The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act AEFLA Referenced as Title II of the Workforce Investment

1
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
(AEFLA) Referenced as Title II of the
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998
2
Prepared by the Iowa Department of Education
with input and review by

• California Department of Education.
• Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System
  (CASAS).
• U.S. Department of Education Division of Adult
  Education and Literacy.
• National Adult Education Professional Development
  Consortium (NAEPDC).

3
Overview and Index of PowerPoint Presentation

• Overview
• This PowerPoint presentation is designed to
  provide an overview of the main points of the
  Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. The
  presentation may be shown in its entirety or
  customized to fit the needs of specific target
  audiences. The following index provides an
  overview of the PowerPoint presentation by major
  topic areas and slide range.

4
.
PowerPoint Index

• Major Topic Area Slide Range
• Overview of AEFLA 5 - 13
• Coordination Between Titles I II 14 - 47
• Target Populations Most in Need 48
• Definition of Adult Education 49 - 53
• Eligible Providers 54
• AEFLA Reservation of Funds 55 - 59
• State Leadership Activities 60 - 67
• State Plan Options 68 - 70
• State Plan Requirements 71 - 79
• Local Program Grant Criteria 80 - 86
• Performance Accountability System 87 - 96
• Incentive Grants 97 - 100
• National Leadership Activities 101-112

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Workforce Investment Act of 1998

• Signed into law August 7, 1998 (P.L. 105-220).
• Reforms federal employment, adult education, and
  vocational rehabilitation programs to create an
  integrated, one-stop system of workforce
  investment and education activities for adults
  and youth.
• Entities that carry out activities assisted under
  the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act are
  mandatory partners in this one-stop delivery
  system.

6
Structure of the Workforce Investment Act

• Title I - Workforce Investment System
• Title II - Adult Education and Literacy
• Title III - Workforce Investment-Related
  Activities
• Title IV - Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998
• Title V - General Provisions

7
Goal of the Workforce Investment Systems

• To increase the employment, retention, and
  earnings of participants, and increase
  occupational skill attainment by participants,
  and, as a result improve the quality of the
  workforce, reduce welfare dependency and enhance
  the productivity and competitiveness of the
  Nation.

8
Goals of the Adult Education and Family Literacy
Act (AEFLA)

• Assist adults to become literate and obtain the
  knowledge and skills necessary for employment and
  self-sufficiency.
• Assist adults who are parents obtain the
  educational skills necessary to become full
  partners in the educational development of their
  children.
• Assist adults in the completion of a secondary
  school education or its equivalent (GED).

9
Key Principles of AEFLA

• Creativity
• Streamlining Services
• Empowering Individuals
• Universal Access
• Increased Accountability
• Partnerships
• State and Local Flexibility
• Improved Quality
• Integrated Delivery System
• Innovation

10
Key Themes of AEFLA

• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Access

11
Key Themes (continued)

• Collaboration
• Serving Those Most in Need
• Establishing Partnerships

12
Key Themes (continued) Accountability

• Establishing Levels of Performance for Core
  Indicators
• Improving Quality and Demonstrating Continuous
  Improvement.
• Maintaining a Management Information System.

13
Key Themes (continued) Access

• Providing flexible scheduling and student support
  services.
• Using appropriate instructional technology.

14
Adult Education - WorkforceCoordination
Opportunities Titles I and II

• Representation on state and local boards
• State and Local Plans
• One-Stop Systems (required partner)
• Adult Training Services
• Incumbent Worker Basic Skills Training
• Out of School Youth
• Performance for Incentive Grants

15
Required One-Stop Partners

• Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities
  under WIA.
• Employment Service.
• Adult Education under WIA.
• Postsecondary Voc Ed under Perkins.
• Vocational Rehabilitation under WIA.
• Welfare-to-Work.
• Title V of Older Americans Act.
• Trade Adjustment Assistance.

16
Required One-Stop Partners (continued)

• NAFTA-TAA.
• Veterans Employment and Training Programs.
• Community Services Block Grant.
• HUD-Administered Employment and Training
  Programs.
• Unemployment Insurance.
• Local Board and local elected official (LEO) may
  approve participation of other programs.

