FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Request for Proposal (RFP) for Discretionary, Competitive Projects
Bureau/Office
Division of Career and Adult Education
Program Name
Building an Adult Education Career Pathways System for Transitioning to Postsecondary Education
Specific Funding Authority(ies)
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)
State Grant Programs Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA)
CFDA #84.002, Web site: http://www.cfda.gov/CFDA.pdf
Funding Purpose/Priorities
The purpose of this funding is to build the capacity of eligible providers responsible for adult education and literacy services in the State of Florida to increase the number and percentage of adult education students who enter postsecondary education and earn a degree, certificate and/or industry credential.
The Florida Adult Education Career Pathway funding opportunity will provide the fiscal resources for eligible providers to analyze their adult education program components in the areas of: 1.) program design, 2.) curriculum and instruction, 3.) professional development, 4.) student support services, 5.) assessment, 6.) partnerships, 7.) dissemination / marketing, and 8.) accountability. The analysis will determine system changes needed to reach the goal of increasing the number and percentage of students that enter postsecondary education and earn a degree, certificate and/or industry credential. Applicants must also integrate career awareness, exploration, and planning programs that result in all adult learners developing a career and education plan. Applicants must include, in the application, how the improved and/or expanded delivery system for adult education career pathways will be sustained after this funding cycle ends.
Definition of Adult Education Career Pathways
An adult education career pathway is a systemic framework that connects adult education programs, work, and postsecondary education. Each step in a career pathway is designed to prepare the student for the next level of work and education. Each step measures skills and improves career and earning opportunities. The career pathway includes noncredit and college credit programs tied to high-growth industries, fields or occupations that provide family sustaining wages.
Key features of a comprehensive, fully implemented adult education career pathways system include:
· Basic skills instruction contextualized for a specific occupation or cluster of occupations within an industry or field;
· Support services, such as counseling, academic advising, tutoring, career counseling, financial aid, and job placement;
· Curriculum and coursework that are broken into steps and that are aligned with and articulate to academic and career advancement;
· Visual diagram or “road map” that shows multiple entries and exit points and depicts vertical and lateral movement within an occupation or career cluster;
· Transition or “bridge” programs to help adults improve their basic skills and prepare for postsecondary-level courses, especially math, reading, and writing courses; and
· Community and business partnership arrangements (services such as childcare, transportation, and case management), job shadowing, and internships.
Outcomes associated with adult education career pathways provide higher rates of persistence, completion, transition between educational levels and employment.
Selected grantees will have the following responsibilities:
1. Establishing a steering committee to develop a post award five-year strategic plan focusing on the goals of increasing the number and percentage of adult education students that enter postsecondary education and earn a degree, certificate and/or industry credentials. The committee must include the school district and/or college adult education providers, workforce representatives, college/technical center serving the region, and others as determined locally.
2. Developing and implementing a post award five-year strategic plan for the period beginning upon award through June 30, 2015.
The purpose of the strategic plan is to improve, expand, or create an adult education program that includes adult education career pathways and transition to postsecondary programs as an integral component of the delivery system.
Note: The goal of the plan is to build the capacity of eligible providers responsible for providing adult education and literacy services in the State of Florida and to increase the number and percentage of adult education students who enter postsecondary education and earn a degree, certificate, and/or industry credential.
The required template for the post award Five-Year Strategic Plan is available at URL:
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/dwdgrants/adulted.asp
All funded grantees must submit the completed template by June 30, 2011.
The strategic plan, to be guided by the steering committee, must include the following and must be tailored to the area’s needs:
a) Program Design – Programs are designed to transition or “bridge” adults between basic and college-level skills, especially math, reading, and writing courses. Programs provide clear pathways for participants, regardless of their skill level at the point of entry, to advance as quickly as possible to postsecondary programs and ultimately to family-sustaining employment or advancement in their careers. Programs provide visual diagrams or “road maps” that shows multiple entry and exit points and depicts vertical and lateral movement within an occupation or career cluster;
b) Curriculum and Instruction – Programs ensure that curricula covers the full range of basic and work-readiness skills needed for entry into and success in postsecondary education and training and the workplace, and use a range of resources and instructional techniques that optimize both educational learning gains and career and college readiness. Curriculum and coursework is aligned and articulated with academic and career advancement. Instruction provides basic skills contextualized for a specific occupation or cluster of occupations within an industry or field.
c) Professional Development – Teachers, counselors, and administrators need ongoing professional development to develop the skills and knowledge needed to plan and implement an Adult Education Career Pathways System.
d) Student Support Services – Programs provide services such as tutoring, career counseling, career exploration and planning (using Florida CHOICES or its equivalent), and access to case management, child care, transportation, financial aid, and job placement.
e) Assessment – Programs use a variety of assessment tools (in addition to standardized tests used in adult education) to measure postsecondary readiness such as college placement tests, SAT, and/or ACT tests.
f) Partnerships - Adult education in career pathways is part of a larger system and needs to be developed in partnership with other local educational institutions and stakeholders. Community and business partnership arrangements include services such as childcare, transportation, case management, job shadowing, and internships. Partnerships must include the school district, college/technical center serving the region, workforce representative, and other area education providers as determined locally.
g) Dissemination / Marketing – Promote awareness of Adult Education Career Pathways through targeting marketing of linkages between adult education, postsecondary, and workforce. Strategies will inform adult learners of unique program offerings as well as disseminate best practices for adult education providers.
h) Accountability – Programs will analyze student outcomes to set baseline data and goals for increasing the number and percentage of adult students who enter postsecondary education and earn a degree, certificate and/or industry credential. Programs will document, evaluate, and improve student and program outcomes on a continuing basis.
