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, 2006 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2007
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 2006-07. 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) on
Friday April 1, 2006.
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 current grants 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. 2006-2007 performance targets as stated in Section 5.0 exceed
actual performance outcomes for the fiscal year 2004-05.
Revisions to the Original
State Plan as Submitted in April 1999 and the Revised State Plan
submitted April 1, 2004
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).
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. 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, distance learning projects, clearinghouse,
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.
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