17
Voluntary One-Stop Partners

• TANF
• FSET
• Food Stamp Workfare
• National Community Service
• Other

18
One-Stop Memorandum of Understanding

• Each One-Stop partner must enter into Memorandum
  of Understanding MOU with local board

19
Special Note Title II monies may only be
expended upon authorized Title II activities.

• One-Stop Memorandum of Understanding (continued)
• MOU must describe
• Services to be provided through One-Stop
• How services and operating costs of system will
  be funded
• Methods of referral of individuals between
  One-Stop operators and One-Stop partners
• Duration of and process for amending MOU
• Other.

20
Services Available to Dislocated Workers and
Adults

• The One-Stop is to make accessible
• Core Services
• Intensive Services
• Training services (point of access to Individual
  Training Accounts)
• Discretionary activities
• One-stop services such as customized screening
  and referral of participants and customized
  services to employers
• Supportive Services
• Needs-related payments.

21
Core Services

• Universal access for adults to
• Eligibility determination
• Outreach, intake, orientation
• Initial assessment
• Job search and placement assistance
• Career counseling
• Employment statistics
• Performance and cost information on training
  providers

22
Core Services (continued)

• Information on local area results on WIA
  performance measures
• Information on supportive services
• Information on filing UI claims
• Assistance in establishing eligibility for
  Welfare-to-Work and financial aid
• Follow-up services for 12 months after placement.

23
Intensive Services

• For unemployed unable to obtain employment
  through core services and employed who need core
  services to obtain or retain employment allowing
  for self-sufficiency.
• Can be provided directly through One-Stop or
  through contracts.

24
Intensive Services (continued)

• Examples
• Comprehensive assessments of skills and service
  needs
• Development of individual employment plan
• Group counseling
• Individual counseling and career planning
• Case management
• Short-term prevocational services.
• If funds are limited, welfare recipients and
  low-income individuals receive priority.

25
Training ServicesEligibility

• Eligibility for adults and dislocated workers
  who
• were unable to obtain or retain employment
  through intensive services
• were determined to need training and to have
  skills and qualifications to successfully
  participate
• select programs directly linked to employment
  opportunities
• are unable to obtain other grant assistance, such
  as Pell Grants, or need more assistance.
• If funds are limited, welfare recipients and
  low-income individuals receive priority.

26
Training ServicesTypes

• Types of training services
• Occupational skills training
• On-the-job training
• Skills upgrading
• Entrepreneurial training
• Job readiness training
• Adult education and literacy activities
• Customized training for employer who commits to
  hiring

27
Title I Accountability

• Core indicators of performance for adults,
  dislocated workers and youth ages 19-21
• Entry into unsubsidized employment
• Retention in employment 6 months after placement
• Earnings 6 months after placement
• Attainment of recognized credential (e.g. skills
  level certification)
• Core indicators of performance for youth ages
  14-18
• Attainment of basic skills
• Attainment of secondary school diploma or its
  equivalent (GED)
• Placement and retention in postsecondary school,
  military, employment, or apprenticeships.

28
Title I Accountability (continued)

• Indicator of customer satisfaction of employers
  and participants.
• State must negotiate expected levels of
  performance for state as a whole with the
  Secretary of Labor.
• State conducts similar negotiation with local
  areas.
• State submits annual report on state and local
  performance.
• Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Education to
  issue uniform definition for core indicators and
  levels of performance.

29
Title 1 Incentives, Sanctions, and Technical
Assistance

• State failing to meet expected levels of
  performance can request Department of Labor (DOL)
  technical assistance.
• State failing for second consecutive year subject
  to up to 5 reduction in funding.
• If state exceeds state-adjusted levels of
  performance for Title I Adult Education and
  Vocational Education will receive incentive
  grant.
• Parallel process for setting local performance
  levels exists between state and local areas.
• Incentive grants to local areas.

30
Adult Education and Literacy Membership on the
State Boards

• The lead agency official for adult education and
  literacy must be a member, unless the state
  chooses an approved pre-existing, alternative
  entity on which adult education is not
  represented. In such a case, the state plan must
  explain the manner in which the state will ensure
  an ongoing role for adult education and literacy.

31
Other Statewide Roles of Eligible Agency for
Adult Education and Literacy

• Designate the entity(ies) to act on behalf of the
  eligible agency as the one-stop partner(s) in
  each local Workshop Development Area unless the
  eligible agency elects to perform that function
  itself.
• Participate in selecting the representative of
  the one-stop partner(s) to serve on the local
  board.