3. Providing opportunities for adult learners to develop a career and education plan using Florida CHOICES (or its equivalent) during the intake process, class time, or other time that fits local needs. The career and education plan must include, but is not limited to, activities such as interest assessments, career exploration, identification of career cluster(s) and a career pathway, and education plans to reach career goals. Implementation must begin during 2011 with the strategic plan indicating how and when all students will have a career and education plan.
4. Must participate in professional development opportunities on Building Adult Education Career Pathways System sponsored by the Department of Education. Workshops will be offered in 2011 through the Regional Training Councils (RTCs). Selected grantees must designate a team that will be trained. Grantees must also plan local professional development to meet the needs of their teachers, counselors, and administrators. CHOICES training will also be offered through the RTCs. The schedule of CHOICES and Adult Education Career Pathways workshops will be posted at www.floridatechnet.org.
Target Population(s)
Adults enrolled in Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult High School, and/or General Educational Development (GED) instruction.
Although the audiences for transition to postsecondary programs tend to be adults in General Educational Development (GED), Adult High School (AHS), and high-level English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs will integrate career awareness programs on careers and postsecondary opportunities to adults receiving ABE instruction.
Eligible Applicant(s)
AEFLA, Section 203 (5) – ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS.
(A) a local educational agency;
(B) a community-based organization of demonstrated effectiveness;
(C) a volunteer literacy organization of demonstrated effectiveness;
(D) an institution of higher education;
(E) a public or private nonprofit agency;
(F) a library;
(G) a public housing authority;
(H) a nonprofit institution that is not described in the above
subparagraph (A) through (G) and has the ability to provide literacy services to adults and families; and
(I) a consortium of the agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (H).
Application Due Date
February 18, 2011. The due date refers to the date of receipt in the Office of Grants Management.
Facsimile and e-mail submissions are not acceptable.
Total Funding Amount/Approximate Number of Awards
$7,495,004 total funding / 67 approximate number of awards
Application submission categories:
A. Single County Allocation Category Options:
1. Joint application for single county allocation must: BONUS points – 10
· include two or more adult education providers within the same county
· share fiscal resources (county allocation)
· include a separate Budget Narrative, DOE101S, for each agency receiving fiscal resources
· qualifying applications will receive all 10 bonus points
2. Single application for single county allocation is: NO BONUS points
· one adult education provider applying for a single county allocation
B. Multiple County Allocations Category Option:
1. Single application for multiple county allocations is: NO BONUS points
· one adult education provider applying for multiple county allocations
Requirements for ALL application submission categories:
· County allocation(s) must be expended and grant requirements implemented for Adult Education Career Pathways services within the county for which funds are requested.
· Applications must receive a minimum base score of 70 points for funding eligibility.
Matching Requirement
None
Budget/Program Performance Period
Upon application receipt and approval through June 30, 2012
Federal programs: Project effective date will be the date that the application is received within Florida Department of Education (DOE) in Substantially Approvable Form, or the effective date of the Federal Award Notification, whichever is later.
Contact Persons
Program Office Contact Grants Management Contact
Ken Plummer / Paula Starling/
850.245.9047 / 850.245.0711
Assurances
The Florida Department of Education developed and implemented a document entitled General Terms, Assurances and Conditions for Participation in Federal and State Programs, to comply with:
• 34 CFR 76.301 of the Education Department General Administration Regulations (EDGAR) which requires Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to submit a common assurance for participation in federal programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE);
• Applicable regulations of other Federal agencies; and
• State regulations and laws pertaining to the expenditure of state funds.
In order to receive funding, applicants must have on file with the Florida Department of Education, Office of the Comptroller, a signed statement by the agency head certifying applicant adherence to these General Assurances for Participation in State or Federal Programs. The complete text may be found at: http://fldoe.org/comptroller/doc/gbsectiond.doc
School Districts, Community Colleges, Universities, and State Agencies
The certification of adherence, currently on file with the Department of Education Comptroller’s Office, shall remain in effect indefinitely. The certification does not need to be resubmitted with this application, unless a change occurs in federal or state law, or there are other changes in circumstances affecting a term, assurance, or condition.
Private Colleges, Community-Based Organizations, and Other Agencies
In order to complete requirements for funding, applicants must certify adherence to the General Terms, Assurances, and Conditions by submitting the certification of adherence page, signed by the agency head.
Private colleges, Community and Faith-Based Organizations, and other non-public agencies must also submit upon approval of award, prior to the issuance of a project award.
(1) A copy of the organization’s current budget,
(2) A list of the board of directors, and if available,
(3) A copy of the institution or agency’s most recent annual audit report prepared by an independent Certified Public Accountant licensed in this state.
NARRATIVE COMPONENTS AND SCORING CRITERIAThe Instructions describe what the applicant must include in each Narrative Component.
Following the Instructions, within each Narrative Component, are Criteria. These are the bulleted, italicized statements used by proposal reviewers to assess and score each Narrative Component.
Complete the application using the same sequence presented in this narrative section.
Maximum number of pages for addressing Narrative Components (1-8) is 10. Any pages that exceed the 10 page maximum will not be included in the evaluation. This does not include any required forms or agreements.
The standard scoring Criteria are based on a 100 point scale, with a minimum score of 70 points required for an application to be considered eligible for funding or bonus points.
1. Project Abstract or Summary FIXED REQUIREMENT
Instructions
Provide a one page summary for the proposed project including general purpose, specific goals, brief program design, and significance (contribution and rationale).
In addition, complete the Project Category Identification Form (located in the Attachments section) and place the form in front of the brief one page summary.
Criteria
· The proposed project is described in a brief summary, including general purpose, specific goals, brief program design, and significance (contribution and rationale).
· It is clear that the proposed project aligns with the intended Funding Purpose/Priorities.
· The applicant has included the completed Project Category Identification Form (located in the Attachments section) - bonus points are addressed on the form.