary, or training according to their chosen career pathway. This will require contextualized instruction, and student pathways guided by labor market needs and data from collaborative partnerships including:

• Education Partners;
• One-Stop Partners;
• Community-Based Organizations;
• Employers.

The array of program activities that support individual student career pathways must be based on each student’s career portfolio. Eligible providers will describe how they will assist all students in setting up their career pathway portfolio through a series of lessons in the Montana Career Information System (MCIS). Providers will detail how teachers will assist students in aligning their skills and interests with a career choice and help them create long and short-term goals to enter their career pathway. Each program will share its protocol for linking student career pathways to academic lessons that are relevant and supportive of the student’s career goal. Providers will confirm that they are developing curriculum and providing contextual learning activities, so students acquire the 21st-century knowledge and skills needed for transition to their individual career pathways. Providers will apprise the state of key partners involved in the development of the contextualized curriculum. Eligible providers will also articulate how they will share student career portfolios with other agencies and support services.

Providers will ensure that the teaching staff offers a variety of instructional strategies that engage students and promote student persistence and retention; this should include whole group instruction, peer tutoring, individualized instruction, distance learning, hybrid models, and co-teaching formats. The variety of instructional strategies will integrate academics, career counseling, and soft skills to bolster the students’ ability to gain employment, transition to college, or enter a training program that could include an apprenticeship.

3. Organization: Providers must document evidence that they have the capacity to support the high-quality data information system necessary to report participant outcomes and monitor program performance. The system will collect all data elements required for the WIOA Annual Statewide Performance Report. Primary indicators of performance that will be reported include:

• Participants in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit;
• Participants in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit;
• Median earnings from unsubsidized employment the second quarter after exit;
• Percentage of students who obtain a postsecondary credential or a high school equivalency diploma;
• Percentage of students who participate in an education or training program; and
• Percent achieving a measurable skill gain.

Providers must provide evidence of activities with other education institutions, local workforce partners, and agencies that support student career pathways. MCIS is the common career planner used in the AE program. The common career planning tool will be a resource in every AE program.

Beyond student attainment of a measurable skill gain, achieving a high school equivalency or postsecondary credential, or entering a career pathway, eligible providers must demonstrate that they have established cross-agency partnerships to help students navigate system challenges that can be barriers to success, like completing applications, writing resumes, scheduling campus visits, etc. Providers must be willing to cooperate with agency partners to provide wrap-around services common clients need.

Through ongoing labor market analysis, all providers will have an awareness of regional labor market needs to provide teachers with a working knowledge of regional career opportunities. Using current information provided by the Montana Department of Labor at lmi.mt.gov, providers will ensure relevancy in the transfer of learning toward student career pathway goals. Providers must be able to disclose their methodology for ensuring that employer and labor market needs are helping drive their instructional practice.

Allocations for providers are awarded by a funding formula that recognizes the components of an effective AE program based on the WIOA Statewide Performance Report. Effective programs will be those that deliver instructional activities that support student transition to specific occupations or career clusters. Grant award preference is given to providers that demonstrate that instructional services are delivered cost-effectively to a reasonable number of students and that they can make themselves readily available to core partners for wrap-around services. Consortium applications are encouraged to assist providers in meeting the cost-benefit expectations and core partner collaboration.