32
Other Statewide Roles of Eligible Agency for
Adult Education and Literacy (continued)

• Work with local boards and one-stops to resolve
  impasses encountered in developing memorandum of
  understanding between local workforce investment
  boards and adult education and literacy one-stop
  partners designated by the eligible agency.

33
Local Workforce Investment Boards (WIB)

• Appointed by Chief Elected Official
• Membership
• Majority Business Business Chair
• Governor Certify Every Two Years

34
Local ResponsibilityLocal WIB Boards

• Duties
• Local Plan
• Select One-Stop Operator
• Identify Training Providers
• Identify Intensive Service Providers
• Award Contracts for Intensive Services Providers
• Establish Youth Counsel and Select Youth
  Providers
• Performance Measures and Accountability
• Assist with Developing Employment Statistics
• Coordination with Economic Development
• Administration and Budget
• Connecting, Brokering and Coaching

35
Local WIB to DesignateOne-Stop Facility

• One-Stop Operator Selected by Local Board Using
  One of the Following
• Competitive Process or
• Agreement Between Board and Consortium of three
  or more partners (Public or Private) or
• An Established One-Stop may be Designated with
  Agreement Between the Local Board, CLEO and
  Governor

36
Local Board Limitations

• Cannot be Training Provider Unless Governor
  Grants Waiver
• Cannot be Core or Intensive Service Provider
  Unless Agreed to by Local Elected Official and
  Governor

37
Adult Education and Literacy Membership on Local
Boards

• A newly-created, local board must contain at
  least one representative of each one-stop
  partner, or set of partners. Adult education and
  literacy is a mandatory one-stop partner.
• If an approved pre-existing, alternative entity
  is designated as the local board, and that entity
  does not have an adult education representative,
  the local workforce investment plan must explain
  the manner in which the local board will ensure
  an ongoing role for adult education and literacy.

38
Adult Education and Literacy Providers as
Required One-Stop Partners

• Negotiate terms of a memorandum of understanding
  (MOU) with the local board.
• Pursuant to the terms of that MOU
• Provide and/or help pay for core services
  supportable under Title II, e.g. assessment
• Provide adult education and literacy services.
• A one-stop partner agency can be eligible to
  receive Title I funds to
• Provide intensive services, e.g. more intensive
  assessment, diagnostic testing and short term
  pre-vocational skills, such as SCANS skills
• Provide training services.

39
Support of One-Stops

• Eligible agency itself or through its one-stop
  partner designees must ensure that a portion of
  Sec. 231 funds be used to create and maintain the
  one-stop delivery system.
• Support may be in cash and in kind.
• Funding levels and method of reimbursement
  negotiated in MOU with local boards.
• Must be used for Title II-allowable activities.
• Must be in proportion to the use of applicable
  core services by Title II enrollees Title II
  contributions around 2.8-3.
• Supplement - not supplant - rules still apply.

40
Adult Education and Literacy Providers as
One-Stop Operators

• An adult education and literacy agency can
  qualify to be a one-stop operator via a
  competitive process conducted by the local board
  or by being a member of a consortium selected by
  the board. A one-stop operator
• May deliver core and intensive services, or
  coordinate services of partners and other
  providers to provide these services
• Administer funds to training providers selected
  by the local board
• Is also eligible to have one or more of its
  component agencies receive training dollars.
• Elementary and secondary schools are not eligible
  to become one-stop operators except that this
  prohibition does not apply to area vocational
  centers and nontraditional secondary schools.

41
Adult Education and Literacy Providers as
Deliverers of Adult Education and Literacy and of
Training Services

• Adult education and literacy one-stop partner
  agencies and other adult education and literacy
  providers that receive Title II funds accept
  referrals from the one-stop operator and use
  Title II funds to cover costs within budget
  limitations established for each of the purposes
  of WIA Title II. These provisions are established
  in the state or local MOU.
• Adult education and literacy providers can also
  qualify for Title I funds to perform intensive
  services and training, but to qualify for
  training dollars adult education and literacy
  activities must be combined with one or more of
  the other authorized training activities approved
  by the training provider.

42
Adult Education and Literacy Providers as
Deliverers of Adult Education and Literacy and of
Training Services (continued)

• Initially, programs eligible for HEA Title IV
  funds are automatically eligible for training
  dollars, other agencies are selected via a
  state-developed process. Ultimately all programs
  will be judged on performance on core indicators.
• Programs receiving Title I dollars are subject to
  the placement-driven core indicators of Title I
  for the use of those dollars.

