Narrative: b.

Funding WIOA, Title II: AEFLA Providers The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is the State’s Eligible Agency for Adult Education and Literacy programs. MDE is responsible for administering funds and providing program/performance oversight to grantees. Adult Education and Literacy eligible providers approved under Workforce Investment Act of 1998 requirements will continue to receive funding through June 30, 2017, as long as they adhere to state and federal grant expectations, as measured through annual applications, financial reports, and program performance reports. During grant year 2016–17, the Minnesota Department of Education will implement a new competitive application process for all federal AEFLA funding that will determine what local providers will be grantees starting July 1, 2017. The local AEFLA program grant process will rate responses to the 13 considerations in Title II of WIOA and include additional state ABE priorities and context. An eligible local provider is an organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in providing adult education activities to eligible individuals and may include: 1. A local education agency; 2. Community–based or faith–based organization; 3. Volunteer literacy organization; 4. Institution of higher education; 5. Public or private nonprofit agency; 6. Library; 7. Public housing authority; 8. Nonprofit institution with the ability to provide adult education and literacy services; 9. Consortium or coalition of agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities described above; and 10. A partnership between an employer and an entity described above.

The grant competition will be publicized in compliance with federal law, Minnesota state statute, and Minnesota Department of Education policy in order to ensure that all eligible providers have direct and equitable access to apply and compete for grants.

The Minnesota Department of Education will dedicate a minimum 82.5 percent of the state allocation of federal AEFLA funding to grants to eligible providers. In addition, up to 12.5 percent of the state allocation to Leadership Activities to provide support for activities such as: professional development; volunteer recruitment and training; technology; serving students with disabilities; distance learning and digital literacy; program quality support; assessment training; and career pathway and other transitions–related collaborations.

The Minnesota Department of Education will use the considerations specified in section 231(e) of WIOA and listed below as the criteria for selecting and funding eligible providers. As part of the RFP process, agencies will be required to provide narrative detail describing how they will meet each consideration.

1. Needs Assessment: The degree to which the provider is responsive to (A) regional needs as identified in the local plan under section 108; and (B) serving individuals in the community who are identified in such plan as most in need of adult education and literacy activities, including individuals who have low levels of literacy skills and who are English language learners. 2. Individuals with Disabilities: The degree to which the provider is able to serve eligible individuals with disabilities, including eligible individuals with learning disabilities. 3. Past Effectiveness: The degree to which the provider demonstrates past effectiveness in improving the literacy of eligible individuals, to meet State–adjusted levels of performance for the primary indicators of performance described in section 116, especially with respect to eligible individuals who have low levels of literacy. 4. Alignment with One–stop Partners: The degree to which the eligible provider is responsive to, and demonstrates alignment between, proposed activities and services and the strategy and goals of the local plan under section 108 as well as the activities and services of the one–stop partners. 5. Intensity, Quality, and Instructional Practices: The degree to which the eligible provider’s program is of sufficient intensity and quality, and based on the most rigorous research available so that participants achieve substantial learning gains; and uses instructional practices that include the essential components of reading instruction. 6. Research Based Educational Practices: The degree to which the eligible provider’s activities including reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, and English language acquisition instruction, are based on the best practices derived from the most rigorous research available and appropriate, including scientifically valid research and effective educational practice. 7. Effective Use of Technology: The degree to which the eligible provider’s activities 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. 8. Integrated Education and Training: The degree to which the eligible provider’s activities offer 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. 9. Qualified Staff: The degree to which the eligible provider’s activities are delivered by well–trained instructors, counselors, and administrators who meet any minimum qualifications established by the state, where applicable, and who have access to high quality professional development, including through electronic means. 10. Partnerships and Development of Career Pathways: The degree to which the eligible provider’s activities coordinate 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. 11. Flexible Schedules and Coordination with Support Services: The degree to which the eligible provider’s activities 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 information management system that has the capacity to report measurable participant outcomes (consistent with section 116) and to monitor program performance. 12. Information management system: The expectation will be that the eligible provider will use the State–administered designated MIS for all grant–related data collection and reporting; and 13. English Language Acquisition and Civics Education: The degree to which the eligible provider has a demonstrated need for additional English language acquisition programs and civics education programs.

In addition to the above considerations, the grant application will require description of applicants: • location, service area, the scope of the program, a description of the population to be served, fiscal management procedures, and audit history; • capacity to offer day, evening, and distance education programming; • budget, as well as programmatic information regarding statutory requirements; • coordination with other service providers to provide wrap–around services to participants (e.g. child care, transportation); and • a description of how the program will align activities to the Local Plan for WIOA providers and supportive services. Adult Basic Education Programming The focus of adult education instruction in Minnesota will be the above noted content standards contextualized to enhance readiness for employment, citizenship, postsecondary education and training provided through comprehensive services that meet the diverse educational needs of students. In accordance with federal regulation, eligible providers may 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; family literacy activities; English language and acquisition activities; integrated English literacy and civics education (IEL/Civics); workforce preparation activities; or integrated education and training, which a) 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 b) is for the purpose of educational and career advancement.

Eligible providers will be required to implement such activities in accordance with the following federal definitions: Adult education means academic instruction and education services below the postsecondary level that increase an individual’s ability to read, write, and speak in English and perform mathematics or other activities necessary for the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; transition to postsecondary education and training; and obtain employment. Literacy means an individual’s ability to read, write, and speak in English, compute, and solve problems, at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society. Workplace adult education and literacy activities means adult education and literacy activities offered by an eligible provider in collaboration with an employer or employee organization at a workplace or an off–site location that is designed to improve the productivity of the workforce. Family literacy activities means activities that are of sufficient intensity and quality to make sustainable improvements in the economic prospects for a family, and that better enable parents or family members to support their children’s learning needs, and that integrate all of the following activities: A. Parent or family adult education and literacy activities that lead to readiness for postsecondary education or training, career advancement, and economic self– sufficiency. B. Interactive literacy activities between parents or family members and their children. C. Training for parents or family members regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children. D. An age–appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences.

The Minnesota Department of Education will 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 the 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, the Minnesota Department of Education will 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.

English language acquisition program means a program of instruction designed to help eligible individuals who are English language learners achieve competence in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension of the English language; and that leads to attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; and transition to post–secondary education and training; or employment.

Integrated English literacy and civics education means education services provided to English language learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enables such adults to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States. Such services shall include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation, and may include workforce training.

Workforce preparation activities means activities, programs, or services designed to help an individual acquire a combination of basic academic skills, critical thinking skills, digital literacy skills, and self–management skills, including competencies in utilizing resources, using information, working with others, understanding systems, and obtaining skills necessary for successful transition into and completion of post–secondary education or training, or employment.

Integrated education and training means a service approach that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities, and workforce training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of educational and career advancement.

Federal funds may be used to increase the level of nonfederal funds that would be available in the absence of federal funds, and, in no case, replace those nonfederal funds. Federal funds must not be used for the purpose of supplanting, only for supplementing.