Narrative: b.

The Maine state office recognized that the adult education system at the time WIOA passed consisted of many small providers with limited services, staff, and other resources necessary to successfully meet WIOA requirements. That long-established method of having many providers (at one point over 100) working independently of each other was not an effective use of resources or improving learner outcomes.

Input from literacy providers and various partners, and a review of performance data led the adult education state office to the concept of grouping area adult education providers into education and career development hubs. To optimize efforts for collaboration within the hubs, criteria required that each hub contain a local workforce board, at least one career center, a University of Maine system site as well as a campus of the Maine Community College system, local libraries, and if possible, not split counties.

The result was the creation of nine hubs located within the boundaries of the three local workforce boards. Each hub, consisting of 5-11 local adult education providers, vary in population density, economics, workforce priorities, number of WIOA eligible learners and distance between programs.

The establishment of the hubs shifted the local providers away from long established patterns of programs working independently and competitively. Hubs are an opportunity to:

• Enhance communication among local providers
• Establish more efficient systems for maximizing resources, including staff expertise; expanding access for learners through use of technology for delivery of instructions and services to all programs within the hub, and developing authentic, reciprocal partnerships with multiple agencies
• Expect high levels of instruction, advising and academic rigor in all programs throughout the hubs and the state
• Promote an approach of collaboration and partnership among all current and perspective adult literacy providers by providing only one AEFLA grant per hub
• Expand the hub concept to include the state funded Maine College and Career Access program
• Use data reflecting the data within the Hub service area for programmatic decision making and problem solving

Section 231 (e)      Thirteen Considerations

As required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Maine Department of Education Office of Adult Education conducted a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) to award multi-year funding to eligible agencies for the provision of WIOA Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Section 231. The initial grant cycle was for FY20-22 (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2021). Subject to continued availability of funding and demonstrated effectiveness as determined by outcomes, the Department may opt to renew the contract for two renewal periods, July 2021 through June 30, 2023 and July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

Maine Adult Education state office determined to use the AEFLA FY20-22 Competitive Grant Application to require, and then ensure through ongoing desk and on-site monitoring that WIOA fund recipients address the requirements of the 13 Considerations and the following adult education and literacy activities identified in Section 203 of WIOA including programs that provide such activities concurrently. 

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

1. Provides adult education and literacy activities, concurrently and contextually with both, workforce preparation activities, and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster, and
2. Is for the purpose of educational and career advancement.

Each eligible provider must also adhere to the following Special Rule.

Special Rule.  Each eligible agency awarding a grant or contract under this section shall not use any funds made available under this title for adult education and literacy activities for the purpose of supporting or providing programs, services, or activities for individuals who are under the age of 16 and are enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under State law, except that such agency may use such funds for such purpose if such programs, services, or activities are related to family literacy activities. In providing family literacy activities under this title, an eligible provider shall attempt to coordinate with programs and services that are not assisted under this title prior to using funds for adult education and literacy activities under this title for activities other than activities for eligible individuals.
 

As providers comply with these requirements, adult learners throughout the state will have access to high quality, rigorous programming that encompasses the adult education and literacy activities included in Section 203 of WIOA.

Section 231 (e) Thirteen Considerations

Below are the requirements applicants for the 2020-2022 AEFLA RFP had to address. Successful applicants are contractually obligated to:

(1)     Be responsive to the regional needs identified in the local board plan and serve individuals identified as most in need of adult education and literacy services. How funded recipients will address the needs of sub-populations with barriers to employment as identified in the local plan had to be described.

(2)     Serve eligible individuals with disabilities, including learning disabilities. The processes and procedures in place to assess an individual’s current needs and ability; the delivery of programmatic and instructional strategies to provide access and services to learners with physical, emotional, mental and learning disabilities as well as collaborations with other agencies where learners may be co-enrolled had to be explained.

(3)     Past Effectiveness. A demonstrated effectiveness form had to be completed that included: performance data from the past two consecutive years related to improving the skills of the target population in English Language Arts, mathematics, English language acquisition and other relevant subjects; and outcomes of participants related to employment, attainment of a high school credential or its recognized equivalent, and transition to postsecondary education and training. The form also required evidence of past effectiveness serving eligible individuals who are basic skills deficient, and steps to be taken to meet the state targets each year of the grant.

(4)     Extent the applicant demonstrates alignment between proposed activities and services and the strategy and goals of the local plan as well as the activities and services of one-stop partners.  Alignment of activities and services with the strategies and goal of the local plan under WIOA Title I, section 108, as well as maintaining alignment with the activities and services of the one-stop partners had to be described. The local adult education providers had to focus on programs, activities and services that expand opportunities for education, employment, training and supports for WIOA eligible individuals. Local boards reviewed the applicants’ responses for appropriate evidence of that type of alignment. Local boards, local providers and one-stop partners must work together during the period of this plan to move the activities forward to meet plan goals.