43
Participant Choice

• Persons slated by a one-stop operator to be
  referred for adult education and literacy
  services may be involved in the selection of a
  provider by examining performance, cost, and
  customer satisfaction data available at the
  one-stop. Participant choice must be balanced by
  participant need in the selection of an
  appropriate program.

44
Individual Training Accounts

• Title I funded training reimbursed on an
  individual basis (customer voucher).
• Group contracts only allowed
• For on-the-job or customized training,
• If there are not sufficient qualified providers
  available or,
• If the local board elects to contract with a
  community based organization or other private
  organizations of demonstrated effectiveness that
  serves as a special population with multiple
  barriers to employment.

45
Pell First Provisions

• Providers of training programs that are
  Pell-eligible must apply for Pell aid for
  participants who qualify for that aid. If Title
  I dollars are used until Pell aid becomes
  available, reimbursement must be made to Title I.

46
Adult Education and Literacy Membership on Youth
Councils

• Adult education and literacy providers are
  eligible but are not required members. The work
  of youth councils is within the sphere of
  interest of adult education and literacy provider
  agencies because
• 30 of each areas allocation must be spent on
  out-of-school youth
• Among the statutory characteristics of
  out-of-school youth are being without a high
  school diploma or, although possessing a diploma,
  functioning at the 8th grade level or below.
• Core indicators for youth programs include
  attainment of basic skills, earning a high school
  diploma or a GED, and placements in postsecondary
  education.

47
One-Stops and Services for Youth

• One-stops may, but are not required to, provide
  core and intensive services or training to youth.
• Adult education and literacy one-stop partners
  may elect to provide assessment and information
  services to youth and refer them to appropriate
  programs as specified in the MOU.

48
Six Key Population Groups Identified as Being the
Most in Need for Title II Services

• Disadvantaged adults
• Adult immigrants
• Homeless adults
• Individuals with disabilities
• Incarcerated adults
• Single parents and displaced homemakers

49
Definition Adult EducationAdult Education
means services or instruction below the
post-secondary level for individuals.

• Who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled
  in secondary school under state law and
• Who have attained 16 years of age
• lack sufficient mastery of basic educational
  skills to enable the individuals to function
  effectively in society
• do not have a secondary school diploma or an
  equivalent level of education or
• are unable to speak, read or write the English
  language.

50
Adult Education and Literacy Activities

• Adult education and literacy services, including
  workplace literacy services.
• Family literacy services.
• English literacy services.

51
Workplace Literacy Services

• Literacy services to improve the productivity of
  the workforce through the improvement of literacy
  skills.

52
Family Literacy Services

• Services of sufficient intensity and duration to
  make sustainable changes in a family and that
  integrate all of the following activities
• Interactive literacy activities between parents
  and their children
• Training for parents regarding how to be the
  primary teacher for their children and full
  partners for the education of their children
• Parent literacy training that leads to economic
  self sufficiency and
• Age-appropriate education to prepare children for
  success in school and life experiences.

53
English Literacy Programs

• Programs of instruction designed to help
  individuals of limited English proficiency
  achieve competence in the English language.

54
Eligible Providers

• Local educational agency.
• Community-based organization of demonstrated
  effectiveness.
• Volunteer literacy organization of demonstrated
  effectiveness.
• Institution of higher education.
• Public or private nonprofit agency.
• Library.
• Public housing authority.
• Nonprofit institution not described above that
  has the ability to provide literacy services to
  adults and families.
• Consortium of any of the above.

55
AEFLA Reservation of Funds
56
State Distribution of Funds
57
Allowable Expenditures of the 82.5 Percent for
Grants and Contracts
58
Explanation of Allowable Program and
Administrative Expenditures

• A minimum of 85 is to be used for ABE programs.
• An amount up to 10 may be used for correctional
  and institutionalized programs.
• The 5 local administrative cap can be exceeded
  for cause.

59
State Matching Requirements
60
State Leadership Activities

• Professional Development The establishment or
  operation of professional development programs to
  improve the quality of instruction, including
  instruction incorporating phonemic awareness,
  systematic phonics, fluency, and reading
  comprehension and instruction provided by
  volunteers or by personnel of the state or
  outlying area.

