Narrative: d. 1.

The West Virginia Office of Adult Education will ensure that the same grant announcement, application process and review process is made available to all eligible providers, including English Literacy and Civics Education programs. These measures will ensure that West Virginia Office of Adult Education meets requirements to provide (1) all eligible providers with direct and equitable access to apply and compete for grants or contracts under this section; and (2) the same grant or contract announcement process and application process will be used for all eligible providers in the State. See Title II Competitive Grant Process under Funding for Core Partners and Distribution of Funds in the Operational section of plan for additional detail.

The West Virginia Office of Adult Education will make funds available under Section 211(a)(2)(b) for the delivery of IEL/Civics and will hold a competition for funds under Section 243 of WIOA for IEL/Civics as described in Title II Distribution of Funds in the Operational section of the plan. Through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP), the West Virginia Office of Adult Education will award grants on a three-year basis to IEL/Civics programs. Applicants will be expected to address the thirteen considerations and seven requirements established in Title II. IEL/Civics applications may be submitted by regional AEFLA programs and/or by any of the other eligible providers as defined in Section 203.

Programs applying for IEL/Civics funds under Section 243 will be required to provide IEL/Civics instruction that includes integrated education and training activities that align to the LWDB needs. Applicants will be required to provide extensive data to demonstrate the need and potential for success of IEL/Civics activities in conjunction with integrated education and training in the proposed service area. Such data will include, but not be limited to, immigration trends, demographics of the English language learners in the area where the program will be provided, and employment and labor market statistics for the area. In addition, applicants will be asked to provide evidence that they have developed, or will be able to develop in a timely fashion, partnerships that support the purpose of the program. Applicants will be required to provide assurances that the occupational training included as part of the program will be provided by qualified providers. Funding under this title will be awarded based upon the criteria for evaluation of programs applications contained in Section 231 (e) of WIOA.

Programs funded under this title will focus on the following goals: • Educational services for English Language Learners, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enables them 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. These services shall include instruction in literacy and English acquisition and instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation. • Workforce training that will enable students to begin or continue careers in their chosen fields, including preparation for post-secondary education. A high priority will be to provide English skills so that individuals with degree and credentials in their native countries will qualify for employment in the fields for which they have been trained. The desired outcome from the workforce training under this title will be unsubsidized employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self- sufficiency.

All students in the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Programs, as well as students from all other Title II funded programs may be (1) co-enrolled in other workforce development system programs or (2) receive services concurrently from several partners.