(5)     Demonstrate that the program is of sufficient intensity and quality and based on rigorous research so participants will make substantial learning gains as well as use instructional practices that include the essential components of reading instruction. Grant recipients had to describe the evaluative methods used to ensure instruction is of sufficient intensity and duration to be effective. A description of program design including strategies for outreach, recruitment, retention; evidence-based research used to inform instruction and instructional strategies used to achieve substantial learning gains and how the CCRS for Adults are incorporated into the curricula had to be included. How integrated academics, skills and knowledge learners need to transition successfully to career and postsecondary and steps for the consideration of addressing special learning needs had to be explained. Instructional practices employed to include essential components of reading instruction that takes into consideration diverse learning needs and NRS levels were described. Examples of learning in real life contexts to ensure the learner has the skills necessary to compete in the workplace and to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship were required.

(6)     Deliver instruction in reading, writing, speaking, mathematics and English language acquisition that is aligned with the state-adopted College and Career Readiness Standards and based on best practices derived from the most rigorous research available. The scientific research upon which instruction is based to improve literacy skills needed to be described. How the success of such practices will be assessed needed to be included as well as how CCRS will be used to inform instruction, including how best practices will be integrated into classroom instruction.

(7)     Describe activities that effectively use technology, services and delivery systems, including distance education in a manner sufficient to increase the amount and quality of learning and how such technology, services, and systems lead to improved performance.  How the provider will support and ensure the integration of technology intoinstruction, including how software and equipment will expand access to effective learning and increase a learner’s digital literacy had to be described.

(8)     Deliver activities that provide learning in context, including through integrated education and training, so that an individual acquires the skills needed to transition to and complete postsecondary education and training programs, obtain and advance in employment leading to economic self-sufficiency, and to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  How the provider will design and implement an Integrated Education and Training (IET) model that combines basic educational, employability and occupational skills had to be defined; including the proposed IET activities that enable participants to acquire skills needed for success in postsecondary education and training programs, employment and citizenship. A description of how the IET is the result of collaborations with workforce, employer and postsecondary partners was also required.

(9)     Ensure that activities are delivered by well-trained instructors, counselors and administrators who meet the minimum state qualifications and certifications, where applicable, and how access to high quality professional development, including through electronic means will occur. The number of employees, details regarding their duties, employment status (full or part time), weeks contracted to work, amount budgeted for position and location, certification and expiration date had to be provided. In addition, employees funded by WIOA had to be included in the applicant’s plan for instructor and director professional development (PD). Applicants had to describe how PD participants will be identified, how information regarding PD opportunities will be disseminated, and how implementation of PD learning will be assessed. Applicants also had to identify the process for ensuring that each staff/instructor completes high quality professional development (in multiple delivery modalities) and how many hours of paid PD are provided.

(10)   Coordinate activities with other available education, training, and social service resources in the community, such as by establishing strong links with  elementary schools and secondary schools, postsecondary educational institutions, institutions of higher education, local workforce investment boards, one-stop centers, job training programs, and social service agencies, business, industry, labor organizations, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and intermediaries, for the development of career pathways. The coordination with local resources to develop partnerships needed to be described. The process used to ensure timely and seamless referrals between partner agencies; coordinating with the local one-stop center, local businesses and industry; fulfilling one-stop WIOA requirements; ensuring the transition of learners into Maine College and Career Access programming and/or to postsecondary institutions; and a description of academic and career related counseling and other support services to improve retention and learner success had to be submitted.

(11)   Provide activities that offer flexible schedules and coordination with Federal, State, and local support services (such as child care, transportation, mental health services, and career planning) that are necessary to enable individuals, including individuals with disabilities or other special needs, to attend and complete programs. Examples had to be included of: how the needs of individuals, including those with disabilities and/or special needs will be determined and addressed; how coordination for support services will take place to address their needs; how an advisor will be used to assist learners with career planning and in identifying career pathways based on learner interests and aptitude; how barriers to program completionwill be identified and addressed; and how the referral process to support services to minimize barriers to learning will be implemented. Applicants also had to provide a sample of a flexible class schedule that enables participants, including those with special needs, to attend and complete programs and describe wrap around services to support participant success and increase completion rates.

(12)   Maintain high-quality, accurate data of measurable participant outcomes (consistent with WIOA §116) in the state adult education managed information system and monitor program performance to demonstrate the ability to meet the goals outlined here through a variety of data sources, including academic assessment scores, attendance, and activity data. The data collection process, quality controls, review of data procedures and how data will be used to improve performance, increase recruitment, and retention efforts had to be described.

(13)   Deliver additional English language acquisition programs and civics education programs in the local areas of demonstrated need.How data is used to describe the population and needs of English language learners in their service area; their experience providing English language acquisition and civics education instruction and services; and how their program model leads to high school completion, postsecondary training and unsubsidized employment had to be explained.