61
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• Technical Assistance The provision of technical
  assistance to local providers.
• Technology Assistance The provision of
  technology assistance (e.g. computers, distance
  learning) to eligible providers (including staff
  training).

62
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• Literacy Resource Centers The support of state
  or regional networks of literacy resource
  centers.
• Monitoring The monitoring and evaluation of the
  quality of and the improvement in adult education
  and literacy activities.

63
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• State Incentives Incentives for program
  coordination, integration, and performance
  awards. The state may simply decide to allocate
  part of its state leadership reserve to local
  providers that promote coordination and
  integration and exceed their benchmarks. This
  incentive award would be over and above the
  dollars allocated to the eligible providers
  pursuant to the states RFP.

64
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• Curriculum Development Developing and
  disseminating curricula, including curricula
  incorporating phonemic awareness, systematic
  phonics, and fluency in reading comprehension.

65
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• Statewide Significance Other activities of
  statewide significance that promote the purpose
  of this title.

66
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• Support Services Coordination with the existing
  support services such as transportation,
  childcare, and other assistance designed to
  increase the rates of enrollment in, and
  successful completion of, adult education and
  literacy activities.

67
State Leadership Activities (continued)

• Linkages with Workforce Investment Integration
  of literacy instruction and occupational skill
  training and promoting linkages with employers.
• Postsecondary Linkages Linkages with
  postsecondary education institution.

68
State Plan Options

• One-year transitional plan. This option provides
  for a state to submit a one-year transitional
  plan for the period covering July 1, 1999 to June
  30, 2000. The transitional plan would lead to a
  five-year plan of which the transitional plan
  would comprise the first year.

69
State Plan Options (continued)

• Five-year plan. This option provides for a state
  to submit a five-year plan covering the period
  from July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2004.

70
State Plan Options (continued)

• State unified plan. This option provides for a
  state to submit a plan for adult education and
  literacy as part of a state unified plan in
  conjunction with other programs referenced in
  other titles of WIA (i.e. workforce, vocational
  rehabilitation) and/or programs referenced in
  other federal legislation (i.e. Perkins III,
  Older Americans Act of 1965, etc.)

71
State Plan Requirements

• State Assessment To develop the plan, the state
  must first carry out and include an objective
  assessment of the needs of individuals in the
  state. This activity must reflect an effort to
  assess the individuals most in need of services
  or hardest to serve. States should look to recent
  needs assessments conducted by local providers,
  local workforce boards, and other human resource
  agencies.

72
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Planned Services The plan must include a
  description of the adult education and literacy
  activities that the state will carry out with
  federal funds. This requirement reflects the
  nucleus of the state plan.
• Evaluation The plan must include a description
  of how the state will annually evaluate the
  effectiveness of adult education and literacy
  activities based upon performance measures. In
  the past, state evaluation activities included
  not only results, but policies and procedures.

73
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Performance Measures The plan must describe the
  actual performance measures and how such
  performance measures will assist in the
  improvement of adult education and literacy
  activities. Performance levels for core
  indicators must be negotiated with the Secretary
  of Education.

74
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Flexible Scheduling/Support Services The plan
  must include an assurance that the state will
  award not less than one grant to an eligible
  provider that offers flexible schedules and the
  necessary support services (such as child care
  and transportation) to enable individuals to
  participate in adult education and literacy
  activities.

75
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Allocability to Adult Education The plan must
  contain an assurance that the federal funds
  received will not be expended for any purpose
  other than those permitted under the new
  legislation.
• Description of Local Funding Considerations The
  plan must include a description of how the state
  will fund local activities based on the twelve
  considerations for local providers. A state may
  add additional considerations to the list and
  indicate any priority assigned to the twelve
  considerations.

76
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Fiscal Requirements The plan must include an
  assurance that the eligible agency will only
  expend the federal funds in a manner that
  satisfies the statutory nonsupplant provision and
  maintenance of effort provision.
• Public Participation in Development of Plan The
  plan must include a description of the process
  used by the state for public participation and
  comment with respect to the development of the
  state plan.

77
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Strategies to Serve Special Populations The
  plan must include a description of how the
  eligible agency will develop strategies to
  embrace low-income students, individuals with
  disabilities, single parents, displaced
  homemakers, and individuals with multiple
  barriers to educational enhancement, including
  individuals with limited English proficiency.

78
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Coordination of Services The plan must include
  a description of how federal adult education
  funds will be integrated with other adult
  education, career development, and employment and
  training activities in the state.

