Narrative:

The Iowa Department of Education (IDOE) ensures that no barriers exist that could impede equitable access to or participation in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of WIOA, in regard to gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. The Department works in partnership with Iowa’s Department of Human Rights, the IDOE Equity Review process, and other key stakeholders to ensure equitable access specific to AEFLA at the state and local level, described below and pledges to adhere and devote ongoing attention to each of these areas.

• Gender: The Department ensures that all genders will be equitably recruited and served through AEFLA. The Department will work with providers to ensure strategies are implemented to recruit and serve participants to achieve a proportional representation of male and female participants according to the service area demographics.
• National origin/race/color: The Department requires eligible providers to detail their experience in serving participants from diverse cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Applications and annual status updates from eligible providers ensure a continued commitment to recruit and serve eligible individuals from diverse populations (national origin, race, color) and that all activities, program components and published materials will remain free of bias of national origin, race, and color. Additionally, the Department will ensure at the state and local level that staff, and volunteers are representative of the target population of the participants being served. Guidance and examples of written material that is culturally sensitive and provided in other languages to recruit and serve participants, if needed, to eliminate language barriers that may exist, has been provided by the Department.
• Disability: The Department ensures that eligible providers will ensure equitable access to all AEFLA activities and facilities as detailed by the application process with specific state standards and are reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a significant chance in services. Each eligible provider agrees to assurances to serve participants, regardless of disability. Additionally, the Department will provide professional development to assist providers and staff in developing strategies to ensure that all activities and published materials will be free of bias regarding disabilities. To further ensure equitable access to the program, all eligible providers agrees to assurances to make any reasonable accommodation needed to ensure the full and equitable participation for all individuals in AEFLA activities. In addition to this and in compliance with the GEPA and WIOA Section 188, the Department in partnership with one-stop partners, where applicable, ensures that all physical spaces are designed, constructed and maintained to be compliant with the American Disability Act requirements, and are totally accessible to individuals with disabilities in order to ensure their equal access in AEFLA activities.
• Age: The Department ensures that all participants of eligible age will be served and have equitable access to participate in all AEFLA activities based on need while ensuring that all programs and published materials will be free of bias regarding age. Additionally, the providers will offer age-appropriate activities and materials, including but not limited to reading materials, for participants.

The Department pledges to operate the AEFLA, Title II, WIOA activities as described above, to ensure equitable access and participation in regards to gender, race, national origin, color, and disability. Furthermore, the Department will ensure that providers will address recruitment, intake, participation, and hiring practices, in compliance with GEPA, in the following manner:

• Recruitment: Funded providers will ensure that AEFLA staff will recruit ALL eligible participants and not discriminate on gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. The local administrator will ensure any promotional material is not bias and is available in alternative format, including languages, as regionally necessary and available to all individuals. If individuals are in need of assistance to complete an application, staff will provide assistance and if needed, make arrangements for accommodations.
• Intake: The eligible provider will involve staff personnel in the intake process for eligible individuals to provide a human-centered design process. Interviews, advising and assessments will be conducted with all eligible individuals to discuss and assess the educational needs and goals while addressing any questions about the services provided. The eligible provider will use information gained during the intake process to place eligible individuals in appropriate AEFLA activities regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (in compliance with GEPA).
• Participation: All eligible providers will ensure that the physical facilities are totally accessible to individuals with disabilities to ensure their equal access to the program. All individuals will be able to participate in all AEFLA activities regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
• Hiring Process of Eligible Provider Staff: The Department promotes equal employment opportunities and the fair treatment of employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or sexual preference in compliance with federal, state, and local laws. All eligible providers are 228 required to be an equal opportunity employer. In adhering to this, providers will ensure equal opportunity hiring guidelines to ensure equal access in employment to all who apply for a position using AEFLA funds.

The Department is committed to adhering to and monitoring these standards and practices and will make all provisions necessary to ensure that this plan is in compliance with the General Education and Provisions Act (GEPA).