Extension of Texas State Plan for
Adult Education and Family Literacy

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PROPOSED REVISION TO THE TEXAS STATE PLAN FOR
ADULT EDUCATION AND FAMILY LITERACY
JULY 1, 2011 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2012

The proposed extension to the Texas State Plan for Adult Education and Family Literacy is mandated by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Title II of the Workforce Investment Act, P. L. 105-220), using the authority contained in Section 422 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)[20 U.S.C 1226 (a)].  In order to receive federal adult education funds, a state must have a state plan revision approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education with new agreed performance targets for 2009-2010.  The performance targets contained in Section 5.0 of this plan have been preliminarily approved by a representative of the U.S. Department of Education’s Department of Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL).  State plan revisions are due to the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) April 1, 2011.

As required by Section 224 (c) and (d) of the Adult Education Family Literacy Act, revisions must include new performance targets that exceed actual performance measured in the prior year.  States must also indicate whether they intend to extend current grants or conduct a one-year competition.  Revisions must be approved by the Governor and any comments made by the Governor must be submitted to the U.S. Office of Vocational and Adult Education with the plan revisions.  Revisions must also include new uses of funds that were not incorporated in the existing State Plan and include updated certificates and assurances with original signatures.

Under this proposed extension, the State of Texas intends to extend 2010-2011 (current) grants for Section 231 and Section 225 for an additional year.  Projects funded originally in a competitive process will not stray from what was originally proposed and approved.  The extension means that programs will do what they proposed to do in the competitive application for a longer period of time.  2011-2012 performance targets as stated in Section 5.0 exceed actual performance outcomes for the fiscal year 2009-2010. The Texas Education Agency will distribute EL Civics Section 231 (b) funds through a continuation grant to existing grantees a competitive process for the 2007-2008 and for 2008-2009 2011-2012. TEA tentatively anticipates that a competitive application for Sections 231 and Section 225 will be released in February 2010 for the 2010-2011 program year.

Revisions to the Original State Plan as Submitted in April 1999 and the Revised State Plan submitted April 1, 2011
As directed in the document “Revising a State Plan” from the U.S. Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), revisions need only to be pertinent revisions, not full plans.  All revisions are simply updated sections to the original plan.  Texas has included in its plan revision, an updated organizational chart reflecting the line of authority from the authorized State official signing the plan revision to the State Director of Adult Education. 

Components of the Plan
Components of the plan include:

  • needs assessment;
  • description of adult education and literacy activities;
  • a description of the annual evaluation process;
  • performance measures;
  • the process and procedures for funding eligible providers including procedures for direct and equitable access to funds;
  • the program strategies for various populations;
  • integration with other adult education and training activities;
  • programs for corrections and other institutionalized adults; and
  • state leadership activities.

Funding and Eligible Providers
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) constitutes various categories of adult education service providers as eligible applicants and 82.5 percent of the federal funds are awarded to local adult education providers.

Eligible providers as delineated in Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, “The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act” are:

  • a local educational agency;
  • a community-based organization of demonstrated effectiveness;
  • a volunteer literacy organization of demonstrated effectiveness;
  • an institution of higher education;
  • a public or private nonprofit agency;
  • a library;
  • a public housing authority;
  • a nonprofit institution that is not described in any of these but has the ability to provide literacy services to adults and families; and
  • a consortium of these agencies, organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities.

Of the 82.5 percent funds, Texas Education Agency (TEA) will use not more than 10 percent as authorized in law for corrections education and adult education for other institutionalized adults. The remainder will be allocated according to the State Board of Education approved formula to each school district region.

Funds are awarded through a competitive Request for Application process described in Section 6.0 and 10.0 of the plan. Section 231 of the law requires TEA to award multiyear grants or contracts on a competitive basis. In addition, the same grant or contract application process is to apply for all eligible providers. Eligible providers can form a consortium and apply through a fiscal agent or they can apply individually. The TEA uses a fair process in the review of applications, which was developed with input from several entities, including community-based organizations. For example, in cases where two or more applicants compete for funding to serve the same geographic area, TEA's review panel includes one individual that represents the type of competing applicants. Further, each fiscal agent must establish an advisory committee, which provides for local control in planning and implementing adult education services.

Implementing Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)

TEA will implement AEFLA with the assistance of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE).  A contract reviewed by OVAE has been executed between TEA and HCDE reflecting the responsibilities and safeguards agreed upon by both parties. As brief summary of the contracts main points are summarized below. 

TEA will provide the discretionary duties to include:

  • Distribute funds according to Federal and State guidelines;
  • Develop, publish, and distribute competitive Requests for Application (RFA’s);
  • Receive RFA’s;
  • Conduct the competitive RFA process;
  • Approve funding and issue Notification of Grant Awards to applicants;
  • Perform on-site monitoring of projects as identified as high risk in the risk assessment process; and
  • Verify and submit annual reports to USDOE.

 The non-discretionary duties and responsibilities, which TEA will outsource to HCDE, include:

  • Technical assistance to grantees;
  • *State Leadership activities;
  • Establishment of a regional center approach for technical assistance and professional development;
  • Assistance to TEA with required reports and plans;
  • Updating and maintenance of automated reporting systems;
  • Assistance to TEA in establishing adult education performance measures; and
  • Establishment of an Adult Education Advisory Committee of local providers and other related agencies to assist in examining issues related to access to funds and all related adult education activities.

*State Leadership Activities
The law requires that not more than 12.5 percent of funds be used for a number of activities, such as professional development and technical assistance.  The state leadership activities will be administered through eight training regions, the Texas Center for Literacy and Learning (TCALL) and Texas LEARNS. Each region is awarded a grant through a competitive process funded under Section 225 of the law to establish and coordinate a GREAT Center of Excellence.  These centers provide professional development, technical assistance, technology assistance, and follow up to all adult education and family literacy programs in the region.  Each GREAT Center has selected an advisory board for the region that includes all adult education program directors, a representative from the local one-stop/workforce development system, and other stakeholders in the region.  Other activities funded under State Leadership include the development, maintenance, and support of a state of the art, web enabled accountability system that includes an electronic application process, a Management Information System, an electronic monitoring and evaluation system for each fiscal agent funded under this title, and a database for professional development tracking purposes.  Other proposed activities will include resource centers for one-stop partnerships, EL Civics, family literacy, faith-based initiatives, learning disabilities, research-based curriculum standards development, and distance learning projects, clearinghouse (TCALL), and literacy council and faith-based partnership development. In addition, TEA will fund a Workforce Literacy Resource Center to develop, pilot, implement, and disseminate industry specific adult basic education curriculum and associated administrator and teach training materials. In 2008-2009 2011-2012, a reading improvement project is anticipated for ABE and ESL teachers in addition to local administrator leadership academies. Other state leadership activities for 2011-2012 include continuation of the Standards in Action project with development of statewide implementation; continued membership in Project IDEAL; Leadership Excellence Academies for local program directors and administrators; Special Learning Needs training to develop statewide capacity through Special Learning Needs Specialists;  continuation of the STAR Project; Math Institutes for GED and ABE Teachers; development of a training module for the Management Information System (TEAMS); development of financial literacy and health literacy modules aligned with the Texas Content Standards; printing and dissemination of the Texas Industry Specific ESL Curriculum; development of modules, training, and implementation  for Basic Literacy ESL Teachers and Aides; and participation in a pilot with Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) delivering BEST Plus at a distance.

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