Narrative: e. 2.

The Alabama Adult Education Division reserves the right to use funds made available under section 222(a)(2) for any of the following permissible State leadership activities outlined in section 223.  No more than 12.5% in total of the grant funds made available will be used to carry out these adult education and literacy activities including permissible activities aimed at enhancing Alabama’s adult education services.

Currently, leadership funds are being used to support the Alabama Adult Education System for Accountability and Performance (AAESAP) which is the state’s data management system for adult education. AAESAP is owned by the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) and operated through an annual contract with the Alabama Supercomputer Authority (ASA).  ASA programmers are assigned to the management, review, security, and operation of AAESAP.  ASA programmers function as an extension of the adult education state staff to ensure that all aspects of federally and state required adult education services are recordable, trackable, and provide the usability to make data driven decisions at the state and local level.  Currently, efforts are underway in streamlining the data system by reducing the data entry through the development of Application Programming Interfaces (API), enhance data validity checks and increase visualization for data analytics.

Other areas of growth in Alabama for permissible activities under section 223 is set to include:

• The development and dissemination of curricula such as the ACE and MAPs along with a new partnership with the Department of Human Resources (DHR) in the creation of an Accelerated Childcare Education Credential (ACEC) that once completed will represent as an entry-level credential for work within a childcare facility meeting state requirements of the Childcare Licensing Performance Standards and CCDF Health and Safety Guidelines. ACEC will be a 12-week program, consisting of self-paced online training, classroom observation, and a paid field placement for on-the-job training.
• Developing content models for integrated education and training and career pathways because of current targeted professional development with American Institute for Research. A six-month contract that incorporates the elements of the Advanced IET Design training for all adult education providers is intended to result in Alabama having 70+ individuals trained in the creating process of IETs along with developing and presenting on individual capstone projects to model for future providers 20+ completed IET applications, single set of learning objectives, program and learner goals, and targeted outcome expectations.
• The ACCS Adult Education Division is cognizant of the need for teacher retention efforts and has been engaged with the National Reporting System (NRS) efforts in participating in targeted workshops aimed at strategies to support local program’s efforts in developing strategies related to improving teacher quality. In PY 2022-23 ACCS supported a pay rate increase for adult education instructors in recognition of the need to recruit and maintain a strong base of high-quality instructors. Following up on that investment in state funding, ACCS Adult Education Division has developed a statewide taskforce of adult education practitioners to develop and adopt teacher standards. Each standard is designed to encompass clear and measurable criteria, providing teachers with specific benchmarks for success, thereby facilitating assessments and continuous professional development. The integration of professional development opportunities within the standards aims to support educators in staying updated with best practices. Emphasizing differentiated levels of proficiency within each standard accommodates educators at various career stages, fostering growth for novice, experienced, and master teachers. The implementation of a robust feedback and evaluation mechanism, aligned with the standards, establishes a supportive system that recognizes accomplishments and facilitates ongoing improvement. Acknowledging and rewarding teachers who meet or exceed these standards plays a pivotal role in cultivating a positive work environment. These standards will guide current and future adult education providers in their hiring practices as well as classroom observations, improvement plans and identifying best practices. These standards will enhance the capability of supporting mentorship programs, tailoring targeted professional development, and recognizing teacher contributions toward performance.