79
State Plan Requirements (continued)

• Access to Local Providers The plan must include
  a description of the steps the state eligible
  agency will take to ensure direct and equitable
  access by all potential local providers. The same
  grant or contract announcement process and
  application process must be used for all eligible
  providers.

80
Local Program Grant Criteria

• Measurable Goals The degree to which the
  eligible provider will establish measurable goals
  for participant outcomes.
• Serving Those Most in Need The commitment of
  the eligible provider to serve individuals in the
  community most in need of literacy services,
  including individuals with low income or who have
  minimal literacy skills.

81
Local Program Grant Criteria (continued)

• Past Effectiveness The past effectiveness of an
  eligible provider in improving the literacy
  skills of adults and families. After the adoption
  of a states performance measures, the state must
  also take into account whether the provider met
  or exceeded such performance measures, especially
  with respect to those adults with the lowest
  levels of literacy (i.e. NALS Levels 1 2).

82
Local Program Grant Criteria (continued)

• Intensity of Services Whether the program is of
  sufficient intensity and duration for
  participants to achieve substantial learning
  gains, and uses instructional practices such as
  phonemic awareness, systemic phonics, fluency and
  reading comprehension that research has proven to
  be effective in teaching individuals to read.

83
Local Program Grant Criteria (continued)

• Effective Practices Whether the activities are
  built on a strong foundation of research and
  effective educational practice.
• Use of Technology Whether the activities
  effectively employ advances in technology,
  including the use of computers.

84
Local Program Grant Criteria (continued)

• Real-Life Context Whether the activities
  provide learning in a real-life context to ensure
  that an individual has the skills necessary to
  compete in the workplace and exercise the rights
  and responsibilities of citizenship.
• Staffing Whether well-trained instructors,
  counselors, and administrators staff the
  activities.

85
Local Program Grant Criteria (continued)

• Coordination Whether the activities coordinate
  with other resources in the community.
• Flexible Schedules Whether the activities offer
  flexible schedules and support services, such as
  childcare and transportation.

86
Local Program Grant Criteria (continued)

• Management Information Whether the activities
  maintain a high quality information management
  system that has the capacity to report
  participant outcomes and to monitor performance.
• English Literacy Whether the local communities
  have a demonstrated need for additional English
  literacy programs.

87
Performance Accountability System

• AEFLA requires that states and local programs
  establish a comprehensive accountability system

88
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Purpose of the performance accountability system
  is
• - Assess the effectiveness of states in achieving
  continuous improvement of adult education and
  literacy activities.
• - Assist in optimizing the return on investment
  (ROI) of the federal funds in adult education and
  literacy activities.

89
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Accountability is based on a set of core
  indicators of performance.
• - Demonstrated improvements in literacy skill
  levels in reading, writing, speaking the English
  language, numeracy, problem solving, English
  language acquisition, and other literacy skills.

90
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• - Placement in, retention in, or completion of,
  postsecondary education, training, unsubsidized
  employment or career development.
• - Receipt of a secondary school diploma or its
  recognized equivalent (GED).

91
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Levels of Performance
• - Initial performance levels are to be expressed
  as current reporting system outcomes. Years 1-3
  of state plan period.
• - National Reporting System (NRS) adoption, July
  1999. Between 1999 and July 2000, states will
  make any needed revisions to performance levels
  based on new NRS requirements (years 2-3).
• - Prior to July, 2001 states and the Secretary
  will reach agreement on the levels of performance
  for years 4 and 5 of the plan.

92
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Additional Indicators
• - A state may elect to identify additional
  performance indicators and to establish levels of
  performance for these indicators (i.e. basic
  skills certification program).
• .
• 5

93
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Factors to consider
• - How levels compare with other states taking
  into account the characteristics of participants
  and the services and instruction to be provided
• - The extent to which the performance levels
  promote continuous improvements in performance
  and ensure optimal return on the federal
  investment

94
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Performance measures are to be proposed by states
  and negotiated with the Secretary, Office of
  Adult and Vocational Education (OVAE).
• The levels of performance for core indicators
  must be expressed in objective, quantifiable and
  measurable form and show the progress of the
  state toward continuously improving in
  performance.

95
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• Such levels shall be considered to be adjusted
  levels of performance.
• Local programs may be judged on their ability to
  meet or exceed the state performance measures.

