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Plan: Louisiana PYs 2024-2027
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 supports 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. Describe the methods and factors the eligible agency will use to distribute title II funds.

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), WorkReady U (WRU), is responsible for administering Title II Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funds to eligible providers and providing program/performance oversight to grantees. As the administrative/fiscal agency, LCTCS/WRU awards 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 five-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)

WIOA, Title II defines an eligible provider as an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education and literacy activities to eligible individuals and may include:

  • A local education agency;
  • A community-based or faith-based organization;
  • A volunteer literacy organization;
  • An institution of higher education;
  • A public or private nonprofit agency;
  • A library;
  • A public housing authority;
  • A nonprofit institution with the ability to provide adult education and literacy services;
  • A consortium or coalition of agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries or authorities described above; or
  • A partnership between an employer and an entity described above.

All applications received are evaluated using the 13 considerations in WIOA section 231(e). The evaluation of each grant application involves an intense assessment of the ability of the eligible provider to comply with the expectations and statutes described within the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 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.  The grant cycle is a minimum of five years, and all providers are subject to the same funding cycle: Year One – July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026; Year Two-July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; Year Three-July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028; Year Four-July 1, 2028 through June 30, 2029; and Year Five-July 1, 2029 through June 30, 2030.  Eligible providers apply to receive adult education funding for the delivery of any of the following adult education and literacy activities:

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

As required in Section 427 of GEPA, each applicant provides a description of the agency’s process to ensure equitable access to and participation in [AF1] 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 ensures that all applicants provide 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 are 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 are required to report effectiveness in improving the knowledge and skills of adults to successfully transition to postsecondary education, skills training, or employment.  Each application is reviewed to determine whether it met the standard of demonstrated effectiveness.

Several factors are used to determine the funding amounts for successful applicants: (1) performance-based funding formula based on the core indicators of performance as outlined in Title II of WIOA and (2) the literacy rate within each workforce region.  The formula is 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 are expected to demonstrate and document substantial improvement toward meeting those standards. Using the approved statewide data management system, monitoring results, and other documentation, WRU determines and applies requirements for program improvement in the subsequent grant cycles. Minimum standards are determined initially based on data collected during the first year and are 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.