Professional Development: New Directions for Texas

PROJECT GREAT TO PROVIDE PD FOR TEXAS

The Project GREAT Adult Education and Family Literacy Regional Centers of Excellence are Texas LEARNS' answer to the professional development needs of adult education and family literacy practitioners in Texas. Once successful proposals are funded, there will be eight (8) Project GREAT Centers, one in each of eight training regions in the state. The centers will be managed by the successful applicant, in collaboration with the state office of Adult Education (Texas LEARNS), Texas Education Agency (TEA), and the region's adult education directors. See map for regions.

Description. The purpose of this program is to provide the operation of professional development programs to improve the quality of instruction provided pursuant to local activities required under Title II, Workforce Investment Act, §231(b), including:

-- instruction incorporating the essential components of reading instruction and instruction provided by volunteers or by personnel of a State or outlying area;

-- the provision of technical assistance to eligible providers of adult basic skills and family literacy education programs for development and dissemination of scientific research-based instructional practices in reading, writing, speaking, math, and English language acquisition programs;

-- the provision of technology assistance, including staff training to eligible providers of adult basic skills and family literacy education programs, including distance learning activities, to enable the eligible providers to improve the quality of such activities;

-- the development and implementation of technology applications or distance learning, including professional development to support the use of instructional technology.

The Project GREAT Centers will be professional development centers that serve all areas of Adult Education and Family Literacy, English Literacy and Civics Education (EL Civics), Correctional Education (Corrections), Adult Education for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Recipients Program, and Even Start Family Literacy (Even Start). These Project GREAT Centers will provide training for, but not limited to, Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL), Texas Curriculum Framework, literacy and basic skills, workforce literacy training, learning disabilities, and all statewide training needs, e.g., Basic English Skills Tests (BEST), Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Adult and Continuing Education System (ACES), Texas Even Start Program Information Reporting System (TESPIRS), etc.

In addition to training activities, the Project GREAT Centers will schedule trainings including, but not limited to: maintaining a calendar of trainings using the Texas Center for Adult Literacy and Learning (TCALL) website, collaborating with Texas LEARNS to implement the framework for the Texas Adult Education Credential Model, managing payment to trainers, notifying local programs about trainings, conducting quarterly planning meetings with the region's adult education directors, conducting training evaluation with local adult education directors twice yearly, and providing reports to Texas LEARNS.

In addition to the requirements in Section III of this RFA, each application must address the requirements identified below (in Schedule 4) in order to be considered for funding.

Project GREAT Centers, through collaborative planning with all adult education administrators/coordinators, will ensure that all regional training is customized to meet the region's needs and follows the Adult Education Indicators of Program Quality (IPQs) for Professional Development.

Project GREAT Centers will be responsible for ensuring that all training developed for the region includes scientific research-based instructional practices in all trainings for the region for reading, writing, speaking, math, and English language acquisition (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act - Title II, Workforce Investment Act, P.L. 105-220, Section 223, State Leadership Activities).