96
Performance Accountability System (continued)

• States will annually report to the Secretary on
  the progress in achieving the performance
  measures and make these reports available to the
  general public.

97
Incentive Grants

• Beginning July 1, 2000 the Secretary of Labor is
  authorized to award incentive grants to any state
  that exceeds the state adjusted levels of
  performance for selected WIA partners.

98
Incentive Grants (continued)

• State submits an application to the Secretary
  that meet the following assurances
• state legislature was consulted in the
  development of the application
• application approved by the governor
• state eligible agency for each program exceeded
  the state adjusted levels of performance for the
  three programs (Title I and II of WIA and Perkins
  III).

99
Incentive Grants (continued)

• Amount of the incentive grant will not be less
  than 750,000 or more than 3M annually.
• Secretary may reduce the minimum and maximum
  grant amount to a uniform percentage if adequate
  funds are not available to award a grant to each
  eligible state.

100
Incentive Grants (continued)

• State need not submit a unified plan to qualify
  for an incentive grant.
• There is no requirement that incentive grants be
  divided among the contributing sources in
  proportion to each entitys investment. The
  distribution of funds is left to the discretion
  of the governor.

101
National Leadership Activities

• Purpose Enhance the quality of adult education
  and literacy programs nationwide.
• Activities Technical assistance, including
• assistance provided to eligible entities in
  developing and using performance measures for the
  improvement of adult education and literacy
  activities, including family literacy services

102
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• Activities Technical assistance, including
  (continued)
• assistance relating to professional development
  activities, and assistance for the purposes of
  developing, improving, identifying, and
  disseminating the most successful methods and
  techniques for providing adult education and
  literacy activities, including family literacy
  services

103
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• Activities Technical assistance, including
  (continued)
• assistance in distance learning and promoting and
  improving the use of technology in the classroom.

104
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• Funding of other national leadership activities
  not previously described either directly or
  through grants, contracts, or cooperative
  agreements awarded on a competitive basis to or
  with postsecondary educational institutions,
  public private organizations or agencies, or
  consortia of such institutions, organizations, or
  agencies, such as

105
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• developing, improving, and identifying the most
  successful methods and techniques for addressing
  the education needs of adults, including
  instructional practices, using phonemic
  awareness, systemic phonics, fluency, and reading
  comprehension, based on the National Institute of
  Child Health and Human Development

106
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• increasing the effectiveness of, and improving
  the quality of, adult education and literacy
  activities, including family literacy services
• carrying out research, such as estimating the
  number of adults functioning at the lowest levels
  of literacy proficiency
• carrying out demonstration programs

107
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• developing and replicating model and innovative
  programs, such as the development of models for
  basic skill certificates, identification of
  effective strategies for working with adults with
  learning disabilities and with individuals with
  limited English proficiency who are adults, and
  workplace literacy programs

108
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• disseminating best practices information,
  including information regarding promising
  practices resulting from federally funded
  demonstration programs
• providing for the conduct of an independent
  evaluation and assessment of adult education and
  literacy activities through studies and analyses
  conducted independently through grants and
  contracts awarded on a competitive basis, which
  evaluation and assessment shall include
  descriptions of--

109
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• the effect of performance measures and other
  measures of accountability on the delivery of
  adult education and literacy activities,
  including family literacy services

110
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• the extent to which the adult education and
  literacy activities, including family literacy
  services, increase the literacy skills of adults
  (and of children, in the case of family literacy
  services), lead the participants in such
  activities to involvement in further education
  and training, enhance the employment and earnings
  of such participants, and, if applicable, lead to
  other positive outcomes, such as reductions in
  recidivism in the case of prison-based adult
  education and literacy activities

111
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• the extent to which the provision of support
  services to adults enrolled in adult education
  and family literacy programs increase the rate of
  enrollment in, and successful completion of, such
  programs and
• the extent to which eligible agencies have
  distributed funds under Section 231 to meet the
  needs of adults through community-based
  organizations

112
National Leadership Activities (continued)

• supporting efforts aimed at capacity building at
  the state and local levels, such as technical
  assistance in program planning, assessment,
  evaluation, and monitoring of activities carried
  out under this subtitle
• collecting data, such as data regarding the
  improvement of both local and state data systems,
  through technical assistance and development of
  model performance data collection systems and
• other activities designed to enhance the quality
  of adult education and literacy activities
  nationwide.